"Back to Basics" - Top Ten doTERRA Oil Blends - Past Tense (Headache Relief)

Today is my last day of my "Back to Basics" series.

Past Tense (Headache Relief) Blend

Whether it is caused by congestion or a hangover, headaches can be debilitating. The pain and tension associated with headaches can be relieved with this amazing blend of oils which includes wintergreen, lavender, peppermint, frankincense, cilantro, roman chamomile, majoram, and basil.

- Wintergreen, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, and Peppermint have antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties and can ease bone and muscle pain.

- Frankincense (the king of oils) has sedative properties and it often used to reduce inflammation and relieve headaches.

- Cilantro stimulates circulation and eases muscle aches and pains through its anti-inflammatory properties.

Simply apply to your temples, forehead, and back of neck.

Link:
doTERRA Product Page: Past Tense
Buy Past Tense here

"Back to Basics" - Top Ten Oil Blends - DigestZen

Today is day 13 of my "Back to Basics" series.



DigestZen (Digestive) Blend

I have been traveling the last couple of days and this blend has really come in handy for all of us. We have been eating food that we do not normally eat, drinking less water, and not exercise as much. It has really wreaked havoc on our digestive systems. That's where DigestZen comes in! This blend contains Ginger, Peppermint, Caraway, Coriander, Anise, Tarragon, and Fennel. Each of these ingredients on their own can help aid in digestion, but together, there is no digestive issue they cannot handle!* Tarragon is known for maintaining the health of digestive organs,* caraway supports the healthy elimination of intestinal gas,* and anise promotes healthy digestion.*

This blend aids in the digestion of food,* soothes occasional stomach upset, * and reduces bloating, gas, and indigestion.* It can also help with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and motion sickness.* Since we have all of us have experienced some type of tummy issue on this trip, we have had to use it in multiple ways. My sister is prone to tummy issues and I have not been eating clean on this trip, so both she and I have been taking DigestZen in veggie capsules to help soothe us. We have also applied the oil topically to our tummies and the bottoms of our feet. My kids have also had the topical application to help them get things moving....if you know what I mean. :)

Using DigestZen along with other doTERRA digestive products can help cleanse the digestive system and the rest of your body.* Check out this article on the doTERRA Science blog for more info on detoxification and cleansing.

DigestZen is considered a gentle oil blend and can be used neat (no dilution) and can be applied with the any technique: aromatically, topically, and internally. This blend can be found in multiple forms through doTERRA's product line. Besides the oil blend itself, there are softgels, and tablets (used just like TUMS). doTERRA also carried probiotics, digestive cleansing blends, whole body detoxification blends, and whole-food enzymes blends. To see the entire line, click here.

Links:

doTERRA Product Page: DigestZen
doTERRA Product Video: DigestZen
doTERRA Science Blog article: Detoxification and Cleansing
DigestZen Product Line

CAUTIONS: Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas. Statements with asterisks refer to internal use. All others refer to aromatic or topical use.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

"Back to Basics" - Top Ten Single Oils - Peppermint

Today is day three of my series "Back to Basics".



Peppermint

Peppermint oil, also known as Mentha piperita, is extracted from the whole plant through steam distillation and is indigenously grown in Washington state. Peppermint plants are actually a natural hybrid of watermint and spearmint plants. The main chemical component is menthol, which has the ability to trigger cold receptors in the skin giving you a cooling sensation.

Menthol

The primary benefits of peppermint oil include promoting healthy respiratory function*, digestive health*, and a bug repellent. You can Google "peppermint oil repels spiders" and you will find many testimonies about how peppermint oil keeps spiders out of people's homes. I have yet to find any legitimate article that explains why this is the case, but people say it works.

The most common uses for peppermint oil are making toothpaste (my favorite), adding to a smoothie, coffee, or hot chocolate, and inhaling the aroma for a mid-day pick me up. The high level of menthol in peppermint oil can act as a stimulate and refresh your mind when you are mentally exhausted*.

Peppermint Leaf

My favorite way to use peppermint oil is in my homemade toothpaste recipe, which can be found in a previous blog post from September 2015 called "Healing Tooth Decay Naturally (And a toothpaste recipe)." I also love diffusing peppermint and wild orange together as a mid-day, mental pick me up. When I was working on my Master's degree that combination got me through those LONG, BORING reads that you have to do sometimes when in school.

Peppermint can be used aromatically, topically, and internally and it is gentle enough to be used neat (not diluted). If you use essential oils on little kids, you should ALWAYS dilute.

Links:

EO Spotlight: Peppermint

doTERRA Product Page: Peppermint

Buy Peppermint here

Research:

Cruz, A. B., Lee, S. E., Pagaduan, J. C., & Kim, T. H. (2011) Effects of lavender (lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and peppermint (Mentha cordifolia Opiz.) aromas on subjective viatility speed and agility. Asia Life Science-The Asian International Journal of Life Sciences, 21 (1), 31 - 37. http://journals.uplb.edu.ph/index.php/ALS/index

Kondoh, T., Yamada, S., Shioda, S., & Torii, K. (2005). Central olfactory pathway in response to olfactory stimulation in rats detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Chemical Senses, 2(30 Supplement 1), 172 173. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjh169

Norrish, M. I. K., & Dwyer, K. L. (2005). Preliminary investigation of the effect of peppermint oil on an objective measure of daytime sleepiness. International Journal of Psychology, 55(3), 291 - 298. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2004.08.004

Rajaonarivony, J. I. M. Gershenzon, J., & Croteau, R. (1992). Characterization and mechanism of (4S)-limonene synthase, A monoterpene cyclase from the glandular trichomes of peppermint (Mentha x piperita). Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 296(1), 49 - 57. doi:10.1016/0003-9861(92)90543-6

Rios-Estepa, R., Turner G. W., Lee, J. M., Croteau, R. B., & Lange, B.M. (2008). A systems biology approach identifies the biochemical mechanisms regulation monoterpenoid essential oil composition in peppermint. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(8), 2818 - 2823. doi:10.1073pnas.0712314105

Satoh, T., & Sugawara, Y. (2003). Effects on human elicited by inhaling the fragrance of essential oils: Sensory test, multi-channel thermometric study and forehead surface potential wave measurement on basil and peppermint. Analytical Sciences, 19(1), 139 - 146. doi:10.2116/analsci.19.139

CAUTIONS: Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.