Yes, when I got my Starter Kit, I was still skeptical. I won't kid you. I have been struggling with some issues from the side effects of a medication I take. Depression, over the top OCD behaviors, etc. So I figured I would give the EO a go and the worst that would happen is my house would smell really good.
I also have a back injury from a slip and fall accident and many mornings, it aches pretty badly. One morning when I took my son to school (after my Starter Kit had arrived), his teacher/my friend, told me to put 3 drops of the "PanAway" oil in a little bit of grapeseed oil (her choice of carrier oil) and rub it on my back. Yeah, okay, I thought. So I did. In less than 5 minutes the pain was completely gone!! I could not believe it! So I put the "Joy" oil in my diffuser (that came with my kit), in our house. Eh, I thought...at least the house will smell good. My husband was home from work on R&R and that particular day I noticed he had been kinda grouchy and grumbly. Within about an hour of starting the diffuser, I noticed his mood lifting. I felt better in general, as well.
I have been doing more reading and research and even my Podiatrist and his wife use YL oils in their household. He did reinforce that the EO do not take the place of required medical care, which of course, I already know.
A few nights ago my daughter, Katie, called me nearly desperate for help with my grandson. He is 5 months old, has severe GERD and had not slept but about 45 minutes all day that day. He was fussy and irritable and just would not rest. So I went to her house, took a little flax seed filled cloth sachet I had and put several drops of Lavender oil on the sachet. In a matter of about 5-8 minutes, Oakley was sound asleep and slept through the night and was in a wonderful mood the next day! Lavender is one of several oils that will help your mind and body relax so you can rest and sleep. So many baby products are lavender scented, but JUST scented. Not EO infused, so they do not provide the same properties that real EO provide.
Peppermint is a great headache reliever, as are a couple of other mints and beyond that, the PanAway is a non-fail for me for any pain so far. PanAway is more expensive than the mints, though, so I have learned to try Peppermint first, then if that doesn't do the trick, then move to the PanAway.
My younger daughter, Felicity, hud her knee on the neighbor's trampoline then met with a tree branch on her way home in the dark that left two pretty good cuts/scrapes on her leg. She agreed to let me doctor her with my EO, which surprised me. I used Tea Tree to clean the cuts and PanAway on the knee for pain and also on the cuts for pain. Before I was finished, she looked up at me and told me she really didn't think the EO would do anything and she was definitely a doubter. But they made a believer out of her!
A carrier oil is what you use with many EO to basically make it go further or to prevent skin irritation when the EO are used topically. Like my friend, I also really like the Grapeseed oil as my chosen carrier oil. It absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a greasy feel behind.
I'm learning more and more every day.
You can find Young Living oils here.
