New Member Overview

So you've enrolled and now your oils have arrived. So now what?

This can be an exciting or terrifying time for some!

So I found this wonderful video that goes over the benefits of being a member of doTERRA. She has done such a great job that I feel it is better for me to share her video than to try and do my own.

New Members Start Here!

Fall Stresses and Essential Oil Relief

Fall is coming, and if your like me the change in the weather, the kids going back to school, combined with a little extra stress seems to be the perfect storm for getting run down.  At times like these my essential oils come in so handy!

I love to use my protective blend in our diffusers all through the house to help kill any germs and slow the spread of infection. I also love the way it smells in my house.


This blend should always be diluted if your using it topically. It can be irritating to the skin if used un-diluted or repeatedly. I prefer to diffuse this blend or dilute it heavily and apply to the back of the neck/spine and the bottoms of the feet. You should use caution with this blend around young children and those that are pregnant. There are oils in this blend that have warnings associated with their use around children and pregnancy.



The other oil blend I love to use is my respiratory blend, especially in a hot shower. I just drip a few drops in the bottom of the shower and it helps open up my airways. It's great when your all stopped up. 

This blend should be used carefully around very young children due to the Eucalyptus and Peppermint. These oils have warnings associated with their use and children.

I love to diffuse Lavender and Bergamot for stress relief. While fall is one of my favorite times of year it also has it's stressors. Kids going back to school, lots of traveling and getting together with friends and family, holiday planning.... 

You can diffuse Lavender and Bergamot to help reduce feelings of stress, and they just smell amazing too! Use 2-5 drops of each oil in your diffuser. I blend to my own liking, it's not always the same.

Please share with me your favorite oils and blends to use in the fall!

   

doTERRA's Newest Oils Announced at Convention 2017!

It's convention week with doTERRA and that means all kinds of exciting announcements! The one I have been looking forward to the most is the announcement of the newest oils and blends. We already got Tangerine as an available oil this summer, along with the Citrus Trio kit that contains Red Mandarin, Kumquat and the Sunny Citrus Blend. But then today at Convention they announced the addition of the following oils and blends, available to us starting on October 2nd, 2017.
Are you ready?


The newest Single oils available from doTERRA are:
🌢Rose Touch
🌢Jasmine Touch
🌢Neroli
🌢Blue Tansy
🌢Copaiba
🌢Siberian Fir (Replacing White Fir)


The new available blends, yoga inspired, from doTERRA are:
🌢Arise (The Enlightening Blend)
🌢Align (The Centering Blend)
🌢Anchor (The Steadying Blend)


And the final surprise is we will now have an OnGuard Hand Sanitizer!


I am so excited and I can't wait to stock up on all of these great new oils backed by the integrity and set with the highest standards in purity in the essential oil industry!!!

Muscle & Joint Support for Pets

Age and degenerative joint disease can be hard on our pets. I share a blend in this post that will help you support your pet as they age or develop pain associated with their muscles and joints.  This blend can be used with dogs or cats, but the peppermint should be omitted if using with cats. This blend can be mixed in a 60ml spray bottle and used 2-4 times daily. You can also diffuse this blend in a room that your pet can leave if they so choose.  I like to spray this blend on the affected area and gently massage. The oils and the massage will help provide some relief to your pet.

Along with this blend I recommend a good quality dog food that supports the joints. I also recommend glucosamine supplements. These products are not regulated by the FDA so I would suggest speaking with your veterinarian about their favorite glucosamine supplement.

My final recommendation is to find a veterinarian in your area that offers therapeutic or cold laser therapy. We offer this service in our clinic and it is so beneficial to the pets. There are no harmful side effects, it is non-invasive and it works so well, for so many conditions.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

As with all of my pet information I suggest you speak with your veterinarian as well, especially if your pet has a condition that is not improving. I do not advocate essential oils in place of regular veterinary care, I advocate them in addition to regular veterinary care.



Essential Oils on a Budget

My most popular starter kit that is budget friendly is the Family Essentials Kit! This is the kit most of my friends started with, it is perfect for college students, busy families and anyone looking for natural solutions.

So what makes this kit great? The top ten oils, my support and education plus an oil community that loves empowering others! The kit comes with a free wholesale account that gives you 25% off of retail, just like Costco! There are never any minimum orders, selling or anything else required with your wholesale account, it is literally risk free 👌🏻
.
The Family Essentials Kit contains everything below and these oils are what we use on a daily basis, there are so many uses in the home and for our family's!

• Frankincense
• Lemon
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Melaleuca
• Deep Blue
• On Guard
• Oregano
• Breathe
• DigestZen
• 25% discount
• No obligation wholesale account
• Education on safety and proper use of your oils
• Team Welcome Kit
• Join our oil community page
• Wellness consult
• Two week Oil Camp education and coaching
.
Send me an email for the pricing and details.
.
🌿Ready to order right now?
• Tap link here!
• Click Join & Save at the top right of the screen
• Click Join doTERRA in the bottom right corner
• Choose Wholesale Customer Or Wellness Advocate
• Fill out form
• If asked, enroll with Lisa Vaughn 3760828
• Choose your kit (Family Essentials)
• Send me an email with any questions.

Stomach Soothing Blend for Pets

Another very common request from pet owners is for a blend to help with their pets tummy troubles. Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and constipation are all very common reasons for owners to bring their pets in for veterinary care. Sometimes these symptoms are related to a minor tummy upset, such as stress or a minor stomach bug and for those occasions it would be ok to try this blend at home and see if it provides your pet some relief.  Other times these symptoms are due to a serious medical issue and so I recommend only trying this blend for 24 hours and if you see no change or relief have your pet seen by his/her regular veterinarian immediately. 



***This blend would be safe for cats if you omit the Peppermint Essential Oil.***


Always remember that it is important to dilute your essential oils with an appropriate carrier oil or emulsifier when using them with pets and children. Pets are much smaller than us, usually, and therefore will not require as much essential oil. They are also much more sensitive to smells than we are. I recommend diffusing this blend in your diffuser in a room that your pet can leave if s/he wants to get away from the oils. You can also use the above recipe as described, diluted in a spray bottle and use it topically. I recommend using the spray on the bedding, along the spine, ear pinna, and paws. I DO NOT recommend placing the oils directly in your pet's face or on the nose. Avoid the eyes and inside the ears. Always consult your veterinarian if you notice any adverse reactions; vomiting, salivating, seizures, etc.

The Home Essentials Kit

This is my favorite kit and I am opening up a limited amount for this month! I don't expect these to last long at all so send me an email to reserve your kit and Welcome Box right away.

So what makes this kit great? Not only does it come with the full size bottles but it also comes with my favorite diffuser! Plus, you save $86 off of the wholesale prices! Frankincense alone is $97 retail and this kit comes with a free wholesale account that gives you 25% off of retail, just like Costco! There are never any minimum orders, selling or anything else required with your wholesale account, it is literally risk free.

The Home Essentials Kit contains everything below and these oils are what we use on a daily basis, there are so many uses in the home and for our family's!

• Frankincense
• Lemon
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Melaleuca
• Deep Blue
• On Guard
• Oregano
• Breathe
• DigestZen
•Petal Diffuser
• 25% discount
• No obligation wholesale account
• Education on safety and proper use of your oils
• Team Welcome Kit
• Join our oil community page
• Wellness consult
• Two week Oil Camp education and coaching
.
Send me an email for the pricing and details.
.
🌿Ready to order right now?
• Tap link here!
• Click Join & Save at the top right of the screen
• Click Join doTERRA in the bottom right corner
• Choose Wholesale Customer Or Wellness Advocate
• Fill out form
• If asked, enroll with Lisa Vaughn 3760828
• Choose your kit (Family Essentials)
• Send me an email with any questions.

Anxiety Blend For Dogs

Many people ask me about what they can do for their pet's anxiety and how they can help them in stressful situations. These could be things like thunderstorms, fireworks, visiting the vet or groomer or when company comes over.  This blend can help your dog if s/he experiences stress or anxiety in situations such as these. The oils in this blend are known for their calming properties. 

Always remember that it is important to dilute your essential oils with an appropriate carrier oil or emulsifier when using them with pets and children. Pets are much smaller than us, usually, and therefore will not require as much essential oil. They are also much more sensitive to smells than we are. I recommend diffusing this blend in your diffuser in a room that your pet can leave if s/he wants to get away from the oils. You can also use the above recipe as described, diluted in a spray bottle and use it topically. I recommend using the spray on the bedding, along the spine, ear pinna, and paws. I DO NOT recommend placing the oils directly in your pet's face or on the nose. Avoid the eyes and inside the ears. Always consult your veterinarian if you notice any adverse reactions; vomiting, salivating, seizures, etc. 

Co-Impact Sourcing of Ylang Ylang from Madagascar

Co-Impact Sourcing

In addition to supplying the highest quality essential oils doTERRA is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of farmers, harvesters, and distillers who contribute to doTERRA’s oil production.


With over 100 essential oils in its product line, doTERRA sources its oils from over 40 countries —more than half of which could be considered developing countries. To ensure that small scale farmers and harvesters in disadvantaged areas are treated ethically, doTERRA has introduced an initiative called Co-Impact Sourcing.


Co-Impact Sourcing is an initiative that seeks to develop long-term, mutually beneficial supplier partnerships while creating sustainable jobs and providing reliable income in underdeveloped areas. doTERRA is committed to the ethical treatment of its suppliers by providing on-time payments at fair prices. Growers and harvesters are encouraged to form cooperative groups to share collective benefits and bargaining power while improving skills and capacity.

A Co-Impact essential oil from Madagascar,

Ylang Ylang is used for its exquisite fragrance and long history as a component of perfumes.

Through doTERRA's Co-Impact Sourcing efforts, the reality and quality of life has been improved for the harvesters of Madagascar.

Choosing Your Oil Brand

Today I would like to talk with you about something that is really important to me and should also be important to you if your going to be using essential oils to help with your family's health and wellness, especially if you have children or those with illnesses that could be sensitive to things like pesticides, herbicides or fillers/fragrances. We're going to dig into a bit of a sticky issue today: choosing an oil provider.

If you've not been in the essential oil world for too long, you may not know this can be a controversial issue. People go to war over this. Seriously. It's crazy.

I'm here to say we can all be friends and even learn from each other even if we use different brands of essential oils. But, I am going to share with you about what types of things I looked for when choosing an essential oil company—and then I'll talk about the company I ultimately chose.

I looked for 3 primary qualities when choosing an essential oil company:

• High quality and thoroughly tested oils
• Affordability
• A company that offers great customer service and support

1. Quality and Testing

• The quality of the oils you are using is of upmost importance. If you are using oils on a regular basis and your children are around them, you want oils that are pure. You want oils that are not contaminated with pesticides and aren't diluted with "fillers." You want oils that have exactly what they say is in thems. Finding a brand like this, isn't as easy as it sounds.
• Now, I’m not naive enough to think just one essential oil brand has the corner market on quality—that’s ridiculous. I do believe some brands are more consistent with quality. Some brands have better checks in place to make sure they are consistently producing quality products.
• That's why testing is important. Having oils tested by a third-party (not just tested by the company that makes them) is important because you can be certain of exactly what's in the bottle.

2. Affordability

• Let’s get real. We all live on a budget. Nobody can afford to spend their entire wage on essential oils, so we want a solution that is cost effective. Next to having a quality essential oil, affordability is the next thing I look for.
• While there are some super cheap essential oils on the market, they aren't always quality. That doesn't mean you need to buy the most expensive oils on the market either. But you do have to be smart about balancing cost with quality.
• If you're a regular essential oil user, be sure to check out what sorts of loyalty discounts a company offers. These can really add up to huge savings.

3. A company that offers great customer service and support

• One of the big missions of my website is researched-based education, and the more I have learned about the benefits of essential oils, the more I wanted to share what I was learning with others.
• But I’m also only one person, and there are some wonderful experts out there who know far more about essential oils than I ever could. One of my big reasons to want to partner with one company was the desire to really get to know the researchers in the industry.
• Furthermore, a company that offers excellent customer service is worth paying a little extra for. We've all had experiences of spending an hour on the phone, never being able to actually talk to a person. Or feeling like even when you did get to talk to a person that they weren't answering your questions or helping you.

After a lot of research, I finally landed with a company I'm very proud to promote: dōTERRA®

Before you stop reading, take a moment and let me quickly explain a few misconceptions you might have (at least, I know I had them).

• I thought doTERRA had inflated pricing. Not at all. (you'll read more about that below)
• I thought if I signed up for a wholesale account with doTERRA, I'd be pressured to sell. That couldn't be further from the truth. 80% of the people who sign up to purchase wholesale oils don't sell the oils. But it is always an opportunity open to you if you decide you love oils and can't keep them to yourself.
• I thought I'd have to purchase a lot of products I didn't need every month. Nope. There are not minimum purchases required to receive wholesale pricing.

So...Why DID I Chose dōTERRA?

1. Quality & Testing

• The #1 reason I decided to go with dōTERRA is their dedication to quality and rigorous testing. The more I read about the quality of different oils the more they kept sticking out to me.
• dōTERRA goes above and beyond with the testing of their oils. They have them tested by third parties to make sure their oils are not adulterated. They have a third party perform 7 tests on each liter of their oils—and those tests are repeated 3 times each!
• In order to get the highest quality oils possible, they work directly with independent farmers, sourcing their oils from all over the world. This is important because qualities like soil and climate impact the chemical profile of essential oils. Most of the time, they need to source oils outside of the US. For example, lavender grown in the US will have a very different chemical profile (one much less therapeutic) than lavender grown in the Swiss Alps of France.

2. Cost

• One of my misconceptions was that a big company like dōTERRA was too expensive.
• But then I actually took the time to sit down for a few hours and do an oil-by-oil price comparison. I compared a couple smaller oil companies with dōTERRA prices, taking into account the yearly subscription fee. Because wholesale members get discounted prices, I was delighted to find the prices were comparable.
• What's more, dōTERRA has some really cool ways they reward their loyal customers with free products and product credits. Eventually, if you place monthly order you can earn back as much as 30% of your money towards free products. That adds up fast. I earn lots of free oils each month!

3. Service and Support

• I have nothing but positive things to say about dōTERRA's customer service. I have had to contact them a couple of times in my initial few months of buying from them—just because I'm a newbie and had newbie questions.
• Recently I totally screwed up an order. I meant to take advantage of one of their buy 2 get 1 free sales, and I didn't add it to my cart correctly. When my order arrived, I realized what I did. It was 100% my fault for not paying attention. Guess what? They sent me the free oils anyhow. I love companies who go above and beyond for their customers!
• They are absolutely amazing. I love their online chat feature I can use when logged into my account. I get answers to my questions STAT.

If you'd like to join as a wholesale member or are just interested in trying out one or two oils I'd love to talk more with you. Just email me and I'd be happy to answer any questions you have!

PS: I'm running a special for those of you who are just getting started with essential oils. I'd love to bless you with some extra goodies to go along with your essential oils.

When you buy one of the doTERRA enrollment kits, I'll send you a few complimentary products that I've found useful in getting started. This will include several of the products that make using essential oils easy peasy as well as a reference book that will help you get off the ground using your oils! Because whats the point of oils if you don't know what to do with them?

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

Helping My Mother

Two years ago my mother was diagnosed with Cirrhosis of the liver. She has been hospitalized several times, on more than one occasion our family was told to be prepared for losing her. My mother is very cynical and was not interested in allowing me to help her with my oils in the beginning. I made her up roller bottles and left them with instructions but she wouldn't use them. After her last stay in the ICU she finally allowed me to try my oils with her.

Laying in the hospital bed, swollen and full of fluid, she was up to 180lbs. Her tiny, frail body was being crushed by the weight and sheer volume of fluid that had accumulated in her abdomen. She normally weighs in around 130lbs. She had 50lbs of fluid on her abdomen. She was in so much pain and she was scared, we all were. I went to the hospital and I called Kay when I pulled into the parking lot. I explained what was going on with my mom and she gave me some tips to try and help her. I also checked in my Modern Essentials and The Essential Life book and it concurred with what Kay had recommended. Armed with knowledge and hope I headed into my mother's room. She had compression bandages on her legs to help with the swelling and prevent blood clots. We removed the bandages and I massaged her feet and legs with a layering technique using Frankincense, Myrrh, Lemongrass, Helichrysum, Bergamot and Roman Chamomile, all diluted in fractionated coconut oil. I chose these oils due to their properties for helping heal the liver, detox the body and diuretic abilities. I repeated the foot massage a few hours later before I left. I also left a blend for my dad to apply as I had shown him. My mother came home from the hospital 2 days later, after the doctors had told us not to expect her to come home at all. They also told us she probably wouldn't make it 30 days. That was about 4 months ago.

My mother's health is improving, she's feeling better, she's walking without assistance. She's back down to her normal weight of about 130lbs. She uses her roller bottles with the blends I have made up for her. And the diffuser I gave her for Christmas this year, well it's always on when I go visit her now. We have an appointment next week to meet with a specialist to get her on the transplant list. Something the doctors told us would never happen, they never believed she would make it long enough to receive a transplant.

I can't prove that the essential oils helped my mother. I can see the correlation from the time she allowed me to use my oils with her to the dramatic improvement in her health. The fact that she is using them tells me that they are helping her. She's not one to "humor me" by going along with the oil use, if she didn't feel better using them, she wouldn't.

I am cautiously hopeful that my mother will see our son grow up, something that wasn't going to happen a few short months ago.

If you have a story of how essential oils have helped you please share it with me below in the comments.

If you would like to learn more about using essential oils or how they could help your family please reach out to me. I want to share what I have learned to help others keep their mothers around to see their grand babies grow up.

I highly recommend both of these books to anyone using essential oils.

Sourcing doTERRA Nepalese Wintergreen Essential Oil

One of the reasons I choose to work with doTERRA, besides the quality of their oils, is the hearts behind this company.  I love that this company helps the people from all of the areas that they source their oils from.





The partnership between dōTERRA and the hard-working Wintergreen harvesters in Nepal is an exciting Co-Impact Sourcing initiative for dōTERRA, but made the devastating news of the 2015 Nepal earthquake even harder to hear. However, through the remarkable response of Wellness Advocates across the world, the dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation was able to support the Nepalese people in their time of need. Watch how the generosity of the dōTERRA community influenced individuals in Nepal after the earthquake struck.

Essential Oils for the Itchy Dog

Of all the questions I get from pet owners about Essential Oils

and their pets this would be the topic that comes up most often.

Everyone wants to know what they can do

for their Itchy Dog.

Chamomile: This soothing floral essential oil is a great solution for itchy skin.

Irritated skin that is dry and itchy will immediately calm down once you apply this healing oil.

Sandalwood: A powerful anti-ager and skin supportive oil. It helps skin retain moisture, calms dilated capillaries and provides relief from inflammation and tension. In addition to treating and reducing itching sandalwood also supports acne, rosacea, dry skin, insect bites and scar tissue.

Lemon: This healing oil contains anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties that will kill any itch-inducing bacteria on the skin. Lemon essential oil works great on its own, or for a powerhouse

anti-itching blend, mix with peppermint and lavender essential oil.

Lavender: Provides excellent anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities for the treatment of itchy skin. It reduces swelling, redness and hydrates skin – reducing dry skin conditions, rashes and sunburns. In addition to soothing irritation it also speeds up the healing process. Also, if bug bites are the cause of your pet’s itchiness then make sure to keep your lavender on hand as it’s a great insect repellent!

Geranium: If you’re pet is suffering from itchy bug bites or needs a natural insect repellent, this floral essential oil is for you. This anti-inflammatory oil calms down irritated skin while its regenerating properties encourage the growth of healthy new skin cells. Geranium essential oil also helps expedite the healing process of wounds and skin irritations.

Peppermint: This cooling oil will help stop the itch immediately. This minty oil is a pain reliever, anti-septic, and anti-inflammatory, addressing many skin conditions that can lead to irritating itching. Those suffering from some rashes and redness will find that peppermint essential oil takes care

of these problems lickety split. This soothing oil is also great for taking care of skin irritations associated with poison ivy and poison oak.

Juniper: Juniper essential oil is an anti-inflammatory that is great for treating skin conditions. This healing essential oil will help get rid of those dry, itchy patches of skin on the double.

Rosemary: This essential oil is another great remedy for a dry, itchy coat. This fragrant, woodsy essential oil is an effective antifungal and antibacterial, killing any microbes responsible for itchy,

inflammation of sensitive skin. Add a couple drops of this anti-itch oil to your pet’s shampoo to
help promote a lustrous mane and a healthy integument. Rosemary essential oil also help heal rough patches of skin and reduces the scaly appearance characteristic of dermatitis. If you want to prevent the possibility of itchy bug bites, rosemary essential oil is a great alternative insect repellant.

Myrrh: Containing powerful healing properties, myrrh oil soothes itchy, chapped and cracked skin.

Myrrh is also effective for fungal infections like ringworm and thrush.

Melaleuca: Tea tree contains a variety of anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-septic and anti-inflammatory benefits making it a potent skin healer. It’s great for itching, insect bites, blisters and burns.

Depending on what your pet is experiencing you can mix the appropriate oils in a blend with your favorite carrier oil and spray the affected area. Make sure you dilute appropriately. 

Itchiness accompanied by a skin condition or any other abnormality should be checked out by your pet’s veterinarian.

How My Journey Started

My journey with essential oils began the summer of 2016. My husband became ill very suddenly and dramatically. He was in so much pain, was having swelling in his hands and legs, couldn’t eat and was so tired all the time.
Several doctors’ visits and 2^nd and 3^rd opinions. The doctors ruled out Lyme disease among other things and finally settled on an autoimmune disease, though they couldn’t decide exactly which one. They decided the best option for treatment was high doses of steroids. I work in medicine, veterinary medicine mind you, but I know the effects of high dose steroid use and long term steroid use on my patients. I was not willing to see my husband go down that road, especially without a definitive diagnosis.

So, I reached out to my friend Kay, God rest her soul. She helped me, she spoke with me about my husband’s symptoms and we came up with a plan to try using doTERRA essential oils.  He started using the oils along with a nutritional supplement and within a month he was back to 90% and in 2 months he was 100% himself again. It was at that point that I decided that maybe these oils really are as amazing as I had heard. 

Now we implement them in our daily lives. My son loves them, he wants them in his diffuser every night, any time he has a boo boo or a belly ache he wants to be there with me as I choose which oils would be best to help him. If you are interested in learning more about essential oils and the amazing things they can do for your family follow along with me on my journey as I share with you what we are doing with our family and essential oils.

Essential Oil Case Review

This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links.

This is the first essential oil case I ever bought. I love the color and the texture, a faux alligator pattern, on this case. This case holds 42 of the 15ml size bottles and 10 of the 5ml or roller bottle sized bottles, however the smaller slots do not hold the oils as tight as the 15ml slots.  The case has a hard cover, double zipper and foam inserts. My doTERRA bottles fit perfectly in this case and were well protected. There is a handle on the top of the case but I admittedly did not carry this case around by the handle often when it was full of oils because it could be quite heavy. It hasn't shown any signs of breaking but I didn't want to chance it. The only reason I changed cases is because I ran out of room with this case, but I do still use it on my dresser for my extra oils. It's a beautiful and functional case that I would recommend to anyone interested in it.

Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own. 

This post contains affiliate links,

which means I will receive compensation if you

purchase this case using the link above.

My First Blog Post!

Thank you so much for checking out my blog!

I am so excited to go on this journey with you.

I will use this blog to share my Essential Oil journey and I hope that I will be able to provide information and experiences with you.

I have a Facebook page that I share with regularly and I am going to try and share regularly here as well.

https://www.facebook.com/ArchersAcresEssentialOils/