So ... doTERRA

[Jessica]

^ As a side note, doTERRA's bottles suck ass and leak like crazy. You go to put 2 or 3 drops and 10 come out. Gee, darn, guess I have to buy more overpriced oil! Not. I'll keep using Aura Cacia. The bottles are better and there are n annoying reps.

[Secondgenfundyfree]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I really struggle with this company. I agree with what a lot of the posters have been saying, essentials are a great addition to your toolbox, but by no means a cure.

I do not like the doTerra style, a great product should speak for itself, without all the extra marketing tricks and lingo, and a loyalty system that traps a person into buying more than they need to meet minimum quotas. I also do not like the approach the company takes making irresponsible claims and cures and strong suggestions.

That being said I have been using essential oils to treat a brutal immune virus that keeps on giving 2.5 years later. I have found them to be a tremendous help and my immune system is fighting colds instead of getting very sick week after week with whatever my small children bring home.

So I would like to keep using them and I'm curious as to what other brands people use? I've used RockyMountain/Native American Nutritional and am happy with what I'm seeing so far. Are there any other high quality brands besides RM/NAN that are not MLMs?

[church_of_dog]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I really struggle with this company. I agree with what a lot of the posters have been saying, essentials are a great addition to your toolbox, but by no means a cure.

I do not like the doTerra style, a great product should speak for itself, without all the extra marketing tricks and lingo, and a loyalty system that traps a person into buying more than they need to meet minimum quotas. I also do not like the approach the company takes making irresponsible claims and cures and strong suggestions.

That being said I have been using essential oils to treat a brutal immune virus that keeps on giving 2.5 years later. I have found them to be a tremendous help and my immune system is fighting colds instead of getting very sick week after week with whatever my small children bring home.

So I would like to keep using them and I'm curious as to what other brands people use? I've used RockyMountain/Native American Nutritional and am happy with what I'm seeing so far. Are there any other high quality brands besides RM/NAN that are not MLMs?

I'm a retailer for Azure Standard and they carry Aura Cacia and Nature's Alchemy brands.

I can't speak with authority about either brand but I certainly have the impression they are both good quality, respected brands.

I never used essential oils myself although I have customers that buy them from me (from Azure via me). But after reading the oil threads here lately, I did buy an ounce of peppermint oil because I sometimes get headaches of undetermined origin. I have only wafted the bottle under my nose, or perhaps put a drop on a piece of tissue and then wafted that. So far no dramatic results but not conclusive either way, at least to my mind. At the time I bought the bottle I didn't realize essential oils weren't ok to ingest, so I had planned that if it didn't help me with the headaches at least I could put a few drops into some christmas cookies, but now I see that's not a good idea.

[FoxyMoxie]

A cloth rag (you could use an odd sock or a shrunk kids' t-shirt) with a few drops of an EO you like the smell of makes a great reusable dryer sheet. I also like to add them to the vinegar I use as a fabric softener. I'm not a crunchy person at all but I adopt crunchy tricks sometimes when it works out cheaper or more practical than the commercial version. I just use generic brand EOs from the pharmacy - most pharmacies in the UK stock clove oil and eucalyptus oil, and usually tea tree and lavender too. I tend to just use EOs for cleaning/making things smell nice, except when I use a tea tree and witch hazel mix on zits.

[treehugger]

I get my EO's from Mountain Rose Herbs. https://www.mountainroseherbs.com

They also make some kick-ass tea blends.

[church_of_dog]

I get my EO's from Mountain Rose Herbs. https://www.mountainroseherbs.com

They also make some kick-ass tea blends.

I have also worked for a local herbalist who sources some things from Mountain Rose -- I think they are a good quality company too.

[FiddleDD]

I'm a retailer for Azure Standard and they carry Aura Cacia and Nature's Alchemy brands.

I can't speak with authority about either brand but I certainly have the impression they are both good quality, respected brands.

I never used essential oils myself although I have customers that buy them from me (from Azure via me). But after reading the oil threads here lately, I did buy an ounce of peppermint oil because I sometimes get headaches of undetermined origin. I have only wafted the bottle under my nose, or perhaps put a drop on a piece of tissue and then wafted that. So far no dramatic results but not conclusive either way, at least to my mind. At the time I bought the bottle I didn't realize essential oils weren't ok to ingest, so I had planned that if it didn't help me with the headaches at least I could put a few drops into some christmas cookies, but now I see that's not a good idea.

A drop or two of Peppermint EO in cookies should be fine. Lemon and orange EO can be substituted instead of zest in a recipe, although I've never personally tried it. Just remember that a single drop of Lemon EO is equal to a LOT of zest. (personally I'd never use peppermint EO in cookies because peppermint anything gives me mega heartburn)

The problem is not so much that EOs shouldn't be ingested, but that they should only be ingested rarely and in controlled situations under someone with proper training. In other countries doctor's will prescribe EOs to ingest. (an example being Silexia, which is a controlled form of Lavender EO in a capsule form which is prescribed in some countries as an anti-depressant. In the US you can buy it over the counter because it's considered a supplement.) So some oils may be appropriate in some situations to take (in an appropriate form, such as a single drop in a capsule) but very few people have the proper education to make that decision responsibly.

NAHA (www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/) is a good place to go for safety information or education on the proper use of EOs. They recently changed their safety guildlines from "Never use EO's internally" to " Do not use essential oils internally unless properly trained in the safety issues of doing so."

(Just for background, I was taking online courses on Aromatherapy and Herbalism from a school that focuses on actual science but stopped a couple years ago because of depression. The information about the lemon and orange EO as a substitute for zest comes directly from the book on Aromatic Medicine which is a six month course on internal use of EOs I enrolled in but never finished.)

[polecat]

facebook.com/stacy.mcdonald?fref=ts

Stacy M is, of course, defending her essential oils, because if they were good enough for Jesus, well then, they're god enough for everyone. Oh, and we don't need medicine to treat Ebola. Our immune system will take care of it. 50% of the time anyway. The FDA is just covering that information up, because they haven't found a way to charge us for using our immune systems. :roll:

Ok, there IS a grain of truth to this. The immune system is what fights off Ebola. There are no vaccines or cures to date. That said, medical treatment focuses on supportive therapies -- fluids, oxygen and treatments for any secondary infections that occur. In the end, that supportive therapy makes it a whole lot easier for your body to fight off Ebola. If she wants to douse herself in EOs and dance naked around a fire while chanting to her god, she's more than welcome. For me? I'll choose modern medicine any day.

[bionicmlle]

this is an interesting discussion! I love to know what people use oils for and not just to sell them for enormous amounts of money - this practice has been around for centuries and is obviously being misused now (see Duggar Instagram of giant spoonful of "oils" for sore throat that seem to be about-to-be-ingested....).

I, like many above posters, use some oils for laundry freshening (eucalyptus, lavender) and by the bath for colds, etc. I'd love to know more and love the idea of using a tiny amount of peppermint in cooking! I've made bath salts with some EO for xmas gifts and have received good feedback from people who have used them but I never gifted myself with my creations. :)

[RecoveringFundie]

I use them for SO many things and really enjoy finding even more new ways to use them. A little goes a really long way.

Cleaning products: I make all my own cleaning products using essential oils--along with some basic staples like white vinegar, baking soda, Borax, etc... again, these things go a long way as well. I haven't spent money on cleaning products in a LONG time.

Bathing: I take baths with various EOs (Eucalyptus if I'm getting a cold, lavender if I want to relax, etc...)

Making my own bath products: Self explanatory. I've made various salves, lotions, lip balms, bath salts, body sprays, linen sprays, room sprays, etc..

Diffusing: I love putting EOs in a diffuser and enjoying the various scents throughout the day and night (i.e--I diffuse lavender and chamomile at night to help with sleep)

Cooking: A drop or 2 is all it takes---and I believe it is safe based on the research I have done and the oils that I use. I don't do it too often, but you can put a drop of lime EO in guacamole if you don't have fresh limes, lemon EO to make lemon bars, peppermint to make a healthy fudge, etc... I have a bunch of recipes.

Put in water: I mainly use Peppermint and Lemon for this. Adds a nice flavor to my water that is easier than cutting up a lemon---especially if I don't have one handy.

Straight up ingest them: Again, I don't do it regularly, and it really depends on what the oil is. But there are a few that I put in veggie capsules that I've found to be really beneficial. For example, I was coming down with a bad cold that my hubby had and I could not afford to get sick. I found a "recipe" online that called for Oregano, Peppermint, Lemon and Tea Tree Oil. I took these every 3-4 hours (ended up being 1-2x/day for 2 days or so) and my cold went away. Whereas hubby had his for a week and got a lot worse. I ALWAYS get sick when he does, so this time was fairly unusual. Oils? Can't say for sure, but I was happy with the results. And again, I'm talking a cold, not ebola or measles. Additionally, I have found that I have been able to reduce some of my serious pain medications if I take a certain combo of oils in veggie caps. It doesn't work every time, but I have been really thankful that I found this option. It was done with the blessing of my doctor (the head of pain management at a top program in the country). When I'm taking medications like methadone and vicodin regularly because of my chronic pain, ANYTHING I can do to lessen that is wonderful. And those drugs have SO many side effects that I am willing to try something alternative.

There are several other things that I use them for---this is just a sample. However, they are a supplement for me. I still believe in vaccinations, in being smart about your healthcare decisions, and about working with your healthcare professional to maximize your health. I'm a nurse practitioner. Western medicine=yay! But I'm also a consumer that found myself with very little options left in my own medical care, so I sought out some more alternative things and found great success. I'm not about all the drama. I'm just a person who found a product that I really like and I'm tuning out the rest because I really don't care. My experiences have spoken for themselves and at this point, I'm just in it to improve my own health.

[NurseNell]

Good for the FDA! It's not just the fundies. Sadly, a friend of mine, with an advanced degree in one of the sciences, sells this stuff, too. She is bright, has some alternative beliefs, yet embraces traditional medicine. Somehow she went down the rabbit hole. :shrug: I just don't get it.

I have about 5 friends who are consultants and none are even remotely fundie or conservative. All are college graduates. I don't get it either.

[SoSoNosy]

I have a friend who is totally wrapped up in the doTERRA oils. I have bought a few from her, but they sit up on the shelf because the instructions were rather vague. I think she sent a huge folder of information, but good grief! I wanted simple stuff, not a textbook. I put a drop of one of them in water and took a sip; it burned, so that was the end of that. She pushes generally, but never to the point of threatening a friendship. Thank goodness.