the switch
I’ve had this post written for nearly a year – debating sharing it. I’ve received a lot of questions about why I began using essential oils and switching products in our home, so I decided it would be easier to post here to answer some of that. Here goes.
About three years ago I began having tenderness near my armpit. I stay very aware of my body and what things aren’t feeling right, so the tenderness caught my attention. I monitored it for a while. Changed exercises. Changed clothing. Changed foods. Did hours and hours of research. The tenderness persisted and started to become painful – enough that I knew a visit to the doctor was necessary.
Long story short – one doctor’s visit turned into several. Several turned into a mammogram and appointment with a surgeon. However, in all those visits there were never any answers to what was causing the pain. Nothing was showing up.
A week before my appointment with the surgeon I decided to change deodorants. I had been using the same brand since my pre-teen years. It had always worked and honestly I just never questioned it because I had never had any issues.
Within a week of switching to a natural deodorant the pain was totally gone. “Weird.” I thought.
I switched back to my old brand, just to see if it was a fluke. Within days the pain was back and I stopped using it again immediately. After consulting my doctor and monitoring everything – it turns out it was all related to my lymph nodes and the deodorant I was using.
We are meant to sweat. Our lymph nodes are supposed to work as filters and help fight infection and disease. I spent years blocking them and preventing them from doing what they were designed to do – without ever feeling the affects of that. Until I did.
That experience was jolting. I remember looking over at my oldest daughter and realizing she was on the cusp of using all kinds of products on her body. And my boys – they were already using deodorant. As a woman, I had still been using what I used as a teenager – might kids end up doing the same. What I introduced them to had the potential to be what they used for YEARS.
I decided it was time to make some big changes – changes in our personal products, cleaners, candles, etc. All this was overwhelming. I started with deodorant and then began looking at other things I wanted to switch out in our home. There was SO MUCH and I just needed simple, so I opted to dive in with a company that provided most of what I was looking for. I needed one-stop-shopping, which led me to Young Living. When I announced here and on Instagram last year that I was not just using Young Living products, but also building a Young Living business I was prepared to get a lot of pushback. I did get a bit and I understand it.
However, more than concern over pushback online was my concern for what we were using and my desire to make changes. I wanted to point my kids to better products than I had been using, I wanted to reduce chemicals in our home, and I wanted to help others do the same. The business side was a no-brainer as someone that already embraces being an entrepreneur.
The first time I purchased natural deodorant I gasped at the price $12 – way more expensive than the $3.00 one I had been using. But you know what – I can buy that $12 deodorant probably for the rest of my life and still not cover the cost of that mammogram.
We are making changes slowly. Deodorant was the first one. Getting rid of products with perfumes was the second one (yay for diffusers in a house with stinky boys!). Then came clearing out our cleaning products – I use Thieves for basically EVERYTHING now.
I joined Young Living’s monthly program (Essential Rewards), so I would be encouraged to try new products each month while also earning free products and credits towards future purchases. We are pretty all in now. When my kids have any random issue (from dry skin to aches and pains) they go to the pantry, grab supplies, and whip up something natural and safe. I love that I can empower them to take care of their bodies and support their body systems in ways I didn’t know how to do.
Will we be free of sickness? Nope. Does it guarantee I won’t ever hear a doctor say “cancer”? Nope. Are essential oils and other natural products a cure-all for everything? Nope. But these changes are a step in a healthier direction for us and it is another way I can empower my kids when it comes to their bodies. I can feel good about what they are using instead of wondering.
Fitness and wellness are a huge part of our family dynamic. It has been a fun last couple of years learning new ways we can care for and strengthen our bodies. Its a journey – like all of life, but one I’m sure glad we got on.
And just as a sidetone – if you make the switch to a natural deodorant, research what is in the ingredients to make an informed decision. You should know your body will probably go through a detox process after making the switch to something natural. It may seem like the natural deodorants or products you try don’t work – and some may not for you – but it could also be your body going through detox. It felt like it took me forever to find one I liked that worked too – especially for Crossfit workouts!
Lastly, if you have any questions about Young Living, wonder what incentives are being offered right now, or are ready to join – you know where to find me 😉 or you can look at the links below:
