Tiffany’s Tuesday Tip: How to Protect You & Your Loved Ones from the Yucky Bugs!
Spring is here and summer is coming quickly! With the warmer weather comes the bugs! I don’t know about you, but when I am outside walking the green belt, camping, or enjoying an evening outside, I do not like bug buzzing around me!
Essential oils are amazing! When we know that they come from the bark, leaves, flowers, roots, etc of plants we can better understand their effectiveness as natural repellents. The aromas that plants give off will naturally attract good bugs and repel the yucky bugs. As we use the oils ourselves we can enjoy those same results. So, which oils do we use?
My first go to is doTERRA’s Terrashield (Outdoor Blend). When it comes to outdoor protection, no defense is better than Mother Nature’s offerings. Among these are essential oils which provide a vapor barrier for plants, protecting them from potential threats in their environment. TerraShield Outdoor Blend contains powerful essential oils and other plant oils known to provide outdoor protection in a natural, safe way. This newly updated formula contains a select blend of essential oils including Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Catnip, Lemon Eucalyptus, Litsea, Arborvitae, Nootka, and Vanilla Bean Absolute—all of which possess specific chemical compounds known to protect against environmental annoyances.
I saw this recent article that shared some great information about tick prevention as well as a recipe to use.
http://www.fox21online.com/2017/05/03/battling-tick-bites-with-essential-help/
Essential Oil Tick Spray Recipe
4 oz water
20 drops Terrashield (Outdoor Blend)
15 drops lemongrass
15 drops eucalyptus
In my studies, I also found several other oils that are natural deterrents:
cedarwood (makes sense when you think about cedar chests…)
Peppermint (one I love to use against ants)
rosemary
geranium
lemongrass
thyme
lavender
arborvitae (Check out this great video)
Quick tips:
*Spray your sun hats, baseball hats, clothes, shoes, etc with your oils before leaving
*Reapply often (every hour or so) for best results
*Spray your picnic blanket or table cloth when camping.
*Be sure to spray your pets! Rub on fur, around the ears, along their neck.
*Use in your garden as a natural bug deterrent as well.
*Use it often. 🙂
So what happens if you forget and get bit or stung?
Use your oils! Some of my favorites for relief are: lavender, melaleuca, Purify, basil, and frankincense. I actually read in several places where the TerraShield is effective for bug bites as well.
Last summer I grabbed a flower pot to move and ended up being stung 3 times by wasps. Ouch!! I immediately applied lavender and melaleuca, then every 10 minutes I reapplied and rotated oils. I also used purify (cleansing blend), and frankincense (when in doubt use frankincense, right?!). I also applied ice to the area. I was surprised at how quickly I got relief and how quickly my skin calmed. We have done this several times through the years with my kids. I love having the oils to go to to help us!
**After this video, I learned from a friend that she likes to use Basil. I will add that one next time! Thanks Cristal!
Message me to learn more about these amazing oils and how to get them into your home! dahlcrew @gmail.com
