Courtney was my guest on the Abundant Parent membership.  Catch her full workshop here: http://theabundantparent.com/making-an-essential-oil-toolbox/

Something I love doing is introducing parents to non-traditional tools to show them how they can support their family in addition to other measures they may be using or in some cases, prescribed.  Traditional and nontraditional tools can work beautifully together.   Essential oils are no different, and with as popular as they have become, I knew it was time to cut through the oily residue of essential oil controversy and show how these pleasant and easy to use tools could bring extra body and mind support to parents. 

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Time and time again I find the greatest gifts and direct paths to my purpose reveal themselves through my struggles and being well… inconvenienced. Exposure from a young age to the body’s ability to defend itself from disease, and learning to manage my own auto-immune disorder to conceive and continued opportunities to learn through resistance…. all laid out the welcome mat to become a full fledged crunchy earth momma. 

Auto-Immune Necessity

What started as a journey to reduce sugar and carbs to unravel my PCOS turned into a change with my relationship with my own consumerism.  Shifting my perspective of food to satisfy specific cravings and taste and instead purchasing foods that supported my body health not only eliminated cravings but healed my relationship with food.  And the same with non-edible purchases. Understanding that purchasing things that were familiar and convenient didn’t always end up being what was best for me. 

This all meant I was choosing honey and maple syrup instead of refined sugar, and choosing unsalted products and ingredients and adding my own sea and Himalayan salt in small quantity. This also meant I was ditching the laundry detergent that smelled like my childhood and loving the simplicity of life with simpler ingredients. 

Then I Became a Mom.

When I became a mom, I wanted to give my kids the best most pure start possible. Essential oils became a bigger part of that than I had originally anticipated. I was using camomile and lavender to calm them in their baths, clove oil to soothe their broken and teething gums, eucalyptus oil for my own toxic free Vicks.  As my kids grew their needs and interests changed and soon they wanted to help me craft holiday gifts with lotion bars, gourmet salts and home made perfume. 

But, the essential oils that become the smell my kids would begin to recognize as home were lemon and thyme. I would blend vinegar and baking soda with water and add the essential oils to make the cleaning solution I could use with a peace of mind and that my kids could help clean with without my concerns for their skin and lungs!


I love glass bottles for making my own cleaning supplies. The dark glass helps protect the essential oils and reduce bacteria growth from the organic ingredients!

These concentrated cleaning products are great for mixing your own toxic-free cleaning materials.


Toxins Are Everywhere These Days

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to talk about toxins in our lives.  I find it hard to blame just one culprit for all of the health issues that seem to be sweeping our awareness.  I can hover see how toxins multiplied in exposure every where coupled with repeated exposure could play a part in diseases such as cancer which doctors are discovering has a lot more to do with exposure than it does genetics

I will aways smell Pinesol and be transported to my grandmas kitchen or Tide detergent and remember how special weekends home from college were when I could refresh the smell of home into all my clothes.  Or the smell of my moms Shalamar perfume on  her sweaters and scarfs long after her light had gone out.


By the way, I switched from Issey Miyake to Pacifica perfume when I ditched the hormone-interrupting fragrance.


Our memory’s ability to transform us with whiff of a singular scent is undeniable. I feel good about shifting my family’s nasal/smell history to one of non-toxicity. Yes, It has been more work, but I get to relax, and I get to trust that the choices that make me feel good about supporting my families health will attract more healthful abundance into our lives

The Abundant Parent Podcast
Leah Recor, Creator of the Abundant Parent

Author of “Where the Light Is… A Parent’s Guide,” and best selling author Leah Recor is a mother of two young girls, driven by a holistic path to help parents heal their stories and connect with and empower their children.  Leah is also a Co-Founder of a nonprofit mentoring children facing life-altering conditions with creative writing. 

She is available for onsite presentations of The Abundant Parent to organizations and corporate entities.  

To learn more, visit: www.theAbundantParent.com

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