Episode 220: Don't Miss BOGOs

doTERRA: Welcome to a special episode of Essential Oil Solutions with doTERRA. Right now is one of the most exciting times we have at doTERRA, it’s BOGO time! To help get you excited for this amazing week let’s look at some of the oils inside of the BOGO box. We’ll talk about some of the fantastic history of the plants, and we’ll ask some of our Wellness Advocates, Lassen Pheonix, Tahna Lee, and Peter and Susie Bagwell about how they love to use the oils. If you're interested in any of the products we talk about today, make sure to click on the link in the episode description.

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Today we’re going to talk about some internal historical uses for some of these plants, but we want to remind you that not all of these oils and blends are for internal use and should only be used aromatically or topically. Any internal benefits discussed for the individual oils in the blend are not applicable to aromatic or topical use.

Also, various plant parts, such as the leaves, bark, flower, stem, fruit, peel, bud, resin, etc., were often used for many different practices and benefits. These historical uses are mentioned here to offer insight as we explore the history of oils and plants. As such, these ancient uses are solely for informational purposes, and are not being advocated or recommended by doTERRA. Proceed at your own risk with such uses.

In our Breathe Blend Ravintsara plays an important role. The history and uses of ravintsara have been intertwined with the history of Madagascar, but the tree is actually native to China, Japan and Taiwan. It was introduced to Madagascar during the middle of the 19th century, though there is a lot of disagreement on how the tree made its way there.

The Malagasy people, the people native to Madagascar, give high regard and value to the ravintsara tree. And this is evident in the origin of the word ravintsara. In Malagasy ravintsara translates to "the tree with good leaves" coming from the Malagasy words ravint meaning "leaf" and sara meaning "good for you."

Not only has the tree been utilized in wellness practices, but the Malagasy have even found a place for it in their cooking. The leaves are sometimes used as condiments in certain culinary specialties.

Malagasies have given the tree noble status because of its aesthetic and how useful it is in traditional wellness practices. For centuries, ravintsara trees have been planted on the estates of noble families of Madagascar.

And when the French colonies came in the late 1800s, they noticed how much the Malagasies revered the ravintsara leaf. Taking their cue from the native people, the French colonists also began to hold the tree in high esteem and began planting ravintsara trees on the grounds of their hospitals and missions.

Lassen, thank you so much for being here today. Why do you think Breathe is so amazing?

Lassen Phoenix: I actually love Breathe oil, and I'll tell you why. Just today we were flying home from Florida, and we had two legs for our trip. And the first leg, I sat next to a woman who I got to talk to, and she was telling me about her little grandson, who is two years old, who has respiratory issues. And she just, you know, really was worried about him. And I just happened to have a Breathe sample and so I gave it to her. And she had to try it and she was so excited.

She just immediately actually felt relief for her own stuffiness, that she then mentioned that she was dealing with, immediately, was able to breathe deeper and just felt so much clearer. And she was so excited as she got off the plane and was holding her little bottle and was just like, I can't wait to share this with my grandson. And she's excited to learn more about the oils. And it just felt so good.

And then the next man who came and sat down next to us, he was also dealing with some respiratory issues. And so, we shared some great oils with him. And, you know, he said that he was dealing with some sinus discomfort and some overall generalized discomfort in his head. And the Breathe oil just immediately gave him a lot of relief and I was able to give him a sample. So, it was so exciting and so rewarding to be able to make such a difference in such a simple but meaningful way. And so, yeah, I just absolutely love Breathe.

doTERRA: Also known as English Chamomile, true chamomile, and common chamomile. Roman chamomile has been used since ancient times for its wellness properties. Its history dates back as far as the ancient Egyptians and they used it in multiple areas of their lives. It was often used in mummification, specifically, it was used as the main ingredient in the embalming oil for deceased pharaohs. It was also used extensively in their traditional health practices.

And ancient Egyptians even dedicated it to their gods because of how much they revered its properties. Additionally, chamomile was used by the ancient Romans, who also utilized it in their traditional wellness practices, as well as using it to flavor beverages and scent incense.

During the Middle Ages, this particular species of chamomile was commonly used as a strewing herb, meaning that at public gatherings and celebrations it was strewn on the floor and people would walk on it, which helped create a fragrant atmosphere.

When it comes to floral symbolism, the chamomile flower represents the hope that all your dreams and wishes are fulfilled.

Tahna, thanks for joining us today. How do you like to use Roman Chamomile?

Tahna Lee: Roman chamomile, this oil smells like a sweet green apple tastes. It's the best way that I can explain the aroma. It's got this flowery, but a more of a fruity overtone for me. So, it's a favorite in our house. And at one point, my son was having anxious feelings at school and it was, you know, kind of a little pattern that he got into.

So, I wanted to help him manage that better. And there are so many different oils that have this ability to affect our emotional state in this way, this calming and soothing way. So, I let him choose. I pulled out the Lavender and Chamomile and a couple of other blends and singles that, you know, I knew would help the situation. But since I was making it for him to put in a roller bottle to use, I just wanted to make sure that he liked the smell right and he picked Chamomile.

And so, we did that. We added a little bit of Fractionated Coconut Oil, and he used that for several weeks that he was just, you know, getting used to a new situation at school. And it was awesome. And then, you know, at one point I was just like, hey, do you do you need a refill on that? He's like, No, I'm good. I'm, you know, issue solved. So, that's how we've used Roman Chamomile before. But basically any situation where you would use Lavender but having some resistance because of the aroma, you know, maybe, maybe it doesn't have a super positive association, then Chamomile is such a great alternative.

doTERRA: Warm, spicy, and known for its remarkable fragrance, cassia has been noted for thousands of years, even being mentioned in the Old Testament. Cinnamomum cassia is one of several species of cinnamomum used primarily for their aromatic bark, which is used as a spice. The buds are also used as a spice, especially in India, and were once used by the ancient Romans. According to Pliny, a Roman author, a pound of cassia cost up to 300 denars which was the wage of ten months labor.

According to Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, both cinnamon and cassia grew in Arabia, together with incense, myrrh and laudanum, and were guarded by winged serpents. And that when ancient Arabians would go to collect the cassia, they had to protect themselves against the serpents who guarded the spices fiercely. Legend also says that the phoenix, a mythological bird that when it dies is reborn from its ashes, builds its nests from cinnamon and cassia.

The cassia tree is native to certain regions of Asia, and cassia is known as Chinese cinnamon and is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese wellness practices.

Lassen, what is your favorite way to use Cassia?

Lassen: I absolutely love using Cassia, Roman Chamomile, and a little bit of honey in hot water. At nighttime before bed. It's super relaxing and it's very good at helping me get a really restful sleep.

doTERRA: The copaiba tree grows native in Brazil, where many Amazonians have collected the oleoresin for centuries. Many groups used the oleoresin in their traditional wellness practices. However, the first Western record of it was not until 1534, with a reference to "copei" in a report written to Pope Leo X. It shows up again in 1624, when a Portuguese monk writing about Brazilian natural products noted a product called "cupayba."

The notoriety of copaiba continued to grow and its reputation for being useful in many situations grew, increasing the oil's value. The tree the native Amazonians were drawing the oleoresin from was first described in 1648, in 1677, the London Pharmacopeia listed copaiba, and then the Swedish botanist Linnaeus described the genus Copaifera in 1762.

Copaifera trees have a reputation for difficulty and there is considerable local lore regarding the problematic nature of the copaiba harvest.

Amazon forest people often say looking up into the canopy before attempting to harvest a tree causes the liquid to get sucked to the top. Would-be collectors are also encouraged to harvest during a full moon, drill on the side of the tree where the sun rises, leans the most, or has the largest branch.

Peter and Susie, thank you so much for being with us today. What is your favorite way to use Copaiba?

Peter Bagwell: My favorite way to use Copaiba is the gel caps, but I don't use them every day. I use Serenity gel caps and Copaiba gel caps together on the, you know, once a week or maybe twice a week where I really have to get up early in the morning, going to go coach, to go do something. So, I absolutely have to have a good night's sleep that night. And so that night is when I use my Serenity caps in my Copaiba gel caps together. And that just helps me get a much better night's rest than I would otherwise.

Susie Bagwell: So, I am someone that uses the Copaiba gel caps daily. I take one every night with the Serenity gel caps before I go to sleep, and I just feel like it helps turn off my brain so I can get a really good night's sleep. And it's helped a ton with a lot of anxious feelings that we've had with some of the things that are going on here in Florida.

doTERRA: Wild Orange is believed to have originated in ancient China, and the earliest mention of the sweet orange in particular was in Chinese literature in 314 B.C.. In addition to its appearance in Mesopotamian excavations and ancient Chinese writing, you can also see the orange popping up in different places throughout history. In fact, because of Alexander the Great's conquest, the orange was introduced to Europe.

It also appears in the ancient Greek myth of Hercules. As his 11th task Eurystheus told Hercules that he must steal the golden apples from Hera's orchard called the Garden of Hesperides. According to the legend, at the marriage of Zeus and Hera, the goddess Gaia brought branches having golden apples growing on them as a wedding gift.

In later years, it was thought that the golden apples might have actually been oranges, a fruit unknown to Europe and the Mediterranean before the Middle Ages. Under this assumption, the Greek botanical name chosen for all citrus species was Hesperidoeidē. And even today, the Greek word for the orange fruit is Portokali. After the country of Portugal in Iberia, near where the Garden of Hesperides grew.

The orange also makes an appearance in many cultural traditions throughout history. In medieval times, citrus was incredibly prized and expensive. It became seen as a sign of status. In fact, cookbooks at the time describe exactly how many orange slices each rank of visiting dignitary was entitled to.

Lassen, what are some of your favorite ways to use Wild Orange?

Lassen: I love Wild Orange in sparkling water, that's my absolute favorite. And I also love to give people an experience of Wild Orange and Peppermint. Just have them, you know, put a little bit in their hands and rub it together and breathe it in and then rub their necks and rub their ears. It just it's very uplifting. It's extremely motivating, in my opinion. When I feel a little bit of, when I'm lacking motivation Wild Orange really can be the thing that can help me get myself moving. That's my favorite way to use Wild Orange.

doTERRA: One of the powerful ingredients in our On Guard blend is Rosemary. The first mention of rosemary is found on cuneiform stone tablets as early as 5000 B.C.. But after that, a not a whole lot is known except that Egyptians used it in their burial rituals. There aren't any further mentions of Rosemary until the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Rosemary made its way to England at an unknown date, the Romans probably brought it when they invaded in the first century, but there aren't any viable records about Rosemary arriving in Britain until the eighth century. This was credited to Charlemagne, who promoted herbs in general and ordered Rosemary to be grown in monastic gardens and on farms. Rosemary finally arrived in the Americas with early European settlers in the beginning of the 17th century. It soon spread to South America and global distribution.

The plant has been used in folk wellness traditions in the belief it may have beneficial effects. Rosemary was also considered sacred to ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks.

Tahna, why is On Guard a must have in your house?

Tahna: On Guard is an absolute must have in our house because of its immune system support. I like to keep On Guard Throat Drops in my car so when I'm taxiing kids around I can make sure they get a dose of On Guard every day. I also have the On Guard chewables in the car so they can choose if they want the throat drop or the chewable. So, we're looking at just, you know, daily wellness and supporting the immune system in such a way that when we are exposed out there, our immune system is functioning top notch and just ready to go.

I also have On Guard in my diffuser and it's an automatic diffuser that comes on every 20 minutes and diffuses just a little bit of essential oil for a minute or two. And it's continuous. Like I screw the actual 15 mil bottle of On Guard into the diffuser and you know, it will last six months to a year at the setting that I have. But I just feel like we diffuse On Guard every single day, all day long, just a little bit here and there it comes out automatically. That's my suggestions for how to incorporate On Guard, this powerful oil, into your use every day.

doTERRA: The black spruce is a beautiful tree native to the United States and Canada with a long history of use by both Native American and First Nations people.

Native Americans used the roots to make trays, buckets, dippers, and spoons, as well as to sell canoes, snowshoes, and birch baskets. The wood was used to make canoe paddles and the pitch to seal seams on birch bark canoes.

First Nations people used black spruce to construct fish traps. Multiple cultures have fashioned drying racks and snowshoe frames from their trunks. Their resin or sap was also powdered and used for traditional wellness practices. Tea made from the pulp of the trunk was also believed to be beneficial. Black Spruce reportedly was employed in wellness practices by many Native American tribes for a wide variety of reasons. For example, the Algonquin used the gum of the black spruce, the Cree makes the pitch of the black spruce with grease. Eskimos are said to have used a decoction of black spruce gum. The Ojibwa used an infusion of roots and barks, and the inner bark was used by the Potawatomi.

With its long history of use, it is no wonder that the black spruce is still treasured to this day.

Lassen, what do you love about black spruce?

Lassen: Black Spruce is a very interesting oil in our family. It's one that we tend to use in our diffuser. And I also made a rollerball for my husband it's very, it feels very masculine to me and very calming and grounding and very, very soothing. And sometimes when things feel a little bit chaotic and there's a lot of stress and I feel a little overwhelmed, I will go get Black Spruce first because of its ability to just help me focus and get kind of dialed in on what's really important and what I need to pay attention to and what I can let go off.

doTERRA: In our Deep Blue Blend, there is a beautiful oil whose name is derived from the ancient Greek words helios meaning sun and chrysos meaning gold. Helichrysum's name is a reference to the bright yellow flowers that bloom on the plant and stay remarkably bright even when dried. The helichrysum plant was important to both ancient Romans and Greeks who decorated the statues of gods with wreaths made from the flower heads.

This use may seem out of place since the classic statues are now the color of the original materials, like marble or bronze. However, they were originally quite brightly colored and the yellow hue of helichrysum in full sun would have given the effect of a gold crown.

According to a Greek legend told in Homer's Odyssey, Ulysses during his odyssey was once shipwrecked on an island called Phaeacia. There he met the king's daughter. She was renowned for her beauty, which she attributed to her use of a precious golden oil extracted from the helichrysum flowers to help Ulysses. She gave him a vial of this famous oil, and after applying it to his body, he was able to continue on his voyage.

Peter and Susie. Why do you love the Deep Blue Stick?

Susie: I really love the Deep Blue Stick. I feel like it is such a game changer in the way it's dispensed. I love the way that it helps my back after we have a really heavy workout or maybe my legs when they're really, really sore. I just really notice a huge difference with the stick as opposed to the oil or the rub.

Peter: I think I love the deep blue stick because it exceeded my expectations. I thought, there's no reason for me ever to take Deep Blue out of my gym bag. I use it all the time for muscle soreness at the gym, but somehow my Deep Blue Rub went missing one day. And so I started using the stick and I thought to myself, "Wow, this was like way better for what I was using it for." Now I pretty much carry both, but it has, it definitely relieves, it has that soothing feeling. So, that's why I love it.

Thank you to our Wellness Advocates for joining us today and sharing with us their tips and tricks on how to use some of the amazing products in our BOGO box.

Thanks for joining us and congratulations on living a healthier lifestyle with essential oils. If you want to try any of the products you learned about, click on the link in the episode description or find a Wellness Advocate near you to place an order today. And remember, if you liked what you heard today, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen.

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