Episode 84: Taking Care of Your Immune System, PURSUE 2020

doTERRA: Welcome back to Essential Oil Solutions with doTERRA, the podcast where you’ll hear exciting, useful, and simple everyday uses for essential oils from experts in the field. If you like what you hear today rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. We always appreciate hearing from you. Today we’re continuing in our special series providing you with all of the best highlights from this week’s 2020 Pursue Connection.

Today kicked off with a special message from doTERRA CEO David Stirling. He looked back at the conception of doTERRA and the principles of hard work, dedication, and belief that helped pull them through tough times in the past and how those principles have carried them through the years.

David Stirling: doTERRA was built on a foundation of sacrifice, scarcity of resources, and gratitude. For the first 13 months of our existence, none of the founders were paid, and no one received any medical benefits. We just knew that we felt inspired to build something that could change the world, and that would bless many lives. We knew it would take a lot of effort, and we knew that it would take time.

doTERRA: Following David Stirling’s message, we were able to hear from all of founding executives as they answered some of the top questions submitted by doTERRA members. Here are a couple of memorable questions and answers from the panel.

Andrew O’Hare: Greg, Juanita from North Carolina has a question, and she asks “Can you describe what Co-Impact sourcing is for those unfamiliar with this term? And why Co-Impact sourcing is so important to doTERRA?”

Greg Cook: Thank you, Juanita. Great question. A few years ago, we found ourselves growing much greater than any other company had ever done in the essential oil world. More than half of the countries where doTERRA does business are actually in developing countries. And many of the growers had been taken advantage of. They were living in not the best circumstances. And we recognized that the most important way for us to contribute back to the world was to benefit directly our growers and our producers of essential oils around the world.

Andrew: We did have lots of questions on the future of doTERRA. We had a question from Heather Rodriguez from Sparks, Nevada, who asks “Where do you see doTERRA in 10 years? And what are you most excited about for the future of the company?”

Greg: For the next 10 years, as more and more people continue to look for natural solutions at prices that they can afford from a source that they trust, that relevancy of doTERRA, given our current environment and the changing world that is going to be with us for the foreseeable future, makes doTERRA perfectly positioned. And I have never been more optimistic or more excited about our future than I am now.

David: You know, looking towards the future, all that we've been talking about here today, this foundation of sacrifice, this foundation of purity, all of these pieces that have come over time have set us up for the future.

Emily Wright: So I think about where the world is today. I don't think there's been a time that people have felt so alone. And when I look at these essential oils, they are so powerful and really uniting us and connecting us as human beings. I look at what does the future hold in the next 10 years. I see doTERRA as a vehicle that will really connect humanity and really bring us together for a very common cause for a very specific purpose.

Dr. David Hill: We're about discovery in doTERRA, and we're making new discovery all the time, but we're making discovery, and it's impactful in how we accomplish and do what we do best at doTERRA. I'm really very optimistic about the future, but I'm excited about these discoveries and how they'll impact us more substantially than what they have in the past.

Rob Young: I think people are needing kind of that human connection. I think where we are uniquely positioned to be the answer for many people to find that kindness and that connection again with people. Essential oils have been a vehicle and will continue to be a vehicle to help people connect with each other and show kindness and service to other human beings. And I think we need more of that in the world today.

doTERRA: Next, Tim Valentiner, Vice President of Global Strategic Sourcing for doTERRA, hosted a panel with members of his sourcing team who work tirelessly around the world to provide you with the highest quality essential oils. doTERRA takes pride in doing everything they can to find the areas of the world where each plant grows best and sourcing our essential oils from those locations. Not only that, but our Co-Impact Sourcing model means that we strive to impact everywhere we source for the better.

Tim Valentiner: We really had a difficult time finding partners that aligned with our priorities of purity, ensuring that we're really getting the best quality. But really, the focus on farmers and ensuring that they were the central part of everything we were doing that it was a farmer focused operation first and foremost. And without really having any partners that share that vision, we realized we had to do it ourselves. But to set a new standard that has now really raised the bar for everyone else that's functioning in Bulgaria now currently.

Plamen Nikolov: Exactly.

doTERRA: doTERRA will never compromise on quality, we are absolutely committed to providing you with the best essential oils the world has to offer. In fact, the next panel focused entirely on the quality of essential oils and why quality is so incredibly important.

Andrew: It's important to understand why quality and purity are so vital and worth striving for. Knowing this, it's imperative for doTERRA to be as close to the source as possible. Of equal importance to doTERRA is our scientific and medical communities.

Dr. Russell Osguthorpe: I think the reason that it matters, Andrew, is it's a safety issue. If you don't know what you're putting on or into your bodies, you could potentially be doing harm. Knowing what is in the bottle is the foundation of safety.

doTERRA: The afternoon session was all about immunity and started off with a wonderful message from Dr. David Hill, doTERRA founding executive, about the power of seeking natural solutions in our lives

Dr. Hill: With our collective focus on science, a continued dedication to purity and quality standards, and a commitment to working with healthcare, I believe we can empower individuals and families to reclaim their health and vitality. I hope you join with me and join with us and the people throughout the world in experiencing the healthy attributes provided through these gifts of the earth known as essential oils.

doTERRA: Following Dr. Hill, Dr. Osguthorpe the Chief Medical Officer for doTERRA, taught all about the immune system and the indispensable role it plays in your everyday health.

Dr. Osguthorpe: The immune system has received a lot of attention lately, and we have a good opportunity to separate some fact from fiction today. I’m not trying to scare anyone, but the fact is that without your immune system, you would die, due to overwhelming infection. From our eyes to our genitourinary system, from our gut to our lungs, we are able to exist because of barriers and general responses to pathogens and invaders of the innate immune system.

In conclusion, your immune system is truly incredible and endlessly fascinating, to me at least. I hope it is to you. It is a robust defense against infection, constantly working to keep you healthy, both by keeping threats out and neutralizing any threats that do make it into your body. By practicing healthy habits and taking care of your body, you can keep your immune system strong and able to handle all the challenges the microbial world throws at us every day.

doTERRA: Dr. Osguthorpe then passed it back to Dr. Hill as he built off of what Dr. Osguthorpe taught and shared how doTERRA products can play a role in your individual health regimen for immunity.

Dr. Hill: Many of the doTERRA products available to you are formulated and developed specifically with this in mind.

PB Assist+, for example, is perfectly suited to support a healthy gut biome, along with its additional protective, health-promoting sequences. On Guard Hand Wash and Sanitizing Mist is designed, of course, for healthy hand washing and sanitization. Purify essential oil is a wonderful blend and it's especially effective for its diffusion qualities that helps to refresh the air and the environment.

doTERRA: Dr. Nicole Stevens doTERRA’s director of clinical research, then revealed some of the newest research on the On Guard blend. To set the stage she shared some information about epigenetics and the important role it plays in your health.

Dr. Nicole Stevens: On a very high level, it is the study of how lifestyle factors affect which genes are expressed, and to what degree. It’s not a change in your DNA, just what instructions your DNA gives your body.

doTERRA: Dr. Stevens went on to describe the doTERRA BioSEEK study that helped shed more light on how essential oils interact with cells on a biochemical level.

Dr. Stevens: Think of it like this. Imagine a symphony where the trumpets were way too loud. The violins were out of tune, and the flutes were playing much too quietly to hear. That would sound unpleasant and unbalanced, right?

Along comes the conductor, helps the violins tune, tell the trumpets to quiet down, and brings up the volume and the flutes. At last, harmony and balance. On Guard, in the case of our cell systems, was an amazing symphony conductor

We saw On Guard do some incredible things in this study. Again, it helped immune balance and regulation, supported a healthy inflammatory response, participated in antioxidant activity, influenced multiple pathways of communication, and balanced cellular function after being stressed.

All of this was possible with the power of a pure, natural essential oil blend. During this study, On Guard demonstrated cellular renewing properties, healthy inflammatory response, and immunomodulation, which is the ability to affect the immune system.

What this suggests is that On Guard is so much more than just a blend that supports the immune system. It has many other benefits and works on multiple pathways and mechanisms throughout the body. I’ve spent a lot of time with On Guard as result of this study, and I have to tell you, it has consistently exceeded my expectations in research.

doTERRA: If you want to learn more about the results of the doTERRA BioSEEK study, you can find the full study available online.

Dr. Andrew Gough then shared how his experience on the front lines as a physician has shown him the importance of nutrition in taking care of your immune system and what he recommends to make sure your body is getting the nutrition it needs.

Dr. Andrew Gough: The most important factor in promoting optimal immune function is inarguably nutrition, which is why I—as a physician—recommend Lifelong Vitality every day. And why my wife and I consider Lifelong Vitality the most important component of our family's health care plan.

Nutrition is the foundation of health. Lifelong Vitality is the world's best supplement to your healthy diet to give your body just the right amounts of vitamins and minerals it needs each and every day to build a foundation of health and wellness and giving your immune systems the tools to do exactly what it was designed to do: provide protection and support for your lifelong energy, vitally, and health. Doctor’s orders.

doTERRA: To wrap up the second day of Pursue 2020 we were able to hear from a panel made up of nurse practitioner Ann Shipley, Dr. Brannick Riggs, and Dr. Katherine Egah-Phillips as they answered some of the most common questions about incorporating doTERRA products into your daily life.

Saramarie Smith: In your experience, when is it best to use On Guard internally, topically, or aromatically, Ann?

Ann Shipley: I think it's best used regularly in all three ways because it offers the most comprehensive support. You can be diffusing On Guard around your home, using it to clean surfaces, and applying topically daily! You can be adding it to your tea, food, snacks, etc. You especially want to use On Guard Softgels when you’d like to give your immune system an extra boost.

Saramarie: Finally, Dr. Riggs, could you explain the difference between the Lifelong Vitality Pack and other, more generic vitamins? Also, does it really matter if you take them all at once or split up throughout the day?

Dr. Brannick Riggs: I think you hit on a key thing in that question, generic vitamins. The care in which dōTERRA took creating and formulating each vitamin in the Lifelong Vitality Pack is incredible and unmatched in any generic vitamin you’re going to find on the shelf of a store.

This is a group of vitamins that have been designed to support your body in the best, most efficient way possible. LLV gives your cells the micronutrients it needs.

You can take them all at once, however, we usually recommend splitting your dose to take 6 capsules in the morning and 6 capsules in the evening. The supplements absorb better if taken with food, so take your LLV and then eat your breakfast or dinner afterwards.

doTERRA: Many doTERRA products you already know and love, as well as some that are less familiar to you, can become an invaluable part of your daily routine to help support your immune system. You can find out more information by listening to today’s full session, checking out the Discover Solutions section on doterra.com, or reaching out to your upline.

Thank you so much for joining us today for this special PURSUE 2020 episode. If you would like to join in on all of the action live, there are still tickets available! Just go to doterra.com to find all of the registration information. There are many more exciting sessions coming up that you do not want to miss. And of course, subscribe today so that you don’t miss any of the exciting updates as we continue to pursue what’s pure.