Why doTERRA?

In the past decade we have seen the holistic health world GROW, EXPAND, EVOLVE! And it continues to do so! And it's a great thing! 

While essential oils are a part of this, they aren't "new". Essential oils have been used for thousands of years; in fact, modern archeological testing of ancient mummified bodies in Egypt have dated the use of oils such as juniper, camphor, and myrrh back to 3000 BCE, suggesting use in burial rituals. Similarly, Ancient Greece, Rome, Iran, and India utilized plant extracts in beauty care products, massage and spa treatments, as well as in medical procedures such as surgeries and for health promotion in the form of supplementation! 

Fast forward to today, tremendous research is being done on the potential healing potency of essential oil constituents. Scientists from many fields and continents continue to contribute to refining the practices for growing, harvesting, distilling, and utilizing these beautiful plant given gifts. But with any new or emergent field, there is often a lack of universalized standards, and therefore, quality assurance is SUPER IMPORTANT. 

Research being conducted on therapeutic uses for essential oils is being done with therapeutic grade oils, so if you are using them for more than a nice smell, it is important to attain the highest quality oils you can. Look for companies that support indigenous and organic growing practices, and undergo rigorous testing for purity and quality assurance (such as Gas Chromotography/Mass Spectrometry) through independent lab testing and share the results with the public. 

As you might've guessed, doTERRA oils check all of these boxes. So my mind is happy! But that isn't actually what drew me to their use...

I had use some other popular brands of essential oils in the past, and really enjoyed their smell, but didn't experience any transformative effects. Then in 2016, I found myself in India on a yoga/meditation retreat in the Himalayas. My body was having a challenging time with the climate of hot hot temps during the day and super cold temps in the evening (plus all the travel and the 12 hour time difference ;) ). I was experiencing a sinus cold and had a terrible headache, and had been for the better part of the last couple of days. One of the beautiful women on the retreat handed me a roller bottle and said, "here, rub this on the back of your neck and on your temples". "What is it?" I said. "Peppermint essential oil", she said. I was willing to try it, but based on my experience in the past, wasn't expecting much. 

In less than a couple of minutes, my headache was completely gone and I was SUPER intrigued! I began to explore and loved how intuitive the doTERRA oils are, especially the blends (my first favorites were Balance and Serenity <3 <3). 

Then in May of 2018, I experienced an extremely intense gastric episode that brought me to the ER. While nothing was diagnosed, it was the most intense, sharp pain I've experienced in this life, and it took weeks to recover from. It was at this point that I was introduced to Meg Doll, holistic nutritionist and founder of the essential oil community, The Nourished and Free Collective. As part of my gut healing protocol, she recommended putting doTERRA's digestive blend on my stomach as well as ingesting a "tea" with hot water and 1-2 drops of the oil each day. Once again, I felt relief immediately; it was the most profound result of all the things I was using (including celery juice, bone broth, and other supplements). 

It was at this point that I became extremely interested in the doTERRA brand, their research, and the potential for a broader use of these oils in my life. For the last year, I have been easing in, one oil at a time, and have been and continue to be SO IMPRESSED with their impact on my ultra sensitive system. 

My current passion is EMBODIED FEMININE; embracing our female physiology, the ebb and flow of our cyclical nature, and honoring that in all I do. It feels like something that is generally ignored in our modern culture and to great detriment; we see the epidemic levels of female reproductive challenges from post-birth control syndrome, to endometriosis, to PCOS, to further up the chain issues like adrenal and thyroid disregulation. It's time to get back to nature, to honoring our rhythms and cycles. And I have found holistic nutrition, yoga, and essential oils to be amazing allies on this path.

So if you are on a journey of recovering from chronic burnout, overachieving, striving, and doing, and would LOVE support in creating the habits of restfulness, ease, stillness, and receiving, I AM HERE FOR YOU! I would LOVE to support you. Please email jadiengels@gmail.com for more information.