I remember as a kid being excited to see my friends after summer break but also being super scared I would fail this new grade. And now I get to relive ALL of these anxieties through my own children.

Luckily, I feel super well-equipped to deal with this time of year thanks to the plant-based tools we always have on hand in our household – and you can too!

There are definitely lots more essential oil options… but here are my top 10 faves for back-to-school:

Cheer

I hate to admit this but we are MUCH more lenient with bed time during the summer months. That means, when September rolls around and the alarm clocks are set, the morning grumpiness meter tends to skyrocket.

Cheer, a pre-mixed essential oil blend, is one of my favourite oils to diffuse in the morning to enhance our moods (2-3 drops). You will want to ideally get this running 30 minutes before everyone wakes up.

Add a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil with your Cheer blend to also boost energy and wakefulness.

On Guard

Do your kids, like ours, also come home with all of the germs and sniffles at the beginning of the school year?

We fight that by diffusing 5-6 drops of On Guard, a pre-mixed essential oil blend, in the evenings. The chemical make-up of this blend provides powerful germ-fighting activity by helping to cleanse the air.

If you love the smell of cinnamon, orange and cloves, you will absolutely LOVE diffusing this blend! It is both comforting and festive.

Tea Tree

Ok, you might be like a lot of people and not particularly enjoy this smell. It can seem medicinal or remind you too much of cleaning products.

But tea tree essential oil is a great anti-microbial and support to the immune system. I disperse 2-3 drops in my son’s evening bath as a preventative measure.

I honestly believe EVERYONE should always have a bottle of tea tree essential oil in their home.

In Tune

This is actually one of the first essential oils I ever bought when I started introducing essential oils into my non-toxic lifestyle.

We got feedback from my son’s teacher that he was having a hard time focusing in class… so, like I always do, I asked myself what essential oil could support him through this and did some research.

To this day, I roll this blend on the back of my son’s neck on school days and especially before we do homework.

Kids Collection

These last six oils are pre-mixed essential oil blends conveniently packaged in roller bottles and specifically designed for children.

These are a lifesaver for any parent. They cover the big items kids deal with:

• Stronger – to help prevent illness (the kid’s version of On Guard).

• Calmer – to help unwind at the end of the day or manage difficult emotions.

• Steady – to help stay grounded and keep balanced.

• Rescuer – for playground + gym class “ouchies” and tension.

• Brave – to reduce anxiety and promote courage + confidence.

• Thinker – to remain on task + focused and promote clarity + alertness.

Roll these oils along the spine or under the feet daily, picking the blend best-suited to the situation.

You don’t have to “tough it out” or just “hope for the best” this back-to-school season. You CAN empower yourself and be that “annoying” parent whose kid just flows through childhood challenges like a champ.

Trust me, it’s fun

Get the oils you need for your family here, and join the Rustik Health community to save 25% on all your purchases by clicking “Become a Member” then “Wholesale Customer”.

M.

The post Top 10 back-to-school essential oils appeared first on Rustik Health.

I could go on at length about why you want to avoid those ingredients but my goal here is to introduce you to new DIY oral care options. My usual protocol goes like this:

1. First thing upon waking, tongue scrape
2. After breakfast, floss
3. Oil pull
4. Brush teeth

Usually in the evening, I will use mouthwash instead of oil pulling. I’ll also go through phases of using activated charcoal when I want to whiten my teeth.

And remember… what you EAT is an important consideration for oral care and it should not be ignored.

Here are some of my favourite non-toxic DIY recipes.

DIY Toothpaste Options

I use a few different types of homemade DIY toothpaste recipes and most are just one ingredient with an added essential oil. There are no specific proportions to these one-ingredient toothpaste recipes… I usually just use enough to cover the bristles and add more if necessary.

1. Coconut oil + 1 drop of pure, therapeutic grade clove and/or tea tree essential oil
2. Baking soda + 1 drop of pure, therapeutic grade tea tree essential oil
3. Activated charcoal (I gently brush enough powder to cover my teeth, leave on 1 – 2 minutes and brush off with water – careful, this gets messy!)

I also keep a jar of re-mineralizing toothpaste on-hand and follow this recipe minus the cinnamon and clove powder.

But even before brushing my teeth, I love to tongue scrape. I made a habit of doing this first thing when I wake up. You can use a tongue scraper tool (pictured above) or simply a spoon.

Patchouli Mouth Rinse

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 1 drop patchouli essential oil

Instructions

1. Combine baking soda and water in a small cup.
2. Add essential oils and mix well.
3. Swish mixture around in mouth for one minute before spitting into the sink.

(Source)

DIY Breath Spray

Ingredients

• 5 mL glass spray bottle
• 3–5 drops essential oil (try peppermint, spearmint or cinnamon)
• Distilled water

Instructions

1. Place 3–5 drops of essential oil into your spray bottle.
2. Fill the remainder of the bottle with distilled water.
3. Shake well to combine and spritz in mouth for a refreshing burst of flavor.

(Source)

Simple Mouthwash

Ingredients

• 5 drops essential oils (try peppermint, myrrh or cinnamon)
• 1 cup water
• Mason jar

Instructions

1. Add water and essential oil to mason jar.
2. Shake well before each use. Take small sips and swish. Do not swallow.
3. Store in a dark location.

Oil Pulling

My gums love it when I oil pull. I have super sensitive gums and they get irritated quite rapidly if I don’t oil pull for a while. Plus, oil pulling can help whiten your teeth naturally

My favourite is to oil pull for 2 – 3 minutes with castor oil and one drop of an essential oil. Many people use coconut oil but you have to oil pull for much longer – 20 minutes, ideally…

For more information on the benefits of oil pulling, see my dedicated post on this topic.

Non-toxic whitening

Another natural way to whiten your teeth is to use activated charcoal. I simply wet my toothbrush, dab it in the activated charcoal and gently apply the paste to my teeth. I make sure to leave a thick, black coating for a good 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing and brushing out.

Repeat regularly to maintain the whiteness…

Enjoy your new non-toxic oral care routine! Feel free to ask any questions

M.

PS – be part of the non-toxic living conversation… join The Non-Toxic Living Collective Facebook group!

The post Non-toxic oral care appeared first on Rustik Health.