Essential Oils in the Home
Today we are talking all about Essential Oils in the Home with Ardelle Viau of Aromas and Avocados, who is also based in Edmonton. She has been instrumental in my own education and use of Essential Oils and I wanted to share a bit of that magic with you all. You can read the interview below, or watch here. And at the end, we’re talking about Ardelle’s new 12 week program Arise that I would highly recommend!
Meet Ardelle and Her Journey to Essential Oils
Kierstin: All right. So today I wanted to bring in an expert in essential oils. Her name is our Ardelle. And I will let you talk about yourself so that everybody can get to know you. We're going to talk about essential oils in the home, and she has tons of great information for us that will be super beneficial. So Ardelle take it away and tell us a bit about you and your company, Aromas and Avocados.
Ardelle: Awesome. Well, thanks for having me, Kierstin! So Aromas and Avocados is exactly that - it's a blend of essential oils, plant medicine, holistic nutrition and lifestyle tips. So what I do is I help confused and overwhelmed individuals abandon the all or nothing approach when it comes to their health and wellness, by helping them use their inner wisdom to form really simple and adoptable health habits that work for them. So they actually have the energy to go after their really big ambitious goals. I think the reason why I've become so passionate about doing what I do is because the health and wellness industry has become overwhelmingly confusing for a lot of people. And so I like to really just take that noise away, help them start with a very simple Foundation, because it's those little habits that we do on a daily basis that I think make the most profound difference in how we feel overall, the things that we can do, no matter our schedule, no matter our environment, the ones that like the list of our non-negotiables that we come back to. So yeah, that's how I help people. And then I use essential oils in my practice, because they've been shown and proven to have so many healing properties. And my personal usage of them, has really helped me realize just how amazing they are at really anchoring our habits. So that's what I love to do.
Kierstin: And so you are also a Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant, right?
Ardelle: That’s right, yeah. I took my training at the Canadian School of Natural nutrition. And so holistic nutrition: the difference between that and someone like a dietitian is that we look at the whole body health. And so we approach health with the mind, body, spirit connection. And I personally make it even a little bit more unique because I help people take health beyond the plate. And so many of us, when we think of targeting our health goals, we often come from a really restrictive approach or perfectionist approach. I'm guilty of this myself, I've had a long history of yo-yo dieting. And so I realized that in order to help people abolish that concept of all or nothing, we need it to be really simple, but we also have to connect our mind and our spirit to what we're doing. Because we can so easily look too much to our outside resources for validation on what we're doing. And I think that's when people don't enjoy the journey and why they often will get to their goal, or not even get to their goal and feel like they can't continue because they're not aligned with the things they're doing every single day. And so with holistic nutrition, we take all of that, and personally what I've done is I've developed a four pillar system. So I work on specific areas, including nutrition, mindset and movement, and then also the healthy, clean living concept.
Kierstin: Okay, so what got you interested in essential oils? Like what was the thing that made you take that on as one of your core things?
Ardelle: It's actually really interesting. I always love sharing my story, because I think it just goes to show that I relate to a lot of people in how they look at essential oils. So when I was in school for holistic nutrition back in 2012, they had a class on aromatherapy. It wasn’t mandatory, but I skipped it because at that time, I really did not understand the healing properties of essential oils. I was using a couple oils; I had the generic like lavender and peppermint in my home, but I had no clue that quality made the biggest difference and that from brand to brand, there's a massive difference in the quality and purity of the oils. So it wasn't until 2015 that like a lot of people I came to essential oils from a place of desperation. I think when we're in that place, that's when we become a lot more open minded to different things. And I was in a motorbike accident where I had a broken pelvis and needed surgery and all of that and I went home with a really, really strong pain medication. And I will just say right now that I'm a massive advocate for the balance and blend of Western and Eastern medicine, and that we do need the the benefits of both worlds. And I think that's when true transformation happens is when we incorporate the two. So I will never say to replace medication. However, at that time in my life, I was experiencing a lot of side effects from the pain meds I was on. And I was on the hunt for finding something more alternative, something a little bit more natural, I was already so passionate about living a more clean and toxic free home too. So I knew that I wanted to find something different. And that's when somebody introduced me to the Deep Blue Rub from doTERRA. And it's like that blend itself was the oil that made it completely changed my mind on what essential oils have the power to do. And so from there, I started using it for my own personal pain management. And then also I had a lot of mental health and PTSD, anxiety and such from the accident. So it was starting to become a main component in so many areas of my wellness. And when I started to see all the areas I could use it, I became more and more interested and started to study them and took a few courses on using essential oils. And then when I started consulting, in my own business, Aromas and Avocados, that's when I really saw an opportunity to help my clients. Because a lot of us are living in such extreme, high stressful states, or we feel just, you know, we're at the very last rope when it comes to our health and wellness. And we just need something to give us a little bit of support. So that when we go to implement new habits for our health, we feel a little bit better to do that; we have the energy to do it. So yeah, I saw an opportunity to really help my clients. And then it just grew from there. And I have so much fun talking about it. I love sharing them with people. And it's just so exciting to see people become really independent and confident and having natural tools at their fingertips in their house.
Using Oils in the Home
Kierstin: Totally. You've taught me so much - I was totally one of those people who walked into a store like Saje and was like, “oh, this smells nice.” And then I would maybe diffuse it, or it would just sit in the cupboard and I'd be collecting them. It truly wasn't until you started educating me that it’s become a daily thing. Now, it's within so many aspects of my life from health and wellness, to just making the home smell nice and so many more things. So that's what we're going to get into. And so I know most people are probably familiar with diffusing essential oils in the home, I think that's become pretty mainstream, I would say. And that's all part of what I do too, because I want to make sure that our homes are invoking those feelings that we want to feel. And I know for me, scent is a huge way to evoke feelings, and I'm sure it is with a lot of other people. So that can really tie together with making our home just a more enjoyable place for us as well. So, diffusers, there are different types out there. I know there's the ultrasonic one. I think that that's what I have going on right now. You can get those reed diffusers, there's also the oil burners. So what's the best one? What should we be using? Is there different times when we should use different ones? Give us the info.
Ardelle: So I really love the fact that you're asking this question because I think a lot of people like are a little bit stumped on what to use. And now this kind of comes back to understanding a little bit of the science behind oils as to what you're going to choose to use. So essential oils are heat sensitive, meaning if you heat the temperature of an oil, it can actually start to lose its healing properties. So it's actually best to always find a diffuser that doesn't get too hot, and so quality of the diffuser will matter. But when you're looking at the burners, for instance, stay away from those because you don't want to be burning your oils. It's different than a candle. And so ultrasonic, hands down, are the most common and they're also the best to use for when it comes to diffusion. Now the ultrasonic like what you have or what I have behind me, this is the concept of using water and the oil together to create a mist in the air. And I love explaining to people because, myself included, when I first started using essential oils I’d be like wow, that smells pretty. I think lavender is supposed to make me feel calm. No idea how, but it is. Now what's happening is that every oil has different chemical compounds. And when we're breathing the essential oil in, those chemical compounds are targeting the limbic system, which is the seat of our emotions and our ability to actually influence our motivation, our hormones, even our blood pressure. They can have such a powerful, powerful effect in the body. So when you're breathing in those aromas, scent is one of the fastest and easiest ways to invoke a happy memory or a good memory. And so when you're using something like lavender, maybe you do recall your mom using it, and it brings you back to a good childhood memory or something like that. Now it also though, because of the chemical compounds, they work like a lock and key aspect in the body to create a neurological response. So really, really powerful and works super fast. It's really safe to do it that way. And not to mention the fact that they look really pretty - love the diffusers,
Kierstin: There are so many of them now, I mean, I think my first diffuser that I ever bought was not particularly attractive. I still have it, but it kind of hide it away. But now there are some really, really beautiful ones out there that can look good too. So that's good. So for the reed diffusers, I mean, I would assume that they're a bit better because they don't involve heat. But what I have noticed is that they use up the oil much faster. So is that like the main difference?
Ardelle: Yeah, that’s the main difference and also the capacity on what an ultrasonic will be able to affect in terms of square footage, you'll notice that when you're looking at them, they will tell you like what best space or room that they will work for. And in comparison to the reed diffusers, they don't have that and they use up quite a bit, quite a bit more actually in comparison. Now that also will come down to the oil you're using. doTERRA oils, for instance, are the ones that I'm only speaking to. And I should be really clear on that though. Whenever I'm making recommendations, I'm specifically speaking to doTERRA. Because of their quality, their purity and so on, you only need to use, let's say three or four drops in the diffuser in comparison to many other brands that tell you to go all the way up to 15. And, yeah, and that's where they become so cost effective. And you use them in other ways, like topically and with some of doTERRA’s you can use internally. But when you're using it for diffusion, your oils going to last a very long time because you really don't need that much. And not to mention the fact that if, let's say you're diffusing in your kitchen, where everybody's hanging out, you're actually targeting multiple people at one time as well.
Kierstin: Awesome. So are there any oils that we need to be careful with diffusing in our home? Like any that could impact our paint or like fabric, anything like that, that we should be careful of?
Ardelle: So a couple things you want to be careful of is, in terms of affecting your paint, that unless you're using a really heavy oil, like for instance, vetiver or cedar wood, like a woodsy oil, (sometimes you’ll notice from a bottle, they're quite a bit thicker) and when you diffuse them, sometimes they might leave a little bit of a residue around where your diffuser is. But you can simply use something like baking soda and water and just leave that on the surface and then quickly wipe it off after. So that's a really easy way. But the other thing I wanted to actually mention here is being more careful if you have pets. So there are specific oils we don't want to be diffusing. I'm not trained too well in this area and I usually always just refer people to a vet that I follow who uses essential oils in her practice. But things like wintergreen peppermint, some of those oils, you have to be more careful because they're toxic to pets. But even then, pets are so intuitive that if they smell it, they know that they'll just leave the room. But you do want to have some understanding of that. So that would be my biggest recommendation. But when it comes to your finishes, I haven't had any issues. And I've never had anyone come back to me and say, “Hey, I was diffusing this and it ruined my when we finish” or something like that.
Invoke Feelings Through Essential Oils
Kierstin: Awesome. So I want to get your take. And again, I know you're going to give me the doTERRA products as recommendations, and that's great. So maybe if there is something that's like a blend, if you can kind of describe it - not necessarily what's in it - but that sort of sense so that people who use another brand they can look it up. So yeah, let's go through it. So I have these top five feelings that I talk about. Let's talk about what we can use to invoke those feelings. So the first one, which is my favourite feeling and probably right now since it’s starting to get cooler we're all feeling this feeling: Cozy. What would you recommend?
Ardelle: So… cozy. what immediately comes to mind for me is anything like a warm oil and by that I mean like your cinnamon, your cloves, and even blending that with like your woodsy oils like cedar wood or sandalwood and then you could even add in a little bit of citrus in there too like wild orange, for me is a very comforting like cozy smell. And so my favourite blends for this one, and I think I'll probably give you like two recommendations for each because it's really hard for me to nail down. But for cozy I love our On Guard oil. And the reason why is because not only does it have kind of like a cinnamon clove type smell, but it's also so good for our immune system. A lot of people actually find that it's even a little energizing as well. And I defuse this one all year round. A lot of people relate this one to more like Christmas smell but if you want to defuse it all year round, just put some extra citrus in there. And then the other one is our Forgive oil and this one has more of a woodsy, a kind of like a forest in a bottle. And I really like that for a cozy effect.
Kierstin: All right, next one: Creativity.
Ardelle: Creativity I would always relate to herb oils that actually can really help invoke memory, it can also invoke, just coming from the emotional spiritual benefit to oils, a lot of herb oils are really good for breaking down boundaries. So by breaking down boundaries, you become a little bit more open minded and you can just think more clearly. So I really like our Citrus Bliss because it does have a little bit of herb in there but it also has a lot of citrus oils in there and some vanilla. And then we also have a Passion oil, which I think it's kind of an interesting one to recommend for the creativity aspect. But the passion oil, not only does it smell like, well it is one of my favourite to use is my own perfume. But I also just really when I’m diffusing it, I just feel like, I don't know how to explain it necessarily, but just like in the flow, it helps me get in the flow really quickly.
Kierstin: That's awesome. So I use Citrus Bliss, that's what I have happening right now and I use that all the time in my office and I guess that that's probably why because I want to feel that creativity in here. But I'm going to have to check out the Passion one too. Okay, next one: Welcoming.
Ardelle: Okay, I'm going to say our Peace oil and maybe the Console oil. And I love recommending blends because for a lot of people that's the easiest place to get started as they don't have to worry about putting two things together but it’s just done for them in the bottle. Peace blend has a little bit more mint and herb kind of blend to it. It's also really good if you have some tension you can just apply directly on to your tense muscles. But Peace is very welcoming. And the Console oil has a little bit more of a warm herb smell to it. But between those two, like the different profiles in them (they'd even actually blend really well together) it's just whenever I'm diffusing the Console as I have guests over they always comment on how comforting and relaxing that oil is.
Kierstin: Nice! That's good to know - that's perfect. So Calm. I mean, I know a lot of us will immediately go to like lavender, but some people don't really like lavender. So what would you recommend for calm regardless?
Ardelle: Yeah, my favourite and I would have to agree myself, as I have a little bit of a love hate relationship with lavender. So I really like our Serenity blend because it has lavender in there but it has a mix of many other things too. It's the one that I actually use for my sleep. It is our top sleep blend for sure. And so I would say it's a bit more of like, floral musky, so honestly a lot of the woodsy and floral oils are calming for people. And another one would be Balance which has more of the woodsy profile versus the floral. And balance is probably one of my top three favourites. It has some blue tansy in there, some frankincense and it's one that I often use almost every morning through my meditation, and it just immediately kind of puts me in this place of feeling more centered and relaxed.
Kierstin: Perfect. And last one Energizing.
Ardelle: Okay, Energizing. Pretty much anything minty and citrus is the best way to go. And so if you're looking for pre-made blends, our Cheer is more citrusy and I really like that one. Then we also have Motivate and it’s often the one that I use before my workout because it has more of the mint in there. And it's a really good way to not only when you smell it, are you becoming more invigorated, but it also opens up the air passage. So just breathing in more oxygen can help you feel more energized as well. And so if you're defusing something that actually opens up your airways, you naturally will start to feel more alert and awake.
Note: Want to get Motivate, Cheer, Passion, Forgive, Console and Peace in a full set: $244.75 with a wholesale membership or $270.33 retail.
Other uses for Essential Oils in the Home
Kierstin: Perfect, those are awesome. So beyond diffusing, I know that there's other ways that we can use essential oils in the home. And I once saw you, and this was like the best thing ever, you took a sharpie off a painted door with lemon oil, I believe it was. So tell us some other unique ways we can use essential oils in the home.
Ardelle: Ah, this is my favourite topic. Because when you teach someone, everyone needs to start where they feel comfortable. And so if you're purchasing oil, specifically for mental health, maybe for sleep, maybe for pain, start there. But don't stop there. Allow yourself to be a little bit more open minded to other ways. And one oil is so multi purposeful, I just love this piece of oils, because when a lot of people will look at an oil and they're not fully educated, they might even say it's like, wow, that's kind of expensive. But when you use a pure oil, and you're only having to use a couple drops at a time, and then you learn all of the ways and all of the different products in your house that you can actually replace using oils, you save a ton of money. And you also have the comfort knowing that it's toxic free and safe. So if we take the lemon oil, for example, the fact that it takes like Sharpie off the off the wall, like it's pretty powerful. You can mix that with vinegar to clean your floors, it actually makes a really good cleaner for your windows. I also love putting a drop in my water to help detoxify the liver. And then you can also throw that same oil in the diffuser for more of an uplifting, invigorating scent. That's just kind of one of the ways but if you think of all of the different products that when I start educating people, and again, some people are just not comfortable with any DIY concepts at all, which is why I love doTERRA, because they have a lot of pre-made options as well. But you have to build their confidence, I think. And so you can use an oil mixed with some carrier oil, like peppermint, to ease some of the tension in your joints. And then you can also throw it in a diffuser, or you take that same peppermint oil, and you do a scalp massage (which is really, really good for your hair growth). You can also use different oils in the kitchen. And this is another one, especially at this time of year in Canada, we're unable to have fresh herbs all year round unless we have a fancy system in the house. You can have your oils in the cupboard and use them in recipes. So I don't know, it's hard to say like one really cool way to use oils. But I think that kind of paints the picture of all the different things you can do.
Kierstin: There's so much you could really tell us but we don't have enough time. So that's perfect - there's lots of lots of different ways that we can use it. And each oil kind of has multiple purposes in a sense. So that's really good. And so kind of on this topic, I know that you have also just launched a new program that really takes people through everything from how to use it for your own health, using it in the home, all of the above. So tell us about that.
Ardelle: I'm really excited for this program. It's called the Arise program, it's 12 weeks, it's go at your own pace. However, there is still the accountability piece because it has a Facebook group that goes along with it. But what I designed it for is to be the perfect entry program for people who are either really confused on where to start, and they're very intrigued by plant medicine using natural remedies in the home and you know, using supplements for themselves to help with their energy and so on. But those that are also looking for something in terms of their habits, so it has the product piece of it, but then every single week what we're doing is learning a new habit that targets those four pillars of wellness that I was talking about at the beginning. So it teaches you how you can anchor in your new habits using essential oils and supplements so that you have lasting transformation. And I love the fact that you're really open and want to dive in and are learning about all the ways you can detoxify your home. But not everyone is there and I understand because a lot of us are so much more focused on what we can do for our own health. That thinking about what we can do in our environment is just too far down the line, which I respect. So this program has been designed accordingly to help you first work on your own health, through setting intentions with your habits, so that you actually enjoy the journey the whole time, then we take you through intuitive movement, so you actually enjoy your workouts. Then we'll take you through the nutrition piece, and learning how to meal prep very easily without it taking so much time and effort. So it's the beginning stages of learning what your body needs. And then we're going to finish up that program by learning how to really enhance your self care using these products and how to actually start targeting the home. And so it's the beginning phases like the foundation that we want to set for our health and wellness. I'm really excited to offer this, especially at this time, when we are just feeling quite overwhelmed. And we have, you know, a lot of stress and anxiety around us. The last thing we need is a really, really strict protocol that makes us feel like it's a chore when it comes to our wellness, it needs to feel effortless and fun and more than anything and needs to feel sustainable.
Kierstin: Perfect. I love that. And I love that you take it from just getting started with the oils, and then really teaching everyone how to do a full integration with them, which is, I would say, where most of us have no idea. And I'm only just starting to learn and I'm a little blown away by how much I'm actually using oils every day now. So that's great. And so along with that I'll include a link to sign up and if you sign up through my link, then I'm going to throw in an extra bonus, which is going to be one of my favourite oils to just add in there. So Ardelle thank you so much for this. Was there anything else that you have thought of from a previous question or want to add in?
Ardelle: I would say, just to wrap this up, is that allow your curiosity to be fun and exciting for you. If you're interested in wanting to start with oils. Don't feel like you have to know everything, like you just said Kierstin, you surprise yourself on how much you end up using them. But, take that first step. And even if it's starting with just one, it can become such an empowering feeling, knowing that you have a tool at your fingertips that does so many things. And it's so effective and so safe for everyone. But I don't know, I just I love that piece of it and then allow it to kind of be the catalyst in incorporating a healthy habit for yourself. So yeah, and if you need help, I'm your girl.
Kierstin: Perfect. I'll link to all of Ardelle’s information so you can get in touch with her too, if need be. Thanks again! This was lovely and I appreciate you sharing all the information with us!
Ardelle: Thank you!
Ready to take the next step in your Essential Oil Journey?
As mentioned, Ardelle has created an amazing 12 week program called Arise. Every 4 weeks she will take you through how to use and incorporate the associated products into your life. If you’re like me and have a bunch of oils but no idea how to truly use them in all aspects of your life - this is an amazing way to become more knowledgeable, try some amazing products and improve your health and wellness at the same time! By the end of the 12 weeks you will establish a strong foundation of simple health habits to evoke more energy and vitality that you can take with you through any phase of life.
Month 1 starts with the Healthy Habits Kit and focuses on Mindset and Movement
Month 2 focuses on Nourishment with Whole Foods and Simple Meal Prep
Month 3 the program focuses on Sacred Self-Care Routines and Clean Living Solutions
How to join: purchase the Month 1 kit and complete this form (you’ll need to purchase the next two to continue on each month, which you’ll get info on). You’ll get access to so many amazing resources.
PLUS if you purchase your Month 1 kit using my link, I’ll also send you one of my favourite oils: Clove Bud. It’s perfect for adding some spicy and warm aromas to your home.
If you want to learn more or have questions take a look at Ardelle’s Arise site or get in touch with her directly.
Kierstin Smyth Design
Edmonton Interior Design Consultant