Growing up, I enjoyed my mom’s plants and envying her that ability. Once I had a place of my own, I tried to have plants; they died. No really, they died! Then we bought our own property that had lain dormant for ten years. I knew if a plant lived on the place without any interference for ten years, I couldn’t kill it. So, I began to learn about herbs and plants. Sad to say, if it’s an indoor plant, I still kill it. Yes, I’ve killed a cactus!

Herbs show up in my books and will continue to show up. Kyn is a healer as is Carryl and Allesandra. In Dragon’s Heritage, Allesandra teaches Mere about herbs. I’ve been learning how these wonderful plants can help us. Here are a few of my favorite oils.

Tea Tree

This oil was one of the first ones I discovered. Ever since my mother-in-law handed me her bottle of this powerful little plant, I’ve made sure to have some on hand. This natural antibacterial oil is great for cleaning out cuts and scraps, but it doesn’t stop there. It also helps with itching. You know those bug bites in the summer? A bit of tea tree oil will help sooth away the sting. Speaking of summer, that’s when poison oak is rampant in our area. My son discovered he could lather himself in tea tree oil to get rid of the nasty reaction to poison oak. As if that wasn’t enough, tea tree oil will help with migraines, sores in the mouth (just be sure to spit it out unless you have a FDA approved version), and is great for sinus pain.

Lavender

I’ve commented before on the greatness of lavender, and it’s one that’s mentioned in Dragon’s Heritage with Mere and Allesandra. Lavender was probably the second oil I ever purchased. I use it for migraines by rubbing it on my temples and on the pressure point on the bottom of my foot or between my thumb and forefinger. However, this wonderful oil is good for a lot more than just headaches. If you can find a FDA approved edible version of the oil, you can add it to lemonade or hot cocoa or tea to help with upset stomach. Rubbing some lavender oil along your sinuses can help clear them and can help you relax to go to sleep. I’ve just recently learned that this wonderful oil can also help with immune support and to detox. Lavender is also great for supporting healthy, glowing skin.

Lemon

My family loves lemon; they’ll drink tart lemonade, use it in bar-b-que sauce, and just eat the fruit plain. My son loves to use the ingestible lemon oil in his water to create a lemonade. I love the smell of it in my diffuser. Kyn would tell you that lemon’s great for supporting the immune system and for detoxing. The scent often reminds people of cleaning. That’s another thing lemon oil is great for–cleaning! You can use just a few drops to clean up that nasty scorched pan or those dark spots from a pan scraping against a white sink.

Frankincense

Wait, isn’t this what the wisemen brought to baby Jesus? Yes, it is. It can be expensive, too! However, I’ve found it to be invaluable to me. I use it to support clear sinuses. It’s also wonderful for soft skin. It’s also helpful in supporting your immune system. (See a pattern here? I’ve been down sick this winter and need all the immune support I can get.)

These are just a few of the oils I use each day. I’m learning and growing in the use of oils. With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see them come into play in future stories. It’s fun with fantasy and reality collide. Do you have a favorite oil you use? Feel free to share in the comments. Don’t know where to start to purchase oils? Take a look at this link or comment on my Facebook page for an invite to a basic oils Facebook class tonight at 9:30 EST.