We have all been there. You have a super busy week, you're feeling a little stressed, maybe it's the holiday season (maybe it's not!)... and you feel that telltale twinge in the back of your throat. OR, it's spring and the blooms are blooming and the pollen is flying and your throat is NOT happy about it. Or maybe you know you've got the ick and need a little TLC to actually swallow. Either way, we've got you covered! Here are some of our best tips for handling the bumps in the road when it comes to all things throats!

SPRINGTIME SURVIVAL + AIR QUALITY NEEDS Sometimes when pollen starts flying or the air quality goes down, our throats can need a little extra TLC. The irritants and allergens in the air that are affecting other parts of the respiratory system will absolutely affect our throats! In addition to the great recipes listed below, here are a few other ideas to help combat those irritants:

• Lavender, Lemon & Peppermint (LLP): this trio is THE springtime blend! Diffuse it, roll it on your chest, neck and even just inside the nostrils to help combat the pollen. Keep it on and around you 24/7! If you need a little more, add Copaiba or Tea Tree to the mix.
• Lavender Vitality: a Lavender swipe on the inside of the cheek or a drop under your tongue a few times a day is another great springtime habit. Lavender is nature's antihistamine!
• AllerZyme capsules: this enzyme complex is ideal for individuals with dietary sensitivities, so it can also help with seasonal needs!
• Use the DIY Nasal Salts, Sinus Support Steam, Changing Seasons Oral Spray and capsules listed below!

Most often our complaints about our throat are that we need a little soothing. When we have acute immune system or respiratory needs, all that stuff drains down the back of the throat - and it can leave us feeling a little sore! Luckily there are some really great (and simple!) recipe to soothe things so we can keep going.

RECIPES & DIYS Lemon + Thieves Throat Coat

• Distilled water
• 1/2 tsp alcohol-free witch hazel or vodka
• 15 drops thieves essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 2 tsp raw, local honey Heat about 1 ounce of the water on the stove and stir in honey to easily dissolve. Add to a 2 ounce glass spray bottle, then add witch hazel and essential oils, then fill almost to the top with distilled water. Shake well to mix. Spray onto the back of the throat as needed!

Soothing Throat Spray

• 1 oz Thieves Mouthwash
• 5 drops each Copaiba, Thieves, Clove Vitality oils
• Distilled water Add all ingredients to a 2oz glass spray bottle and fill with distilled water. Shake well before use. To use, spray 2-3 times onto the back of the throat. Repeat as desired. Note: You can also simply gargle with Thieves Mouthwash (option to add extra drop or two of Thieves Vitality)!

Soothing Throat Syrup

• 3 Tbsp organic lemon juice
• 1/4 cup local raw honey
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp Golden Turmeric powder
• 10 drops Frankincense Vitality
• 3-5 drops Thieves Vitality Blend until smooth using an immersion blender. Take a spoonful as needed every few hours and definitely before nap or bed, add a spoonful to some echinacea tea. Store in a glass jar in the freezer. This will keep for a while, but we usually use it up pretty fast.

Everyday Wellness Tea

• 2-3 drops each Copaiba, Lemon Vitality
• 1-2 drops Thieves Vitality
• Raw local honey
• Splash apple cider vinegar (with ‘the mother')
• Optional: echinacea or chamomile tea Add honey to a mug, then add oils. If using tea, steep the tea in a separate mug or carafe until cooled slightly, then add to the honey and oils. Note: If you just have Thieves or Lemon Vitality, you can add a couple drops to a mug of tea!

Everyday Wellness Tonic

• Splash apple cider vinegar (with ‘the mother')
• 1-2 drops Cassia essential oil or Cinnamon Bark Vitality
• Small sprinkle cayenne pepper
• 1 drop of Thieves Vitality
• About 2 oz apple juice or NingXia Red

DIY Elderberry Syrup

• ¼ cup dried organic elderberries
• ¼ cup Young Living dried wolfberries
• ¼ cup dried organic rose hips
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups distilled water
• ½ cup raw, organic local honey
• YL Vitality oils of choice - Lemon, Orange, Thieves, Tangerine
• Add elderberries, wolfberries, rose hips, cinnamon sticks and water to a pot and bring to a rapid boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool to room temperature, then strain the liquid from the berries. In a measuring cup, add honey and Vitality oils, then add them to the liquid and mix well. Store in a glass jar.
• To use, take 1 Tablespoon once daily or up to every 4 hours as needed/desired.

Sinus Support Steam Pot When you're needing some relief from the pressure that spring can cause your sinuses, give this tried and true trick a go!

• Bowl of very hot, steaming water
• 2-3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
• 2-4 drops Dorado Azul Essential Oil Add essential oils to the water (start with the lower end and add more as desired). Place a towel over your head and sit with your head above the steam bath to open the airways

DIY Nasal Salts

• 10 drops Lavender essential oil
• 15 drops Copaiba essential oil
• 8 Tbsp of ultra fine salt (unprocessed, no iodine)
• Ceramic Neti pot Mix well and store in a sealed glass jar. To use, dissolve 1 tsp of salt mixture into 1&1/2 cups of distilled water (or water from a Berkey filter or boil and cool some water), then add to your Neti pot and use as needed.

Changing Seasons Oral Spray

• 10mL glass spray bottle
• 1 drop each Lavender Vitality, Copaiba Vitality, Peppermint Vitality
• 2 drops Orange Vitality, Lemon Vitality
• Splash Thieves Mouthwash, optional
• Filtered water Add all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. Spritz into your mouth daily or as desired!

DIY Season's Change Capsules

• 2oz glass dropper bottle
• 30 drops each Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Copaiba Vitality
• Olive oil to desired dilution (about 2 Tbsp) When you're ready to make a capsule, fill an empty vegetable capsule with a dropperful of the blend and take as desired.

IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT These oils and products are our mainstays when it comes to immune health, which is crucial when our throats are feeling run down and raw! Grab a few and build your support cabinet. Use the oils in roller blends (recipes below!), add to bath salts, even diffuse.

• Thieves essential oil blend
  • Thieves is THE oil when it comes to immune health. This blend of Clove, Rosemary, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus and Lemon boasts some incredible antimicrobial properties, making it a great choice for supporting the immune system.
• Lemon essential oil
  • Lemon is a wonderful natural mucolytic, making it a great choice for both immune and respiratory support! Cleansing and purifying, this citrus oil can help break up things lurking in the chest.
• ImmuPower essential oil blend
  • As the name suggests, this essential oil blend is an immune system powerhouse! Dilute it and roll it on the spine, over the lymph nodes, or add to epsom salts for an immune bath.
• Inner Defense softgels
  • Inner Defense uses potent essential oils including Oregano, Thyme, and Thieves to reinforce systemic defenses, promote healthy respiratory function, and offer immune support.

DIFFUSER & ROLLER BLENDS Everyday Wellness Diffuser Blend These are great to diffuse when someone's defenses start going down or anytime you need it!

• 4 drops Frankincense, 3 drops Thieves, 3 drops Oregano, 2 drops Lemon
• 4 drops Thieves, 3 drops Lemon, 3 drops Lavender, 2 drops Raven
• 4 drops Oregano, 3 drops Thyme, 3 drops Lemon, 2 drops ImmuPower

Throat Coat Roller Great to have on hand for kids! Just remember to never put oils IN the ear, simply around them. Roll around the outside of the ear and down over the lymph nodes.

• 15 drops each Purification, Lemon
• 10 drops Copaiba
• Carrier of choice

Immune Boost Roller This blend can be used daily or more acutely as needed. For acute needs, use liberally and frequently. Consider rolling on every minute for 10 minutes, every 10 minutes for an hour and every hour thereafter. Note: for younger children you can cut the recipe in half.

• 20 drops Thieves
• 15 drops Lemon, Purification, Frankincense
• 10 drops Oregano
• Carrier of choice