Hold Up Sickness with Bandito Blend

by Nancy Webster

The summer before last, our family took on and won a self-imposed No Air Conditioner Challenge. If you’ve ever enjoyed the intense humidity of summer in the southeastern US, you can understand why this was truly a challenge. Although this kept our electric bill low, we wound up paying a high price in the form of mold. Every closet, cabinet, dresser drawer and their contents were affected. What a clean-up job that was as we washed clothes and closets down with diluted bleach!

We did a modified version of air conditioning this summer, using it on the hottest days and a few really hot nights, but relying on open windows and fans the rest of the time, in hopes of no mold and a moderate electric bill. Unfortunately, we still got some mold, especially inside the dresser in the bedroom where four children are packed.

Knowing that chlorine bleach displaces iodine in the body (among the chemical’s many other toxic effects), I was excited when my Beeyoutiful® friends introduced convenient Bandito Blend. A few years back, I found a recipe for a homemade essential oil mold and germ-killing cleaner, but I’ve had too much on my plate to ever collect all the oils to make it myself.

Just ten minutes after quickly mixing up my Bandito mold killer and spritzing it on all parts of the dresser, my daughters’ room went from throat-catching and moldy-smelling to sinus-clearing and wonderfully fresh-smelling. The mold is dead and gone, along with any spiders, dust mites, and germs hiding out in there. And I not only didn’t hurt my body, but actually helped it as I inhaled the antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal mist while I worked. Now we will run our diffuser with full-strength Bandito Blend in the room to keep more mold from growing.

Wise Bandits

When we studied the Middle Ages in our homeschool, our youngest son was fascinated (and probably a little creeped out) by stories of the Bubonic Plague which swept through Europe in the mid-1300s. He especially liked the story of the bandits who plundered the corpses and their homes but did not catch the very contagious Black Death themselves, because they were protected by rubbing their bodies with certain essential oils and herbs before a looting mission.

A well-known essential oil blend is named after these thieves, but Beeyoutiful has improved on the recipe by adding the king of oils, Frankincense (Boswellia carterii), to the already powerful blend of oils in Bandito Blend.

There’s a reason the Wise Men brought Jesus frankincense. Two thousand years ago, it was already considered a valuable cure-all, even though back then they didn’t have microscopes to see how it worked. Frankincense is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, immune-stimulating, antidepressant, and muscle-relaxing abilities. It is anti-germs-of-all-types and is an expectorant, too, so it supports respiratory health.

Bandito Blend also contains two kinds of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicumand Cinnamomum cassia), which is antiseptic and antimicrobial; Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), which is antiseptic and antimicrobial and also analgesic (pain relieving); Lemon (Citrus limon), to clean and sanitize and “lighten” the heavier scents of the other oils; Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), which is antimicrobial and supports respiratory health; and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata), which shares many properties with Rosemary and also supports a healthy immune system.

To Eat or Not to Eat

In Essential Oil World, you will hear sometimes quite lively discussions over oil qualities, for good reason. The FDA says an essential oil may be labeled as “100% pure” as long as it contains 52% actual plant oil. So buying over-the-counter oils is risky, as they may be diluted almost fifty percent and may not be safe for internal consumption. Beeyoutiful.com is very conscientious about this and sells only truly 100% pure essential oils.

The other discussion you will hear regarding essential oils is about the safety of internal use. Beeyoutiful.com’s position on this is that internal use is up to your comfort level. They know their oils are properly distilled and truly pure. (Some companies call this “therapeutic-grade.”) Internal use by pregnant and nursing moms, young children (

Rosemary oil, a Bandito Blend ingredient, can cause miscarriage and depletion of amniotic fluid, although this seems to be only when used in large amounts. Some are concerned about eucalyptus oil being used for children or internally. However, eucalyptus oil is an ingredient in many time-honored cold salves, lozenges, and syrups for children and is said to be toxic only if ingested in large amounts. Again, internal use is your decision, so carefully consider your situation, then research, ask your doctor, and only do what you are peaceful and confident in doing.

Plague Prevention

Prevent spreading germs by mixing one drop of Bandito Blend per one ounce of water for an all-purpose spray. Add vinegar for extra power. Use this to sanitize and clean sickrooms, kitchens (it cuts grease, too), garbage cans, lunch boxes, public toilet seats, shopping cart handles, coolers, and more. To kill sickness-causing mold, increase the drops of Bandito Blend. We used 5 drops, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (optional; it helps suspend the oil in the mixture), and 1/2 cup water on our moldy dresser. For more concentrated mold, an even stronger solution may be required.

Before leaving home or if you’ve been exposed to an illness or are feeling run down, boost your immune system by applying carrier-oil diluted (1:1 ratio) Bandito Blend to the soles of your feet and back of your wrists and neck. Spritz the family’s toothbrushes before and after use to keep “plagues” from knocking out the whole family. Add a drop or two to liquid hand soap for further prevention.

When You Get Caught

This powerful oil blend is your go-to help when colds and flu strike. Is your throat sore? Spray or swab a 50% dilution of edible carrier oil (like grapeseed, coconut or olive) and Bandito Blend in there. The clove oil will numb the pain while the others kill germs and help you fight back. Or gargle with warm water and a drop of Bandito Blend, and then swallow.

Bandito Blend is a breath of life especially to those sick with coughs and sinus infections. Diffuse it full strength or fine mist spray a diluted version into the air periodically to clear the lungs and stop air-borne germs. Rub an oil-diluted Bandito Blend in the “hot spots”, including the chest and down the spine to release tension and boost the immune and nervous systems. Add 1 drop to 1/2 cup of warm (not hot) water and sip or mix with a teaspoon of honey to soothe coughs. If your lungs are really having a hard time, consider doing an enema with about 20 drops of Bandito Blend added to the water.

Oral Health

Canker and cold sores stop hurting and go away when you apply a drop of Bandito Blend to them. You may need to reapply a few times. Gingivitis, or gum infection, is greatly improved when Bandito Blend is applied directly or mixed in a bit of water and swished. Oil pulling, which draws toxins from the entire body and especially the mouth, is enhanced when a drop or two of Bandito Blend is added to the coconut or sesame oil and swished for 15 minutes and then spit in the trash. (Don’t swallow pulled oil!) This can help prevent tooth decay, too.

Wounds

Bandito Blend can be applied to cuts, scrapes, and open wounds to kill germs and speed healing. It can also be used safely on dogs, horses, sheep, goats, and cows, but not on cats.

There are many more uses for Bandito Blend, but the best part is just how wonderful it smells. Your nose not only enjoys the scent but takes that wonderfulness inside your head and your body, so you can almost feel the smell! Now I hope my daughters don’t start enjoying this feeling so much in their refreshed and mold-free bedroom that they forget to come help me in the kitchen!

 

Nancy Webster is wife to Greg, mom to eight children, and grandma to a granddaughter. Her family lives on a partially-working farm, where they homeschool around milking the cow and weeding the garden. Nancy is a long-time student of alternative health and diet and volunteers as a Weston A. Price Foundation chapter leader for Southern Middle Tennessee.