If you have not heard the story of the Vinegar of the Four Thieves you are missing out on some fun! Well that and some pretty amazing health benefits. But first the story.

During the time of the Bubonic Plague, there were supposedly four thieves who went around robbing the sick and dying. (At least I assume these thieves were robbing stuff from the houses of either sick or dead people. Otherwise the whole point of their concoction seems a little silly.) :)

In order to keep themselves healthy and free of the plague these wise (albeit wicked) little thieves made an herbal vinegar that they would apply to their skin (and maybe take inwardly as well??) to ward off the EVIL SPIRITS.

Aka the germs.

Well it worked because they didn't die from the plague. One version of the story says that eventually they were caught and gave up their secret vinegar recipe in order to obtain a more lenient sentence.

But, as is such in old folklore, no one really knows who came up with this vinegar, or what herbs the original recipe actually contained. There are numerous variations to both the story and the recipe. Personally I think it's a fabulous story. 

The recipe I use for my thieves vinegar uses neither herbs nor vinegar. 

It's from Mountain Rose Herbs and contains pure essential oils.

 I use essential oils versus the actual herbs, frankly because it's super convenient. I'm really working on simplifying and reducing steps. So many things in the "health world" have sooo many steps that it's totally daunting. But it does NOT have to be like that. At least most of the time. I am going to show you, in the upcoming weeks, how to use this stuff in several powerful ways that will help prevent the common cold and flu. This combination will be your base for many other homemade products. Reduces tons of steps and helps you to reap the benefits of this little beauty. It really can kick some booty! And it smells lovely. Very spicey. I like spicey.

Thieves Oil Recipe:

• 20 drops clove essential oil

• 18 drops lemon essential oil

• 10 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

• 8 drops eucalyptus essential oil

• 5 drops rosemary essential oil

Combine all the oils together. Preferably in a dark dropper bottle. Label and store in a dark cool location.

Again, you can feel free to change up the recipe a bit as it's not set in stone. But I use this particular one because I just adore the scent and the combination of oils is pretty remarkable.

Here's a little rundown: (This is not all these babies can do, just the ones specifically relevant to our topic.)

Clove

Antiseptic, relieves pain, promotes wound healing, antibacterial, antibiotic, antiviral, expels parasites, prevents infectious diseases.

Lemon

Stimulates the immune system, relieves pain, antidepressant (uplifting), antibacterial, encourages the lymphatic system, antibiotic, antiseptic, antifungal, removes impurities from the body.

Cinnamon

Antiseptic, antibiotic, antiviral, expels parasites, stimulates the circulatory system.

Eucalyptus

Antiseptic, relieves pain, expels worms, antiinflammatory, antibiotic, deodorizing, antiviral, antifungal, expels mucous.

Rosemary

Antiseptic, relieves pain, antidepressant (uplifting), stimulates the liver, helps and prevents mental fatigue and memory, expectorant.

Ideas to get started with Thieves

Using this blend in these places will help to sanitize and purify the area, plus kill any bad guys while at the same time not killing the good ones. But remember!! This is highly concentrated, so dilute accordingly. You can check out my dilution chart for more information.

• Put a few drops in your mopping water

• Add a few drops to your sink of dishes

• Use about 5-10 drops in the rinse cycle of your washing machine

• Use several drops in your diffuser

• Make a roller bottle

A Few Words of Caution:

This combination of oils is extremely powerful and potent. Diluting it is essential before use. The recommended dilution ratio for it is 1-2%. I do not get quite that technical but it is a good guideline to follow.

NEVER apply this to your skin undiluted. Both clove and cinnamon can be mild irritants if used in that way.

Be cautious of applying this before heading out in the sun, as lemon essential oil can cause photo-sensitivity.

Now hop to it and order those essential oils so you can make a batch of this and have it ready for the upcoming recipes and projects!!!