Managing Reactions With a Corn Allergy

    Just thought I'd put this up; we dealt with some kind of reaction tonight, and I'm not sure what it was exactly but it reminded me a lot of how Brittany's reactions were back in the very sensitive stages.  We had to do troubleshooting on a larger scale than we have in awhile, and made me think of addressing it here on the blog.

    She's been getting sick for the past few days; seems to be more "crud" related than allergies, so she already wasn't feeling well.  I spent quite a bit of time keeping peppermint tea going and doing essential oils, etc. to help with migraine pain.  She has had trouble sleeping so was overtired, but wanted to stay awake as much as possible to prevent her sleep patterns from flipping since she wants to keep working her seasonal job. Saw some good progress with pain levels and then after dinner (I made homemade chicken vegetable & rice soup) she felt kind of bloaty and so I decided to apply some ginger essential oil to her abdomen.  I'm not sure what went wrong, but within 5 minutes of doing that she got nausea, had her legs collapsing on her, was dizzy, had trouble talking, etc.  I've never used ginger oil AND the oil I used is from a different company than the one I usually use, so I'm not sure if it's ginger itself or problems with the purity levels (I suspect the latter since we use ginger all the time in teas and cooking).  If there was alcohol used at any point in processing the oil it's just about a guarantee that it is corn based, so I'm suspecting something like that was the problem. That bottle went straight into the trash, let me tell you.

    So. . .here are some tips when dealing with a reaction, that help reduce reaction time and the severity:

1.  Have compounded Benadryl on hand.  This means that you cannot use the Benadryl you buy at the store.  You need to have your doctor write out a prescription for it, and on the paper s/he needs to include, "To be compounded free of. . . ." and write down all of the things that you are allergic to.  In Brittany's case it says, "To be compounded free of corn, wheat, dairy and soy."  All of these things make their way into medications by way of derivatives.  Be proactive with the compounding pharmacist and ask what kinds of capsules they use, what fillers are available, etc.  We have Brittany's filled in clear gelatin capsules (there are some with a white stripe and that is not okay) and I bring our own tapioca flour for them to use as a filler.  Using a filler makes it less time consuming and easier for them; we have also found that it's easier on her system than just having the straight active ingredient.

2.  Have quercetin (a supplement) on hand.  TwinLabs makes a Quercetin + C that is safe for corn allergies.  Quercetin lessens the reaction and recovery time.

3.  Bentonite clay is another wonderful thing that helps a lot.  Living Clay is very pure and you can even ingest it.  For a really severe reaction I mix about 2 tablespoons with 6-8 ounces of water and she drinks it. As it works through the system, the clay pulls toxins out of the body with it.  You can also use it in a bath; the recommended amount is a cup, but since she is very sensitive I usually use less.  Have the person soak in the bath for about 20 minutes.  It helps, again, with pulling toxins out of the body and relaxing so you can sleep.  It can leave you feeling "floppy," though, so I wouldn't do it too often.  You also need to make sure to hydrate well because the clay dehydrates.  Drink lots of water.  If drinking the clay, also make sure to drink a lot of water and keep in mind that it can be constipating.  Start with less clay when you are first trying it to see how your body does with it.

4.  For Brittany, we have found coconut water to be really helpful for bringing down headaches and lessening reactions.  Back when her body was having global reactions where her limbs went numb on exposure, drinking coconut water restored feeling in her limbs within about 30 minutes as opposed to a couple of hours.  If you can tolerate coconut, this might be worth looking into.  I would stay away from brands that come in a carton, since the packaging is usually waxy and therefore most likely corny.  The brand that she likes best is C2O and it comes in a can.  Coconut water is naturally high in potassium and electrolytes, so is great for hydrating.  It has been used in the Pacific islands as IV fluid in cases of emergency.

5.  Epi-pen.  This is only to be used as a life-saving measure in case of anaphylaxis.  You HAVE to go to the emergency room if you use it or the person can die.  There is a lot to consider if you have a corn allergy with this because the hospital is a minefield of derivatives.  IV bags use glucose unless you specify saline only, and that's just one aspect of what you have to contend with.  So far we have been able to avoid using the epi and thus going to the ER by taking measures at home to bring reactions down.

    Usually the first thing we do when getting an accidental exposure like something airborne at the store or something is pop a few quercetin.  Usually two, sometimes more if it's really bad like heavy perfume or cigarette smoke.  If it's something severe then we usually follow it with Benadryl (she prefers to avoid that if she can because of how drowsy it makes her).  Typically a regular reaction that isn't too terrible will be quercetin and coconut water; when we are out we usually have a few cans in the car and I always have quercetin and benadryl in my purse (she has them in hers, as well).  We don't usually use the clay unless it's a more severe reaction.

    I hope these tips help.  For your own information, read as much as you can on quercetin and bentonite clay to become familiar with why and how they work, and research anaphylaxis.  Here is a good link: http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/allergies/anaphylaxis.aspx

Witnessing MIracles--This Corn Allergy Isn't Beating This Girl!

    I'm sharing the following in hopes that it can help shine a light at the end of the tunnel for anyone else dealing with the effects of having a severe allergy to corn.  The process of learning to live corn-free and of dealing with the physical effects of that process, as well as the effects of the allergy itself, is not for the faint of heart.  It can be really, really rough and very discouraging.  I am so thrilled with where things are now, and want others to know to keep hanging in there and live with hope.  It's not a pipe dream; things can get better!

Here is my Facebook status today:

    "I witnessed miracles today watching my daughter on her first day on the job.  At this time last year she couldn't leave the house and had trouble walking without her legs giving out on her.  Today she was in an area of the mall for four hours that she used to have to avoid because of fragrances in the air and came away energized afterward.  She caught on so quickly and had so much fun, and turns out she has a natural gift for sales!  I loved seeing how much people were drawn to her (and had to chuckle at how many of them were young men :) ).  It has been a beautiful day and you have no idea how incredibly thankful and joyful I feel.  Miracles and healing are possible and do happen!"

Yesterday's status:

    "I love it when synchronicities happen. :)

   So. . .I posted about how getting my job at Hickory Farms happened and was so fast.  A couple of other things have come out of that "idle thought" I had Saturday night to walk down there and see if they were still hiring.  Brittany has just recently become well enough to consider being able to work, and is starting there tomorrow. :)  This will be a great way for her to start building her work experience.  The other cool thing that happened today was a conversation my husband had with my manager.  Hubby has had some great business ideas for quite a while; two in particular but hasn't been sure how to proceed.  Yesterday an answer came to him on how to create a prototype he wants to market, and in this conversation today my manager gave him some resources that will give him the tools he needs for the other idea; he is also an entrepeneur with similar background (both he and my husband have parents in franchising).

    You never know what those little nudges are going to bring your way!"

My status on Monday:

   "Coolest story on how I got my seasonal job. :)  On Saturday hubby and I went to early dinner, movie and did some stuff at the mall.  I've been thinking about getting a seasonal job but haven't really wanted to fill out a stack of applications and figured I probably missed the window anyway.  I had this idle thought to stop by Hickory Farms while we were at the mall to see if they were still taking applications, thinking I was probably late (I worked there five years ago).  I stopped by and talked to the manager.  After telling him I had worked there before, he said, "Well, if you want to stay for a few minutes to fill out the application I need someone to start on Monday."  I couldn't believe the perfect timing and how fast and easily it all happened!  I found that everything came back quickly today; it was just like getting back on a bicycle.  The extra money will be nice, and it's about as stress-free as it can get.  I'm also glad to be at a location that stays busy; I like talking to people. :) Bonus:  The dress code is more relaxed than before, so I'm not restricted to black and white under the apron! :)"

    And there you have a little summary of what a cool week we have had as a family.  I'm still pinching myself. Getting to this point has been a long, rocky and sometimes very scary road.  Sometimes there have been turns in the road that have seemed like dead ends, and to proceed we've had to pull out the shovels and start digging to create more road.  Anyone who could have been a fly on our wall this time last year would scarcely believe that today could have been possible.  I'm so thankful for the resources we've found that have helped Brittany on her road to health and healing, and that we were able to figure out what was wrong in the first place.

    I am so happy, and so excited to see her moving forward and upward.  She is so radiant and beautiful; she literally drew people to her like a magnet today and that was really cool to observe.  I think she has a lot of potential to be a force for doing much good for others during her life.

Herbal/Home Remedies for Combating Cold and Flu Season--Some Corn Free Options

As promised, here are a few things that have become some of our go-tos for treating symptoms associated with flu and junk this time of year.  If you haven't already, be sure and read the post I did yesterday on essential oils; that is definitely a big part of our frontline defense!

Some other things I wanted to mention that help are ginger tea, peppermint tea, astragalus root and honey and cinnamon.

Honey and Cinnamon:  I first saw this home remedy on one of the herbal/natural healing pages I follow on Facebook.  I put this to the test one day quite awhile back when I felt myself starting to get a fever that came on without warning.  I had no symptoms prior and felt crappy really fast.  It was one of those things that brought body aches with it really quickly.  I remembered saving this remedy, found it and tried it out.  Mix together equal parts pure, raw honey (buy local if you can from someone you have questioned and KNOW doesn't feed their bees corn syrup, candy cane residue or anything stupid like that) and ground cinnamon.  I started out with mixing 1/4 c. each in a bowl and took a teaspoon about every 15 minutes until I felt better and then took it about every hour or so.  I was very surprised at how quickly this brought my fever down, and the body aches subsided within about 20 minutes.  I definitely took it easy and rested and felt a LOT better the next day.  36 hours later I was functioning well and didn't have any residual symptoms.  I gave myself a few days to ease back into exercising, was careful to not overdo it on being out and about with errands or whatever, etc. just as you normally need to do after being sick, but it was nothing compared to what it normally would have been for me with those kinds of initial symptoms.  I know my body pretty well, and when I have had that kind of fever and those kinds of body aches I've usually been down for about a week before starting to ease back into things.

Peppermint Tea:  We make this from dried peppermint leaves, rather than buying prepackaged tea bags, which are corny.  I bought a metal tea ball and that is what we use.  The general rule of thumb with herbal tease is to use 2 teaspoons per 2 cups of water.  Bring the water to boil, then turn the heat off and put the tea ball in to the pot.  Let it steep for about 20 minutes; remove tea ball and pour tea into mug; add honey to taste. Peppermint tea is great for easing pain and helping your body to relax; it's very soothing. Very helpful for headaches, etc.  Honey is beneficial for strengthening the immune system so is a great thing to add to the tea.

Ginger Tea:  Same rule of thumb as far as the amount of ginger to water; follow the same procedures listed for peppermint tea.  You can use either fresh ginger (that funny looking root thingy in the produce section) that you peel and chop up, or dried ginger.  Our preference is the fresh; I love the way it smells.  Something to keep in mind is that the longer you let it steep, the stronger the tea is going to be.  Ginger already has a kick to it, so you are in for an eye-popping experience if you leave it in there for too long. LOL This tea is also great for headaches and helping your body to relax.  It's also very helpful for upset stomach and problems with digestion.  If you make homemade chicken soup with vegetables, etc. in it, add some chopped fresh ginger to that, as well.  The flavor it adds is amazing!

Astragalus Root:  I stumbled upon this when I was looking for something to help rebuild Brittany's immune system in general.  I get email updates from Mountain Rose Herbs and got a notification when they started carrying astragalus root.  When I looked it up and saw the benefits I had a really strong feeling that this would be beneficial for her to have each day.  I ordered some dried root, which we used for making tea, and she loved the flavor.  I noticed an increase in her feeling better in general when she was drinking about 3 cups per day.  I also ordered it in powdered form and later filled gelatin capsules with it for her to take in place of the tea.  When she took this, she took two capsules in the morning.  Astragalus would be another good one to take when sick to boost immunity.

Again, this is all just scratching the surface compared to all that is out there, but if you are new to these kinds of remedies it's a great place to start.  I hope you find this helpful!

Combating Cold/Flu Season While Dealing With Corn Allergies: Essential Oils

    I had the thought to post this as I was amping up my essential oils usage today.  I realized that I had a major challenge on my hands in March of 2011 when I made the connection with medications having corn derivatives (as well as wheat, dairy and soy derivatives, all of which my daughter is allergic to) in them.

    At the time, she was on several prescription medications for various things.  After I had the lightbulb moment, I had the strongest feeling that we needed to get her off of them NOW.  All of a sudden it made so much sense as to why nothing had worked for ridding her of pain (for a long time it was migraine-type pain that never went away, no matter what we did.  We bounced around from doctor to doctor, trying medication after medication.  I'm not trash talking modern medicine in stating this; it's just that we were barking up the wrong tree and no one made the possible food allergy connection for several years.)--the very medications that were supposed to help reduce or eliminate pain contained ingredients that due to her allergic reactions, caused her pain.  So we were adding to the problem, not fixing it.  And I found myself backed into a corner where I literally could not give her medication if she got sick. There are some medications that can be compounded, but not all can be. Out of necessity, I HAD to learn other methods of treatment.

    At this point I knew pretty much nothing about natural remedies. One day as I was pondering what to do and felt worried about the direction I felt insurance was going to go in the not-too-distant future, I had some distinct words come to my mind, some of which were, "Learn how to treat illnesses at home."  This doesn't mean that I am anti-doctor; we have a wonderful one who we use now, but I'm so thankful that that's not my first line of defense anymore. I never knew up to that point that there was so much you can do on your own to treat symptoms without over-the-counter medicines and prescriptions, and that is what we do first now.  I feel like I have a really good sense now of when it's truly out of my hands and I need something more.

    Shortly after having those words come to me, I got a nudge to learn about essential oils from a friend who lives near me.  I ended up having the opportunity to attend a 12-hour weekend workshop she taught where I learned so much.  Since starting to use them over two years ago, I have literally not been to a doctor for illness.  The few times I have felt myself starting to get a bug, I have nipped it in the bud and been fine 24 hours later.  It's the coolest thing.  Last year was a particularly nasty year for flu and weird strains of it around where I live and a lot of people were dealing with it for long periods of time.  I realized with a jolt one day that our family hadn't caught the flu at all.  I was thankful for this because we had more than enough going on already, but it was such a testament to me that essential oils really work.

    I've also slowly learned about herbs; this is an area that really appeals to Brittany--she loves learning about them.  It's so cool to learn what they do and how to use them.  I still have TONS to learn, but we have come up with a few staples that we keep on hand.  I also love learning about home remedies.  Below I'm listing a few standby oils that I use the most and what for.  This is really just scratching the surface, so I encourage you to learn as much as you can.  You can really move to a place of feeling empowered, which is an awesome contrast to how overwhelmed and helpless I felt as the "can't use this" pile got bigger and bigger.

ESSENTIAL OILS

*French Intensive Method:  This is the method I use anytime I am initially treating illness, pain or injury symptoms with oils.  For the first hour, you apply the oil to the needed area(s) every 15 minutes.  For the second hour, apply every 30 minutes.  For the remaining four hours, apply once every hour.  After that, apply as needed to relieve symptoms.  It's amazing how quickly and effectively this works.

    If I were going to choose four essential oils to absolutely always have on hand they would be tea tree (sometimes labelled as melaleuca), peppermint, ravensara and lavender.  For the purposes of this post as it relates to treating common illnesses, I'll address the first three and talk about lavender in another post.   You can get a lot of information through google searching on the uses, but here are a few basic things I use them for: (NOTE:  All three of these can be harsh on the skin, so you may want to use a carrier oil with it.  I generally use pure jojoba oil or extra virgin coconut oil (you can also get it as fractionated oil so that it stays in liquid form and has no fragrance) as a carrier, but there are others you can use such as grapeseed and avocado oil.  I personally wouldn't do almond because it has a very distinctive smell and I wouldn't want that to mix with the fragrances of the essential oils. To use a carrier oil, put about a teaspoon in the palm of your cupped hand, then add a couple of drops of essential oil to it.  Rotate your hand gently to mix, then gently rub hands together and apply to needed area. In addition to the skin sensitivity issue, using a carrier oil is a particularly a good idea if you need to spread the oil over a larger area. 

Tea Tree:  Tea tree oil feeds off infection.  It LOVES it.  It also tackles viruses like nobody's business.  As soon as you feel that first tickle in your throat, reach for it.  The brand I use is food grade and 100% pure with a high potency level, so you can actually put a drop on your tongue, swish it around in your saliva and then swallow (I would not recommend ingesting oils that are commonly found in stores and will not do that myself). I've done that "at first tickle," gone to bed and been absolutely symptom free when waking up the next morning.  I also use foot reflexology charts to see where the various areas of the body correspond on the feet, and apply the oil directly to that part of my feet.  It's crazy how quickly that works; you can literally feel it within seconds (the bottoms of the feet are the fastest receptors to the rest of the body). If you feel you are starting to get a sore throat, you can apply a drop or two on the sides of the throat and in front at the base (top of your chest).

    I have also successfully treated ear infections on myself using tea tree oil, colloidal silver, and a heating pad. Put a drop of the oil on your finger and run it around the base of your ear on the outside (never put the oil inside of your ear), tracing it down the eustacian tubes down the side of your throat.  Lie down with affected area on heating pad.  I use colloidal silver in the amount recommended by the company twice per day for 10 days, just as you would for a prescription antibiotic (colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic).

    Another cool thing I did with tea tree oil was to eliminate the need for surgery to have tubes put in my ears to drain them. This is a big deal for me, because from the time I was a small child I have had trouble with having fluid in my ears.  My parents didn't know what was going on until I was in first grade, but by the time I was three or four my father figured out that I was lipreading.  I got tubes put in for the first time in first grade, then had them again the summer after ninth grade.  I needed them again about twelve years after that when my kids were small.  I realized for a couple of years before discovering oils that it was that time again because I was turning volumes up on the television and radio, saying "What?" all the time and actually found myself defaulting to lipreading again.  Isn't it crazy how your system just reverts to something like that?  No conscious decision; just closely watching people's mouths while they talked to get clarity.  I had the thought to try and treat it myself with tea tree oil and did the same thing I did for ear infection, minus the colloidal silver. I also applied the oil to corresponding areas on my feet.   I had cleaned my diet up quite a bit after having testing done and identifying sensitivities, as well. Within less than two weeks of applying the oils regularly and using the heating pad every night when I went to bed (rotating which side I laid on to take care of both ears), my ears were clear.  All of a sudden I was hearing background music at work that I hadn't even known was on and could understand the words.  Totally the coolest thing EVER!

    Tea tree smells and tastes pretty nasty, but it's totally worth it in my book.  One thing that sucked early on, though, was that Brittany's body reacted to it and it was frustrating to know that I couldn't use something for her that has so much possible benefit. Now that her sensitivity levels are lower she uses it topically.

*Peppermint:  This is another oil that is so versatile, and this is the first one that I tried using.  I kept it on hand and used it all the time for about a year before learning more and doing the workshop. Initially my friend had passed me some when she noticed I had stuffy sinuses and it was crazy how fast they cleared up when I put less than a drop at the base of each nostril; I barely touched my skin.  I made the mistake of using my index finger, which she told me NOT to do, and then later rubbed my eyes.  Yeah.  Not a pretty sight. You always want to use your pinky or ring fingers when applying oils, since you are less likely to touch your eyes, etc. with them afterward.

    Peppermint is also so great for easing headache pain, tired legs, etc. It has a relaxing effect.  If I use it on my legs I use a carrier oil with a few drops, rub my hands together and then rub it into my legs.

    I use peppermint oil a LOT on my feet when I'm treating sinuses (something I deal with a lot even if I'm not sick because of allergies).  The pads of all your smaller toes are receptors to the sinuses, so I apply there. You can also apply to your chest for congestion, as well as to the bottoms of your big toes since they are the receptors to the chest.

*Peppermint is NOT recommended for young children.  Use spearmint instead, which will have the same benefit but be much safer.

Ravensara:  I was so glad I had this on hand last year when Brittany had some episodes where she had a really hard time breathing.  Whether it's congestion or inability to breathe deeply, this oil is fantastic for opening up those airways.  I used a couple of drops with a carrier oil and applied over her entire chest; also applied to her back.  She felt the benefit very quickly.  This is also safe to use on babies, but rub into the bottoms of their feet.  Since they're so tiny you really just need a drop rubbed between your hands and then rub their feet.

    I'll address the herbal/home remedies in a post tomorrow.  I hope you find the information I've shared here helpful (and coherent; I know I shared a lot and I typed this up pretty late at night)!

WOW--The Numbers are Swelling! Corn Allergies "Rare," Huh???

    Just saw a post on the Facebook Corn Allergy & Intolerance Group from the administrator saying that we are now over 1,400 in numbers in the group.  This kind of blows my mind because when I joined about a year and a half ago, we were at 300.

    I remember the post just a few months ago when we hit just over 1,000.  This just confirms what many of us have felt would happen--more and more people are either developing the allergy or figuring out that it's at the root cause of symptoms they haven't been able to figure out.  While it makes me sad that people need to be there, it is also validating.  It's not fun having people disbelieve or minimize what you are trying to tell them is wrong.

    Anyway. Just thought I'd share.  If you are dealing with this allergy, you really need to join the group.  There is strength in numbers, and besides emotional support, this is a very solutions-oriented group.  I'm including the link, even though there is one on my sidebar.  Cheers!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cornallergy/?hc_location=stream

Homemade Deodorant Recipe--Corn Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, etc.

    I don't know why I haven't posted this sooner.  Brittany made a new batch of deodorant about a month ago and I had the thought, "Huh!  I haven't put this on the blog!"

    If you've looked on the Disclaimer tab on the blog, you will have noticed that I mention how besides food, you need to look at other things, including hygiene and grooming items, if you are dealing with this allergy.  In trying to rid the system of traces of corn, things like shampoo, toothpaste, soap, deodorants, etc. need to be considered as well since the body absorbs the elements used in making these items.

    I felt like I was permanently cross-eyed for at least 9 months after realizing there were many more hidden sources of corn than I had realized.  Added to the "Lost in Wonderland" feeling was a lot of alarm because as we got more out of her system, her sensitivities shot sky high as a defense mechanism.  We had a few "honeymoon" periods of time where she did noticeably better and then all of a sudden she would get sick again and we would trace it tosomething like a derivative that we didn't know was from corn that was in such a miniscule amount that you wouldn't think it would be a cause for concern, but it turned out to be her body going after every tiny little trace once it got that signal of feeling better when the more obvious sources were gone and worked out.  (And yes, I realize that was a horrible run-on sentence and today I do not care.)

    The question of whether or not to change deodorants came when at one point the skin under her arms had a green tinge to it.  She noticed at one point earlier in time that she had to switch deodorants up or they stopped working.  When we realized that fragrances were corny I got some unscented and it didn't work. We tried crystal stick deodorant and that burned and also didn't work for eliminating odor.  Also, if I remember correctly, it was after using the crystal stick that her underarms looked sunburned.  It was awful. I knew coconut oil was healing so got some for her to use, if for nothing else than to heal the skin.  I had also seen on the forums that some people just use coconut oil for deodorant and it works fine.  For her, she had to apply many times during the day for odor but it did help heal her skin.

    I then tried a combination that I found somewhere that just involved shea and cocoa butter, I think it was. This worked better than coconut oil, but she still had to apply it several time per day.  It did soothe her skin, though, and it wasn't long before the skin looked normal again.  It had kind of greasy feel to it, though.  It didn't prevent perspiration and didn't last as long as I thought it would when I made it up.  She also started reacting to the cocoa butter after awhile (something I hadn't considered even though chocolate showed up on her list of sensitivities).  One thing I really like about using mango butter is that it doesn't add any fragrance--with the cocoa butter she said she felt like she smelled like a chocolate chip cookie. :) I get both the shea and mango butters at my health food store.

    Through some trial and error and looking at tips from other people I finally happened upon a good combination that works well. Zinc oxide is a key ingredient for helping with perspiration.  The person who clued me in on this had a combination that she felt prevented perspiration TOO much, so I adjusted the amount down according to her recommendations.  Adding baking soda to it occurred to me while I was making it and I'm pretty happy with the results!  When this cools it is really thick and solid.  You could probably pour this mixture into deodorant stick containers, but I haven't found a store locally that stocks them and I don't feel like ordering them, so we just use a jar.

    Ready for the recipe?  Here you go!

Homemade Deodorant

4 oz. pure shea butter

4 oz. pure mango butter

4 oz. zinc oxide (pure without fragrance; Walgreen's brand is really good.  Just be careful not to get the kind labeled for "baby care" since they tend to put a baby powder fragrance in it)

1/8-1/4 c. baking soda

20-40 drops essential oil of choice if desired (we use bergamot)

    Fill a medium pot about halfway with water and place jar in water.  Put shea butter, mango butter and zinc oxide in pint-sized jar (a mason jar is fine) as you bring the water to boil.  When the water starts boiling, reduce to simmer and continue to simmer until ingredients are melted.  Stir frequently during the process to combine ingredients well. When completely melted (no lumps), remove jar from water to cooling rack to let cool. This will take quite a long time and it's best if you can go in and stir every 20-30 minutes to keep ingredients from separating. About 3 hours into cooling process, stir in baking soda and essential oil.  After about six hours you can leave it alone since it will be a lot more solid, but it will still be creamy.  If you are doing this in the evening, it will take until the next day for it to be completely solid.  Apply with your fingers as you would for a cream or lotion (pretty sure this is how it was done before deodorant sticks, sprays, etc. were invented).

    
    That's it!  I think Britt only applies this morning and night, but this will vary according to the person's body chemistry.  I am one who does great with just coconut oil (and a dusting of talc in the summer) a few times per day.  I used to use crystal stick and it worked great for quite a while, but then I made the mistake of missing my Secret brand pear scented deodorant.  Used it a couple of days and it made me itch like crazy, so I went back to the crystal stick and I think there was a chemical reaction because boy howdy, OUCH!!! It was then that I had deeper empathy for the burning rash she had had before.  Coconut oil was the only thing that soothed it.  I've snuck her deodorant a few times and it works really well, so I think I'm going to make me some, as well.