Young Living Idaho Balsam Fir essential oil stirs up similar memories and feelings of Christmas, Christmas tree farms, snowy forests, North America as Pine as I explained in my prior post here. Balsam Fir has a “happier” scent than Pine, as a friend puts it. It is higher-valued than Pine, hence higher-priced. I’ll tell you how to get it for free at the end of the post!
The balsam fir trees are popular as Christmas trees, with their natural conical shape, lush pine needles, rustic pine cones and lovely woody pine scent. They look better as Christmas trees than the scrawny Ikea ones! Here’s a picture of the evergreen balsam fir trees topped with snow – almost like my mental picture of them.
The balsam fir, pine and spruce trees belong to the same botanical family of pinaceae. The Balsam Fir essential oil is steam-distilled from the needles and branches at Young Living’s Highland Flats Farm in Naples, Idaho. Horses are used to pull logs from the highlands as using trucks will destroy the land along the transport route. It is my wish to visit this farm and participate in the winter harvest of the fir, pine and spruce trees.
Like Pine, Balsam Fir has been prized through the ages for its medicinal effects and ability to heal respiratory conditions and muscular and rheumatic pain. Its medical properties are anitcoagulant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antitumoral. Its uses include throat/lung/sinus infections, fatigue, arthritis/rheumatism, urinary tract infections, scoliosis/lumbago/sciatica. Its fragrance is grounding, stimulating to the mind and relaxing to the body (from the Essential Oils Desk Reference, Sixth Edition).
When I first joined as a Young Living member, this oil was one of the free gifts for purchase above a certain amount, so I was privileged to experience it early on. Otherwise, I might not have purchased it so early in my oil journey as it is one of the higher-valued oils. Subsequently, I got another 2 bottles for free, I’ll tell you how to get it for free in a while.
It is a lovely oil to diffuse to refresh the home and at bedtime too. I find it very soothing and sometimes dab a little on my chest to help me sleep. Just yesterday, in a Facebook conversation with friends about the harmful side effects of antihistamine medications like Zyrtec, I realised that diffusing Balsam Fir at bedtime was most likely to have helped me overcome my sinus problems. I used to have to blow my nose in the middle of the night or in the morning. Lavender is my usual go-to antihistamine when the rhinitis allergies start – a dab of lavender on the sides of the nose and forehead, or a drop in my drink or a few drops in a capsule when the allergens are in full force, does the job. But I haven’t needed to do this daily and it must be because of the Balsam Fir. Balsam Fir is also found in the blend Sacred Mountain which is my husband’s favourite to diffuse at bedtime. I love it when these Young Living essential oils work multiple duties in my family, sometimes without us knowing! Best of all, no side effects.
Alright, how to get a bottle of Balsam Fir, priced at SGD$95, wholesale for free? If you are an Essential Rewards member in Singapore, you can get 2 single oils priced below SGD$100 for free after your 9th month on the program (min 100PV every month). Pick Balsam Fir as one of the free oils and get it free! I chose to have 2 bottles of Balsam Fir for free. If you are not yet a member, find out how to become one here.