Essential oils have been a part of my life for at least eight years. My mother was using them and so whenever I felt a sore throat coming on, a stomach ache, or any kind of ache—if I burned myself in the kitchen, cut myself with a knife, or just needed to focus on a project—my mother would pull out the appropriate essential oil. Lately, they have become more mainstream as people are tired of having adverse reactions to synthetic drugs, tired of putting chemicals into their bodies, and are learning about and experiencing the benefits of essential oils. The beauty of essential oils is that they can help equip the body so that it can do what it was designed to do: heal itself naturally.
Essential oils are not a new fad. Historically, essential oils have played a prominent role in everyday life for centuries and are considered mankind’s first medicine. Research dates the use of essential oils back to 4,500 B.C. Ancient Egyptians were the first to discover the potential of fragrance, and records demonstrate that oils and aromatics were used to treat illnesses and perform rituals and religious ceremonies in temples and pyramids. In fact, three oils that are still commonly used today—cedar wood, myrrh, and frankincense—were used in the embalming process.
The reintroduction of essential oils into modern medicine first began during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since that time, essential oils have been used traditionally to kill harmful germs, as well as spiritually to balance mood, lift spirits, and dispel negative emotions.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils, known as nature’s living energy, are the natural, aromatic volatile liquids found in shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds. The distinctive components in essential oils defend plants against insects, environmental conditions, and disease. They are also vital for a plant to grow, live, evolve, and adapt to its surroundings. Essential oils are highly concentrated and far more potent than dry herbs. They are complex substances made from many different chemicals (as many as 300 ingredients in one essential oil!) with many beneficial properties.
How are They Used?
1. Oils may be inhaled directly from the bottle, your hands, or bath, or they can be diffused in your home or work space. The aromatic properties of essential oils stimulate our sense of smell and positively affect our bodies, moods, and minds through inhalation.
2. Essential oils may be applied directly onto the skin. Some oils may be applied undiluted, in which case place one to three drops directly in the palm of your hand or directly on the desired part of your body. Others may need to be combined with a carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil. Carrier oils are often used when essential oils are used for massage or to cover a large part of your body.
3. Many essential oils can be safely ingested: dropped into water, put into a capsule, or added to a recipe (therapeutic-grade only, as lesser quality oils are not safe for ingesting). Always check the label or with a health care professional first to ensure an oil is meant to be used internally.
Please note: Never use therapeutic-grade oils in plastic bottles. Only use those in glass or stainless steel. Therapeutic-grade oils are so potent that they begin to break down the petro-chemicals and leech plastic particles into the water.
3 Key Essential Oils
1. Lavender
One of the most versatile oils, lavender is useful for healthy skin and has been clinically evaluated for its relaxing effects. It may be used on cuts, bruises, and skin irritations. The fragrance is calming, relaxing, and balancing, physically and emotionally. I always carry lavender with me and I just used it last week when I burned myself on the oven. No redness, sting, or inflammation occurred.
2. Peppermint
Peppermint is one of the oldest and most highly regarded oils for soothing digestion. It also relieves fever and headaches. It is a great way to achieve mental clarity, reduce fatigue, and increase energy before a workout. It can be added to tea, water, or food. Have a glass of water with peppermint oil before you eat: it has the ability to directly affect the brain’s satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals.
I like to put a drop of peppermint oil in a glass of water around mid-afternoon as a pick-me-up energy booster.
3. Lemon
Lemon, another versatile essential oil has multiple health benefits. It is an excellent source of d-limonene, a powerful antioxidant which has been studied extensively for its ability to combat tumor growth. It helps increase energy level and mental clarity. Its antiseptic properties make it great for cleaning.
Lemon is also great if you ever deal with heartburn, acne, urinary tract infections, gallstones, kidney stones, or respiratory issues (rub some on your chest or add a couple drops to honey for cough relief). When added to drinking water, it helps detoxify the body, it is alkalizing, and is a great liver cleanse.
I drink lemon oil in my water every day!
Be Aware of these Fake Oils
It is important to know that the majority of the commercial essential oils available in the market are industrially known to be “adulterated” and the therapeutic qualities are destroyed. They are mass produced very cheaply and extracted using high heat and/or high pressure. Also, chemical solvents are used to quicken the production time, or are added to intensify the fragrance, or stretch the essential oil. Be sure to ask before you buy.
Young Living essential oils are therapeutic grade and known to be the best. Their proprietary low-temperature, low-pressure steam distillation process ensures that the beneficial plant compounds in every batch of essential oil remain uncompromised during the extraction process.
In fact, over 50 hospitals in the U.S. use Young Living Essential Oils. They not only provide the level of quality that is expected, but they are always consistent in their formulation. Fashion designer Donna Karan uses Young Living Essential Oils as part of the Essential Oils Therapy component of the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT) Program, which she founded to bring five holistic modalities (yoga, mindfulness, essential oils, reiki, and nutrition) into hospitals and palliative care facilities.
If you have any questions on essential oils or where/how to order yours, please email me.
Do you use essential oils?
About the Writer
This article was written by Erin Budd, (BSc, MBA), a health-conscious mom to two adorable boys aged 19 months and four years, and wife to a wonderful husband (who would like you to know that since they got married, he feels healthier than before, and has lost weight and maintained it, due to the lifestyle changes that Erin brought in).
Always prepared, Erin does not leave home without her essential oils in her first aid kit, ready to apply to a skinned knee or a bumped head. She is committed to helping others learn about their many uses and to stop using toxic chemicals (especially on kids!), and is always happy to talk about them and teach people how to use them.
Often, she can be found creating in the kitchen and feeding her family nutrient dense, real food. Since she became a new mother, she’s been engrossed in how she can help her family be as healthy as possible. Something is going right because they almost never get sick.
She also owns and operates Energy Xpressions Inc., a company that sells yoga and fitness clothing. Follow her on Twitter @energyxpression. She can be reached at erin@energyxpressions.com. You can also check out her blog here.