Our sense of smell is the only sense directly hardwired to the brain. When you take a breath, scent molecules travel through your nasal cavity and olfactory bulb straight to the limbic portions of the brain. This area controls your mood, emotions, learning and stress response. As a result, what you breath and smell can make a big difference in how you feel! Before we get started on individual oils and blends, let’s learn some basics.
What exactly ARE essential oils?
Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, flowers, bark, rind and leaves of plants, extracted and distilled for health benefits! They are extremely potent – 50-70 times more powerful than herbs. In fact, ONE drop of certified pure peppermint essential oil is the equivalent of 28 cups of peppermint tea! Because they are so concentrated and powerful, you can imagine that quality matters.
Always choose essential oils that are certified pure by 3rd party testers, sourced from their natural habitat around the world (this ensures the proper chemical constituents and structure so that they essential oils actually do what they are supposed to!), and that are verified pure, free of fillers, pesticides, and foreign contaminants. There are many companies who do their own testing and have claims on their bottles that they are 100% pure, but then have warnings on the bottle to not even apply topically. This should be a big red flag. The oils I use are safe, and pure enough to be taken internally (they even have FDA compliant nutrition facts on the label!).
I’d love to save you the time, money, and possible toxicity, of purchasing essential oils that claim to be something they are not. The oils I bought before I knew any better actually ended up in the TRASH, because they didn’t work and I couldn’t trust that what they label said was true. There is no regulation on the essential oil industry. Please be a wise consumer.
Wondering how to use essential oils?
It’s really easy to start using essential oils with confidence in your home today! The first step is to make sure that you have a very pure essential oil that has gone through some pretty rigorous testing to ensure purity, quality and potency. Not all essential oils are equal. Some contain synthetic fragrances or fillers that can be very toxic, while others can be a poor grade of essential oil, meaning you have to use much more to get the benefit you could get from just a few drops of a truly pure essential oil. The company I chose to get my essential oils from has such high standards and integrity that they are being used in hospitals, which is a first for the essential oil world.
Now, there are 3 ways to use 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils: aromatically, topically, by soaking and internally*.
Aromatic
I like to use my essential oils aromatically when I am trying to clear the airways, clean the air or boost the mood (very handy during the darker winter months!) To use an oil in this way, simply put a drop or two in your palm, rub your hands together, and inhale. You can rub the extra oil on your chest or back of your neck. My favorite way to use essential oils aromatically is through a diffuser. While there are many great ones out there, do your research, as some of the cheaper ones will not last very long, and you will save more in the long run by investing in a high quality diffuser with a warranty.
Topical
Topical application is another one of my favorite ways to use essential oils, especially for my children. I always dilute essential oils for my wee ones, as they are very powerful. Not only is this safer for my children and their sensitive skin and tiny bodies, but it helps my essential oils stretch farther. Oils can be applied to the area of concern (a wound, the outside of the throat, skin issues and irritations, etc) or to the bottoms of the feet. The feet have very large pores, and when applied there, the essential oils can be found in the blood stream within 30 seconds, and have reached every cell in your body, including the end of hair strands, within 30 minutes! Some oils are so strong that they need to be diluted with a “carrier” oil (water doesn’t work for diluting oils, it makes them stronger). Avocado oil or sesame oil are excellent, but can be a bit heavy or greasy. I prefer fractionated coconut oil, which absorbs quickly and helps the essential oils penetrate better. Essential oils are wonderful for use in massage. Avoid getting the oils close to your eyes. They are quickly absorbed into the system, but also fairly quickly flushed out, so I it is most effective to apply sparingly, yet frequently.
Soaking (also topical)
I love to add essential oils to my bathwater, along with 2 cups of epson salts, and one-half cup of non-aluminum baking soda, for detoxing 1 x per week. This assists your body is removing toxins that have built up, as well as, easing tense and sore muscles. You will feel your stress just float away.
Internal
Using essential oils internally* is a wonderful option to boost immune function, or when cleansing the body. I drink Lemon essential oil daily as a gentle cleanse and to stay hydrated. When dealing with throat tenderness, I like to gargle with On Guard and/or Oregano. You can also put doTERRA’s 100% pure essential oils in an empty gel capsule.This is an excellent way to cleanse the body of pathogens and sick bugs. Just make sure you use high quality oils and know which ones are safe.
*If the bottle does not have a nutrition facts label on it, DO NOT INGEST. Follow all label warnings and instructions. Please note that internal use is ONLY recommended for our incredible doTERRA 100% certified pure therapeutic grade oils. Ingesting other oils that have not had rigorous testing, and may contain synthetic fillers and contaminants, can be very dangerous and even toxic. I do not suggest you ever ingest essential oils unless they are the one’s I use.
Are you still wondering how you can use these essential oils safely?
Be sure to click on this link to learn even more!
Ready to become empowered when it comes to taking your health into your own hands?
These oils have changed our home and our health, and I can’t wait to teach you how to do the same.
