What exactly are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the protective and regenerative substance of a plant that allows it to fight threats such as fungus, viruses and bacteria. When we use essential oils for our own health, we get all the same benefits. Yes, they can even penetrate the wall of a cell to attack viruses – something that antibiotics cannot do. Essential oils provide us with a way to address the cause of illness, with no side effects, empowering us to take control of our health naturally. EO’s do not just come from flowers, but also from herbs, trees, leaves, and various other plant material and have been used throughout by shamans and healers who have made use of the healing power of these extracts for centuries.

Invest in Yourself!

To feel truly well, we know we need to eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep. We must also make choices about the products we come into contact with to minimize the toxins our bodies must cope with and be proactive about managing our stress and balancing emotions. Working with our emotions can be a day by day (or even moment by moment!) activity and essential oils are a powerful tool for getting back on track when we are out of balance and invoking desirable emotions when we want to. In fact, essential oils help us impact every single one of the aspects of health and wellness mentioned so far.

  • support nutrition
  • balance digestion
  • get better sleep
  • replace cleaning products with natural options
  • protect and nurture the skin
  • repel insects and soothe bites and stings
  • support the body’s natural healing mechanisms
  • purify the air we breathe
  • manage emotions & support spiritual practiceTogether, these contribute to a deep wellness that sets us up to successfully pursue the bigger, deeper mission of our lives. 

Not ALL oils are created equal!

Essential oils have gotten a bad rap in years past because inferior quality oils were used and in many cases, caused harm to household pets. Most of the essential oils that you find online and in the health food stores are made with synthetic ingredients in them to make them more profitable. Being regulated by the cosmetic industry, the standard is allowed for a label to say 100% organic and/or Pure as long as just one ingredient is organic. : (

A few things to look for to be sure the EO’s are Pure…

  • Price- Price usually dictates quality. Less expensive essential oils are most likely NOT 100% pure.
  • Size- Not all bottles of the same size yet of different oils should be priced the same. In other words, if they carry 50 different types of oils, yet every 5ml bottle is $7.40, there is something wrong, and you can guarantee these oils have been adulterated or diluted in some way.
  • Third party testing – There are no regulations that govern the testing and quality standards of essential oils, so I will only use oils by a company that holds itself accountable by third party testing every single batch. The brand I use are the only brand that do this and discard any batch that is found to contain anything else (weed compounds, pesticides etc.).
  • POTENCY – Better quality plants yield better quality oils. Make sense? Plants grow best in their native area where the soil composition, surrounding ecology and climate are just right. So the best quality oils come from plants that are grown wherever they are indigenous – all around the world. Lavender is sourced from France, Frankincense from Oman and Somalia, Wintergreen from Nepal, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus from Australia and so on. Although supporting producers who are local to you is usually the most sustainable way to source, essential oils companies that boast “local” sources are almost certainly compromising potency to do so and when you’re using them therapeutically, potency matters.
  • Ethical sourcing practices – The oils I use are grown in 40 countries around the world, 24 of which are developing nations. Wherever plants are sourced, growers are paid fair price and supported to grow sustainably. In developing nations, the company also ensures the farmers and villagers in grower communities have what they need – clean water supply, schooling. In my efforts to be a conscious consumer, this matters.
  • Value driven company – If ever an oil is unavailable in the brand I use, it’s either because testing showed an impurity in a batch or two or because something in the supply chain is causing a lack of supply. Either way, the company will let it be unavailable while they work on a sustainable solution rather than supply an inferior product. They care about our health. They look after us. Period.
  • The way the oils smell- It might sound obvious, but I want to enjoy using essential oils. This runs deeper than having an aversion to yucky smells, though. I use the oils powerfully for managing my emotional state and the more clean an oil smells, the more helpful and easeful it is to use and get results from.

 

But Which Oil?

When determining what essential oil you want to use, think of how you would like the oil to enhance your moment. Generally speaking, floral oils are calming and soothing, citrus oils are energizing and uplifting, and woody oils are grounding.

  • For grounding: Ginger, patchouli, cedarwood
  • For strengthening and centering: Sandalwood, cedarwood, myrrh, frankincense To promote breath awareness and clear
  • For Breathing: Peppermint, basil, eucalyptus, rosemary, myrrh, frankincense, cardamom
  • For calming: Lavender, geranium, chamomile, vetiver,
  • For spiritual nourishment: Bergamot, lemon, orange
  • To uplift: Cassia, clary sage, lemon, lime, white fir
  • To purify and cleanse: Arbovitae, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, wild orange, To soothe sore muscles: Basil, coriander, cypress, lavender, rosemary, wintergreen

 

What my typical day looks like with Essential Oils….

Wake up with Peppermint in the shower…

Moisturize my face with Jojoba and Frankincense and at the same time I Oil Pull with Peppermint!

Take my daily multivitamins, Lifelong Vitality Pack by Doterra (with EO tummy tamer blend)

Cedarwood to ground and center me before my classes and work.
Soothe my sore muscles with Panaway by Young Living or Deep Blue by doTerra

Calm and relax myself with Lavender on my feet before bed, and Peppermint in a salt inhaler to open my sinuses so I snore less! My poor hubby!

In Closing

There a a million other reasons why I reach for my oils including headache, digestion aid, my moon cycle, bug repellent, air purifier. I even make my own laundry detergent, hand soap, gum care oil, body moisturizer, and bath bombs! This is  the way to a chemical free home and I truly believe we deserve to be living in a environment that is not poisoning us! I will never look back, and you wont either!

Please feel free to do your own research to find a company that resonates with you! If you would like to join my doTerra Oil Revolution or have any questions, contact me through my website HERE . I would be thrilled to share my knowledge and passion with you!