Essential Oil Basics
And How I Fell in Love…
My journey with essential oils started when my cousin from Vermont (they are hipper and earthier there) introduced me to her fun diffusers that she had going constantly in multiple rooms in the house. She claimed that the oils she put in these made her anxious teenager calm and her insomniac husband sleep well. I was skeptical at first, but willingly bought one given the fact that her claims seemed so legit and heartfelt. If not for anything else, the practical reason that it was also a night light and could act as a humidifier in my kids room. And if it got him to sleep past 5am, well then that was a triple win!
It didn’t take long before I was researching types of oils, the endless possibilities of what they could do and how to incorporate them into my everyday life. Once I started to see that I could reduce my families toxic load and live a more balanced, holistic life; I was all in. There are so many benefits of using oils which I will dive into in another blog post, but here what I think are 10 great facts if you are just starting out.
10 Essential Oil Facts for Beginners
Essential oils are all natural compounds derived from plants (found in the root, petal, rind, lear or bark)
Essential oils have anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and anti-viral properties. Pretty much, they are magic!
Essential oils can penetrate our cell membranes to help fight viruses. (Antibiotics cannot do this!)
Essential oils can get into our bloodstream within 30 seconds which makes them super fast acting.
Essential oils are 50-70 times more powerful than herbs
Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade oils can be taken aromatically, topically and internally to help with various health conditions. (Do you research to make sure they are 100% pure therapeutic oils)
Essential oils can be used to clear energy blocks and heal Chakras
Frankincense and Myrrh are well known essential oils from the Bible
In my opinion, the 5 oils you should never be without are Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint and Tea Tree. Each one is gentle with a multitude of benefits.
They are 100% safe for kids! Who wouldn’t want to treat aches, pains, infections and respiratory issues naturally for their kiddos?!
I believe that the benefits of oils are honestly endless. Use them to support your immune system, emotional regulation, digestive system, headaches and tension, muscle pain, respiratory system, reproductive issues, spiritual growth and so much more!
Those are some quick facts, but what really got me to be an oil junky was not facts, but experience. I have 3 quick personal examples of my early oil use.
First, after diffusing lavender in both of my boys room, they honestly stopped waking up in the middle of the night. Seriously! For the first time in what felt like ever, my son stopped his stealth mode, ninja skills of sneaking into my queen sized bed ( somehow even though he was only 45 inches he took up 5 feet of the bed). He now continues to sleep peacefully through the night and asks me for his diffuser every night. We even had to travel with it last week.
Second, I use a peppermint, lavender and eucalyptus blend to make a headache relief concoction and it is simply magical. I tell everyone about it and even my super skeptical husband will request this for head pain and/or allergy congestion. I personally prefer to rub it on my temples, but I will dilute it for the kids and sometimes just smell it's more of a dull ache.
Although there are so many more personal stories I can share, this is probably my most favorite reason for loving the DoTerra blends. My younger son is extremely shy and not very confident, although it's something we are working hard on overcoming. When ever he has something new or unexpected going on, or knows he will need extra courage, we roll the Brave blend on his wrists and behind his ears. He smells it throughout the day and it gives him the confidence he needs to rock the day. This blend promotes feelings of confidence, courage and belief in oneself. At first I thought it was more of a placebo effect, but I've seen first hand how it manages his anxiousness and makes him calm. Check out more of the benefits here if you could use a boost, too!