You ever wonder what all the hype around essential oils is for?
If you’ve done even a small amount of researching online about natural health, chances are that you’ve come across essential oils. Their popularity is ever-growing both in the natural world and even in the traditional medicine world. Just go to PubMed and you’ll find study after study showing how effective they are.
Essential oils have intrigued me for a long time. But, as much as they intrigued me, they equally overwhelmed me! So, I finally decided to learn more about them. And, now, I am a Certified Essential Oils Specialist. Through the prcoess of my certification, and the simple decision to be more intentional using oils in my home, I have learned a great deal about how essential oils are made, how they work, and why they work. Plus, I now have a plethora of personal experiences that have proven to me how powerful essential oils are.
So what exactly are essential oils?
Essential oils come from the roots, stems, leaves, rind, and petals of plants. They’re extracted during a distillation processed and bottled. It’s that simple. At least, it should be. But, here’s the thing. Not all essential oils are created equal. More on that in a bit.
Why are they so effective?
Pure essential oils are powerful and effective, oftentimes, even more so than modern approaches. Here’s why: essential oils are able to work on a cellular level whereas most other substances cannot. You see, bacteria in our bodies lives and reproduces on the outside of our cells, but viruses live and reproduce on the inside of our cells. Most modern medicine is typically synthetic water-based. Water and oil don’t mix, so the water-based medication cannot penetrate the oily membrane that surrounds our cells to neutralize viruses. This is a key difference.
Essential oils are also more effective than herbal remedies because they’re very concentrated. For example, to get the same health benefits as 1 drop of peppermint
essential oil, you would have to drink 28 cups of peppermint tea. That’s a lot of tea!! It’s for this reason that essential oils are 50-70 times more effective than herbs.
Gotta try it to believe it
I’m a “proof in the pudding” kinda girl. I’ve done the research and, my friend, and the evidence is there. As I mentioned before, you can just go to PubMed and find study after study that proves the efficacy of essential oils for so many different ailments and needs. Yet, even with all of this research and the ever-growing popularity of essential oils, there is still a great deal of controversy and skepticism surrounding essential oils.
In my opinion, oils are one of those “you gotta try it to really understand how awesome it is” products. Are they a miraculous cure for all of life’s problems? No (although I’d say they come closer than most things!). But, in the time I have used them, along with stories I’ve heard from close friends and family, I have seen first-hand how impactful they can be as a natural remedy for many issues and needs. It’s estimated that essential oils can support at least 80% of the health concerns in your home. 80 percent! Imagine how many trips to the doctor or drug store that could save you. They have transformed our home and how I care for my family and I’m so thankful.
How do you use essential oils?
There are 3 main ways to use essential oils, all of which will offer you great health benefits.
1- Aromatically
Breathing in the chemical compounds of an essential oil is the fastest way to get it into your body to start experiencing the benefits. One of my favorite ways is diffusing the oil. Not only do you get the health benefits, but it can also be cleansing to your air. Another favorite way is by placing a drop in my hands and cupping them over my nose. Using essential oils aromatically offers great respiratory
support. It can also immediately impact your mood. The olfactory nerve above your nose directly communicates with the limbic system in your brain, which controls your emotions and memory, and is also responsible for sending signals throughout the rest of your body. And this happens in just 30 seconds! Have you ever walked into the kitchen, smelled something baking, and immediately get taken back to a childhood memory? That’s your limbic system at work! Stay tuned for a way to get my favorite essential oil diffuser blend recipes!
2- Topically
One drop of essential oil applied topically (on your skin) can service every cell in your body. Incredible! Some of the best general places to apply oils are the bottoms of your feet (home to the largest pores on your body and many nerve endings), the back of your neck or behind your ears (where your skin is very thin), or on the back of your wrists (right where your veins run). You can, of course, apply directly to the area of your body where you’re having an issue too. But, when in doubt, pick one of the above! You can dilute with a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil, for those with sensitive skin, children, or elderly. Diluting also allows the oil absorb over a longer period of time and can actually allow it to penetrate
deeper into your body. I like to create roller bottles with the oils or oil blends we use frequently so they’re ready to quick application.
3- Internally
You NEVER want to take an oil internally unless you are 100% sure it’s 100% pure. I’ll share more on that below. That being said, you can receive powerful health benefits by taking an oil internally that you cannot get by using oils aromatically or topically. One of my favorite ways is to mix a couple drops of any citrus essential oil in water. So yummy! If you do this on a regular basis like I do, make sure to use a
dispersant to protect your esophageal lining over the long run. Just grab a pinch of salt or sugar and put it in your cup first, add the essential oil on top of the granules, and then add your liquid. As the granules dissolve your essential oil will disperse more evenly, helping even out the flavor while also protecting your esophagus.
You can also cook and bake with them too. If you want the health benefits of taking an oil internally, but don’t prefer the taste, use veggie capsules like these. Just make sure you don’t overdo it.
What's the daily recommended amount?
Here is a helpful chart that will break down how much oil should be used at one time along with the daily max for both adults and children. The Ideal Amount column refers to the amount used at one time. You can repeat this amount every 4-6 hours, up to the 24-hour Maximum amount. Internal use would include taking the oil via softgel or veggie capsule. Oral use would include taking the oil in water or other liquid, or under the tongue. Aromatic does not specify a recommended amount as it depends on the size of the room and other factors.
FREEBIES!
Don’t miss out on snagging a free copy of my favorite essential oil diffuser recipes AND a free eBook on the internal use of essential oils, including the health benefits of each oil! Resources will be emailed immediately.
Quality matters
As essential oils have grown in popularity, more and more companies have jumped in hoping to capitalize on the opportunity. But, you have to be careful where you get your oils because, as I mentioned before, they’re not all created equal. The chemistry of an oil is so very important. The essential oil industry has very little regulation, especially in the United States. This results in a lot of oils on the market being labeled as 100% pure when, in fact, they’re not.
Many essential oils are heavily contaminated, diluted, or adulterated with synthetic chemicals. Yes, even some of the ones labeled as 100% pure. These oils do not give you the full natural benefit of the plant. And, in some cases, can even be dangerous and pose serious threats to your health. Below is an example of some of the products used to adulterate essential oils.
How do I know if my essential oils are truly pure?
If you want to determine the purity of your oils, the best way is to research the company that you’re buying them from. Determine if they take the following precautions to ensure the quality of their oils:
Plant quality
Does the company use high-quality plants to produce their essential oils? Are the plants harvested where they grow indigenous in order to create the ideal biological profile and, therefore, give you the best results possible. Are chemicals and pesticides used in plant care?
Sustainable and responsible sourcing
How does the company acquire their oils? Where do they come from?
Production practices
Does the company have safety procedures in place to guard against contamination during the production process? Are oils adulterated or are synthetic fillers added to cut costs?
Extensive and thorough testing
Does the company test their oils for adulteration and contamination? If so, how thorough are their testing practices? What standard do they follow?
Storage and handling
Are the oils carefully processed, packaged, and stored to avoid chemical alterations caused by exposure to heat or light? (Amber bottles are considered the best option for essential oil storage.)
Clear and accessible safety and usage information
Does the company show customers how to use the oils safely?
Transparency
Does the company use third-party testing? Do they make test results public?
A shocking study
I have used several brands of essential oils over the years. Now that I know what I know, I will only use doTERRA essential oils. In an unbiased, third-party study, several essential oil brands were tested, including some of the top brands in the world. The results? Only three companies showed absolute complete purity. Two companies were small companies I had never heard of (one of which is now out of business), and the third company was doTERRA. The other brands of essential oils tested (many of which I had previously used) all showed some level of contamination. I was actually a little shocked. These are brands that market themselves as 100% pure.
Poor standards & regulation
And that’s part of the problem. There isn’t really much regulation in the essential oil industry because oils are considered supplements. Historically, the essential oil industry really didn’t have standards high enough to ensure purity. So, doTERRA created one. Every batch of doTERRA essential oils goes through a rigorous testing process—well beyond what would be considered “good enough” and well beyond what any other essential oil companies do. After that, each oil is sent to an independent third party for further testing and validation. If the oil passes the tests, it’s labeled as Certified Pure Tested Grade™ (CPTG). When you see the CPTG label, you know you’re using the purest essential oils on the market.
Vote with your dollars
If purity and potency weren’t enough, there are a few other things that set doTERRA apart.
Sourcing – after determining where a plant grows indigenous, doTERRA partners with local farmers in that area to source their oils. This practice has positively impacted more than 500,000 lives, helping improve quality of life and bring people out of poverty.
Research – something else that has really impressed me with doTERRA is the amount of time, money, and resources they put into clinical research. This has led to them having the world’s first (and only) essential oil FDA approval: their lavender oil is now FDA approved and considered pharmaceutical grade, with more to come. FDA approval is no joke and not easy to come by. This is HUGE and speaks volumes to the consistent purity of their oils. Because of their reputation for purity, they are used in medical and research facilities all over the world.
There is a difference
Dear friend, please hear this. There IS a difference; a difference in the smell and in the effectiveness! You absolutely get what you pay for and it’s not worth it to save a few dollars when it comes to essential oils. Buy your oils from a source that you know has done their due diligence. That’s how I landed with doTERRA and I’ll never look back. doTERRA essential oils have helped with muscle pain, sleep, allergies, headaches, gut health, weight loss or management, hormone support, mood lifting, stress and anxiety, inflammation, and even saved our family a trip to the doctor or pharmacy…many times over! I like to say that if there’s a medicine for it, there’s likely an oil for it. The experiences don’t lie. These oils are the absolute best quality on the market and they’re worth every penny.
Support a healthy lifestyle the natural way.
If this information has been valuable to you and you would like to learn more or receive personalized recommendations for your needs or the needs of your family, I would love to connect with you! I regularly teach classes on essential oils and other natural solutions as well as doing one-on-one consultations to help people determine the next right step. I would be honored to partner with you. Message me here to set something up or learn about my next class dates!
If you have found this information to be valuable and you would like to learn more or receive personalized recommendations for your needs or the needs of your family, I would love to connect with you! I regularly teach free classes on essential oils and other natural solutions as well as doing complimentary one-on-one consultations to help people determine the next right step. I would be honored to partner with you. Message me here to set something up or learn about my next class dates!
Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Thanks for your support!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Note: I am not a doctor or medical professional. The information shared in this post is for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice.
