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Essential oils have become so popular these days, and for good reason. They can help fight colds, heal aches and pains, clean and detoxify your home, and clear skin conditions.
However, there are misconceptions and confusing information out there. Today, we’ll clear up the confusion and give you some great ideas for incorporating essential oils into your life each and every day.
Let’s get started with a little history lesson on essential oils. Did you know?
- Ancient Egyptians used essential oils as far back as 3,500 BC that have been found in tombs including that of King Tut.
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Throughout the Bible are references to anointing oil, which was a mix of these essential oils: myrrh, cinnamon, olive oil, calamus, and cassia. Other oils are mentioned as well, including the gifts of the 3 wisemen:
- Myrrh was believed to help women heal after childbirth
- Frankincense was known to support the immune system and was often use to treat sick children
- Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Persians all used essential oils for aromatherapy.
What are essential oils anyway?
Even though you’ve probably heard of them and might even use them, you might not know how the power of essential oils is harnessed.
Extracted from a plant or tree, essential oils are made by distillation, which separates the oil and water from the extraction.
They are highly concentrated which is what makes them so powerful. For example, one pound of lavender essential oil is made from 150 pounds of lavender flowers (WOW!).
Unlike other types of oils, they are made up of very small molecules that can penetrate the skin much better than oils from nuts or vegetables.
Another name for this is transdermal, and this makes them so much more effective for not only getting INTO your body, but once inside, being able to travel throughout your body to all the areas that need it.
Not all essential oils are created equal.
The types you find at most stores these days (because even a lot of grocery and drug stores sell them now) is made with the lowest grade of oil and may have fillers and synthetic ingredients.
Why do you find these types of oils more often than not? Unfortunately for us, it’s because they are cheaper to make, and cheaper products means more money for the company making them.
Even pure, natural oils are often over-processed, so they lose their healing power.
Only certified therapeutic-grade essential oils are guaranteed to be produced without any pesticides and of the highest quality, so they can even be consumed orally, depending on the type of oil.
Look for oils labeled organic and steam distilled or cold-pressed and always buy oils in dark bottles to protect against UV rays.
Let’s look at a few individual oils you can start using right away to improve your quality of life.
Lavender oil is great for:
- Relaxation and stress relief – add it to a bath, which also aids in detoxification. I usually combine 8 drops of lavender with 2 cups of Epsom Salts and 1 cup of Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) which creates a highly alkalizing, detoxifying bath. I add this to VERY hot water, soak for 20 minutes, then wrap myself in a towel and jump under the covers. Do this before bed, you will sweat, but will feel so relaxed and refreshed and will have one of your best night’s sleep ever!
- Healing skin disorders and wounds – apply essential oil directly to the skin
- Relieve or prevent insomnia – rub it on your neck, put a drop or two on your pillow, or diffuse it in the air
Peppermint oil is great for:
- Improving concentration and energy – diffuse it into the air
- Aiding digestion, including nausea and acid reflux – take orally using 1 drop in a glass of water (only use the highest quality oils orally)
- Improving breathing, especially when fighting a cold – diffused or applied topically to the chest
- This is one of my favorite oils that I use in my diffuser before going to sleep.
Frankincense oil is great for:
- Reducing inflammation – apply to the skin or take orally (only use the highest quality oils orally)
- Fighting cancer – studies have shown the oil can kill cancer cells – talk to your doctor about the best way to use frankincense oil in your treatment. We have been using this in my father’s diffuser at night, as well as putting on his feet every night before going to sleep.
- Cleansing and detoxifying the body – add to your bath water
- Boosting immunity – apply on neck and behind ears
- Fighting infection – diffuse it into the air
- Improving skin conditions, scars, aging effect, and acne – apply topically
Lemon oil is great for:
- Detoxifying the body and lymphatic system – take 1 drop orally a few times a day (only use the highest quality oils orally)
- Supporting the immune system to prevent illness – diffuse in the air
- Killing bacteria – use for home cleaning or apply to hands
- Lifting mood and energy levels – diffuse in the air
Tea tree oil is great for:
- Killing fungus, yeast, and infections – apply directly
- Improving acne – mix with honey and use as a face wash
- Reducing and preventing dandruff – add a few drops to shampoo
- Cleaning – add a few drops to water to use in a spray bottle
- Children’s ear infections (always run by your pediatrician)
Shield is a common blend that’s great for protecting against viruses and other illnesses caused by bacteria and germs. It’s made up of clove, orange peel, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. Diffuse it or apply it to the skin directly.
Diffusers
You might have noticed that all of the oils above can be diffused into the air. To do so, you need a diffuser, a small appliance that releases the oil into the air along with cold steam. There are a lot of diffusers out there to choose from these days, so make sure you find one that is BPA free and easy to clean
There are 2 great companies that I trust for essential oils and diffusers, Young Living and DoTerra. I have been using Young Living for years, and their oils are second to none and I HIGHLY recommend them.
The same goes for their diffusers. I have one in my office for my patients, as well as in my bedroom at home. There is not a night that goes by that I don’t use my diffuser, and I will select the oil that I use based on what my needs may be (based on what I wrote above). In my office I have a simple diffuser where you add 8 drops to some water. At home, I have a mechanical diffuser that plugs into the wall. I love this because I can simply program it to run for 5 minutes, then stay off for 15 (or whatever time parameters you like). This way I get to enjoy the effects of the oils ALL night long.
Chelsea (my wife) and I even got a special dinosaur diffuser for Brayden’s room (my 2-year-old son). He LOVES it, and this has become one of our special rituals every night.
He helps me select the oil, and then we add it and have fun with the dinosaurs before he goes to bed. We have been using these with him since birth, and they definitely help him go into a deeper REM sleep. He also knows that when he smells the oils, its sleep time!
If you want more ways to live the clean, alkaline lifestyle, download my free report, Our Toxic World, right here:
