Essential Oils 101

OH HEY GUYS. Sorry I’ve been sucha stranger, but if you follow me on Instagram… you know why.

I’ve been on a BACHELORETTE bender, & for once in my life, I closed the computer & just let my hair down. Coming back from the bender has been rough, but I am slowly easing back into the swing of things.

The second I got home from our trip, I immediately started mixing up some essential oils to help me snap back into reality (lots of peppermint, lemon, & lavender in my diffuser as we speak!) & it jogged my memory- a while back you guys requested I do a post on essential oils!

SO… here it is, the big bad essential oils post!

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?

They are highly concentrated plant extracts & that are MUCH more powerful than the plant itself.

Essential oils are extracted through a steam and/or water distillation process, cold pressing, or something known as resin tapping. It is always important to know how your essential oils were extracted as the process is a delicate one- make sure you do your research & if your oil was not created through one of the above methods, do not buy it!

Once the chemicals are carefully extracted from the plant, it is then combined with a carrier oil to create the finished miracle potion.

OH, & also, they have been used since 1500BCE. So, although you may just be hearing more about them now, they are by no means a trendy craze… they are the real deal!!!

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WHY DO THEY WORK?

For all the skeptics out there, essential oils really do WORK (as long as you have high quality REAL oils). Don’t take my word for it though… here are the facts:

» essential oils help to alter physical, mental, & emotional health by Strengthening our bodies own natural processes.

» because essential oils are made up of teeny tiny molecules that mimic our own bodies composition, they are very easily absorbed.

» essential oils goal is to bring your body back to balance & optimal health.

» they are 50x more therapeutically potent than the plant they come from.

» essential oils are filled with the homeostatic intelligence needed to help bring the balance back to your bodies functions. Oils can adapt to the bodies changing conditions (i.e. the ebb or flow of blood pressure).

» all essential oils contain a potent compound called “terpenes” that actually addresses issues at a cellular level & can literally reprogram your cells to bring back normal function. These terpenes can help relax the nervous system, reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, & fight infections.

» essential oils can bring you from one state of being (stressed) to another (calm) because they can travel quickly through our bloodstream while working with the limbic center of the brain.

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HOW TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS?

There are three ways to use essential oils & choosing which way to use your oil depends on the results you are looking to achieve, the oils properties, & of course- SAFETY (note: I am not a medical professional, so if you have any concerns or are pregnant, please consult your doctor!).

1. Aromatic: I am all about the aromatic method of using essential oils. My diffuser is actually my best friend.

Basically, the reason you have a sense of smell is due to the olfactory organ and when you smell an essential oil, the olfactory organ signals the limbic system of your brain with the scent. The limbic system controls memory, emotion, &  is connected to other areas of the brain that control things such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, stress, memory, hormones, etc.

So, when those essential oil droplets are absorbed this way, the benefits are profound- both mentally & physically.

Just a bit more scientific stuff for ya- the amygdala gland in the brain is where your negative emotions are store. The only thing to help release the trauma in that part of the brain is your sense of smell, which is just another reason why essential oils are everything. The amygdala’s neighbor is the hypothalamus, which is your hormonal home base, so while your amygdala is being released of bad vibes your also controlling your hormones at the same time. COOL, RIGHT?

& if I don’t have my diffuser, like this weekend, I bring a bottle of my fave oils & breathe them in when needed (i.e. when I was way too hungover & feeling sick after the first night of the bachelorette extravaganza… I took some major whiffs of peppermint essential oil!).

2. Topical: you can apply your oils to the skin with a carrier oil to be absorbed into the blood stream (because your skin is permeable). Example: if your muscles are sore, mix together some coconut oil & 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil and rub directly on the sore area.

3. Dietary: personally, I haven’t ingested any oils, but people do it all the time. It is a bit controversial, so if you are looking to swallow/drink/encapsulate essential oils- I highly suggest you do a lot of research on which oils to use. From my understanding, you can only consume oils of a very specific level of quality. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go drinking the oil you found at the check out line of your local drugstore!!!

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WHAT OIL DO I CHOOSE?

Now, let’s talk about oil quality. I am sure you have a few people you know selling you a certain brand of oils & they all claim their oils are the best- but does it really matter?

Long story short, YES, IT MATTERS. Oil quality is of upmost important. Not all oils are created equally & the cheap ones must be avoided. Sadly, for a reason unknown to me, companies can label their oils anyway they want… whether true or not. SO, if it says “pure” on the label, don’t trust that. More research needs to be done to really see what additives those oils may contain.

Oils are expensive, that’s the truth, but it’s one of those things you do not want to cut corners on. If you find a big bottle of Bulgarian Rose oil for $8… proceed with caution. A LOT goes into make essential oils- the quality of the plant matter, the time of year the plants were harvested, how it was distilled, etc. etc.

The first thing to look out for is the name of the oil, the label should always read the common name as well as the latin name! If that’s not on the label, that’s your first red flag.

Personally, I have used Uncle Harry’s essential oils for years now & I love them.

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READY TO DIFFUSE? Here are some of my fave recipes::

SHOP ESSENTIAL OILS