Say Yes
If I asked you if you want to feel better, naturally, it would be the easiest “yes” that has ever passed through your lips. One of the easiest ways to naturally heal your body is with Aromatherapy and essential oils.
The earliest records suggest that essential oils came from India, Persia, and Egypt. They have been used for centuries by many cultures for a variety of reasons. Although, Aromatherapy didn’t gain popularity in the United States until around the 80’s. Despite their long history and varieties of use, essential oils have been studied for their effects on stress, pain, nausea, sleep, anxiety, depression and more!
What is an essential oil and what are they used for? These oils are made from very concentrated plant extracts and have many benefits depending on the oil you choose. You can use oils to diffuse, inhale or mix with a carrier oil to directly apply to your skin or use for massage. For example, Cedarwood essential oil smells like thick syrup and can aid in stress relief, sleep and the circulatory system/airways. Lavender essential oil is perfect for burns. Peppermint essential oil will zap a headache!
Synergy oils are are blends of essential oils that work together more efficiently. For example a mix of Lavender, Petitgrain, Grapefruit and Ylang Ylang creates a calming effect. You can find these plant extracts in a variety of products you probably already use like lotion, household cleaners, massages and even in the treatment of cancer. The benefits of essential oils are so wide ranging, affordable and far more prevalent than you think.
Essential oil are made by steaming or pressing various part of a plant. This captures a concentrated compound that give the plant its unique fragrance. When used in Aromatherapy or inhaled, the essential oil travels (the oil itself doesn’t go into the brain, but it stimulates a response) to interact with scent receptors, which stimulate the olfactory nerve. The olfactory nerve connects to the brain and is where all the benefits begin. Essential oils also create effects when you apply them to your skin. Your skin is the biggest organ and instantly absorbs any product you put on it. Essential oils get into your bloodstream and improve your overall health. Typically essential oils being applied to the skin are mixed with a carrier oil like jojoba, coconut, castor, avocado or almond oil. This will dilute the plant extract and protect your skin barrier. It is suggested 1 drop of essential oil per 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.
While you should always be doing you own research, getting informed and determine your purpose for using essential oils before getting started, overall essential oils are a cost friendly way to naturally heal. When and how often you use will vary on your intended use and as you do with everything else, start small. Once you have landed on some oils you want to try, head over to our online shop or visit a holistic healthcare store to buy safe and quality essential oils. While the quality of essential oils vary greatly, there are a number of things to be looking for that greatly effect the quality including the plants used, processing methods and packaging and handling. At The Modern Necessities Company we use Young Living Essential Oil to ensure quality control. Here are a few things you should be looking for when shopping…
The Latin name of the plant and its meaning
The name of the country where the plants are or where grown
A statement about the purity of the oil
All and all we love essential oils and the benefits they provide. It is so much easier to get started than you think! In future post we will talk about different oil combination and even the benefits of different points of topical application.