Essential Oils and How They Can Help You

Essential oils are highly concentrated, organic compounds that are extracted from plants, providing the absolute essence of these plants in liquid form. Though the doses seem very small, they pack a huge punch to provide a variety of health and environmental benefits due to how concentrated the resulting products are (for example, it takes about three pounds of lavender flowers to make 15ml of lavender essential oil).

Oils can be diffused or applied topically after being diluted with a carrier oil, such as coconut, jojoba or rosehip oil. They can also be inhaled directly and sometimes ingested, however, ingestion is a little tricky as it depends on the type and quality of the oil in question so it should only be done with the advice of an aromatherapist or doctor.

Oils can be used daily and mixed together, but studies suggest that essential oils should be used in combination with modern medicine, not as a replacement.

Here are some times when you can use essential oils:

As An Insect Repellant

Essential oils also work great as natural insect repellents with great effectiveness. Some oils well known for this are arborvitae, clove, eucalyptus, and patchouli.

In one study, clove oil was found to be the most effective out of 38 essential oils. It provided 100% protection against three different species of mosquitoes for two to four hours.

A point to note about the study, however, is that the oils were most effective when used undiluted. Some essential oils can be harsh when applied to the skin so you should read a reference guide before getting started.

As a Natural Cleaner

Essential oils are great substitutes to chemical cleaners and are just as effective. They can also be used as supplements to make your current cleaner even more effective.

The power of essential oils as cleaners come from the multitude of antibacterial and antifungal properties that many of these oils have. Some oils generally known to be excellent cleaners include clove, cedarwood, thyme and citrus essential oils such as lemon or orange.

You can make an all purpose cleaner by mixing 2 cups of water, 2 cups of vinegar, a teaspoon of natural dish soap and 30 drops of lemon essential oil. If you don’t need that much, you can reduce the ingredients proportionately. Also, the versatility and sheer selection of essential oils means that there are plenty of other mixtures that you can use to create a natural cleaning solution powered by essential oils.  

To Cope With Pain

Pain and inflammation from injuries can be effectively treated with a number of essential oils, such as chamomile, lavender, and frankincense. You can use a carrier oil to dilute them and massage into the affected area to get the benefits of the oils.  Some essential oils can also be inhaled to open up nasal airways when you’re feeling stuffy. Eucalyptus is most popular and effective for this use.

To Help With Sleep

Lavender, vetiver, roman chamomile, ylang ylang , bergamot, sandalwood, marjoram, cedarwood are all essential oils that promote quality sleep.

Lavender especially, has been studied extensively for its effectiveness as a mild sedative with overwhelmingly positive results.  

To use, the oils can be inhaled directly or diffused close to bedtime as a calming agent. Another way to use essential oils at bedtime is to mix them with carrier oil in a spray bottle and mist it on the pillows and sheets.

What About Diseases?

Essential oils should not be used as a treatment or cure for any type of disease or disorder. The usefulness of essential oils lies in their ability to instead manage the symptoms associated with certain diseases – not necessarily addressing the root of the diseases.

Bio

Trysh Sutton is a wife, mother, strategic leader and teacher. She runs a website called Pure Path Essential Oils, which is a naturopathic wellness site that promotes healthy living and healing through the use of essential oils and sustainable living.  You can follow her on social media to learn more about the benefits of essential oils, and healthy living practices.

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Youtube | Google Plus