The Top Five Essential Oils for Your Health
Essential oils carry the physical properties of flowers and plants in a highly concentrated form. They are, in short, the essence of the plant and can provide therapeutic benefits in very small amounts. The particles in essential oils, which come from various parts of the plant such as the flowers, twigs, leaves or bark, can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and their use can be traced back for thousands of years. Essential oils were even used in ancient Egyptian times, and were made by soaking plants in oil and then filtering the oil through a linen bag.
Most essential oils have cleaning qualities and have varying physical and emotional effects depending on the oil, such as stimulation, relaxation, and healthy body system support. The most common ways to use essential oils include:
- Aromatherapy
- Massaging them (blended with a carrier oil) into the skin
- Adding them to bathwater
- Using them in a compress
- Diffusing them in a cold air ultrasonic diffuser (order here)
In The Maker’s Diet, Dr. Jordan Rubin recommends 14 essential oils that have unique heath supporting properties. He suggests putting five to 10 drops (total) of these “top health supporting oils” into a warm bath with epsom salt for a special treat. I encourage you to check out The Maker’s Diet to learn more about some of the more exotic, but highly effective, essential oils available.
I’d also like to point out that essential oils are not the same thing as fragrance oils. Essential oils come from plants while fragrance oils are artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals. While they may smell good and are typically less expensive, they will not give you the therapeutic benefits of organic essential oils–and you don’t want to be inhaling any synthetic chemicals! So, please be sure that the essential oil you use is of the highest quality and 100 percent pure such as Young Living (order here).
Lavender:
- stress
- sleep
- skin support
- good moods
Peppermint:
- Good energy
- digestion
- focus
- refreshing
- muscle support
Frankincense essential oil:
- meditation
- prayer
- immune support
- clarity
- massage
Thieves essential oil:
- immune support
- bathroom and kitchen cleaning
- home air freshening
- healthy mouth
Lemon essential oil:
- cleaning
- healthy skin
- home freshening
- good moods
- healthy outlook
- digestive support
- healthy endocrine system support
Bonus: Sandalwood essential oil:
- self esteem
- healthy skin support
- endocrine support
- sleep support
5 of these essential oils are available in the premium starter kit which is the best value. It also comes with a cold air ultrasonic diffuser (order here)
Caution: Essential oils can produce very strong and significant changes in tiny amounts. They must be used with caution, especially during pregnancy. It is important to consult someone knowledgeable in aromatherapy before experimenting with these oils.
* Although sandalwood is a beneficial oil, the trees must be felled to collect the product and there has been much over-harvesting. Indian sandalwood is controlled by the Indian government, which allows a limited amount of the essential oil to be traded on the world market. However, due to its high value sandalwood may be produced illegally without replanting programs in place. There is concern that this oil should be on the endangered list and many essential oil producers are contemplating not selling it, so you may want to seek an alternative oil, such as Western Australian sandalwood. One reason I chose Young Living is because it has its own sustainable farm for sandalwood in Hawaii with beyond organic practices.
Want to learn more about essential oils? I have been studying a lot about them lately and using them on myself and my family to make our own personal care and cleaning products. I have found a brand that I really trust and believe in.
Read more about which ones I like.
Sign up for my 14 day e-course about essential oils here.