Author: Sally McIntyre, Guest Blogger
When you first heard of the words essential oils, you might have thought of these products as either woo-woo or too intimidating to learn about. Whichever the case, essential oils are a form of alternative medicine that is backed by clinical and experimental scientific research.
What Are Essential Oils?
To put it in simple terms, essential oils are oils that have been extracted from plants via mechanical pressing (ex. cold-pressing) or steam/water distillation. What makes them “essential” is that they contain the “essence” of plant fragrances. Synthetic essential oils, on the other hand, are not considered true essential oils.
Why Use Essential Oils?
Essential oils are used to improve and maintain our physical, mental, and/or emotional wellness. They can aid in immune system and function support, respiratory system support, digestive health, free radical damage protection, cardiovascular system support, body detoxification, and nervous system support to name a few health benefits.
Recent research by doTERRA scientific experts have provided insight on the ability of essential oils to promote protective cellular responses, induce healthy structural remodelling, influence gene expression, and even the biological activity of essential oils in a human skin model.
How Are Essential Oils Used?
Essential oils can be used in three application methods: aromatically, topically, or internally.
AROMATIC— Diffusing essential oils is one of the most traditional and favoured ways to enjoy their aromatic benefits. A few drops of essential oils can either be diluted in water in a diffuser and, when diffused, a fine mist is dispersed, or put into your palms and then inhaled from cupped hands. This method of application has the power to purify the air around you and/or influence your mental, emotional, and physical body.
TOPICAL— The topical application of essential oils involves applying them directly onto your skin, or mixing them with carrier oils or other personal care products in order to safely penetrate your skin. Applying essential oils to the bottoms of your feet is a great way to get the oil into your body since the largest pores on your body reside there! This method of application is beneficial for soothing your mind and body.
INTERNAL— Ingesting essential oils may be involve adding them to a drink, cooking with them, placing a drop of essential oil under your tongue or on the roof of your mouth, or taking them in capsule form. This method of application can have a positive impact on the digestive, respiratory, and immune systems.
It is important to note that some essential oils cannot be applied in all three ways – some oils are only for topical use, while others are not digestible. So, when shopping for essential oils, take the time to learn whether the oil(s) in question support which method(s) of application.
Choosing the Right Essential Oils
While essential oils are widely known for their healing properties, it is important to emphasize their purity, quality and reputation.
Many essential oil producers claim that their oils are “pure”. However, terms like this, are not universally established due to the quality and composition of each brand of essential oils varying greatly. As a result, they hold very little weight.
One credible essential oil producer that we support is doTERRA. Without an accepted standard for essential oil quality, doTERRA created its own Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) testing process. The CPTG process certifies that there are no added fillers, synthetic ingredients, or harmful contaminants in their essential oils that would reduce their effectiveness. doTERRA also uses innovative research methods and cutting-edge simulation technology never previously used to investigate essential oils and their biological pathway.
At Pure Body Health, we carry doTERRA essential oils as well as our own homemade essential oil blends using doTERRA essential oils. When you’re in our wellness clinic next, don’t hesitate to ask our staff for information and advice on our essential oil products!
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