3 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Essential Oils
There is much to be gained by including essential oils into our daily life. At the same time, there are a few factors that are important to consider in order to get the best results … if you really want them!
3 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Essential Oils
Know the quality of your oils - this is significantly important because the quality of an essential oil is determined by the way it is produced, not it’s systemic action. What this means is the claim that a batch of oils is ‘therapeutic grade’ only indicates their systemic activity .. that’s all. On the other hand, when we consider whether an oil is ‘genuine and authentic’, ‘pure’ or ‘natural’, now we’re in a position to ascertain their quality due to the manner in which they were distilled. Mass produced oils tend to be higher in monoterpenes as a result of being processed at a higher pressure and temperature. These are typically the oils labelled pure and natural. The genuine and authentic are not as common and require 1) an in-depth knowledge of plants in order to make sure that the only ones being distilled are of the same species and origin and 2) a lower pressure and temperature for distillation which produces a higher volume of sesquiterpenes and stronger pharmacological effects…
Eat a wholesome diet with ‘whole’ being the key ingredient … the body does better with nature-made chemicals because there is less to digest. Supplements and processed foods contain a lot more information / chemicals needing to be broken down which reduces its nutritional value as it stresses the system even further … Not to mention, when we combine the signaling qualities of essential oils with quality nutrients, we offer stability which improves digestion all the way from the gut down to the cells. You see, when a body is stressed, as all of them are thanks to the world we live in, the way it uses nutrients changes; hence, oxidative stress, inflammation, and illness. Without going into a long drawn out description, this improves when we add essential oils to our daily life. The opposite is true as well. Eating a wholesome diet, while, helpful is less effective without essential oils because the body can only do so much. On the other hand, when we add oils to the picture, dramatic changes begin to occur because essential oils are, in fact, signaling molecules modify and improve cell function.
And finally, make the effort … use your awareness to remind you to keep choosing health. This is critical. Our current cultural context relies on every modality, treatment, and remedy to be the mechanism for getting better; when, in fact, all they are, are adjuncts. In other words, we have this belief that everything we need in order to feel better comes from the outside. While there is some fact to this as many supplements and medications, do in fact, fill the gap and provide a sense of improvement… nothing could be further from the truth. Most of the products we take are designed to replace the chemicals the body is capable of producing under stable conditions and depending on the types of additives, we really do feel pretty good … that is until we decide that to stop taking them. In which case, it doesn’t take long for the old symptoms to return .. and we begin to feel like we ‘went backwards’ …this is what I mean by filling the gap. All of this aside, as long as we disregard the importance of shifting our context towards being mindful and proactive, the less effective every remedy becomes. Good health requires deliberate reminders that ‘things are ok’; that our lives are ‘not threatened’; that in this moment ‘we are safe’. These statements keep us present and aware which is how we enhance our experience of wellness.
Please don’t get me wrong, I completely understand how hard it is to see things through a positive filter when we just don’t feel well which is why I LOVE essential oils. Quite frankly, one of their greatest benefits besides symptom relief is the fact that they also provide mental and emotional support which is exactly what we need for remaining confident and uplifted. Yes, there are other choices available for improving mind and mood, but why? If you’re not already taking medications for this, or even if you are, adding oils supports the entire system as they contain 100+ active ingredients. No matter, having a brighter mindset enforces the results of combining essential oils with a wholesome diet. (Did you know Dr. Jean Valnet practiced like this and remains quite common in France today?)
I’d love for you to sign up to join my email list! When you do, you’ll receive a free essential oil dilution chart along with an hour long presentation on essential oils and medications! Would you like to learn even more about essential oils and how to integrate them into your daily life? Check out Aromatherapy as a Lifestyle .. you will not be disappointed!