What if the Way We Use Essential Oils is Stressing Our Body?
If I had to pick the one common question I am consistently asked it is, “how often should I use these oils?” Before diving into my answer, I would like to take a moment to share a few thoughts regarding the context of that question.
Where did we come up with the idea that there must be a specific or required way to use essential oils? I’ll tell you where, it’s a human belief, essentially made up as they went. The development of the pharmaceutical industry is a fascinating story, dating back to the Sumerians which continued through the centuries. By 1729, we saw the introduction of a retail pharmacy in Philadelphia with the first prescriptions being written in 1752. However, between the Sumerians and 1852 when the standardization of pharmaceuticals began, man relied on plants. Up until 1729, our ancestors visited apothecaries with walls and drawers full of various types of dried plants and tinctures for medicine. This continued well into the early twentieth century until the voice of the FDA became the predominant force, slowly dismantling the ability to use natural medicine. By 1942, the industrialization of pharmaceuticals took precedence. Yet, the study of plants and their constituents has and continues to underscore the evolution of drug development. Plants. And, at no time, did a plant come equipped with a prescription for how often to use it or how much to take.
Now, I understand that some plants are more toxic than others, and more than likely, people died along the way. That’s a tough and rough way to discover something. However, we learned and employed discernment through the years. The more valuable point here is medications are manufactured, yet, based on the study of plants and their influence on the human genome. They are not miraculous gifts from above. Their origin and ongoing invention is due to our forefathers understanding the way plants benefit human health. Aside from this, what was the script for how often and when we should use them?
We made it all up!
That said, that antiquated theory does not apply to how we use medicines today. Current pharmaceuticals are very specific in their mechanism of action. Designed to control various functions throughout the body which is why we need a written prescription telling us exactly how to take them and when. Not surprisingly, the same applies to our use of nutraceuticals. Many of those products contain ingredients that also influence the body’s use of them which I consider a form of control. This certainly explains the instructions for use on the back of every bottle.
Enough of that. The bottom line to recommended usage for truly natural remedies is that it’s all made up which brings me back to essential oils.
How often and when? Well, I certainly provide my clients with suggested amounts and time frames BUT, I invite their feedback, along the way. Every body is unique, and there is no telling how any one body will respond to a remedy albeit manmade or natural. This is the primary reason we don’t start several new things at one time.
So how often and when? I generally start out with 5 to 6 drops twice a day UNLESS there is an obvious concern that requires a greater deal of attention. In that case, I might recommend a similar amount of oil blend 3 to 4 times a day and / or taking a bath in them. I cannot emphasize enough the degree of difference between bodies. This fact makes it a neglectful act when someone comes forward with a recommendation. Additionally, the body changes with time making it necessary to alter the amounts, frequency and oils used!
You read that right. I recommend changing out the oils used rather frequently, sometimes as often as every few days. Why?
The chemistry of the body changes with the addition of oils .. which is a GOOD thing. However, the longer we stick with the same oils, the greater the chances are we find ourselves in a cycle of control.
A number of essential oils are very direct in the way they influence our neurochemistry. This includes estrogen-like activity as well as serotonin, acetylcholine, and dopamine. Between this understanding and the fact that the chemistry is affected almost immediately when introduced to oils, altering them several times a week has a bigger benefit than sticking to the same one for weeks on end. Why? Because change does a body good.
I know I’m being silly and it’s true. The less effort we put into telling the body what it should do, the easier it becomes for it to effectively respond to the needs of the system.
Let’s think on this for a moment, Another word for ease is proficient. The meaning of the prefix dis is the opposite. Therefore, disease means the opposite of proficiency, effortlessness or mastery (additional synonyms for ease). With this knowledge, it’s fair to say that restoring ease, lightening up on our strategies and moderating our approach to health could actually lead to dis-disease.
Herein lies the argument for being more fluid with our use of essential oils (no pun intended). There is no need to be regimented. This level of thinking is fear-based and buys into the theory that the body is defective, dysfunctional, and incapable. While discomfort, disorders, and disease are all signs that the system is struggling, they are not indicators of damaged, nonfunctioning goods. If that were the case, we’d be in the ground because a body that is not working, dies. Therefore, take comfort in knowing you are alive and when symptoms come up, our responsibility is to provide care. What does it need? Ask yourself, what do I need? It ‘s your home and quite capable of protecting you. That’s actually what it has been doing your entire life. The symptoms are merely a request for assistance. It doesn’t need us to assume control, it just needs us to pay better attention.
Culturally, there is an interesting dichotomy around the concept of resistance. Eckart Tolle says: what you resist persists. At the same time, there is a tremendous political movement to resist. Believe it or not, this spills out onto our health.
When we resist something, we’re meeting that which oppose with equal force. This is how and why issues go on with little, if any, improvement. We’re focusing on the thing we don’t want. (did someone mention manifestation or the law of attraction?) Our aim is to rid the bad and wrong. I get this to the very core of my being. When I’m done with something, I’m done. Be gone. However, through my own experiences with health issues, the more attention or concern I directed at the specific challenge, the longer the symptom lasted. One could argue that by taking care of the discomfort I was accepting of the condition and did what I could to help it. While this may be an accurate statement, I was, in fact, resisting the body’s ability to restore stability by taking over and administering substances that would do the job, instead. You see, resistance is no different than doubt. When we are uncertain and / or suspicious, we implement actions that compensate for the potential risk because we prefer life and health to be predictable. Nothing could be further from reality. Very little about either one is foreseeable. We perceive life, people and the nature of nature as unsafe unless we are in control. Therefore, our reaction matches the force of that which we have a problem with and / or dislike.
Let’s be honest. Illness, poor health and dis-ease makes us uncomfortable in body and mind. When we address our concerns from the point of dis-comfort, we lack ease. How can we expect to restore ease with a mindset of dis-ease?
As a side note: this is what I see happening in our society. The more resistance, the greater the division. As the say, as above, so below, Or, the external world is a reflection of the inner world.
Nevertheless, using essential oils does not mean we’re treating the body holistically. While they are natural remedies (for the most part), when we apply them with the mindset to fix, we are neglecting the body’s natural abilities. What’s more, when we focus on specific suggestions and use them month after month for such issues as weight loss, depression, high blood pressure, anxiety, etc, we’re in resistance mode. We’re assuming the body is not functioning properly and needs for us to take over.
Allow me to say this about every condition listed above, they are ALL related to a hormonal imbalance due to an activated stress system. Which hormone is the problem DOES NOT matter. In fact, it’s not just one. The longer we attempt to control the body, the more we’re attempting to force change. Yet here’s the secret, change is not static. It’s an organic process. While essential oils do modify and alter genetic and cellular activity, sending the same message leads to bigger changes with additional activations and deactivations throughout the system. This is the very same breakdown that occurs with medications and why we end up needing to change medications or add new ones to the current protocol.
Therefore, the bottom line is variety. As they say, variety is the spice of life. In my world and something I shared on my other website, change is the engagement factor. To stick with the same essential oils and / or blends is unknowingly stressful because of the way they are promoted. Depending on what you’re using, the same chemicals are being influenced moment by moment, day by day, month by month which of course leads to additional or different symptoms. Therefore, give yourself permission to frequently change them out and engage the body’s ability to do what it’s designed to do. Take care of you!
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