What's the big deal with Essential Oils?

With all the posts we may see going around about essential oils you can’t help but feel that whoever is using them, thinks they have some magical properties or powers inside them. (I mean these people seem crazy right?! Probably brewing potions over the kitchen stove as we speak.) I admit sometimes they do feel pretty powerful when you’re son has been up in his crib for over an hour and looks like he has no intention of calming down but then you apply some Peace and Calming oil and he’s asleep 5 min later. Pretty awesome. But really there is nothing extraordinary about essential oils. There are no magical ingredients put in the bottles or voodoo chants done over the bottles before they ship out to you. They’re just plants. Plants that God has given to us to be healthy and to have a better life. Plants that have been taken and very carefully been distilled so we can benefit from them better (depending on the company you buy from… do your research!) All the oils I will talk about come from Young Living. An amazing company that farms and distills their own oils. Love this company. I want to give you 3 reasons why I decided to do Essential Oils.

#1) I want to get rid of as many chemicals in my life as possible. I love the day and age we live in. Everything is modern and convenient. But this can come with a price. Most everything we use has chemicals in it. I’m not ready to get rid of all the things I love and live in the hills, grow my own food, and stop using products that make me more beautiful (give me my spray gel and mascara). But I do want to cut down on what I can. I recently read a fantastic book by Dr. Wentz called “The Healthy Home.” This book is phenomenal (and slightly depressing) as he goes through every room in your house and tells you what could be in that room that’s adding chemicals to your life (so many things I never thought about!)  He talks about how the government “has come up with the term “maximum safe levels” to tell you how much of a toxic ingredient you body should be able to withstand.” The problem is companies use this “maximum safe level” in their product, but we use multiple products. Think about what you use every day on your body alone; shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, gel, face wash, toner, lotion(s), each individual piece of makeup, nailpolish, deodorant, perfume, shaving cream, sunscreen, etc. If each of these items reaches the maximum safety level for toxicity we are way over what our bodies can handle. And we haven’t even started on cleaning products (or food for that matter). Oils have replaced a lot of these things for me and I love that.

#2) I love modern medicine. I think doctors are fantastic and I'm very grateful. I’m alive because of them and have a son because of them. I am not in a position to get off my medication (ever) so if I've learned anything from being on medication my whole life it's that you want to be on as little as possible!! By using essential oils I can't stop taking my medication but it can help my body function better in a natural way. My son has eczema and because of oils I don’t have to put steroid creams on him and he can have beautiful healthy skin! Whenever he gets a cut I use the lavender oil and not only does is sooth but heals in half the time.  The other night I was getting a canker sore. Normally I would just wait it out but I put a little Thieves on it (an oil I explain below) and it was gone the next day. No medications, no side effects. Oils can help naturally *always consult a physician*! And again it goes back to the whole “less chemicals” idea.

This brings me to #3. I LOVE eating healthy (although I'm far from perfect.) I feel better knowing I'm helping my body function better. I love to juice, do green smoothies, eat veggies, fruits, etc. If we eat the right food, our bodies perform so much better. BUT there is no way I could eat enough to do what all my oils do for me.

Did you know oregano fights infection? And to make a very long story short I have a disease called Cystic Fibrosis which causes my body to have infections all the time. Sure I could eat however many cups of oregano a day, maybe put it in a smoothie or get it into the dinner I’m making that night. OR I could just take oregano that is highly potent through becoming an oil, put a couple drops in an empty capsule, and swallow. Easier right? 

So let’s say I did eat all these plants to make my life better. Try getting my son to eat some of these plants. There is an oil called Thieves. It’s an oil blend meaning it contains multiple oils (clove, cinnamon bark, Rosemary, Lemon, and Eucalyptus (E.radiata).  The Thieves oil blend helps support the immune system. Every Sunday my son plays with kids his age (and their germs) at church. I love that he can do this but when we get home there’s no way he would eat anyone one of the items I mentioned above, not to mention the amount of each item he would have to eat to make them potent enough. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t even blend them into a smoothie that would make them taste good. But he will let me put a couple drops of Thieves oil on the bottom of his feet! 

I could go on but I think you get my point. 

It can seem pricey especially when just starting (trust me I know.) But when you make your own chemical free cleaning/beauty products (that you don't have to worry about if your son accidentally ingests because they're all food based) it can be cheaper in the long run then whatever you may be buying (and did I mention healthier). :) Plus once you start and have a good base you just add on slowly. Not every oil works the same for every person and it can get frustrating/overwhelming when you're trying to figure out what works for your family but they do work. Maybe not all of them, but some of them will work for you!

To end... oils are awesome! Maybe you're still a skeptic, that's fine, but they're just plants. Plants that I'm finally utilizing to make my life better.