The Many Uses of Essential Oils

Essential oils are liquid substances produced from aromatic plants. Essential oils are both volatile, meaning they evaporate, and oil soluble, meaning they will easily mix with other oils and fats. They have been around for quite some time, but in the last decade or so they have become really popular. For example, the popular essential oil company doTerra started in 2008 and by 2015 (just seven years) became a billion dollar company. People are using essential oils for all sorts of problems: sickness, cleaning, energy, body aches and soreness, trouble sleeping, energy and more. So let’s delve into a few of the most common ways you can use essential oils to help with these everyday struggles.

Sleeping/Relaxing and Waking Up/Energizing

Trying to wind down after a very stressful day can be difficult. There are many synthetic sleep aids out there, but they often have unwanted side effects. Essential oils can be appealing in this scenario because being all natural you can avoid those side effects. Some soothing oils include: lavender, ylang ylang, Roman chamomile, clary sage, orang, vetiver, geranium, melissa, sandalwood, bergamot, rose. To relax, you can add oils to a diffuser, place some drops on your pillow, spray some onto all your bedding, or you could mix some drops into a bath.

On the opposite end, there are a few essential oils to help invigorate your body. These include, peppermint, eucalyptus, white fir, lemon, basil, wintergreen, and thyme. Some ways to help give you that extra energy boost are diffusion, adding a few drops to your morning beverage, and placing a few drops on the floor of your shower.

Personal Care and Well Being

You can help sooth your muscles by massaging essential oils onto your muscles and joints before and/or after exercise. Use Deep Blue, marjoram, white fir or eucalyptus. Oils have also been used to increase concentration, memory, focus, and meditation. This can be achieved by diffusion or a refreshing spray on your face. For deeper focus and meditation, use sandalwood and frankincense. For memory and concentration, try using rosemary, peppermint, frankincense, lavender, and lemon.

Household Cleaning Tips

Many essential oils have been known to help kill bacteria, mold, spores, and even viruses making them great for cleaning kitchens and bathrooms. For a disinfecting spray use lemon, melaleuca, lime, cinnamon, thyme, or peppermint. Mix five to six drops with one ounce of water. For a deodorizing spray, try peppermint, clary sage, melaleuca, lavender, geranium, or eucalyptus. Mix the same as a disinfectant spray. To treat hard stains like gum or grease use lemon oil. Feel free to try some of these oils in your laundry to help freshen clothes and kill germs.

When using oils it is important to use small amounts, especially when first using them. It is important to know any dangers associated with using around or on children and pets. They can be affected differently. But overall, oils are natural and safe.