Compassionate
Consulting
Introduction to
Essential Oils
Why Use Essential Oils?
How many times has the
smell of some “thing” immediately taken you back to an old memory or pleasant
feeling? The smell of wood burning in
the fireplace takes me back to a morning forty-some years ago at our family
campsite in the
Do you know why this happens? It’s because our noses are connected (through
the ‘olfactory system’) to part of the brain, called the amygdala that holds
those “feeling memories” for us. In
fact, the sense of smell is the only one of our five senses that bypasses the
“thinking” part of the brain and then brings forward a picture or feeling from
the past.
This turns out to be very helpful in
releasing stress or anxiety because the smell of an essential oil can bring a
peaceful calm to the body and mind: it “unlocks” the feeling where it is being
held in the body.
You may already be familiar with the idea that “aromatherapy” can help relax you. But did you know that essential oils can also support each of the systems in the body? We’re talking about circulation, digestion, immunity, the endocrine (hormones) system and so much more!
My goal is to help you understand how the natural gift of pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils can bring you physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
My story: I first came to believe in essential oils
when I traveled to
Click here to read the rest of my story…..
What are Essential Oils and why do
we use them?
Essential oils are the volatile liquids (the first time I heard that word I thought that meant flammable; it actually means they evaporate easily) that have been distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds. While essential oils have been used medicinally for thousands of years to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses, it's only been in the last 70 years that medical researchers have been documenting their effects. Essential oils carry oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells; they can stimulate the regeneration of tissue and provide comfort and healing for digestive disorders. Essential oils offer pleasing fragrances that improve mood, create a positive environment and heal emotional wounds.
If you learn only one thing about essential oils, KNOW that essential oils work because they contain so many healing compounds inside; it’s the healing compounds (like neryl acetate or linalool or beta caryophylline) that support the body in bringing balance and healing.
- Essential oils are
comprised of hundreds of tiny molecules that work together synergistically
to help the body
- When used
appropriately, essential oils are a safe healing tool
- Essential oils are
easy to use
- Essential oils have
been studied extensively for effectiveness
o
Pub Med has over 7000 listings of studies done on essential oils: these
studies show they are helpful to the body
o
Thousands of scientific studies are going on around the world today
How and Why
do essential oils work for us?
Fragrance
- Fragrance travels through the olfactory
pathway to the limbic portion of the brain (amygdala) releasing stressful
feelings
- Fragrances bypass the ‘thinking’ or cognitive
parts of the brain, so the essential oil can ‘do its work’ to calm, relax
or stimulate the mind and body
- Compounds like sesquiterpenes cross the blood brain barrier, carrying oxygen to receptor sites of pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands. More oxygen availability to these important glands can mean better secretion of antibodies, neurotransmitters and endorphins. Essential oils can also release toxins that plug receptor sites in the brain, thus lifting ‘brain fog’
- Therapeutic grade essential oils are pure,
unadulterated plant extracts and are safe to apply directly on skin. At times, diluting your essential oil
with a high quality, organic carrier oil, like jojoba oil is recommended
- Essential oils are easily absorbed into the
skin. Because of their small size, their molecules go through each layer of the skin and can quickly be detected in the bloodstream just minutes later
- The half life of essential oils is short –
from a few minutes to a few days; this means you will not build up toxins
in your body
- Essential oils bring 21% more oxygen to all of the body’s cells within 20 minutes of application
Ingestion
-
Essential oils can be used internally for a variety
of reasons like fighting infection & digestive issues.
- Drop into teaspoon of honey if unable to
swallow capsules
- When added to food, essential oils can improve
nutrient absorption into the cells
Do we
need to be concerned about Side Effects?
- Essential oils do not have harmful side
effects! There is an innate wisdom
in these special plants from Nature.
In simple terms, essential oils stimulate the body to return to normal
function
- Essential oils are much safer than pharmaceutical
prescriptions
- Toxicity to the point of death with essential
oils occurs only in massive overdosing.
The bottles of essential oils you are likely to buy have
single-drop dispensers to prevent overdosing
- Cleaning agents under your sink are actually
far more toxic than essential oils!
Today there are no current
standards for production or sales in the
Identifying essential
oils today
- Perfume grade oils are usually diluted to
increase volume & profit
- Perfume grade oils are adulterated, stripped,
or extracted with solvents
- Perfume grade oils may be toxic or cause adverse reactions
- Pure, therapeutic grade essential oils come
from organically grown plants
- Organic plants are then harvested at peak so
that important compounds are preserved for healing
- Plants are distilled at low temperatures, over long periods at low pressure; THIS PROTECTS
THE DELICATE HEALING COMPOUNDS INSIDE THE OIL!!!
- Production companies should be equipped with a
testing laboratory to verify an oil's composition (GC/MS)
- What are you paying for your oils? Therapeutic grade essential oils cannot
be bought over the counter!
Any
products mentioned, techniques, personal usage tips or other information
provided here is for informational purposes only and is not intended to
diagnose, treat, prescribe for, or cure any disease, ailment or injury to the
body and no responsibility is accepted for such usage. Statements made herein
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The decision to
use or not to use any of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader.
Jean’s Favorite
oils:
In defense of Gary
Young:
An organization called Quack Watch has posted a scathing on-line attack on Gary Young. This has caused a lot of people to question Gary and Young Living. If you have seen this website, you need to know that Quack Watch has attacked almost everything that is non-medical, in a campaign that one federal judge likened to racketeering.
Read an excellent rebuttal to the Quack Watch
Website: “Watching the Quacker”
Back to Jean’s
favorites:
Valor
This was the
first essential oil I fell in love with. My massage therapist let me sample
several in 2002 and I haven't been without this one since then! Valor
helps balance your body's electrical field and I feel very grounded and
centered when I apply it to the soles of my feet or sacrum and cervical spine.
Valor is a primary oil used in Raindrop Technique!
Grounding
My nose followed this oil next. The stabilizing aroma brings
my attention to a deep place in my solar plexus and just brings my energy down
if I am feeling anxious or uncertain. I began using these two oils on a daily
basis when I experienced a year of fear, depression and insecurity. I
believe it helped me get back on my feet! I apply this oil on my sacrum and
cervical spine.
Sacred Mountain
This is my 3rd favorite oil from Young Living and like the first two blends above, it also contains the essential oil of Spruce. I use this blend frequently, right across my chest, to feel empowered going into my day, no matter what the challenges.
Jean Oswald RN CCA CNHP
jean@compassionateconsulting.net
585-872-6242
