I LOVE ESSENTIAL OILS!!! I was turned onto oils from the instructor who taught Cody’s tummy time class (highly recommend her!) at the CFEC and haven’t looked back! We use them at our house for headaches, fevers, scrapes, colds, coughs, bruises, bug bites, burns, disinfectant, relaxation and everything in between. Although some are expensive, I think it is totally worth it because they are completely natural and really work! I have built my supply slowly and my latest purchase, Fennel, helps with several things (including milk production)! I am certainly no expert so I asked a friend of mine to write-up a guest post on some more information for those of you interested in using essential oils!!
Before having a family, I was obsessed with the use of essential oils and made many efforts to learn more and educate myself and others about their wondrous powers. Like many new moms, the business of motherhood distracted me from many of my pre-mommy-hood hobbies and passions. I was also a little reluctant to use these powerful oils on my precious, new, little baby, until she had her first illness. I began to explore the use of essential oils for my baby because there were no medicines I could, or wanted to give her to relieve her symptoms. Even better, I wanted to help protect her from illness in the first place. I found that the powerful effect essential oils had on mind, body and spirit was something I wanted to share with my child. I began to search and explore the uses of essential oils (EOs) on babies and children. They are now a part of my family’s daily routines and an important part of our health care plan. We still visit our doctors, use medicine, when it is absolutely necessary and would not advise anyone to rely solely on essential oils or any other natural therapy for their health and wellness. We use EOs and other natural modalities as a supplemental health and wellness plan.
WHY EOs? If you have not discovered the power of essential oils yet, there are some important things to know. An essential oil is the basic, most powerful and concentrated part of a plant. They are the aromatic volatile liquids distilled from flowers, shrubs, trees, seeds, roots and bushes. They are highly concentrated and very powerful. The process by which EOs are extracted is distillation. Through this method, it may take an entire plant to produce one single drop of an essential oil. EOs have been used throughout history in medicine and are still used all over the world successfully as part of the health care plan of people and animals. They can kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. They improve health and wellness and can be used to lift the spirit and balance moods. They can carry nutrients to cells and oxygenate cells. In a word, they are powerful.
ALL EOs are not created equally. It is very important to purchase oils that are distilled at low temperatures. Distilling at high temperatures is faster and cheaper, but high temperatures can destroy the therapeutic effects of the oils. Cheaper oils you might find at the drug store do not have the same power and medicinal value that the more expensive, therapeutic grade oils have. When using therapeutic grade oils you usually only need to use one or two drops at a time. I use only Young Living essential oils. For me, there is no substitute.
Use for the whole family: You may use essential oils on children and adults alike. The important thing to remember is that the oils are very powerful and that they are nature’s medicine. A little goes a long way. I dilute EOs for my babies and toddlers. There are certain oils which I will dilute only 50/50 (half EO and half carrier oil, such as vegetable oil). There are certain oils which I dilute more. Peppermint for example, is wonderful for nausea or belly aches. My daughter asks for peppermint when she feels a tummy ache. I use about half a teaspoon of vegetable oil and three drops of peppermint oil. Peppermint can cause skin sensitivity, so for a younger child, I would dilute it even more. When I use Valor with my young daughters, they each get one drop NEAT (undiluted) on the sole of their feet. They have learned to rub their feet together and not to touch their feat. Contact with eyes can cause burning and irritation. There are many resources and books you may refer to for symptoms and the oils recommended for those symptoms. There are treatments for issues children or adults might have from A-Z. For allergies, I’d recommend RC or Raven for getting your ZZzz’s, I recommend Lavender or Dream Catcher.
‘Tis the Season: Of particular interest to many of us is finding immune support during the flu and cold season ahead. Essential oils can help support immunity and can also be used to treat and manage symptoms of cold and flu. Essential Oils provide a wonderful line of defense. The Thieves product line is my family’s first line of defense. I use Thieves for cleaning, hand sanitizing and general protection when there is exposure. Thieves is anti-viral, antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-infectious. We go one step further to help support the body’s immunity, using the blend Immupower, which gives the body a natural immunity boost and repairs DNA damage. My family also relies on essential oils for cold and flu symptom relief. Our favorites are the blends RC, Raven and Eucalyptus. We apply these oils to the skin, diluted and diffuse these oils in our home. Diffusers can be purchased online and can range in cost. Young Living also has an excellent line of diffusers available.
Use while pregnant: There are certain oils to avoid while pregnant because they have been known to cause uterine contractions in some women and could cause miscarriage. It is best to AVOID: Angelica, anise, basil, camphor, champa, citronella, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, melissa, musk, mustard, myrrh, pennyroyal, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory, Spanish Thyme, tarragon, thyme, wintergreen, raspberry. When I was pregnant, I enjoyed foot massages with my favorite essential oil, Valor, for relaxation and meditation. It has always been my “go-to” EO. If you are new to EOs and you are pregnant, I would start with one oil and use that oil for a couple of days and gradually add others to your practice. There are many wonderful EOs for discomfort and symptoms associated with pregnancy. Are you suffering heartburn, nausea or indigestion? Try peppermint. Sleepless? Lavender promotes restfulness Experiencing muscle Soreness? Massage the affected area with the AromaSiez. The list goes on and on.
Singles or Blends? A single oil is one type of EO from one plant such as Lavender. A blend is a combination of single oils, combined to work together creating a synergistic effect among the oils in the combination. Valor is an example of a blend and consists of Rosewood, Blue Tansy, Frankincense and Spruce. The combination of the oils that make up Valor have been known to restore balance and harmony to the body and mind.
Schools of Application: There are three basic models of application: French, German and English. The French method is ingesting the oil neat (undiluted). You may take capsules or you may mix the EO in agave nectar or honey and spread on a piece of bread. The English method is to dilute the EOs with a small amount of olive or vegetable oil and massage the body for relaxation and stress relief. The German method focuses on inhalation of the EOs. I have found that a combination of the three has worked best for my family. For car sickness, all we have to do is open the bottle of Peppermint and smell it. It relieves our symptoms right away. It also depends on the EO you are using. There are directions on the EO bottles and you can find volumes of information about each oil online and in reference books. My favorite reference book is “Essential Oils Desk Reference”. You may purchase this book through Essential Science Publishing.
Safety: You should read the instructions on the bottle and head all warnings, as issues like sensitivity to sunlight after application may occur. It is also important to keep all of your EOs out of reach of children and to be prepared should you experience eye contact or skin sensitivity when using an oil. Should burning or irritation occur, you will need olive oil or vegetable oil. Rinse the area repeatedly with the kitchen oil, NOT with water. Remember water and oil do not mix.
Most importantly, explore. Learn and enjoy the benefits of essential oils for your health and wellness and for that of your entire family.
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