What I Love about Essential Oils

At the risk of sounding like I've gone completely crazy over this stuff, (I may have, I'll let you jump to your own conclusions) it's another Essential Oils post. This time, a few of my favorite things about EO's. Numbers 2-10 are not in any particular order. I don't mean to be annoying, I just feel like I've found a valuable secret and I can't help but pass it on. And so, without further ado....

at the park with the kids. they play. i read. we're all happy.

10 things I Love about EO's.

10. They are 100% natural. No synthetics, no harmful chemicals, no side effects.  [That is if you buy them from a reputable company. There are no standards in the U.S. for the production and sales of EO's. In other words, companies can write whatever they please on the bottle whether it's true or not, nobody is regulating that. 80% of the oils on the market are perfume grade, these are not going to work therapeutically. Do your homework. Know what you are getting! end of lecture.]

9. They are easy to use. Most of them (if not all) are used topically. There are other ways too, but rubbing a bit on the skin is so much easier for me than gagging down a horse pill or squirting nasty tasting stuff down the kid's throats.

8. They are handy. I can order whatever I want, whenever I want it. I keep my little supply stocked up so that when someone starts to get sick I can attack it early. I used to dread those first signs of coughing/runny noses in my kids. Can't say I look forward to them now but I don't live in that constant state of wondering whether they'll be able to kick this on their own or if this will be the time we end up in the Dr.'s office. I've never been one to run to the Dr. over every little thing. My Doc told me himself it's always better to let the kids fight off as much as then can on their own. But things changed when my kids started school. If the child is out for 3 days the school requires a Dr.'s note to return. My Dr. is a really nice guy but he hasn't taken to writing notes for kids he hasn't seen yet. So I'd have to take them in, and he'd give me a prescription, "just in case." Which brings up the next issue, antibiotics that don't work anymore because they've been overused.

7. They are "smarter" than the bugs. Since the growing conditions etc. are never exactly the same for the plants that the oils are made from, the oils themselves vary slightly. Mass produced pharmaceuticals are always exactly the same, which is why the bacteria/viruses get 'smart' to them after awhile and they no longer work. Not a problem with EO's.

6. You can't overdose. Okay, don't take that as a challenge, folks. Common sense is still the lead player here. But I don't have to be forever counting doses, and remembering what time I gave who, what. This is great news for a Mom of 5! I use them as needed. I make adjustments I till I find what works for me/us. I don't panic if I realize to late that I grabbed the wrong bottle. I've even used them on kids who thought they were gonna need hospitalization for a minor scratch, or so it seemed. Just like a band-aid makes it feel better even when it's not bleeding, a little EO solves a multitude of issues that don't even exist. :) But I don't feel bad giving it to them because I know it's not hurting them a bit.

5. They are economical. So when you first hear the price of a small bottle, it may sound like a lot, but a little goes a long way.  I purchased an EO in February to treat my high blood pressure. Prices vary greatly for different oils but that particular oil was about $40. I use it twice every day and I doubt if the bottle is more than half empty yet. (Okay, so just cause I'm weird like that, I went up and checked, it's almost exactly half full.) At this rate that bottle will last me 7- 8 months. I was paying $30 something a month for my prescriptions. Do the math. And that doesn't count the fact that I had to pay a Dr. to write that script and then run somewhere to pick it up every month.

4. They are versatile. One oil does MANY things. I think Lavender get the prize for most uses. It's great for promoting relaxation and sleep. It's good for burns, bug bites, rashes and cuts. I've heard it works for allergies and eczema and a host of other things. (See #6. If you can use Lavender in place of tylenolPM, cortizone cream, Neosporin, Zyrtec and Benedryl, which do you suppose is cheaper to keep on hand.)

3. They don't expire. If stored properly, out of direct light and heat, they will stay potent and useful. (See #6, AGAIN. :) How many times have you thrown out a half a bottle of tylenol because it was too long in between teething episodes or illnesses?

2. They don't just fight the "bad guys" they also rejuvenate the "good guys." So, if by chance you bought a bottle of EO to treat a specific issue and that oil didn't work for that issue in your body (everybody is different.) You've not done yourself any harm (see #1) or wasted your money, your body is still likely benefiting from the oil.

And my favorite thing about EO's....

1. God made them, for ME. It's just so neat for me to think about that. The God who made our incredibly complex bodies also made a whole range of (almost as complex) plants and he made them to work together. There are hundreds of different kinds of EO's and I have yet to try and research an issue that doesn't come up with an answer. Yup, there is an app oil for that! EO's have been around since Bible times. They are mentioned 180+ times in the Bible. My question for you is, "What do you suppose Sarah did when little Isaac was teething and spiked a fever?" Somehow I tend to just assume maybe things were different back then, maybe they didn't get sick like us. Maybe so, sort of, but they were human and I don't think they were so very different than we are. And I don't mean to answer my own question here, but I'm gonna take a shot that she didn't pick something up at the CVS on the corner. Let me know if you're interested in trading your trips to CVS in for some God given gifts. I'd love to help you figure out how to make them work for you!

Another one of God's gifts!

** I feel like I should probably remind you here that I am NOT a doctor. I'm not even an EO expert, not even close. And nobody is paying me to tell you this stuff. It's just that seeing is believing and I am definitely seeing results that I like.