Essential Oils: Do They Really Work or Is It Just a Scam?
Across the nation, we seem to be moving toward a more natural way of living by cutting toxins, upping our whole foods intake and finding ways to help our families more independently and healthfully. One way that people are choosing to help their families is by incorporating essential oils into their everyday lives. With the way essential oils recently have flooded social media, parents have been left wondering whether they really are effective or if it is all just hype.
What Exactly Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils often are referred to as the “life blood” of the plant. It’s the volatile fluid inside a plant that both gives it a scent and works to protect the plant as it grows and thrives. There are several different ways to extract the essential oil from a plant, but the most common is through steam distillation. Plant matter is heated over time at low temperatures to extract the essential oil fluids, and that is what is bottled and sold to consumers.
Their History
With the sudden surge in interest, people are asking why we are just now discovering what essential oils can do. The truth is that essential oils have been well-known and highly regarded for centuries. Dating all the way back to biblical times, essential oils are mentioned more than 200 times in ancient Scriptures. The tombs of Egyptian pharaohs have been opened to reveal that essential oils were regarded more highly than precious treasures. Ancient Rome wrote recipes containing essential oils on the walls of their bath houses.
Where Do I Buy Them?
Unfortunately, not all essential oil companies are the same. Because the FDA doesn’t closely regulate the essential oil industry, consumers are faced with the difficult job of sifting through companies that adulterate or add synthetic substances to their oils. Regulations allow companies to label a bottle of essential oils as “100% pure” as long as the bottle contains only 5 percent essential oil. The other 95 percent can be filled with something other than essential oil, and still keep the “100% pure” label.
Consumers need to be careful in doing their research when choosing an essential oil company, and generally, it’s best to look beyond health food stores for the most effective oils. It’s important to ask a lot of questions: Where are the plants grown? Does the company own its own farms? Are tests performed on every single batch of oil? Are the test results available to consumers for each specific batch of oil? Are there batch numbers on every bottle of oil? Are the seeds used to grow the plants GMO-free? Do they harvest at peak times? Do they distill and bottle their own oils? Do they discard any oils that aren’t within the range for best therapeutic value?
There are a lot of companies, but a good company will be able to answer all of these questions and provide extensive information on how they grow their plants to provide the best possible essential oils to their customers.
How Are Essential Oils Used?
Essential oils have three primary modes of use:
- You can use a diffuser, a personal oil inhaler or even your cupped hands to allow yourself to inhale the aroma of the essential oils. It takes only 22 seconds for the effects of the essential oil to reach the brain.
- You can apply the oils topically with a carrier oil. A carrier oil is simply a fatty oil (like coconut oil) that helps the essential oils absorb effectively while protecting the skin from becoming irritated. With topical application, it takes only two to three minutes for the essential oil to reach the blood stream. This method is often used because it is so easy. Oils can be applied over thin skin, such as the back of the neck, inside of the wrists, behind the ears or directly over the source of pain.
- Many oil users choose to ingest oils as a way to maximize their effect. Empty vegetable-based capsules can be filled with a combination of essential oils and carrier oil to target different ailments.
What Do Essential Oils Actually Do?
Essential oils can help with a whole range of ailments. With so many plants and their essential oils available to us, it’s worth considering essential oils as another tool in making life as comfortable and healthy as possible.
Rebecca Ishum lives in South KC with her husband and 3-year-old quadruplets. She has a passion for using essential oils to better her family’s health and wellness. You can read more about her essential oil journey at ABeautifulRuckus.com or send her an email at TheIshumQuads@gmail.com.
Please note: The information contained in this article is for educational and entertainment purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products and techniques discussed are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or ailment. Please do your own research and make your own informed decisions when you are considering lifestyle and health changes. Particularly if you are pregnant, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor before starting any new protocol.