What is Essential Oils Part 1: The basics

I have had several people tell me they are interested in the oils I sell, but don't know a lot about it. It's not really something you can just explain in one sentence so I am going to do my best to compact it all here and give you a basic overview.

If I did have one sentence to tell you what it is, I would have to say: IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!...and I mean that in a good way. I sell and use Doterra so that is what I will be talking about but generally all the information I give is good for any brand of essential oils and I will mention if it is exclusive to Doterra.

What IS essential oils?
Essential oils plant based oils that are used therapeutically and to enhance physical and emotional health. Doterra oils are extracted using this method:

Therapeutic-grade essential oils are most often extracted via a low-heat steam distillation process in which steam is circulated under pressure through plant material, liberating the essential oils into the steam. As the steam mixture cools, the water and oils naturally separate and the oil is collected in its pure form. To ensure the highest quality oil extract with correct chemical composition, temperature and pressure must be monitored very closely. Too little heat and pressure will not release the valuable oil, while too much can change an extract's composition and potency. As important as the meticulously controlled extraction process is, the careful selection of the correct plant and plant parts harvested at the right time is also required for a successful extraction. This complex process is as much art form as it is science and requires experienced growers and distillers working together to ensure a quality product.

Fact: It takes as much as 12,000 rose blossoms to distill 5 mL of therapeutic-grade essential Rose oil.

Steam distillation is by far the most common method of extraction, but some oils such as citrus oils are extracted through a process of compression in which the oil is squeezed from the plant. A very few essential oils are extracted using solvents that bind with the oils and are later removed from the final product.

What is the benefits to using oils over tradition methods?

• There are no side effects to using oils (except for positive ones) 
• Oils target the root cause of ailments instead of just addressing symptoms. 
• It will also safe you time/money of going to the doctor, paying copays, paying for prescriptions, and so on. 
• Also gives you the confidence to treat a wide range of ailments for yourself and your family from the comfort of your own home. 
• It replaces all items in your medicine cabinet with just a few oils because they are so versatile. 
• 50-70 times more powerful then herbs
• Because it can inter cell membranes it can inhibit the growth of viruses/bacteria while improving your health on a cellular level

 

What do I need to look for when choosing a oil?

Of course this is purely my opinion. All of these points are true for Doterra and may be true to a varying degree to other brands:

• Plants are grown in their natural habitat and are only extracted from areas that offer the highest potency (For example Doterra Lemon oil is harvested from private farms in Spain vs Florida because higher quality is found there)
• All oils are 3rd party tested (five test in all) to ensure oils are potent, genuine, and authentic. Each batch is tested to a high standard to make sure that they are all meeting these requirements 
• Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG). I have only found this with Doterra. This means that the oils are beyond just organic. They are verified pure, free of fillers, pesticides and foreign contaminates. This is the only type of oil safe for consumption!

Synthetic oils: candles, incents, etc

Food oils: FDA approved for cooking

Therapeutic oils (which I have found is what most essential oils are): used for therapeutic methods, may vary in potency (even in the same brand) may contain fillers to dilute, not safe for consumption. 

How do I use them?

There are three ways to use essential oils:

1. Aromatic: this can be just as simple as breathing them in or can also be added to a diffuser to disperse in the air. Benefits: Kills germs in the air (when diffused), opens airways, affects mood.

2.Topical: Apply oil to feet or troublesome area. For sensitive skin oils can be diluted with a carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil is what I recommend but also can use others such as grape seed)

3. Internally: Again this is only specifically with Doterra oils and I do not encourage it with any other brand. This is the most effective way to use oils. It can be added to a glass of water, placed under the tongue, added to capsules, or can be used as oil pulling (something I just recently found out about and will talk about more later). It will relieve issues in mouth, throat, and GI area and also can spread to effect the whole body.

How can I know what to use and when to use it?

I get super excited about this part!

Oils can be used in so many varying ways and for so many varying issues that you just can't go wrong with them but It can be a little overwhelming. Luckily there are awesome resource online and in book form to help you out. There are two books that I highly recommend: 

Modern Essentials: I love this book because it comes in a few different sizes (travel and full size) and many different languages.

Essentials of the Earth: This is probably my top pick for books. I love that its easy to read and can be searched by either oil or symptoms. I also love that they have placed all the information online for free here. I am happy to support any company that loves their product so much that they will give it away for free. 

There are also several groups online that you can join and ask questions about oils or how to use them. I like Essential Wellness on Facebook personally, but feel free to poke around and find a group of your own

Lastly you can ask any Certified Consultant, and yes I am one. Trust me we are always happy to share what we have learned. 

Just to show you how excited I am about oils and how to use them here is a FREE sample user guide you can print. I like to print, cut them out, and laminate them together. Then I can carry this card around with me where ever I go. Front sheet  Back Sheet