So in case you missed it, I once wrote a post about how Groupon was my gym membership here. Well, now I have to say ClassPass is my health and wellness membership. I attended an essential oils class on January 20, 2019 at extendYoga located at 12106 Wilkins Ave in Rockville, Maryland. The name of the woman who held the class and brought in an assortment of her Dōterra oils was Sara Crosby. She said she doesn’t work for Dōterra, and she also encouraged us to checkout Young Living (another essential oils company). She likes both oil companies because they’re 100% natural, which is great if you intend to receive the health benefits of the oils internally; I do not recommend taking these oils internally and encourage you to watch the documentary [UN]WELL on Netflix to learn why, in addition to conducting your own research and/or consulting your PCP (primary care physician). In any event, I’m gonna share the information I learned from the class in seven sections: Oils good for mood, oils good for sleep, oils good for the skin, oils good for relaxation, oils good for massage, oils good for digestion, and miscellaneous oils. Feel free to zero-in on the oils most pertinent to you in your life right now.
Common Cold Oils. If you have a cold try any of these oils: peppermint, eucalyptus, Douglas firs (part of the pine family), cardamom, kumquat, and/or tangerine. If you have children under 6 years of age use oils that are lower in menthol content. If using minty oils mix them with a carrier oil and apply to the chest, under the nose, or on your sinuses. These oils work well with humidifiers as well.
Mood oils. Crosby recommends citrus based oils to help with mood. Citrus oils come from pressed rinds of the citrus fruit. Examples of citrus oils are lemon and wild orange. These oils, allegedly, can be taken internally and are known for their medicinal properties. I don’t personally recommend ingesting oils at all. Research and make your own informed decisions. If you happen to not be a morning person, like me, Crosby recommends mixing the wild orange and peppermint essential oils to start your day (either topically or in a diffuser). If you are anxious lavender oil is a good option. Holding on to a grudge, turn to cypress oil. Feeling a bit depressed? Rub some wild orange essential oil behind your neck. Crosby mentioned avoiding direct contact with citrus oils, they should be mixed with a carrier oil–like olive oil or coconut oil.
Sleep Oils. If you have trouble sleeping, then you should try one of the three following oils: lavender, vetiver, and/or cedar-wood. Did you know that most of the lavender scented items we encounter are actually synthetic not natural? I didn’t know until Crosby stated it. If you do happen upon natural lavender oil putting a drop of it in almond milk and drinking a cup before bed will give you a good nights sleep (again, I wouldn’t ingest it; I’d put it in a diffuser and drink regular chamomile tea, but to each their own). Lavender works for sleep because it has relaxing properties. Vetiver is actually “a grass that grounds us”; it is thick and safe for direct contact with the skin. Crosby recommends applying it to the big toe, but you can also put some in your diffuser–just be sure to clean the diffuser afterwards. If you opt for cedar wood, then you should apply it to your pulse points.
Skin Oils. Tea tree oil is good for healing skin and protecting us from “emotional vampires”. A fun fact tea tree oil is also known as Melaleuca. Some people are allergic to tea tree oil, so make sure you’re not one of them before using or you will get a bad reaction. Rose oil is great for regular skin care due its hydrating nature. Rose oil also helps with wrinkles and blemishes, then again so does frankincense oil. Note that rose water and rose oil are different in that oil is extracted from the petals while the rose water is the result of boiling the petals. Lavender oil can also help with skin irritation like burns or scrapes. Word of advice, tea tree oils and spicy oils are heavy–which is why mixing them with carrier oils like coconut oil (regular or fractionated–fancy for liquid form) is recommended.
Relaxation Oils. Surprise, surprise–lavender also made it into this category along with eucalyptus, sage, and chamomile. Crosby mentioned spraying these oils around the shower–which would be a life hack for an at home spa atmosphere. Count me in!
Massage Oils. If you have aching muscles, then Crosby recommends Dōterra’s Deep Blue Blend–but that’s like $40 a bottle and $30 for the rub. Other massage oils are wintergreen, camphor, peppermint, and blue tansy. I have arnica in my notes as a homeopathic plant that’s good for bruises.
Digestive Oils. Ginger, fennel, and peppermint are good digestive aides. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory, and fennel can curb a sweet tooth. Keep in mind that one drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 25 cups of peppermint tea. So be mindful of the dosage. Grapefruit oil can rev up your metabolism, allegedly. It’s also a citrus fruit which means mood booster, so in a way you’re getting a two for one deal! If you opt to ingest, remember that dose, concentration, and duration are important to keep in mind. Do your research to avoid messing yourself up.
Miscellaneous Use Oils. There were random things I learned about oils that I felt was kind of a hodgepodge so that’s why I’m tacking it here at the end. Copaiba oil is an immune booster. Sage oil is good for menstrual issues–rub some clary sage on your abdomen to tackle cramps, bloating, and irregular periods. People asked questions about CBD and THC oils, and I was like…what’s that. They are two sides of the same coin-weed. If you want to know a little bit more about those two read this.
If you’re interested in learning more about essential oils’ quality and safety, then I recommended taking a look at the report published by the organization Consumers Advocate here. If you enjoyed this article, feel free to subscribe to the blog. The subscription button is located at the bottom of the side menu bar.