Essential oils are the essence of the plant. They give plants their distinctive odor, assist with pollination, and protect plants from hazardous environmental conditions. Essential oils are produced from all parts of the plant, including roots, seeds, leaves, flowers, stems, fruit, and bark.

During the distillation process, proteins are removed from the plant. Since plant proteins are responsible for allergic reactions, most users are not allergic to pure essential oils when they use them aromatically (inhaling). However, when applied topically, some oils can interact with the proteins in your skin and potentially cause an allergic reaction. It's important to dilute essential oils with a carrier oil when applying topically (one drop of oil to five drops of carrier oil). If you experience skin redness, itching, or swelling, wash the area where you applied the oils and call your doctor.

Take extra caution when applying "hot oils" like black pepper, clove, cinnamon, oregano, and thieves or using oils that have a phototoxic effect (make you more sensitive to sunlight) like bergamot, cumin, lemon, tangerine, or wild orange.

In addition to creating a peaceful, aromatic, cheery atmosphere when diffused in your home, essential oils can be used in blends to replace just about any household cleaner, pest control solution, or hygiene product in your environment. In a 2023 research study published in the Molecules Journal essential oils were found to reduce anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure when used topically. They were further found to reduce stress levels and depression, improve workplace performance, and better sleep quality when used aromatically.

Mindfulness is the ability to focus your awareness on the present moment. In a world where the norm is to "multi-task", our brains live in a constant state of overstimulation. This can lead to extreme fatigue, burnout, and a variety of health concerns. By practicing mindfulness techniques, like meditation or simply focusing on our breath, we can slow down the wanderings of our mind and connect to the here and now.

Buy your essential oils from a company who specializes in essential oils, or at the very least in holistic health products. Here are some additional questions you should look for on their website and in reviews.

Does the company:

-use testing procedures to ensure potency and purity?

-disclose where the oil is sourced?

-take care to harvest at peak times to ensure the highest quality product?

-create partnerships with local growers and harvesters for a mutually beneficial relationship?

-use sound business practices and are their leaders trustworthy?

Yes! Even 2-5 minute sessions of meditation have been shown to calm the mind and body enough to provide individuals with increased calm, better focus, reduced stress, and enhanced emotional well-being. Apps like Calm and Headspace offer free versions with guided meditations that help you to focus on someone's voice, making it easier to stay still.

Always keep essential oils out of reach of children and pets. Children should always be supervised when using essential oils. The dilution rate when using essential oils on a child is smaller than an adult. Begin with 1 drop of oil to 10 drops of carrier oil.

Animals are extremely sensitive to scent. Though essential oils are okay to use around them, when diffusing, you must leave them an out. Do not start your diffuser at night and close them in the room with you. The same can be said for anything that diffuses particles into the air. Cats especially hate citrus smells. If you are interested in learning more about how to use essential oils on your pets, I encourage you to sign up for one of my webinars.