about Essential Oils
Where do we stand on essential oils? They are one arrow in our quiver. Herbology is many things, and essential oils are one, very concentrated way of using herbs. In general, essential oils are distilled from plant materials that have been boiled, the resultant steam captured and condensed, and the volatile oils that rise to the top of the distillate are collected for use as essential oils. Incidentally, the distilled water and its plant contents are known as a hydrosol and have only relatively recently become a popular product outside the floral waters of times past. Oils like clove and peppermint have been used as medicine and flavoring for ages. I studied aromatherapy via a correspondence course back in 1985, and have dabbled in it ever since. (I did candy making as a kid and have therefore known oils for quite a long time!)
Lately Essential oils have been in the limelight due to the viral spread of a couple of active Multilevel Marketing companies. Many (too many) health claims were made, and marketing pyramids rose and fell, pets were inadvertently killed or injured and the reputation of essential oils was severely tarnished. It got tougher to sell oils after the FDA crackdown prevented people from saying they cure cancer- or really anything- and folks started thinking of them as dangerous and scam-y.
The problem is- essential oils- like a lot of things herbal or home remedy related- are just part of the holistic story that leads to health and wellness. They are one arrow in the quiver. Use essential oils in recipes for natural cleaners and you eliminate some unknowable petrochemicals from your life. Likewise when you use them in beauty and hygene products like soaps and lotions and salves. Smell them, diffuse them and their fragrance can change your mood, and that helps eliminate stress and cortisol from your life.
Now any decent chemist will tell you (annoyingly) that everything is chemicals- even “natural” things like essential oils. They are not wrong, so be thoughtful. Just because things are from plant sources, doesn’t mean they are inherently better or safer than your prescription medication or that your individual reaction to something may not differ from that of your neighbor’s wife’s best friend who cured her diabetes with whatever. Be thoughtful, start small.
There is a handful of oils that are basically regarded as safe if you pay attention to their caveats. They come with a long legacy of use by humans for a very diverse variety of things. I suggest you start with these . They are often included in the “starter kits” offered by the MLM companies and for the most part these companies do adhere to admirable standards of responsibility in sourcing and production and quality. If you choose to purchase such a kit from a member of your community, you are most likely helping out a fellow natural living enthusiast and possible friend or ally. I recommend spending time getting to know the oils they provide in the kit. There is usually a Lavender, a citrus oil or two, peppermint, a wintergreen or eucalyptus, and possibly a pine or other evergreen. Usually there will be a proprietary blend or two, or more if their blend might stand in for one of the above mentioned single source oils. This kit can serve you very well to learn the basics of using oils in your life.
If you choose to skip the MLM experience, that’s cool too. That cup of Kool-ade isn’t for everybody. I do recommend finding a trusted source of all natural oils in the best grade you can afford. I like Mountain Rose herbs.com, Dr. Axe, and Aura Casia (not affiliates-I just have used them) although I’m sure there are others as good. I periodically post an article about readily available single source oils so you can add one to your collection from time to time. If you want to create a “starter kit” for yourself you can consider the handful of oils mentioned above.
If you want to buy a MLM kit from me:
Sponsor Number
10014546Enroller Number
10014546Country
UNITED STATESLanguage
English (United States)Membership Type
Distributor