Essential Oils: So, What's the Big Deal?

I am a mom of 4 kids who have never had to take one single dose of antibiotics or other pharmaceutical meds for sicknesses, EVER! My kids range in age from 19 down to 11. They were born at home and I had begun to learn about natural health long before they were born. I trusted in nature's remedies! My husband is the son of a doctor who grew up on antibiotics and I helped him stop relying on them at all! When we first got married, he'd get so sick for a month at a time, and I showed him how to heal his body and strengthen his immune system with herbs. I only really learned about the power of essential oils a couple of years ago and I have been blown away by what I've experienced! We have such confidence in their ability to help us avoid a cold or the flu. I've seen them stop food poisoning and digestive pain. I've watched them ease emotional as well as physical pain, help people sleep and so many more things.... These are powerful medicinals that we can easily access!

My medicine cabinet literally consists of an aloe plant, some drawing salve, colloidal silver, vitamins and minerals, elderberry syrup and essential oils. It's that simple!! (I used to use herbal cough syrup but that is no longer necessary!)

Essential oils have been getting a lot of attention in today’s search for better health and better ways to take care of our families.

People often ask me for more information about essential oils, so I decided to write an article to satisfy your curiosity!
Here are a few things I have found about essential oils (and a quick science lesson review):

• Plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Essential oils have played a prominent role in everyday life throughout history. They are said to have been used in Biblical times for annointing and healing the sick. They are currently used for emotional and physical health, massage, inhalation, nutritional support, non-toxic household solutions, etc...They are considered man's first medicine. 
• Essential oils are made up of volatile aromatic compounds (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and transition to gas at low temperatures – in other words, they evaporate quickly). They are highly concentrated and just a little bit goes a long way.
• Some essential oil constituents are so small in molecular size that they can quickly penetrate the tissues of the skin.  This makes them excellent ingredients in personal care items intended to boost, soften, and nourish. However, they do not accumulate in the body over time. They offer their supportive properties and pass on through.
• Essential oils are lipid soluble (or fat-soluble) and are capable of penetrating cell walls, even if the cell walls have hardened due to an oxygen deficiency. Substances that are lipid soluble can pass right through the cell membrane, while those that are water-soluble have a tougher time. Essential oils can affect every cell of the body within 20 minutes and are then metabolized like other nutrients.
• Essential oils are wholly natural and cannot be patented (which means that you’ll never see an essential oil in a pharmaceutical drug).
• Enormous amounts of plants are needed to produce essential oil. Producing the purest of oils can be very costly because it may require several hundred pounds, or even several thousand pounds of plant material to extract one pound of pure essential oil.
• Essential oils are not all created equally. For an oil to be labeled as pure, it must contain only 5% pure essential oil. Only use therapeutic grade oils. If the label says, "only for external use," or "only for inhalation," it is NOT safe or pure! Even if an essential oil may is pure, if the right species or part of a plant has not been used, or if the plant has not been grown in the right environment, harvested at the right time, or distilled under the right conditions, the natural chemical makeup of the extraction will not provide as predictable and powerful a benefit.
• Essential oils are not really oils. They come from all parts of the plant. They are the immune system of the plant and contain the same disease fighting properties that keep the plants healthy. 
• Essential Oils must be pure. It’s very important to use essential oils that do not include added fillers and synthetics. Even though an essential oil may be pure, if the right species or part of a plant has not been used, or if the plant has not been grown in the right environment, harvested at the right time, or distilled under the right conditions, the natural chemical makeup of the extraction will not provide as predictable and powerful a benefit.
• How are oils are used. Oils can be used topically, internally, and for inhalation. Remember, not all oils are created equally so don't just put them on yourself or take them internally unless you know they are safe!!

So how do you find the right essential oil? There are many essential oil companies to choose from; and there are many opinions floating around out there. After reading, researching, and trying essential oils on ourselves, our children, and in our home we have found the best fit for our family.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not “approve” dietary supplements or foods. They give approval for prescription and over the counter drugs. They do approve a list of ingredients called GRAS (generally recognized as safe) that are approved for use as food additives, preservatives, and cosmetics.
Many essential oils are listed on the GRAS list; however, there are many uses of essential oils outside of these parameters. Because there are no governmental bodies or organizations that approve or certify essential oil quality, it is important to find a company that provides therapeutic grade 100% pure essential oils.

My family has chosen a company that owns it's own farms around the world and is committed to a seed to seal process. This ensures that you receive the highest quality products available. This unmatched process controls every aspect of every drop of oil produced! No other company can say this. Our premium botanicals are cultivated on our own sustainable farms around the world and through very carefully chosen partner farms who employ our proprietary distilling methods and extensive testing to ensure purity, quality and properties for healing. 

I have been amazed over and over again with our experiences with essential oils and if you would like more information about the oils I use, please fill out the contact form below.  I will be happy to send you some more information via email.
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I hope this information is helpful in your search for better ways to care for yourself and your family. We never stop learning.

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