Using Essential Oils

Last year around this time, I wrote about my transition to more natural remedies. From drinking more water, to green tea instead of coffee, to arnica for healing bruises, I wanted to focus on taking care of myself without medicine. I've taken up yoga and quickly become obsessed.

After returning from our Hawaii vacation last summer, I found myself having more trouble than usual falling asleep. It happened more than a few times where I resorted to catching up on Pretty Little Liars OnDemand to help me fall asleep, or to keep me occupied when I'd be wide awake at 5am.

Around the same time, one of my sweet friends, photographer, Hanson fan, mom of five, current Nashvillian Laura, started sharing her journey of using essential oils with her family. She shared more than once how doTERRA's Serenity blend helped her children and her 'turn off' at night and sleep better. I started thinking about trying essential oils myself.

When Laura came home to visit and organized a class on essential oils, I was curious enough to check it out. Admittedly, I didn't do much research on different brands, but I did learn about the levels of quality in oils. If I was going to try any, I wanted to make sure they were certified therapeutic grade.

One thing Laura said resonated with me and helped convince me to try using essential oils. One bottle of essential oil can last over a year, in that you won't need to use so many drops to get your desired result, and that it won't expire quickly. Therefore, the cost per use is significantly less than using over the counter medications or remedies.

There is literally an oil or blend for almost every ailment or issue you can think of, from mental to physical. I started with my own bottle of Serenity, blended with lavender, sweet marjoram, roman chamomile, ylang ylang, and hawaiian sandalwood, and noticed I was falling asleep a bit easier within a few nights. The smell quickly started to soothe me instantly and I used it each night, especially when I could feel myself still wound up from the day.

Since then, I've gotten other blends and single oils; my favorite being Balance to calm my anxiety, Elevation for the rougher days and for the cheerful smell, InTune for focus at work (accompanied by a good Explosions in the Sky mix in my earbuds), and white fir for the woodsy smell.

Different essential oils work in different ways. Most of them can simply be rubbed onto different pressure points, from the bottom of your feet to the back of your neck, behind your ears, or on your chest. Others can be diluted in water for drinking. I can't drink my morning green tea without a drop or two of OnGuard (a blend of wild orange, clove bud, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary) or lemon.

And others work well diffused into the room. Once I got a small diffuser, I started using it every night to give the whole room a calming effect. Sometimes, I would go a little crazy and make essential oil cocktails. A couple drops of Serenity, a drop of ylang ylang, a drop or two of white fir, or a drop of Elevation. Unfortunately, I haven't used it much lately, since my sweet (asshole) Milo chewed the power cord for it and prevented me from keeping it close to my side of the bed.

I've also experimented with making my own reed diffusers for my cubicle. One repurposed jar, some small reeds, some almond oil, and some drops of essential oil, and you'll notice it within minutes! If you want to make your own as well, look for small jars around your house. The one above held vitamins before, and I've also used a spice jar and a tiny jar from bath oil. They all work great, though the smaller the neck, the better.

My latest obsession is my essential oil necklace from Mimosa by ME. Baton Rouge-based and a staple vendor at Festival International, Madeline creates these necklaces from terra cotta and porcelain. I chose one made of terra cotta for its ability to absorb the oil and emit a wonderful scent all day. I love being able to have my oil nearby without rubbing it on my skin.

While I don't believe essential oils work as magically as some claim (although I wish they did), I have no doubt that they do work. In the past year, I have noticed that I take Unisom, melatonin and ibuprofen much less often. I've had a few colds, but the OnGuard has helped when I feel one coming on. And the scents are just soothing and pleasant.

Overall, I'm happy with oils as part of my transition to a more natural lifestyle. I love my small collection, and keep some in a keychain case for when I'm on the go. And as my bottles run out, I can save and reuse them!



This post not sponsored!