Essential Everything

Hey there! Welcome to the first guest blog. I’m so freaking excited I can hardly stand it! I feel like I do a lot of talking (okay, typing), so to mix it up, give you some other perspectives, and to provide you with some real knowledge, I’ve enlisted the help of a few friends.

This particular guest blog was inspired by my desire to make myself, and my home, more holistic and healthy. Maybe the stars are aligning, the moon is in my favor, or maybe I just huffed a little too much lavender… either way, I’ve been really intrigued with alternative options. This has taken life in the form of yoga, health-nut-podcasts, bone broth, and soon to be added to the list, essential oils. But, where to start?

Via a mutual friend, I started following Rebecca on Instagram. I would scroll the ‘gram (usually) be shoving something really unhealthy in my mouth, and getting inspired by her posts (but wait, let me finish that cookie first)…

Inspired and… a little overwhelmed and intimated. How do I replicate those practices in my own life? Where to I start? With some nervous confidence, I reached out and started asking her some questions, finally popping the big one, “will you write a guest post for my blog?”. Thankfully she’s a nice lady, and agreed. I was hoping she’d share some general information about essential oils, as well as some good starter oils. Let’s just say, she didn’t disappoint.

As you read on, you’ll find Rebecca is both passionate and educated. She was a nutritionist and health educator before deciding to be a stay at home momma. She doesn’t just talk the talk, but truly walks the walk when it comes to all things deemed “healthy” and living clean. If you follow her Instagram you’ll find an abundance of cute baby pictures, oily things, tips, tricks, and ways to incorporate non-toxic living into your own home. Okay, enough of me now…

Essential Oils: The Basics

When I first got into essential oils it was simply to swap out the use of candles in our home. I will spare you the lengthy research but, in-short, the EPA has found that the air quality in our homes is often worse than the air quality outside. (Yes, read that again..) From their findings, candles and toxins in household and personal care products are typically the top culprits. I started to learn about how I could improve our home environment, which is where essential oils came into the picture. Initially, I would just buy whatever random oil I needed from Amazon or Whole Foods, but I soon discovered that not all oils are created equal and that I needed to do my research. What I’ve found since switching to higher quality essential oils is the amazing tools they can be in our lives, they are so much more than just replacing a Pumpkin Spice candle.

What are essential oils? Essential oils are the life blood of a plant. They are made from plants’ rind, stem, leaves, petals, etc. Through a low-heat, slow-steam distillation process, the molecules that make up true essential oils become highly concentrated. They are so small that when we apply a drop of oil to our feet, the oil is absorbed instantly and does its thing. Within 22 seconds the molecules reach the brain, within 2 minutes they can be found in the bloodstream, and within 20 minutes they have affected every cell in our body. 
There are three ways to use essential oils: aromatically, topically, and internally.

(As a disclaimer I am strictly talking about Young Living essential oils in this post.)

Aromatically- Diffusing allows you to enjoy the amazing scent, as well as the health benefits of your oils. You can also enjoy the aroma of your oils straight from the bottle, or my personal favorite, with a drop or two on the crown of my head. Personal diffuser? Yes, please! 

Topically- You can roll your oils right onto your skin. Make sure you are only using 100% pure grade essential oils, and when you are applying topically you’re also diluting appropriately with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut or jojoba oil. Many oils have great skin support properties, so topically is a great way to go. Keeping rollers of your favorite blends around is an easy way to enjoy them throughout the day, and have your most-used tools easily accessible.

Internally- Young Living has a Vitality line of essential oils that allows you to ingest certain oils confidently to see the incredible benefits, if you choose. They are marked with a white label to make it easy to distinguish which oils are available for dietary use. You can add them to your water, take in a veggie capsule, drop under your tongue, or add it to your favorite recipes. Oils from the Vitality line are a fun way to get creative with marinades, dressings, soups, and baking. This is a way to get great flavor, as well as detoxification or added immune support. As with all things surrounding essential oils, but especially dietary use, do what you feel comfortable with.

My Top 5 Oils:

(Actually 7 because it was impossible to narrow it down to 5, haha.)

Frankincense- All things grounding support right here! As someone who got worked up or frazzled easily, I didn’t realize how much I needed this oil in my life. I use it in my face serum morning and night, as well as a few rollers I have on-hand. I encourage you to Google the affects of Frankincense on a cellular level – that would take a separate blog post to cover.

Thieves- This blend is our family’s immune support powerhouse. We roll it on our spines and the bottoms of our feet before bed. I love to diffuse it when guests are over (bye-bye, airborne yuckies), and I love it’s spicy scent in the fall and winter months – ironically when you need it the most.

Roman Chamomile- Amazing for sleep support! We diffuse this along with Lavender and Orange for our daughter at night. It smells so yummy, and is invaluable to me as a mama.

Valor- Great for all the BIG emotions. I reach for this oil when I have anxious feelings or worries. I used this oil a lot when I attempted to return to work after maternity leave. It was awesome to roll on my wrists and over my heart and breathe deeply while I drove. Hello, Unicorn Roller!

Sleepyize- This is my favorite oil from the KidScents line (developed for little ones 2-years and older). We dilute it a little further for our 1-year old and roll it behind her ears before naps and bedtime for all the Zzz’s.

Stress Away- This oil is lovingly coined the “vacation in a bottle”. It is a combination of Lime essential oil and vanilla extract, and I use it in SO many of our diffuser blends to add a sweeter note. I also like to place a drop in the palm of my hands, cup it around my nose and inhale; “peace out cub scout” on whatever has me feeling crazy.

Idaho Blue Spruce- You will find this woodsy oil out of stock on occasion because it is definitely a fan favorite. This oil has an extremely high frequency and smells awesome. I love this oil for it’s mood-boosting properties and aroma. My personal favorite way to use this oil is a drop or two on the crown of my head so I can enjoy it all day long.

Then there is Panaway, Bergamot, Gentle Baby, Purification, Christmas Spirit, Ylang Ylang, Copaiba, and all the other goodness that I could go on about… I will save that for later though.

So, why essential oils again? As a mama I need as many tools at my disposal that don’t send me running to the medicine cabinet. For our family we have found emotional, immune, skin, and overall wellness support through these magic plant bottles. Essential oils and living a more non-toxic life helps to maintain our healthy bodies inside and out, and keeps us above the wellness line.

For more information, to bug her with questions (I do this a lot, sorry!), or just to get inspired, check her out:

Instagram: @theessentialeater; Shop: Young Living; Blog: Real Love Real Food

Thanks Rebecca! Now off to buy some oils… time to de-stress and immune boost.

Do you use oils? What are your favorites? Tips? Tricks? Comment and share!