About a year ago, due to desperation and my naturopathic doctor giving me a push, I decided to try essential oils to balance my healthcare needs. Essential oils are the highly concentrated chemical compounds in the bark, roots, flowers, and seeds of plants. Commercial essential oils can be costly, but you can get around this by learning to make your own or buying from experienced herbalists. Depending on the need, most ingredients are readily available.

Essential oils for internal consumption are a perfect complement to balancing health. Steer away from store brands. Cheap (and I mean cheap, not inexpensive) brands can be compared to cheap coffee vs. quality coffee. Let’s say you make a pot of coffee. Then you reuse the grounds for a new pot. Then you reuse those grounds for another pot. You can see each pot becomes more like water and less like coffee. Not such great coffee, right? For that matter, not great water. Just a waste of resources. Think of this when comparing essential oils. Many store brands are cheap because they are selling the weakened version. Save your money. It’s not even a case of “I’ll buy this until I can afford better.” If you’re a coffee lover, you won’t settle for cheaper; you’ll wait and indulge in a great cup of Fairtrade coffee. The same approach should apply when buying essential oils. Buy from a quality, trusted source or learn to make your own.

Essential oils are used for aches and pains, treating stress, abrasions, nutrient deficiencies, congestion, digestion, general and specific immune support, and on the list goes.

Did you know frankincense oil was the first prescription written, and the second was for peppermint oil? Even aspirin was initially made from White Willow Bark! Many other medications have their roots (pardon the pun) in plants. What I especially love is that when used properly, essential oils work with the body. It’s an opportunity to get away from “drugs” and return to ancient remedies.

Next week I’ll get into the nitty-gritty aspects, but in the meantime, do some investigating. How are you feeling?