Essential oils have been seen as a favorite past-time, a luxurious gift to one’s self or another, a magical solution, or an all out obsession to others. For some, they’re seen as a gimmick. Why the large spread of feelings for something that still to some, seems like some completely inconsequential thing?
To answer this, we need to go back… a long ways. First, understand that there are so many views and opinions surrounding essential oils because they have been around for a VERY long time. Anything that has been on planet Earth longer than a few minutes will earn its way into a swarm of opinions, thanks to social media. It wasn’t until recently that people would dare even suggest that plants and their oils have no profound importance to us humans. Plant medicine is the original medicine. God gave us therapeutic plants. It is no coincidence that so many plants have an array of healing properties. They have those properties because God intended for us to use them that way… to help heal ourselves. And people have been doing that since Biblical times. Herb and plant oils have always been a highly sought after commodity, and viewed with great respect and endearment. Plant medicines were the medicine before people decided to mimic plant properties in the form of what we now call medicine, through the use of artificial and synthetic chemical ingredients.
Now.. let me perfectly, 100% clear. I am NOT saying modern medicines are not or cannot be helpful. I am not saying modern medicine should not be utilized. I am just laying out a bit of information to give perspective. While this can’t be proven (obviously) I personally believe the human race would not have reached the population it is today without the use of plants as medicines. Just my two cents! Either way, it is perfectly fine to live in a paradigm where both are used and respected within their individual capabilities and limitations. Both modern medications and plant medicines have both their capabilities and their limitations…this is an important concept to understand.
While everything that exists basically exists as chemistry, we can see how modern medicines equate to a human chemistry experiment. When this experiment, involving a mixture of synthetic and natural ingredients, yields certain results enough times under certain circumstances, we package that end product as a medicine. This medicine is then used to either treat or cure a specific disease (but almost never prevent…we will get back to that in a bit.) Personally, I trust God as the ultimate chemist and will refer to His lab creations first, before looking toward the human variety. What happens when we do this is we begin to see the intelligence found in nature.. the same intelligence that is found in our bodies. That intelligence is there because both nature and humans were created by an intelligent designer. When we use plants as they were intended to be used, we get the benefit of their intelligence interacting with our own. Our bodies can recognize and respond appropriately to plants because they are intelligent, like us. We do not, and cannot, have the same relationship with synthetic versions of the chemical constituents that make up these plants and their oils. This is why when compared to modern medications, there is a MUCH less chance of having any kind of negative side effect when using essential oils. Unless of course, you’re just on a mission to do so and use them in a way they were never intended to be used. In that case, an entirely different discussion needs to take place.
What happens instead when people start using essential oils on a regular basis, they see what I love to call, side benefits. In other words, you used an essential oil for one specific thing, and then started noticing some other wonderful things happening that you weren’t initially seeking out.
Essential oils have a beautiful way of cleaning out our cells, enabling proper detoxing from the toxins we are exposed to on a daily (nearly hour-by-hour) basis. That means the natural compounds in these oils helps our own cells work better…. you can imagine now that there are a lot of positive things you can expect, and why some people have such drastic responses to using the oils. Some people have cells that are really sick, or full of garbage (for lack of better phrasing) so when those cells finally get cleaned out and are replaced with healthier cells… woo hoo! It’s a party at a microscopic level. Some people have overall good, clean, healthy cells. These people don’t have a drastic shift, so may feel as though the oils aren’t doing anything. This is very, very unlikely though. By using the oils consistently these cells are getting tuned up and cleaned, and still getting healthier! Better able to ward off things that you’d rather not experience. By incorporating essential oils into their life they are avoiding the toxic substitutes and therefore will better be able to maintain their health. On the other end, some people may have a long history of toxin exposure and will need time in order to see the difference they want. When there has been chronic illness or chronic exposure to harmful chemicals, it will take time to repair the damaged areas and encourage healthier cell turnover. This is when you need to stay the course not just with essential oils, but all areas of holistic living.
Sometimes you will find people who have used essential oils but either didn’t feel like they experienced anything (even though there was still a lot happening!) or felt as though they had a bad experience. More often than not, this is largely due to using oils that were not tested as pure; meaning pesticide and chemical additive free. Some oils are just made to smell good, while others are made with the true therapeutic value in mind.
The incredibly small molecules in essential oils allow them access to your Limbic system, or your emotional brain. They are able to cross into this area through the aromatic nature of the oils, meaning through your nose. Nothing has immediate access into this area of your brain like smells! That is why aromatherapy is so beneficial for mental/emotional issues.
In short, why essential oils? They are clean, natural, safe, versatile, easy to use, and good for the environment. And I don’t mind saying they are fun, too. Incorporating essential oils into your daily life means that you aren’t using other toxic ingredients that are harmful for your health. Essential oils can be used in every area of your home. This means you are also protecting what runs off into the water supply. When essential oils are a part of the water supply or runoff, it is not a danger to human health, the way it is when pharmaceutical medicines get in the water supply (which there are plenty, by the way…) Plus, the essential oil market has brought a lot of jobs to farmers and other people all over the world. Using an essential oil company dedicated to proper organic and restorative farming practices is a must.
I encourage everyone who is interested in essential oils to learn about them, really learn! Not just know what scents go with others. Feel free to join me at my online health classes, where essential oils are a common topic! See the schedule here.
If you want to shop around at some oils to get started, please visit my favorite store here.
Brandi Johnson, DC. 