Using Essential Oils

If you've been following this blog you know that as of late I have been very in to making my own all natural products, and a natural progression of that has been me delving into the world of essential oils.  Now, I'm not going to sit here and profess to be an expert (far from it) but I have done a lot of research and have developed some new all natural product to use in my home (stay posted for new tutorials coming up).  What I have learned from my research is that essential oils have a variety of purposes from helping with allergies to eliminating indoor and outdoor pests.  I've also learned that there is a difference between aromatherapy and essential oil therapy.  Basically, essential oil therapy is the use of pure essential oils for various purposes which benefit the individual in a natural way. While aromatherapy is the use of essential oil FRAGRANCES. The items in which these fragrances are found are not necessarily all natural and can in fact hold many carcinogens.  So using an air freshener with lavender oil as an ingredient would be aromatherapy if there are several other ingredients in the freshener that make the oil less pure. While it would be essential oil therapy if the pure essential oil was the main ingredient and all other ingredients were all natural in origin.  Additionally, according to Crunchy Betty: "Most essential oils are high in antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties: This makes them an excellent addition to your homemade cleaning preparations. Oils that are best for cleaning are: Lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary." 

Also in my research I found that, like mainstream medicines, not all essential oils are suitable for everyone all the time. For instance, undiluted essential oils should NEVER be used on children and/or babies (and should never be used directly on the skin). Here is a list of essential oils that have been found safe to use on babies and children (undiluted). Along with being careful with the use of essential oils in regards to children, pregnant and nursing women also need to be careful with essential oils, because some essential oils can mimic hormones found within the body.  It is recommended that women avoid essential oils during the first trimester if at all possible.  If you would like a list of essential oils that are NOT safe for pregnant and nursing women click here. However, some essential oils have been proven to be very helpful in relieving common pregnancy ailments (confusing I know). And finally, using essential oils can add some wonderful aromas to all natural cleaning products, which will also help with various ailments common in your home.  And if you're looking for a reason to switch from commercial products to all natural or home made products this perfectly sums up all of the reasons why. Switching to all natural/home made cleaning products helps detox your homes and your bodies from all of the hazardous materials that we constantly expose ourselves to through the use of the harsh cleaning chemicals. So I hope you check out the tutorials I already have linked above, and stay tuned for other tutorials on how to make your own very simple and very effective household cleaners that will save you money, and most importantly make your home a cleaner, safer, more natural place for everyone in it!



*NOTE: While I have done extensive research on the topic of essential oils I am not a medical practitioner of any kind, nor do I claim to be.  The use of all essential oils should be discussed with your doctor especially if you have chemical sensitivities, or medical conditions which may be aggravated by these oils.