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Essential oils - Powerful gift from nature

If you are interested in essential oils then you probably already know that essential oils are made from nature such as from seeds, barks, plant stems, roots, flower petals, and leaves. It takes a lot of mother nature to make a small amount of essential oil. For instance, roughly 3 lbs. of a lavender plant goes into making a half ounce of lavender essential oil.  This is one of the reasons that essential oils can be expensive. Good thing a little essential oil goes a long way.



What can I use essential oils for? Useful and healthy things.

 

·        Health (treat a wide variety of ailments including headaches, cuts, bruises, and rashes, through the use of lotions, aromatherapy, compresses, massages therapy, and very, very careful ingestion).  Oils that are fine on your arms and legs may not be safe to put inside your mouth, nose, eyes, or private parts. Lemongrass, peppermint, and cinnamon bark are some examples.

 

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      If pregnant - Some essential massage oils may make their way into the placenta, an organ in your uterus that grows along with your baby and helps to nourish it. It’s not clear if this causes any problems, unless you take toxic amounts, but to be safe, it’s best to avoid certain oils if you’re pregnant. Those include wormwood, rue, oak moss, Lavandula stoechas, camphor, parsley seed, sage, and hyssop. Ask your doctor if you’re unsure.

 

·        Cooking (Instead of lemon zest I use 3 drops of lemon essential oil in my scones, yum).

Be careful how you use them though.  Cumin oil, which is safe to use in your food, can cause blisters if you put it on your skin.  Citrus oils that are safe in your food may be bad for your skin, especially if you go out into the sun. And the opposite is true, too. Eucalyptus or sage oil may soothe you if you rub it on your skin or breathe it in. But swallowing them could can cause a serious complication, like a seizure.  Always check on the uses of an essential oil prior to its use.

 

·        Cleaning (your house and your clothing)

 

Undiluted oils are too strong to use straight. You’ll need to dilute them, usually with vegetable oils or creams or bath gels, to a solution that only has a little bit -- 1% to 5% -- of the essential oil. Exactly how much can vary. The higher the percentage, the more likely you are to have a reaction, so it’s important to mix them correctly.  

 

 

 

Warning and Disclaimer

 

I am not a doctor. Absolutely check with your doctor before starting to use essential oils for your health. The articles I post are to inform and guide you in doing your own research. Everyone’s body is unique and reacts differently. Be careful. Essential oils can burn your skin if applied directly. Always start with small amounts. Less is more.

 

Keep out of reach of children.  Essential oils are very concentrated and may cause serious health problems, especially if used at the wrong dose or in the wrong way. Just like anything else that little hands shouldn’t be able to reach, don't make your essential oils too handy. If you have young children, keep all essential oils locked away out of their sight and reach.    

 

 

 

Fun Fact

 

The name essential oil comes from the fact that the process of making an essential oil distills the aromatic substance found in specialized cells of plants and trees called an “essence”. Hence, essential oils.

 

Best Regards,

The Soapster

 

Stay tuned for more articles coming soon!!

 

 

The Homesteader’s Herbal Companion, Amy K. Fewell, publisher: Guilford, Connecticut, 2018, An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-4930-3415-4

 

Herbal Medic, By Sam Coffman, 2021, Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA

 

The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide by KG Stiles, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017, ISBN: 978-1-62414-304-5

 

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