Essential Oils Primer

     Did you know that essential oils have been used safely for over 2000 years?  Our ancestors knew something that now we are beginning to embrace.  There is a natural approach to wellness that can complement traditional medicine.  In this article, you will learn how to select essential oils in general and how to use them basically. 


Sharon Dogon-Simpson
    
As you read this, keep in mind that if you or someone in your family is under a doctor’s care and is taking prescription drugs, you need to work with your physician.  Essential oils can complement allopathic medicine, so you always want to keep your physician apprised of what you are doing.  He or she is your partner in your health and wellness.

     All essential oils are not created equal. When you see a product that calls itself an essential oil, you want to ensure the highest quality.  You will see such labels as "pure," "100% pure," and "organic."  Despite those monikers, there are several grades of oil.  Both purity and potency matter when you use oils for wellness.  How do you know the difference? 

     Most essential oils are perfume grade.  That means that there can be fillers, synthetics, or contaminates in them.  Those can cause headaches and unnecessary skin irritations, including burning.

     The next largest category of essential oils is food grade.  You might think that those are great.  Well, they are better than perfume grade because they are generally regarded as safe (GRAS), but they can also contain contaminates.  The FDA permits a certain percentage of foreign substances to be included in food-grade products.

     An even smaller group of oil is the therapeutic grade.  Those are oils that contain more of the active compound found naturally in the plant.  Therapeutic grade oils are identified.  It’s the difference between 100% juice and soda containing 10% juice.  Which one is more nutritionally sound?  By the way, organic oils are not necessarily therapeutic grade and vice versa.

     Now that you know the grades of oil, how are they tested?  Two tests exist for purity, but most companies use only one.  That means that certain contaminates can get through because they are too small.  Gas chromatography and Mass spectroscopy together give you an assurance of purity.

     DoTERRA essential oils are certified pure therapeutic-grade.  The executives have sourced the oils from around the world in order to access the highest quality plants.  Growers, harvesters, distillers, and packagers have adhered to strict standards so that the consumer can rest assured of the purity and the potency of the oils. 
     So how do you use oils once you’ve found something potent and pure?  In general, there are three ways to use them.  Those three ways are the preferred methods in England, in France, and in the United States.  In England and in France, medical communities have embraced the use of essential oils for far longer than have those in the United States.  However, that is beginning to change, and physicians in the U.S.A. are becoming more aware of the science behind essential oils.  Here are the three modalities for essential oil application:
 Diffusion --  When using therapeutic grade oils, never heat them.  If you do, 
     you will destroy the active compound.  Therefore, ionizing or nebulizing 
     diffusers are best.  Remember, the smaller the molecules put into the air, the
     better for you.
 Topical application --   You will want to dilute most oils before using them on
     children because of skin sensitivity.  A good ratio is generally 1 drop of
     essential oil to 5-10 drops of a carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil or  
     grapeseed oil or almond oil or jojoba oil, to name a few).
 Ingestion -- Most oils are for external use only.  Ingestibles say so on the
     package where you will find a supplement information box.  Follow the
     recommended suggestion for use.  Otherwise, keep the oil out of your mouth.

Used properly, essential oils can be a wonderful adjunct to your wellness regimen.  Books and workshops abound for some specific, interesting, and effective uses for your high-quality essential oils.

Sharon Simpson-Dogon
Independent Product Consultant
doTERRA essential oils
www.mydoterra.com/sharons
doterramaven@gmail.com
(719) 351-4837

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