Why Essential Oils Don’t Work

 

Over the last few years, if you have read the blog you may know that we made a huge transition for our family into Essential Oils. While it’s something that I love, it was also a point in our life that we witnessed some pretty hard comments and opinions from family and friends.

We even got some of those comments on the blog too ~ believe me when I say we have heard it ALL, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. In some of those cases, I have been there to help friends who have called and asked for oils for some thing or another, and in every instance I have always been there to be a lending hand [Or, Ear…].

While I have seen a lot of success using Oils with my OWN family, and even many close friends, it has not always been the case with everyone ~ many have commented that Oils have been unreliable.. they haven’t helped their family, or they were a waste of their time.

Obviously, using Essential Oils is not for everyone. Not everyone is interested in making that lifestyle transition (and it IS a lifestyle transition)… I can’t say it’s going to be a cure all for your problems. But what I can say is that when you use them consistently, properly and as a part of an overall wellness regimen, they DO work. But the key is “overall”.

It’s kind of like being on a diet.. you can exercise every day, but if you eat a Big Mac for dinner and guzzle soda (even DIET soda), then you probably need to re-analyze your efforts.  If you are trying to be healthy in 2016 and that is one of our goals, at some point that goal should include getting proper rest too – because eating well and exercising do nothing if you run on endless coffee and 3-4 hours a sleep every night.

Am I right?  I might not be a health professional but it doesn’t take common sense to know that your overall wellness is not just one area.

In terms of Essential Oils, they have the propensity to work fabulously – when done correctly. But there are MANY times they JUST WON’T WORK. That’s right, they WON’T.

And if you are one of those people making statements off the cuff but are guilty of the items below, you really have no leg to stand on to rule them out of your life forever.

#1 – You are not using them consistently

When you are using Essential Oils, consistency is KEY. You can’t expect them to work wonders if you are inconsistent – and when we say that you need to make them a regular part of your routine, that means you must reapply often. 

Listen to your own body and reapply as needed.. and understand that Essential Oils are not a “one time use and that is it” remedy.

For us, that’s morning, noon, night, and in between. I have oils that travel with me. We have oils that go in Mom’s purse to church – they are reapplied after baths, they go on before bed – and they go on in the morning and sometimes even after lunch. 

That might be time consuming for some, but considering the alternatives, I’d say I’d rather take an extra 2-3 minutes than pop another pill – but then our health goals might not be aligned with yours.

#2 – You are not using them correctly

 In order to get the BEST results with your Essential oils, you can use them one of 3 ways ~

• Topically
• Internally (ensure you are using therapeutic grade Essential Oils, not the low cost oils at the health store!)
• Aromatically

The GOOD news is that a quality reference book will help you learn which was is the preferred method for your preferred results, and based on your circumstance.   

For example.. if you are working out, and your muscles are sore, then applying Essential Oils topically would probably be the BEST route to take. Looking for a quality reference book? You can find one at Abundant Health.

#3 – You are not using Quality Essential Oils

When it comes to Essential Oils, there are a LOT of places you can buy them. I have a lot of friends that get theirs from the health food store – you can sometimes get them at the grocery store, I have another friend who orders them on Amazon, sometimes goes to other places.

In the end, I will say they are NOT all made the same. 

Essential Oils often times use the words PURE, or NATURAL – but when you get the type that they sell at Walmart, or the health food store, more times than not they are NOT the Therapeutic Essential Oils that we are referencing for personal wellness, to supplement our health. 

And just like you might buy chips at Fry’s that say “Natural – Lay’s Chips!” – does it mean they are GOOD quality chips? Actually, quite the opposite. Just because you pay MORE for your Oil doesn’t make it any better, either – that’s why studying is so important.

While there are many out there, there aren’t many that I can vouch for – you can see what I recommend HERE. I personally lean towards a company that grows their own plants & trees on farms that are theirs (NOT outsourced)… has both in- house AND third party testing, and doesn’t use any synthetic chemicals or pesticides on their plants. I also love a company who has opened up their farms ANY time – that’s transparency at it’s best.

I looked at a variety of factors when I started studying Essential Oils a few years ago – this right HERE is what convinced me that I made the RIGHT choice.

#4 – You are NOT Taking Care of Yourself

Oils are just ONE part of wellness – you’ll also want to make sure you are following a good diet, getting rest and taking care of yourself. ALL of those areas work together for your OWN personal wellness.

The same goes for your kids.

If you are using Oils on your children and not seeing GOOD results, take a look at the other areas – are they eating well (and by well we mean foods that are not laden in sugar!) Are they getting sufficient water (hydrating) each day? Are they eating fruits? Vegetables? 

Kids will eat what you have in your home – if you are lackadaisical about keeping fresh produce and veggies on hand, in easy reach, in your fridge, then of course they are going to go for the OTHER things you have – which could very well be that sugary cereal, pop tarts, etc.  

Ensure your kids are getting a good rest each night, that they are using good personal hygiene, and that they are getting fresh air AND exercise -not bottled up in a house with video games. It all makes a huge difference!

#5 – Essential Oils DO NOT work  Miracles

I LOVE and believe that ALL of these items (Diet, Environment, Lifestyle) ALL work together with Essential Oils – and together, they can be a wonderful alternative to traditional medicine.

In a time when a majority of Americans rely on a number of prescriptions to mask the real cause for their health care problems, it’s important that YOU take care of your OWN health. Understand why a good diet is important. Make attempts to eat better. Get outside and move around.

There is a time and place for everything, and prescriptions DO have their place; just perhaps not for common things that we could have prevented on our own.

Studying and reading is also great too – I myself do a LOT of reading on personal care and health, but a word of caution – although internet access is cheap, and articles on Facebook are abundant, I always try to stay clear of the articles posted on social media by “that” person, and I try to do my own research.

Understand the language behind the differences in Essential Oil articles online; understand why our country focuses on what they do (medicine, lack of nutrition).  Be open to second opinions, and most importantly, look outside the box for answers to your personal health care goals.

Essential Oils can be an amazing asset when combined with your wellness regimen, they CAN BE and in many ways ARE effective – but by no means do they work miracles!  They are indeed an alternative choice to your health care, and can be a true asset for those who would rather take a different approach to their health aside from traditional medicine.