I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no fan of fads. I ignore the trends, whether it’s dieting, clothes, or the newest gadget. The claims made about medicine, health, and general well-being are given extra suspicion, since so little of the science is actually concrete (see: coffee is good! no, coffee is bad! coffee will kill you! wait, coffee will extend your life! etc.) Like everything else in life, when I find something potentially beneficial, I research the pros and cons, and then self-test to see if it works for me. If it does, I stick with it. If it doesn’t, or it stops, I look for an alternative.

The Research

For anyone who’s read my story, some weird but severe allergies have given me an obsession with ingredient lists. I want the minimum necessary, all-natural, easy to understand so I’m not researching every unpronounceable name in the list. When detoxing from several year’s worth of medication, I wanted a way to get rid of headaches and muscle pain without resorting to drugs like acetaminophen or creams with petro-based oils in them.

Let’s Get Oiled

Then I discovered the wild world of essential oils and the (sometimes insane) people who use them. I read the stories of people who claim to cure every possible disease with oils. People who bathe in them, ingest them, diffuse them, clean with them, use them on their children… create blends and lose their minds when you mention “fractionated coconut oil.”

Feeling like I was in an oil-based version of a Tupperware party with rolling purchases and “necessary” add-on items, I nevertheless dug into the science behind the claims. In the past, we only had natural items in the environment to aid health. The use of oils and extracts and plant-based medicine is not new. The people of India wrote a book about natural medicine thousands of years before western nations came to power. Being a history buff, I ate this up. I mean, it makes sense. So I went back to the basics: plant-based, all-natural medicine using oils they made before the Bible was written. Cool, no?

So what’s the point? Does it work?

I started with just a few oils to see what happened.

Turns out… Peppermint does give off the cooling sensation it’s known for… and it kicks my headaches.

Lavender does promote calm and relaxation, especially when combined with epsom salts in a hot bath.

Grapefruit can actually increase mood and it has had an impact on my scars and not so great skin areas.

Putting It Into Practice

After almost a year of using oils for everything from headaches and muscle pain to mood and relaxation, I can definitely say that they have an effect on me. And as I’ve studied and practiced, I’ve expanded my oil use into many parts of my life. I use oils in my body care products, in my laundry and household cleaners, and I keep a diffuser running at home and in the office. I have stopped taking pain medications in favor of essential oils and the benefits I get from certain blends, which I absolutely love. No more harmful chemicals in my system! I’ve noticed that I’m am happier and generally less stressed overall. And I definitely notice when I get off track and don’t use them for a bit.

Essential oils have been a game-changer for me. They’ve allowed me to live more naturally while fine-tuning what my body needs and using specific oils that benefit my overall health. I love what they’ve done and look forward to sharing more about them to help others take control of their health and wellbeing too.

Want to get started? Check out one of my favorite diffusers with a great starter pack of oils here.

Love always,

Full disclosure: this article contains affiliate links, which means I receive a payment any time you purchase a product I recommend. This comes at no additional cost to you and all items I recommend I use myself. Read more here.