Why Essential Oils?

If you know me, you know I LOVE essential oils. I’ve been using them for about 3.5 years now, and what a difference they’ve made in my life!

Because they are so versatile, they can be incorporated into so many aspects of our daily lives.

 

Health and Wellness

Did you know that in addition to their delightful scents, essential oils have beneficial properties within their chemical makeups that can help support our health and wellness? Each oil has different properties that allow it to provide different benefits to us.

So what are essential oils, anyway? They are the naturally occurring, aromatic compounds found within plants. They help protect the plants from disease and environmental threats, and when distilled into a liquid form, can help protect our bodies from those same types of threats! They can help support healthy functioning of our body systems, provide antioxidant support, and soothe occasional discomforts.

Essential oils provide a safer, cheaper, natural alternative to many commonly used synthetic substances.

 

Emotional Support

You have probably heard of the field of aromatherapy. Using essential oils aromatically (inhaling directly from the bottle, off of an object, from a diffuser, etc.) can have a powerful effect of mood and emotions. Different oils, when smelled, will evoke different emotional reactions. For example, there are many essential oils that provide uplifting effects, and many that can help calm or ground us. If you are looking to alter your state, reaching for an essential oil that helps evoke that state is a great natural option! This is good news, since often, the things we reach to for comfort are not so good for us!

 

Cleaning

Many essential oils have properties that make them perfect for disinfecting and purifying. These oils can be purifying to the air when used in a diffuser, and they can be used to clean surfaces, remove sticky residue, and polish wood furniture and floors. Most cleaners on the market today are full of harmful chemicals that can be dangerous to us, our children, and our pets. We can help protect our families by choosing safer, natural options like essential oils. Plus, using essential oils and other common household items like white vinegar and baking soda to make your own cleaning products saves a lot of money!

 

Beauty Care

Some essential oils are wonderful for the skin and can be used for toning, brightening, reducing the appearance of scars and stretch marks, and anti-aging. Most of the beauty products sold in stores contain chemicals that really shouldn’t go on our skin—and from there, absorbed into our bodies! Essential oils and products made with essential oils, on the other hand, can provide a healthy, natural alternative.

 

Cooking

Did you know that pure, therapeutic grade essential oils can actually be ingested? They make great flavorings in beverages, baked goods, and other dishes! Many can be used in place of their dried spice counterparts. They can also provide benefits to our bodies when taken internally.

*Not all essential oils can be used internally, so please do your research before trying this!

 

As you can see, there are many uses for essential oils, and these are some of the ways I have incorporated them into my lifestyle in an effort to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals and support my body in a natural way. If you want to know more, or if you’d like to share your favorite way to use essential oils, leave a comment or fill out the contact form at www.livingsimplywithsarah.com/contact. Plus, visit me on Facebook for DIY recipes, diffuser blends, essential oils tips, and more!

Wishing you a happy and healthy day!

~Sarah