The Basics of Essential Oils
What are Essential Oils?
Essential Oils are the aromatic, volatile liquid that is within many shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, citrus rinds, and seeds. It’s the liquid that you see oozing from a plant if you cut or tear it. That plant liquid is responsible for transporting nutrients from the roots to the tips of the leaves and are rich in nutrients and compounds beneficial to health and vitality.
The chemistry of an essential oil is very complex and may consist of hundreds of different and unique chemical compounds.
The distillation process is what makes essential oils so concentrated.It takes, 5,000 lbs of rose petals to create 1 kilo of rose oil. Adding just one drop of peppermint oil to a glass of water has approximately the same concentration as 28 cups of peppermint tea.
Essential oils are different from vegetable oils that are greasy and sit on top of the skin. Vegetable oils also don’t have antibacterial properties and will oxidize and become rancid over time. In contrast, un-adulterated essential oils have naturally occurring chemical constituents that do not go rancid (unless altered by exposing them to heat for extended periods of time).
How are they made?
The method in which the oils are distilled may effect their chemistry and beneficial actions. Additionally, their chemistry will be different if they are from the second or third distillation of the same plant material.
Combining ancient and modern techniques, Young Living is recognized as an innovator in essential oil distillation. They use a gentle, proprietary technique for steam extracting essential oils and preserving their precious constituents. Cold pressing and resin tapping methods are also used for select oils.
Young Living Essential Oils entire Seed to Seal process ensures that you are only receiving the very best, most effective, and most authentic essential oils!
How to Use
Inhalation
Inhaling straight from the bottle, or applying a drop on your hands and then cup over your nose and inhaling, or using a cold-air diffuser, are all methods of inhalation of essential oils.
With Young Living's innovative Diffusers, oils are dispersed in a micro-fine vapor, allowing them to remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time AND without heating them so they retain their powerful naturally occurring constituents. HEAT AND CANDLE DIFFUSERS CHANGE THE CONSTITUENTS OF ESSENTIAL OILS. Diffusing can help reduce toxins and environmental impurities, help with weight management, help you to relax, relieve tension, improve concentration, mental clarity and much more!
This happens because the limbic lobe can directly activate the hypothalamus which controls body temp, hunger, thirst, fatigue, and sleep. It acts as our hormonal control center and releases hormones that can affect many functions of the body (examples: production of growth hormones, sex hormones, thyroid hormone, and neurotransmitters such as serotonin are all governed by the hypothalamus). Essential oils are a natural way to support your health and wellness!
Topically
Because Essential oils are soluble with the lipid membranes of cells, they have an unmatched ability to penetrate and disperse within minutes throughout the body. Apply directly on the skin, but, NEVER drop into eyes or ears. The spicy oils such as Cinnamon, Clove, Thyme, Oregano and Peppermint can be warming to sensitive skin. Dilute your essential oils with Young Living’s V6 carrier oil or a pure Coconut or Olive oil if skin sensitivity is a concern. Check out their variety of pre-mixed massage oils!
Young Living’s personal care line of products such as shampoo, soap, lotions, and toothpaste are all infused with essential oils.
Internally
ONLY a Therapeutic, Grade A oil, such as Young Living’s Vitality oils, are safe enough to ingest. By ingesting the oils, optimum benefits can be achieved. Put a drop or two in coconut or rice milk, add to a glass of water, or in an empty capsule and take internally. Read the label on each bottle for the recommended application.
Young Living offers a wide range of Vitality Essential Oils labeled for internal use. Basil, Rosemary, Oregano are just a few that are great to keep on your spice rack! In addition, all of Young Living’s supplements are also essential oil infused.
For more information check out videos in a variety of languages:
“A drop of Tangerine or Lime Vitality (or both!…well any of the citrus Vitality oils!) added to San Pellegrino sparking natural mineral water is so refreshing!”
