What a pleasure it is to be guest posting here on Creative and Healthy Fun Food! I had the pleasure of meeting Ursula through the world of social media in a support group for EA/TEF. Both of us had common ground not only with our special little boys, but in the fact that we are always looking for natural and healthier alternatives. Ursula knows of my love for essential oils and natural products and asked me if I would like to share a little about why we choose to use these natural alternatives.
Before I get into the information, let me tell you a little about myself and how we first came to venture into this lifestyle. My name is Cassie and I am a wife, mother, homeschool “teacher”, and pediatric physical therapist assistant. I have two children, two dogs, a rabbit, and several chickens who keep me running non-stop, but I couldn’t ask for a more rewarding job.
The winter my daughter, Christina, was six years old she had a cough that we just could not kick. Cough and cold medicines only served to hype her up to the max, but never even touched that cough. I will forever remember the night that she did a cannon ball from the toilet into the bathtub. This is the night that I knew it was no longer fair to her to be on these medications that didn’t even help ease the problem anyway. Thankfully, a close friend of mine introduced me to Young Living essential oils and gave me samples of RC and Thieves to try on Christina. A couple of days later, we realized the cough was GONE!
Fast forward to September 2012, when our son, Isaac, was born and diagnosed with EA/TEF. Following the surgery we were told by multiple doctors that because of his diagnosis, Isaac would now be at a higher risk than most children to catch respiratory illnesses. While I had been “playing” at using my essential oils for about a year, having this beautiful baby boy is what really strengthened my belief in the benefits that these oils provided. He is now 2.5 years old and has had nothing worse than a cold or stomach bug. While I believe there are a few factors as to why he has been so healthy, I know our use of the oils has played a major role.
Since we have started using Young Living products I have spent many hours learning through research, attending classes, and using the oils. While I do work in the medical field, I am not a doctor and do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. I am simply a concerned mother doing her best to provide the best care possible for her family! Now that you know a little bit about us, let’s jump into the information!
So, what are essential oils? Essential oils are an aromatic liquid that is stored in special cells, ducts, or glandular hairs spread throughout the plant. They are part of the plant’s immune system and are considered the “life source” of the plant. These oils are derived from plants through a low-pressure and low-temperature steam distillation process that causes the plant to release the oils to be gathered.
How do these essential oils work? Well, without getting too in depth into the chemistry side of it, I will talk about the three main components that can be found within an essential oil. These include phenolics, sesquiterpenes, and monoterpenes.
Phenolics: these work to clean off (purify) receptor sites of cells and are also stimulating to the nervous and immune systems. Phenolics have antioxidant properties and a high level of oxygenating molecules and are considered anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, and antiseptic. Some oils high in phenolics include Wintergreen, Clove, Peppermint, and Melaleuca alternifolia.
Sesquiterpenes: these delete “bad” information from cellular memory. Once the phenols have done their job and cleaned off the receptors then the sesquiterpenes are able to enter into the cell to erase all of that bad information. Some oils that contain high amounts of sesquiterpenes include Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, and Myrrh.
Monoterpenes: these restore the correct information in the DNA in the cell once the other two have done their jobs. You could say that they are entering the cell and hitting the reset button to take it back to “factory settings” and repair all of the damage that had been done. Their job is also to inhibit the accumulation of toxins and they like to detox the kidney and the liver. These are also considered the balancing portion of the oil. Grapefruit, Orange, Frankincense, Cypress, and Balsam Fir contain high amounts of monoterpenes.
A fantastic source for this information is Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple
by Dr. David Stewart.
Ok, so what should you do with this information? For those that might just be starting out, it is likely that you would initially want to seek out oils that are high in phenolics in order to clean off all of the receptor sites to allow the oils higher in sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes to do their jobs.
Why would these receptor sites be “dirty”? Toxins that have built up over time from the use of chemical-laden personal care products, foods we eat, or even cleaning products that we use attach to these sites and eventually alter cellular makeup. Just because the oils in phenolics are the ideal place to start, doesn’t mean that you cannot use and see results from all oils. The way I see it, you are off to a wonderful start by using any oils and changing the way you see your health and take care of yourself.
Feeling a little confused by all the chemistry talk? To break it down, here are some things that essential oils can be used for to support a healthy immune system, support healthy lung function, help relax muscles, help promote emotional well-being, support kidney health and function, help with upset tummy, slow the sign of aging, encourage proper nasal function, support healthy joint function, and aide with minor discomforts along with many other things. You can even use essential oils for teeth and gum health!
I know jumping into the world of essential oils can seem like a daunting task. The good news is that your Young Living family can be some of the most supportive groups of people you can find! And just like I have spent many hours in research, so have many of them! The educational opportunities and support are endless! I hope that you have learned a little something by reading this post, and maybe even encouraged to take a proactive approach to improving your own health!
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