Essential Oils Are Changing Our Approach to Health and Wellness

When you talk oil in South Texas, you can have very different conversations… my mom starts talking paints and canvas, my corporate clients immediately think crude oil and rigs offshore, but when you talk to a growing group of locals who are seeking alternatives to our healthcare crisis and a way to deal with day-to-day issues, hearing “into the oils” is about a new healthcare fad that’s really not a fad: pure therapeutic grade essential oils. These 100% pure essential oils can have a major impact in our lives, supporting our body systems, while saving us money at the same time.

I’ve been “into the oils” since November 2012 and I would say essential oils are now a “lifestyle” for my family. I heard about essential oils from a friend and how using essential oils relieved her stomach issues. I was excited for her, since she had been experimenting with restricted diets and acupuncture and various treatments for years with little relief. But I still wasn’t sure how the oils could really benefit me. I finally attended an oils class and at the time had a super-stuffy nose. I sampled some peppermint oil (I inhaled the oil which was rubbed on my hands) and my airways opened up immediately and I was clear for the first time in days (after trying many over-the-counter “remedies”). I was sold! And wanted to know more!

What I found out was that when essential oils are 100% pure, with no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, sourced from around the world where the plants are native, they can provide a true and documented alternative to man-made pharmaceuticals. Unlike the essential oils found in most local groceries, pure therapeutic grade oils have no synthetic materials or additives and undergo a very strict testing regimen, more than most oils available on the market. The testing is also performed by third-party scientists (to keep it all legit). Why does that matter? Synthetics can often stimulate allergic reactions and are very hard to regulate and keep consistent from batch to batch. Every single liter of pure therapeutic grade essential oil is tested to conform to strict standards or they send it back to the source. In the past, essential oils were unpredictable and not widely used as a healthcare alternative. Most would have said essential oils were for the “granola” crowd and thought of only for aromatherapy. All that is changing. When you get your hands on the purest of oils, you can take some internally, use topically or diffuse them aromatically. The big kicker for me was finding out that these essential oils can penetrate the cell wall and the blood-brain barrier. This was huge! Essential oils can penetrate the wall to provide protection where it’s needed most… Mind blown!

One day, my husband actually came to me without prompting and said, “OK, give me whatcha got! What oil is going to relieve my discomfort?” I was thrilled (of course sorry that he was feeling miserable) and hopeful that the powerful oils would provide comfort and make him believe that they really do work. I though he could benefit from “immunity bombs” (a veggie cap filled with Protective blend, lemon, oregano and melaleuca oils) to strengthen his immune system. With good rest, good nourishment and a boost to his immune system, my husband’s systems were supported and he was happy. My children now plead, “I want oils!” before bedtime, as it’s become a ritual to rub the protective blend or respiratory blend on their feet, back, and chest at night (Protective blend is great for when they around a lot of snotty kids too). The bedtime fussies stop almost immediately once I start rubbing lavender on feet to help my kiddos sleep (the feet are very absorbent). For me, my issues are occasional stress, a racing mind as I try to fall asleep, and the occasional discomfort. My ritual is a little grounding blend on my feet in the morning to get my body ready for the day, Elevation blend if I’m feeling weary about the tasks ahead, I take vitamin supplements at breakfast and dinner, a little lemon in my water bottle for a gentle detox (and an alternative to sugary drinks), protective blend on my feet before I leave the house to protect me, and then calming blend all over my neck and shoulders before I go to bed to lull me to sleep. And when I do get discomfort, soothing blend is a God-send for getting to the core of my occasional discomfort. At the very least, the closeness it has provided within our family is healing in itself through the application of the oils on each other.

I think the greatest thing about essential oils is connecting with the network of users. Facebook has provided a platform for user groups where people can share testimonials and advice about what to try and what works for them. Not to mention the blogs and numerous sites that exist where you can research what oil to use. And maybe this is why essential oils are taking off right now. Ten years ago, you would be hard-pressed to find such an immediate response from users all over the country reporting on which oil can be used when your neighbor’s kid bit your kid (that was an actual recent post). It definitely can be overwhelming to jump into using the oils because one oil can do so many different things. One issue can have several different protocols as well, depending on how your body reacts to the oils. A search can reveal three or four different options to treat one thing. So you have to try them out and see what works for you. The network of people is also great for the free classes that pop up every month to help you sort through it all.

I love that one essential oil can have so many uses and treat everyone in your family. You really get a big bang for your buck. Lemon oil, for example can have tons of uses! You can use it in your water to replace sugary drinks, take it in a veggie cap with lavender and peppermint to ease seasonal threats, it can get paint off your hands (without using nasty chemicals) and you can also put it in your wash or spray it on your sheets to repel bed bugs AND you can use it cooking, and about 50 other uses for just this one oil. Frankincense is really the big hero when it comes to essential oils. It’s so interesting to me that this oil was brought as a gift to Jesus so many thousands of years ago, and now we are using it almost on a daily basis to treat cuts and wounds, respiratory issues, diminish wrinkles and scaring, help with tension in the head and neck, and relieve digestive issues! Talk about a miracle in a bottle!

Really, to believe that CPTG pure essential oils can be a viable health and wellness alternative for you and your family, you need to try them. Unfortunately, you can’t pick these oils up in your big box stores, but you can order them from me. Essential oils are definitely worth checking out. There’s scientific proof! Taking control of your own health and wellness might be scary to some, but to me, it’s empowering and I can’t wait to try more essential oils.