There are three main ways to use essential oils: by topical application, by inhalation, and by ingestion (don’t do this with just any oils though! Read on for more). Please keep in mind we are talking about Young Living oils. The information might not be applicable to other brands.
Topical~
Putting the oils directly onto the skin of the affected body part. It’s kind of a no-brainer... we put the oil where the problem is. We choose this method for scrapes, burns, wounds, bug bites and other skin irritations. For this kind of application we might choose Lavender, Thieves, Purification, Melrose, Melaleuca Alternifolia (“tea tree”), or Frankincense. Some of these oils exhibit soothing properties, others are naturally high in anti-infectious compounds.
Muscle and joint pain is another strong indicator for topical application. We use oils such as PanAway, Wintergreen, Peppermint, Aroma Seize and Valor for muscle aches, Helichrysum for nerve pain, and Lemongrass for ligaments.
When people are starting out using oils topically, we suggest they start with small amounts at a time and dilute as necessary. The Essential Oils Desk Reference has a number of charts with recommended dilution ratios, which make a great starting point. The User’s Guide brochure has a starter chart as well.
We are a little bit fearless in our topical applications; we’ve been using the oils for a while and have a good sense of how much we need in a situation.
When diluting, use a fatty oil such as Young Living’s V-6 blend (our fave) or whatever pure oil you might have in the kitchen (coconut, olive and almond work well). Don’t dilute with water for topical use; it actually drives the oils in further instead of dispersing them evenly.
Inhalation and Diffusing~
Yum! This is the method of choice when you want to influence the mood, atmosphere, and/or emotions. We are hardwired in such a way that scent affects our emotional experience in real, tangible ways. This is the application method where we can get really creative. I have a friend who starts each day with her “Never Have A Bad Day” ritual of Valor, Harmony, Joy and White Angelica (she added Stress Away when it came out at Convention last year). She has challenged many of us to try having a bad day when we start off slathered in mood supportive oils.
I love this method of “personal inhalation” for a quick fix: I put a drop or two of my chosen oil in the palm of my left hand. With the fingertips of my right hand, I make three clockwise circles then rub the palms together. Then I cup both hands over my nose and inhale deeply several times. I re-remembered the three circles when I was at a conference with Gary Young recently. We always did it that way in the early days, and I’d fallen out of the practice. I was reminded that with this simple gesture we imbue the process with our intention and activate the healing centers of our mind.
We use the oils this way for so many reasons. Whether we are doing a complete emotional release protocol with the Feelings kit, rubbing Clarity on our temples while we study, or putting Peace & Calming on the kids before bedtime, we are using inhalation to our benefit. Some kids who are labeled as being on the autistic spectrum do really well carrying an oil or two that they can smell throughout the day.
While inhalation does not require a diffuser, for filling a room nothing else compares. Young Living has several styles which we love for different reasons.
There are strong indicators for diffusing when you want to disperse the anti-infectious properties of an oil throughout an entire house or room. The Theives blend in particular has been studied for its effectiveness in eradicating toxic black mold in environments where other, harsher methods failed (we would use the TheraPro diffuser for this). When someone in our house is fighting off a cold or flu, we alternate diffusing between Thieves, Immupower, Raven and RC.
Internal~
We should start by saying that we do not recommend this with oils other than Young Living. If you are using Young Living oils, consult the bottle before consuming. Look for the “supplement serving size” section on the label. If it’s not there, it means the oil contains plants that the FDA has not signed off on as edible. As a general rule, if you can eat the plant (peppermint, lavender, rosemary, etc - and yes, all the oils in the Thieves blend are edible) you can ingest the oil.
For the most part it is recommended (we refer to the Essential Oils Desk Reference here) to dilute oils prior to ingestion. They work best in a fatty base, so a carrier oil like Young Living’s V6 (or olive, coconut, etc. oil from the kitchen). The recommended oil can be added to an empty capsule (starting with a drop or two) and the capsule then filled with oil before swallowing.
To make matters simple, Young Living has gone ahead and encapsulated a couple of targeted-result blends for easy ingestion: SleepEssence, Digest and Cleanse, Longevity, and Inner Defense (Thieves plus Oregano, Thyme, and Citronella- hello, immune system!) are a few examples.
There are some oils we take orally “straight up”. They are surprisingly strong to the uninitiated, so again- start small. We like peppermint to freshen breath, Thieves if we’re feeling depleted, lavender or frankincense if we burn our tongue.
Other oils we add to water for a cool beverage or hot tea. We always bring lemon to restaurants (our oil is a lot cleaner than that lemon wedge, I’d wager) and people traveling overseas have used it to kill bacteria in water that might compromise their health otherwise. We make tea from Peppermint, Lavender, Frankincense, Orange... you name it.
Cooking with the oils is another great option. We suggest (you guessed it) starting small (these are potent!) and add your oils after the main cooking has taken place.
There’s so much more to share! Thank goodness we’re a-blogging now.
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