Why Essential Oils

Who else is ditching toxic chemicals this year?

One of my favourite things on this wellness journey has been learning about harmful toxins and ways to swap out some of the old with essential oil alternatives!

The first thing that really pushed me to start to make changes, to pursue a less toxin filled lifestyle was an article I read by davidsuzuki.org called "The Dirty Dozen: Parfum (aka Fragrance) and I was astonished by the myriad of chemicals that go into perfumes, colognes and other household items including cleaning products, laundry detergent, etc. under the guise of the term "fragrance". The health consequences of these toxic chemicals that make up fragrance are also staggering and quite frankly, down right scary.

As much as I loved my mammoth collection of designer perfumes, it was time to make the switch. If you know me I LOVED wearing perfume, but the health cost is ultimately not worth it for me anymore.

Enter essential oils.

According to Health Line:

"Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. Their antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties make them a useful product in your medicine cabinet. They have also been shown to promote healthy sleep, relieve headaches, and alleviate pain. In addition, essential oils can improve skin conditions, help treat the common cold, and encourage healthy digestion".

According to Medical News Today:

"Apart from providing a pleasant smell, aromatherapy oils can provide respiratory disinfection, decongestant, and psychological benefits. Inhaling essential oils stimulates the olfactory system, the part of the brain connected to smell, including the nose and the brain. And frankly there are so many other benefits and uses as well, which I am hoping to continue to share with you.

I'll be honest, the idea of diving into the world of essential oils was overwhelming at first, and you might be feeling that way too, especially because there are so many different types of oils, uses and so forth. So to begin, I decided to research the main oils that one should have in their basic care kit such as lavender, tea tree, peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, rosemary, thyme, lemon and clove.

Starting with Lavender (since I love lavender and I grow it in my garden) it's the most versatile, and the most well known oil, I uncovered its many benefits. It is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, antidepressant and it stimulates the immune system, contributing to healing.

Lavender is an effective treatment for burns, heals wounds and prevents scarring, it promotes relaxation, and can help in the treatment of anxiety, allergies, insomnia, infection, skin problems, nausea and more.

Lavender can be diffused, applied topically in bath products and creams, used as a massage oil, even in baking (I can't wait to share my lavender shortbread recipe with you soon) and so much more.

I look forward to sharing more about the benefits I've personally experienced since incorporating oils into our lives, and all that I continue to learn about each oils' true benefits and uses. But I also encourage you to do your own research, because one thing is clear, not all essential oils are made equal. If you are interested in finding out more about our essential oils community click here.