Be an oilbularyo. Essential oils are good for you.
Essential oils have taken the wellness arena in the Philippines by storm. It seems that oilbularyos are everywhere and there is an oil for everything, including my sciatica. Are you interested but rather wary about it? Here our guest writer, Dr. Jamielynn Anne Cruz-Nalumen, digs deep into this age-old cure and why essentials oils are good for you.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are potent, volatile oils that are essentially the life force of plants. They act like what blood is to humans. They deliver nutrients and oxygen to areas where the plant needs support. Terpenes are the main compound of essential oils that give them their vivid fragrance and several beneficial properties that we can take advantage of.
When used by humans, essential oils are able to affect wellness throughout the whole body. It’s made up of very small molecules so one drop applied topically can easily coat every single cell in the human body within a few minutes.
Ways that oils can be used
There are three ways that essential oils can be used daily.
- AROMATIC. This is the favorite way of using essential oils. It can be used by smelling the oil directly from the bottle, or by putting a drop into your palm and cupping it over your nose. Or you can use a cold-water difuser.
- TOPICALLY. Essential oils are potent and should be diluted according to the label instructions. Keep in mind that “one drop goes a long way”. When we say “dilute”, it means to use the essential oil with a carrier oil. Carrier oils are fatty oils, such as virgin coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oi, sunflower oil, etc. They are called such because the small molecules of essential oils can attach to the bigger molecule and be “carried” over a larger area for application. You may check out the Gundry MD Olive Oil reviews for some of the best quality olive oils you can use.
- INTERNALLY. Some essential oils are listed as Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) for consumption. Check the label for instructions if they are made for ingestion. You can put one drop of the oil in your water or use an empty capsule that you can top off with food-grade carrier oil. Use glass or stainless-steel containers when adding essential oils to your drink.
Kinds of essential oils available in the market
Essential oils are not created equally. Most oils available at the malls are mostly made of synthetics. They are chemically-created to produce scents that smell nice but do not have any therapeutic value. Because they are unnatural, these usually generate an undesirable reaction, such as headaches, allergies, rashes, etc.
There are those that are called “perfume-grade”, which are usually natural oils mixed with synthetics. Perfume companies need to produce the exact same scent in every batch of their products, thus they have to “rectify” with chemicals to get that result.
“Manipulated” or food-grade oils are natural oils diluted with another natural oil, such as carrier oils. The FDA allows these products to be marketed as “pure”, even though only 5-30% of the essential oil is present in the product.
The rarest and highest grade of oils are 100% pure, natural, and therapeutic. These kinds of oils undergo stringent steps before they are released into the market. These are the oils you would want to use if you wish to experience an improvement in your overall wellness.
What can essential oils do for us?
Here are some of the things that good quality essential oils can do for us and our family.
Emotional support
When used aromatically, essential oils give excellent emotional support. The sense of smell is the human sense related to our emotions. This is because the olfactory nerves are located beside the amygdala and the limbic system, which is the center of human emotions. When you feel down, inhale a revitalizing scent for an instant “perk me up”. We need that to make happy mamas.
Memory enhancer
It can also help with memory, since we easily associate a certain scent with a specific memory. Think about how a smell transports you back to a specific place, time, or even emotion that you felt during that particular memory.
Air purifier
Another advantage with aromatic use, especially when using cold-water diffusers, is that essential oils can clean the air. The common air fresheners available in the market only mask the smell you wish to get rid of. Meanwhile, essential oils effectively neutralize the cause of the smell, giving your home a refreshing and clean scent.
Localized body issues
When used topically, you can directly address any issues on the site of concern, while affecting the entire body. As I’ve said, essential oil molecules are very, very small. Even if you apply the oil on the bottom of your feet, they can easily travel through the blood stream and coat the cells of the whole body.
As antioxidants
Oils are wonderful antioxidants. Considering that we are constantly being bombarded by toxins, essential oils provide a way to fight the free-radicals generated by these toxic exposures. We get these toxins through the polluted air, the pesticides we involuntarily take in our food, and the personal products laden with FDA-approved chemicals (such as parabens, sulfates, etc.)
These are known irritants and are even hormone-disruptors. Using essential oils consistently helps us fight the free-radicals, which not only make us FEEL older, but also LOOK older.
As food
Another way to deliver the antioxidants effectively is through ingestion of essential oils. You can take it straight or mix it with your home-cooked food. This is probably the most effective way, but make sure that the label states that the oil is safe for ingestion.
When NOT to use essential oils?
Of course, there are contraindications to essential oils. Please read and consider them carefully.
1. Essential oils are NOT medicine. Do not use them for the purpose of replacing your prescribed medications for specific ailments.
2. Essential oils should not be applied directly on the eyes and in the ears. Avoid applying it neat on mucous membranes, especially “hot” and “cold” essential oils.
3. Some oils contain constituents that are best avoided by pregnant women, breastfeeding, and children below 12 years old. Such information can be obtained through the private support groups in using essential oils.
4. Essential oils should not be used neat (no carrier oil) on babies and children. Always follow proper dilution.
5. Do not use essential oils when you do not know what they are for. Always do your own research, refer to essential oil references, and ask questions from your EO mentor/sponsor.
How do I choose which essential oil brand to use?
I would ask the following questions that point to the quality of their products:
- Do they own their farms or have a stringent program imposed on partner farms?
- Can you visit their farms and see all their processes?
- Does each batch of oil undergo a strict set of tests both in-house and with reliable third-party laboratories (Does the third-party laboratory have the right and large database to properly and correctly identify all essential oil constituents)?
- Do they use the right methods of extracting essential oils?
- Does the company practice sustainable sourcing?
- Do their oils have a natural “plant” smell that differ from batch to batch?
Young Living Essential Oils
To be clear, I chose Young Living Essential Oils because they are able to answer the questions above. I get this through their Seed to Seal Guarantee. This is what the Seed to Seal Guarantee entails.
- They make sure from the choosing of the farm with the right soil. The farm has to be organic, meaning, it should be pesticide-free for a minimum of 50 years
- They also make sure from the choosing of the seeds.
- Additionally, they make sure when to plant the seed and when the plants should be harvested. That is becasue some plants have a specific TIME and SEASON when they should be harvested in order to get the best constituents).
- Furthermore, they make sure about how the oil is extracted. The oil undergoes 17 laboratory tests 3 times (2 sets are performed in-house and 1 set by a third-party laboratory—if any one of those 51 tests fails, the entire batch is discarded). They also ensure that quality oils are bottled and delivered straight to your doorstep from their warehouse (direct-selling).
Advantages of Young Living Essential Oils
Young Living Essential Oils WORK. I’ve tried oils from another company before and I found them to be frustratingly ineffective. Additionally, they had a rancid underlying scent, which made me wary of essential oils. So, it took me some time to try Young Living Essential Oils. But I’m so glad I did.
Aside from their quality, I love how they incorporated a mentoring program into a marketing strategy. They utilize the multilevel-marketing pattern to ensure that every user is properly guided by their enroller-sponsor. This assures safe and proper usage of the essential oils, and not just merely selling products and forcing buyers to consult online.
Speaking of products, as a lifestyle company, they not only offer essential oils. I am enjoying the privilege of having access to essential oil-infused and toxin-free personal care products. They have make-up, baby care, and even food. Since most, if not all, products available in the local market contain toxins that should be avoided, I am happy with their products. I get all these just by becoming a wholesale member.
I am also able to create do-it-yourself products that allow me to save money! Once you become a member, you get access to private support groups that have tried and tested recipes for different needs.
How do I start?
All Young Living members start their essential oils journey with the Young Living Premium Starter Kit. which automatically gives you wholesale membership. For only $160, you will get almost $355 worth of items, including:
- (11) 5mL essential oils (lavender, lemon, peppermint, copaiba, frankincense, Thieves, Digize, Panaway, Raven, Citrus Fresh, and Stress Away)
- (1) cold-water diffuser (Choose between the Home-Dewdrop and Desert Mist)
- (2) 2oz packets of Ningxia Red (A strong, concentrated antioxidant that you only need 1-2 oz/day. Tastes yummy, too!)
- (1) 1oz packet of Thieves Household Cleaner (Toxin-free cleaner, concentrated, commonly diluted at 1:50 ratio with water, depending on the depth of cleaning you need. This can literally replace every single cleaner you use in your home. Safe for kids and pets.)
- (1) Aromaglide Roller fitment
- (10) 1mL sharing bottles
- (1) 2018 Product Catalog
- (1) Essential Oil Magazine
Where Does Young Living Come From?
Young Living is based in Utah, USA. Once your orders have been shipped, you can receive them as fast as five (5) working days. Different shipping fees apply. For the Young Living Premium Starter Kit, the shipping fee is from the Young Living headquarters to the Philippine is US$14.00
The parcel is sent through DHL, which has made tracking very easy. The link to tracking your order is in your online member portal.
What are the advantages of wholesale membership?
Be a Young Living member and get the following benefits:
- 24% discount on all retail pricing
- Access to the Essential Rewards program
- 24/7 group support through Facebook, Messenger, E-mail, or Mobile
- No monthly membership fees
- To maintain membership, minimum purchase of 50PV annually (no hidden fees. Just buy the product/oils you need to replenish!)
Be a Young Living Member
To become a member, feel free to contact me at 0918-4899179, or through my Facebook education page Purple Lief (recommended in case you wish to be guided through the step-by-step of the membership set-up). You can use this link to easily set-up your account: https://yl.pe/b4tj
Young Living and Happy Pili Farm
I am proud to announce that Young Living has recently partnered with the Happy Pili Farm. Located in Bicol, they are producing the Elemi essential oil, which has thus effectively provided a sustainable source of income for the local farmers.
About the author
Dr. Jamielynn Anne Cruz-Nalumen is a full-time Pathologist who has made it her purpose to incorporate wellness into her practice. She is a mother to 3 and wife to an Anesthesiologist, who is also an advocate for wellness.
As a promoter of natural parenting styles like breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping, and cloth diapering, using essential oils fit well into their family lifestyle. In their family, they have found that essential oils successfully complement conventional medicine.
Dr. Nalumen has made it her goal to have every household utilize the purest essential oils. It will be a jump-off point for a healthier life amidst this toxic world.
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Thanks once again for this awesome piece…
What type of stores can I get essential oil over here in Africa?
It seems much of it isn’t in use down here.
Thanks so much.
Oh you can just order it online. Young Living is an online store and they deliver around the world through DHL. They are based in Utah, USA, but I am in the Philippines and my order is coming really soon. Please order from my friend’s link. It’s in the article.
Hi Chris! Africa is currently an NFR country. So you’ll be ordering from the US and they’ll deliver to you. Do let me know how I can assist you. The PSK is currently on sale at 10% off. 4 hours left til the end of the sale!
I have always wanted to try my hands on essential oils. Your post has given me that extra push on how to use it at home. Will check out Young Living.
If you are going to, please order from my friend’s link. 🙂 It’s in the article.
I’ve tried essential oils for the kids’ allergic rhinitis, though we used different brands. They were effective but since EOs are a bit pricey, we discontinued using them since mid last year when my stash were all used up. This year, I’m planning to request the husband to buy me a diffuser for Christmas ? so we can go back to using EOs again. They’ve worked wonders for our allergies — the kids didn’t have colds and cough for weeks.?
Hi Apolline! Now is the perfect time to start. The PSK is on sale at 10% off. 4 hours left til the end of the sale! ?
When I was little, my mother used to have essential oils burning into the house, for aromatherapy. I never used them though and I didn’t know that they can have so much more benefits than just making the room smell nice.
Oh yeah, essential oils can really improve the mood. That is why I really like health spas who diffuse oils like eucalyptus, lavender, or peppermint. They make me want to linger in the place for so long.
I love essential oils for mood enhancing and have started to try them for my skin. I discovered that Tea Tree is good for reducing a cyst.
Oh that’s nice. So you dilute tea tree essential oil in a carrier oil? Right?
I always hear about essential oils, but I haven’t tried them yet. Maybe one day I’ll branch out. I’m not really a natural parent though. I basically go with what I used as a kid and use them on my kids as well.
This is also going to be the first time I am going to use natural essential oils. I am still waiting for the shipping of my Young Living essential oils. I was told they are already in Manila. I used to diffuse oils before but I guess they are synthetic so we got allergic reactions. 🙁
Hi Amber! Now is the best time to start. The PSK is on sale at 10% off. Sale ends in 4 hours! ?
I love using lavender oil to relax after a long day of work. I also like using other essential oils for therapeutic reasons. I have never heard about Young Living. I will check them out.
I like using essential oils topically for headaches and stress. I also like diffusing them!
That’s nice! I have yet to discover the wonders of authentic and natural essential oils. What brand do you use? So far, I only have a mix for sciatica, which they call sciatica massage oil, made of Young Living oils that a friend gave to me. I use it every night. 🙂
Essential oils are really good and have many medicinal benefits. I recently started using it, and I can see the difference.
What brand of essential oils are you using? 🙂 Is it natural and organic, too? 🙂
I love essential oils for aromatic use. I also use some of them for food preparation. They offer a pleasant mood. I have never heard about Young Living. I will check them out.
I have yet to try essential oils on food. I am quite excited to experiment in the kitchen for my homecooked dishes. 😀
I’m from the Philippines and I love to use natural essential oils, especially when I have cramps and headaches. I will check this Young Living essential oils. I am also using White flower if you know that brand 😀
I have a diffuser, too and love using it with different essential oils most days. I have to be careful when I have a migraine but I’ve found one that helps with my symptoms if I start burning it at the first signs of my migraine.
Really? What essential oil is that? Or a mix? I am new in this. My Young Living Premium Starter Kit just arrived today.
It’s a specific migraine blend. I’m not entirely sure what is in it (as its just labelled migraine) but I found it at the night markets at Queen Vic Markets. It’s been a life saver!
Oh that is so nice. I am finding that a blend with panaway, lavender, and peppermint has been helping me managed my headaches. Though so far, no migraine yet because I am diffusing oils for stress. I think these are helping me.
I also changed my prescription spectacles and my headaches have been few and far between. 😀
I love using my essential oils for wellness. Peppermint helps a bunch for headaches and lavender to help me sleep at night. Learned a few new things about them from your incredibly informational post. Thanks!
I have been meaning to learn more about essential oils and use them more in my day to day life. This is a great vibe!
We use essential oils in our family. We absolutely love them and have found great health benefits.
I love using essential oils! I use Cedarwood essential oil to ground me when things get hectic!
Ohhh I have yet to try Cedarwood. What brand of essential oils are you using?
I love essential oils have been using them for years. I find they really help if used the correct way.
My sister uses a lot of essential oil and I think it’s effective. She gave me some and I love how it helps us to feel better.
I had no idea there were so many uses for essential oils. I do have a few here, but definitely need to become more educated and use more quality oils for more of the uses you described.
I love essential oils! Have been using them for the past weeks and they make such a difference in your home ! My friends say it makes my house look and smell cozy haha!!! thanks for this added information!
Honestly I was skeptical of essential oils until one of my friends brought some out and used it on a bite I had. It seemed to go away almost instantly. I was impressed. They do have so many different uses.
I have a few essential oils that am yet to put to good use and this post has been informative on how to. I will need to research some more into the uses of those oils.
Yes Yes Yes, definitely enough reasons to try out these essential oils. Thanks for sharing. Will look into this further for my family.
I love my Young Living EOs. I use them everyday. And yes lots of people are learning the benefits of essential oils, but it’s also so important to make sure you use them safely. It’s nice that you have a doctor for a mentor.
Apparently there is a whole lot I don’t know Essential oils. This helped alot, I have to get me some.
If you like Young Living Essential Oils, order from the link in the blog. They ship through DHL anywhere in the world. 😀
You have provided great information about essential oils, especially the benefits. I prefer to use these oils for skin care because these are good for skin… Thanks for sharing.
A very informative article ….you have covered it all..all essential information about the essential oils are covered here..they gave great medicinal values and certainly help in stress relief.. Thank you! And thanks for the warnings, too.
I really like diffusing essential oils. They smell great if nothing else. I have always been skeptical about consuming them though. I’m not sure if I like the taste, too.
Oh I didnt know this about essential oils! I used to use them more on myself but I never thought about using them with my family. what a great, informative article! Thank you!
I love using essential oils around the home – they really can be so uplifting and relaxing when you find the right ones for you.
I’ve noticed that essential oils are getting more and more popular. I was rather sceptical about using them, but I got a set of essential oils from one of my friends and I noticed their benefitial influence on my body! Great article! 🙂
This is a great and very informative post about essential oils. I would love to use these everyday, too. These are very useful, I didn’t even know about half of the benefits of essential oils. Thanks for sharing, especially about Young Living EOs.!!
Very informative article! I have been curious about essential oils and have looked at various diffuser systems. I just haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Thanks for the information to help me make my decisions! The benefits of essential oils are amazing!
I hardly use essntial oils and glad to pick up some knowledge here. I dint know essential ois needed to diluted before use. LOL. No wonder I see people just use few drops.
Young Living Essential Oils look so great especially that in their wide variety, they can be used for skincare, baby care and even food. What I love about essential oils is how natural they usually are.
Thank you for sharing. I’ve actually wondered more about essential oils. I haven’t used any for the last few years but I think I might try too again.
I have heard that essential oils can be really helpful and beneficial to us in different ways! I hear more about using them in the air through diffusers, I haven’t tried them out much orally. I’ll have to look more into this and see how it works. Thanks for sharing!
Do any of these companies do pet safe oils? I know a few oils can be dangerous for animals and I don’t want to make a purchase unless I know essential oils are safe for my babies if I use it in a diffuser. Also, what would be the best company with bang for your buck?
Young Living Essential Oils has an Animal Scents line that are specifically for pet use (although we love to use them on ourselves, too!) Usage with cats should be with more caution since they have a deficiency in an enzyme, which is needed to metabolize some components of the oils.
However, if those specific oils are needed, they can be applied with the guidance of a veterinarian adept in using essential oils.
By rule of thumb, essential oils that are of high quality and free from synthetics can be used safely around animals. Go low and go slow. Introduce one oil at a time to your pet through the diffuser. Make sure that they have the option to leave the room when the scent doesn’t sit well with them.
In my opinion, considering that safety and purity is of utmost importance when using EOs around our family members (including animal babies!), Young Living would be your best bet due to their Seed To Seal Guarantee. Plus they offer the best value starter kit that includes 11 essential oils and a diffuser of your choice. I hope this helps! ~ Dr Jamine
I don’t really use essential oils so i am not very familiar with them. Thus this post is very helpful and great for me. I was not aware of all the benefits! This sure has a lot of information. Will look more into this. 🙂
Wow, what a detailed article about essential oils! I love how you stated it clearly that essential oils are not medicine, because some of my friends still treat them as such. Thank you for sharing this!
I love being able to purify my air with a diffuser. YL is my choice as well and my favorite product is their thieves oil. I also really like Ningxia Red. Great job explaining about essential oils.
I just recently started using essential oils in my home and they’re amazing! The peppermint helps wonders with my migraines.
Oh I should do that when I have migraines. I am still discovering the many wonders of essential oils. Not very familiar with the mixes yet.
These days I have been enjoying three essential oils from gold in Grass! I really like the smell and the other uses like for marinading and massage!!!
I LOVE essential oils and feel like they help a lot with so much different things from helping me with my insomnia to headaches and even to help with inflammation and pimples.
I’ve just started using essential oils in a diffuser that I picked up on Amazon – I absolutely love it! One question though – the oils I use only seem to send off a scent for the first hour or so, then it’s gone. Even when I leave the house for the day and come home, I can’t smell it anymore. Could this be the quality of the oil?
Wow!! Now this is one thorough and well written article about the benefits and warnings about essential oils. Curious about Young Living. Thanks for sharing.
This is what we called perfectly explained article. You have an in-depth knowledge about essential oils my friend. This shows in your work loud and clear. Thanks for sharing this
I have an entire container of different essential oils. My go-to’s are peppermint, lavender, and lemongrass. When I have headaches, I use the peppermint on my temples. The lavender and lemongrass I used in a diffuser and I use all three on my scalp.
My mother in law swears by the essential oils, but I myself just haven’t done the research. Very interesting information!
Essential oils are wonderful and have so many benefits. My favorite is lavender, use it every night to help us unwind.
I love essential oils and enjoy using them for those days I need to unwind or not feeling my best. I’m going to check out Young Living and their essential oils.
This is such a well-rounded piece. I haven’t used many essential oils so I have a question. Are there any which are good for rough hair? I would like to know what they are if you have any idea.
Lavender, definitely. But you might also want to look at your shampoo. Sulfates tend to make hair frizzy, especially for those with wavy to curly hair, so it is best to shift to natural shampoos that are sulfate-free. Once you get your Premium Starter Kit, do check out the personal care products, which are also essential oil-infused. ~Dr. Jamine
I didn’t know that there were some types of essential oils that you could use internally. I always thought that the essential oils were for the outside of your body only.
I am a big fan of essential oils! Have to try some of these that you mentioned in the post.
I simply love the aroma of essential oils especially lavender. people really need to understand that these oils aren’t medicines.
I always look for natural and organic essential oils to get the best benefits.
I want different essential oils based on my needs and mood at the moment. I will try some of your recommendations!
I learned using essential oils from my Mom. I think it is a custom of using it. Nowadays I add it in my #titakit.
What a wonderful post! My family uses essential oils in our vacuum for our upstairs carpet and that’s it. Its a great tool, and it gives off such a welcoming smell for guest. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Essential oils is great for families. Its good to keep in the house for holistic healing and aromatherapy sessions.
yay daminq health benifits nito 👌👌Thank you for sharinq this momsh lakinq tulonq nq info. para sa akin 💖💖💖
Thank you for sharing this mommy. Kahit kami meron din po essentials oil sa bahay. Malaki tlaga ang naitutulong neto saten, mentally and emotionally. nakaka bawas din nang stress, nang mga feeling negative sa buhay.
Thank you for this mommy. Ngayon ko lang po nalaman na may ibat ibang uri ng oils.. Mayroon din po pala itong advantages and disadvantages .. Ang Alam ko lang po kasing oil ay coconut oil 😊😊.. Try ko po ung Young Living essential oils sooner.. Pede po ba sya sa baby
Yes sis, may mga Young Living essential oils para sa baby 🙂 Dilute lang dapat. And safe din sa pets.
I’m a big fan of essential oils. Coz it’s so calming sa feeling and it helps a lot lessen my stress. But I didn’t know that there’s so many types of essential oils pala. Thanks sharing this Mommy Sig. I should try some of your reco.