Intro to Essential Oils

History: 
Aromatic oils have an ancient history. The early use of essential oils in China, India, Persia and Egypt has been recorded dating back 5,000 years. Knowledge and use of essential oils has been maintained and advanced for over 3,000 years through the Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine. The earliest scriptures of the Hindu religion, the Vedas, mention hundreds of essential oils.

Origins:
Essential oils may be found in virtually any part of the plant: seeds, flowers, fruit, leaves, stems, roots, bark, wood, needles and resins.

Basic Properties: 
Essential oils are primaril lipid (fat) soluble rather than water-soluble. This allows for effective and easy penetration into the skin and blood. Oils are absorbed through cappillaries, lymph ducts or the lungs. The body takes about 30-90 minutes to absorb essential oils entirely.

Storage:
Should be stored in dark, airtight, glass bottles. Exposure to light, oxygen and heat will begin to break down the oils...possibly causing them to be a skin irritant. If stored correctly, essential oils can last 7-10 years, possibly longer! Some oils improve with age (except citrus oils- keep 1-2 years). Ideal storage temp is between 45 and 65 degrees F.

Concentration:
It takes a huge amount of plant material to make a small amount of oil. Por ejemplo, 25-30 roses are required to make just ONE drop of essential oil! A half-ounce of essential oil can last a good long while.

Cautions:
Most essential oils need to be diluted with a "carrier" such as vegetable or nut oils (almond oil, grapeseed, avocado oil, jojoba oil) before being applied directly to the skin.

Labratory Tests:
Essential oils kill infectious germs while promoting useful, beneficial microorganisms. They do not indescriminately attack the body like most pharmeceuticals, rather they support the body's own immune system. They do not attack or weaken the organism while busy destroying disease. In the late 19th century, tests were run in response to an observation that tuberculosis cases in the flower-growing districts of France were almost nonexistent. French workers who processed fragrant floewers nad herbs remained free from illness. Studies proved that microorganisms of several illnesses like tuberculosis, yellow fever, cholera, and diptheria, were killed by essential oils. Since then, a century of experiments have supported the antimicrobial and antiseptic powers of essential oils.


Special thanks to my Mama for sharing her wonderful oils and to Liz of AromaticWisdomInstitute.com for sharing this beautiful information. 

Oil Pulling with Sesame Oil- Personal Experiment

This morning, a friend inspired me to research the ancient art of oil pulling. This was done traditionally by followers of Ayurvedic medicine by swirling and swishing unrefined sesame oil around the mouth for about 15 minutes. The oil and saliva in your mouth team up to pull out toxins from the lymph nodes and blood.

After reading story after story of people curing disease and illness with oil pulling, I decided today would be the day I tried it, too.

I picked up unrefined sesame oil at my local health store. Other successful oils to try would be coconut oil and sunflower oil.

At 7:39 PM I poured one tablespoon of sesame oil into my mouth and started swishing. If you try oil pulling, make sure to just relax and gently pull the oil through your teeth, around your gums around your tongue. Avoid getting oil in your throat, and do not gargle. Spit the liquid into a commode or outside. Oil can clog pipes so don't spit in your sink or shower. It's recommended to oil pull first thing in the morning, before you've had anything to eat or drink...and up to three times daily, on an empty stomach.

I pulled for 15 minutes precisely, then rinsed my mouth a few times with fresh water.

As I sit here typing, I must say, I felt near immediate relief from my tooth/headache. A toothache I've had for over a year. My mouth feels...happy? That's kind of strange to say but it's true. My mouth actually feels like I just did something good for it. Kind of like that feeling when you slather creamy moisturizing lotion on dry, cracked skin. Such relief...

I'm going to take photos of my teeth and gums so I can compare progress in a few months. I'm definitely curious to see what happens...

This article is much more informative than I just was...so have a look and learn a lot!


Remember, use unrefined sesame, coconut, or sunflower oil for best results...happy pulling!