Disclaimer: Please keep in mind these blogs are not meant to be used as medical advice. Please see a healthcare professional for advice with your health. The information I am sharing is anecdotal.

To begin you may be wondering what are essential oils? Essential oil are extracts from various concentrated extracts from plants, herbs, flowers, fruits and trees. It can take several pounds of plants to produce a single bottle of essential oils. Essential oils can be used for aromatherapy which can impact the emotional center of the brain. When they are inhaled the scent in the oils travel from the olfactory nerves, which is part of your nasal cavity directly under the brain creating a chemical reaction in your body that can positively impact your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve made up of nerves in your entire body, is the primary channel between your brain and your body. Think of them like cable lines running through your body to communicate between your organs and body then straight back to the brain. The sympathetic fight or flight branch helps burst energy to combat perceived danger and the parasympathetic which helps to slow down the body. Both of these states are within the vagus nerve which is as mentioned before its connected through out your organs and your body.  

Now that you have a better understanding of what your body contains and it receives the essential oil to alleviate and heal. Here are three ways oils can help your body and state of being.

One way is with oil pulling which is a good way to remove toxins and bacteria from the mouth. When your gums are in healthy condition, it can be beneficial for your blood stream and your heart. Many are not aware that if your gums are not being taken care of that can lead to heart disease or poor heart conditions. It is recommended to do “oil pulling” in other words swishing back and forth in your mouth with coconut oil for 15 to 20 minutes daily.

Second way essential oils can help your immune system and mood. When inhaling the oils, neurotransmitters, or chemicals in your brain are activated which regulate your mood. Throughout this blog post and described in the book I’ve added under resources on my website called, “Essential oils to boost the brain and heal the body,” by Jody Cohen. She lists the different neurotransmitters you can regulate by using certain oils. These neurotransmitters can be serotonin, (5-HTP which helps with sleeping, eating and digesting) and dopamine, (influences your mood and feelings of reward and motivation). She writes, “Aromatherapy and the Central Nerve System found that smelling bergamot, lavender, and lemon essential oils help to trigger your brain to release serotonin and dopamine. A blend of basil cardamom, holy basil, peppermint, and rosemary can calm the excitatory neurotransmitter noradrenaline. Ylang-ylang stimulates the release of endorphins.” As a side note, fragrance companies are very intelligent, they use ylang-ylang in a very expensive perfume I love by Armani called Vert Malachite. It’s no wonder why I love the smell so much. The list of these essential oils could certainly help you when you’re feeling stress or when you’re feeling down. These oils have the power to magnificently calm or heal your mood “straight away,” as the admired Brits like to say. I’m a big fan of many things British like the fashion brand called, Boden and YouTubers like Natacha Oceane and The Michalaks; as well as a variety of British music. I digress. My favorite brand of essential oils right now is Eden Garden.

Inflammation is the third way essential oils can help you heal from the inside out. “Omega-3 fatty acids, have proven successful at calming brain inflammation…Peppermint has been shown to help calm gut inflammation…Clove essential oil has anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties that make it an especially efficient and effective remedy for various types of pain… Frankincense oil has long been heralded for its anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and pain-relieving properties.” In future blog posts I will share a delicious recipe my mom makes that will make your mouth salivate as you read the recipe. As I have indigenous in my background, I am so proud and happy to share special recipes that have been passed down for many generations in my family. What is more fascinating is the special people who lived and were surrounded by all types of spices/plants/trees and are very good at healing. One of my main missions and wishes is for the world to heal and with essential oils can be one more avenue to relief.