Essential Oil Essentials with Sandy Bredeson – Stop Chasing Skinny Episode #46

☀️As I mentioned before, I had purchased some essential oils from places like Whole Foods primarily because I liked what they were named on the label such as “stress relief”. Could you please share your top red flags when it comes to buying essential oils because just like everything in life, not everything is created equal:

1.The biggest red flag is that here in the US the FDA considers essential oils to be supplements and therefore does not regulate what goes in them. Companies can put in fillers and not even disclose what those are. So doing some research is key to knowing a good quality oil. Most of what is on the store shelves are actually pure synthetic. Or the plant may have grown organically but distilled quickly with harsh chemicals that destroyed the health properties. I find as one’s nose is used to smelling quality oils, they can distinguish a fake easily.

2. If a website states the oils are only for distribution in the US that is a red flag because other countries have strict measures on what an essential oil is and will not allow substandard products into their country.

3. I have seen some websites talk about oils being third party tested, yet they never state that their oils ARE 3rd party tested and what the results are.

4. All the oils have the same price. Huge red flag. Quality frankincense is about $100 retail for a 15 ml bottle….hands down. You see one for any less you can be sure that it is pure synthetic oil.

5. The website is not professional and has misspellings. A top notch company will have a top notch website.

6. The quality of who does the 3rd party testing should come into play. I have heard complaints against one company because of inconsistency in their oils. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.

7. How are the plants grown, harvested, distilled and prepared in production. Take vetiver for example. Some companies where having the farmers harvest at 8 months. It takes 18 months for the plant to mature and have its proper chemical constituents. Are they distilled quickly with harsh chemicals or slowly at low heat to preserve the inherent value of the oil. How are they stored in preparation for bottling.

8. Another red flag is if an oil should be able to take internal, like lavender for instance, but the bottle states for topical use only. Makes me wonder what else is in there that I can take internally. I should point out that there are some oils that should not be taken internally, like wintergreen for instance. However topically is fine.

☀️ Now that we know where to watch out for when purchasing essential oils, could you please give us your top 5 essential oil essentials. Your 5 favorite oils you recommend and why:

1.A love a blend called Balance. It is one of my favorite smells. I am a woodsy girl and find the smell of this oil to be refreshing and calming. As the name suggests, it helps me maintain balance of emotions throughout the day and is calming to help me sleep at night.

2. Another blend called Breathe. A whiff of this one straight from the bottle is like a jolt of “hello, I’m awake”. Everyone that I have introduced this oil to has expressed a feeling of being able to breathe easier, even during a cold where they are stuffed up.

3. Frankincense…the king of all oils. I have seen research where they have found this oil passing through the blood brain barrier and therefore can affect mood and memory. More and more research is being done. I have googled some cancer institutes researching Frankincense in cancer studies. Exciting developments will be happening with this oil.

4. Lavender. Most people think this is just for calming. When I have a sunburn, lavender is the oil for me. Being fair skinned I burn, not tan. Patting some lavender on my skin soothes the burn and heals it overnight. I use it for bruises, cuts, scrapes and calming irritation on my skin. Also for bug bites.

5. Lemon. This is a detox. I put a couple of drops in my water first thing in the morning. It is also refreshing and helps with digestion. Everyone knows what citrus does for colds.

Those are my favorites this week. Next week I will have different favorites as my body needs. What most people don’t realize is that the oils are just a tool our bodies use to heal itself. Nothing heals the body but the body. It depends on what tools you use. What most people have in their medicine cabinet are things designed to mask a symptom. They are not designed to heal us. The oils are centuries old. There are over 800 mentions in the Bible about essential oils. Whereas “modern medicine” is 200 years old. So you tell me….what has held up with the test of time?

I should mention that the body is in charge when it comes to essential oils, not the mind. Sometimes our mind wants to use an oil for a certain purpose and when the body receives it, it decides what is more important. There maybe another issue your body is worried about that your mind has no knowledge about. Check in with your body and take notice of what is going on. I find the body is attracted to the oil that it needs. One time you may love the smell of an oil and after some use may not like that smell anymore. Kids and pets are really good at identifying. Adults think with their heads too much or are used to modern medicine that forces our body to do whatever it is designed to do.

And since the oils are a tool, what other tools are you using? I am talking about nutrition which is the building block our health is founded on, exercise, and reducing toxins from our environment.

☀️ Usage guidelines:

Oils could be used by diffusing, topical or some internally. Experiment which way you like the oils the best. Sometimes just opening the bottle and inhaling is good enough.

With a quality oil, less is more, but more frequent. 1-2 drops will be sufficient 3-4 times a day. But constancy is key.

Our sense of smell is 10,000 times more powerful than any other sense and smelling the oils goes right to the limbic system and the brain starts manufacturing messages to the body to react.

I like diffusing because not only does it also cleanse the air, anyone who comes into the room gets a dose of oil. Even if it is a baby or pet, they will inhale their lung capacity and therefore get the proper amount.

Sometimes people worry about choosing the right oil or doing it wrong. There is no right or wrong way really. Listen to your body. This stuff has been ingrained in us for centuries. What right for you maybe wrong for me. And if you happen to choose the “wrong” oil, you have still done sometime positive for your body….so how can it be wrong 🙂

How to reach Sandy!