What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are aromatic molecules that consist of 100’s of natural chemical compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers and other parts of plants. Via multiple delivery methods they allow us to tap into uplifting our emotions, cleansing toxins from the body, regenerate cellular activity, increase energy etc. all of which improve emotional wellness!
  
Here are a few important facts to know about what essential oils are:
  • Natural aromatic compounds found in plants that are essential to the health of that plant and to our health as well.
  • Safe and do not cause harmful side effects.
  • Cost pennies per dose and are applied simply by three different ways through diffusing, applying to the skin or ingested.
  • 50-70 times more powerful than herbs.
  • Provide a natural support to our immune system

Essential oils are non water-based phytochemical made up of volatile aromatic compounds. Although they are fat soluble, they do not include fatty lipids or acids found in vegetable and animal oils. Essential oils are very clean, almost crisp, to the touch and are immediately absorbed by the skin. Pure, unadulterated essential oils are translucent and range in color from crystal clear to deep blue. Whether the oils are inhaled or applied dermally, they enter the blood stream and produce measurable pharmacological effects.  Aromatically, the oil passes through the olfactory neural pathway which allows both intraneuronal and extraneuronal access to the brain.

Why Quality Matters



Quality of an essential oil plays a major part in whether or not the oil will have beneficial effects. Essential oils are used for a very wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used a single oil at a time or in complex blends depending on user experience and desired benefit. Quality of the oil is a crucial factor in how you use essential oils and whether or not they will have beneficial effects.

Quality makes all the difference in regards to the effectiveness of essential oils working in a supportive manner for the body and brain. Danielle Daniel has used essential oils for over 20 years and recommends only the highest quality and beneficial compounds that essential oils can offer.

Essential oil use and the science behind it is an exciting field that is progressing at a rapid pace. As science continues to expand, we are able to learn more of their powerful uses. A wide variety of essential oil applications have been studied to confirm their safety and effectiveness. Essential oil use gives you the opportunity of embracing the traditions of the past while simultaneously using emerging science to create a new paradigm of essential oil use.

doTERRA essential oils offer the highest quality of compounds giving you the benefits plants were meant to perform.

What is Quality and why does it matter? 
Essential oils contain up to 100’s of different compounds.  Just because there are lavender plants grown in many parts of the world, doesn’t mean they have the exact same chemical composition.  Several factors contribute to the quality of an essential oil possessing beneficial compounds.

1-  First, a high quality oil should be free of fillers, pesticides, synthetics, contaminants or other toxins.  You should be getting 100% of the pure oil from that plant. I have smelled various lavender oils and you can smell that each bottle from different companies various in composition. Some oils are so diluted you can barely smell the aromatic compounds of lavender, and others I have smelled, have a scent of grass, rather than lavender.  Lavender should smell strongly like the lavender plant, not faintly, and not like weeds or grass.
2- Second factor contributing to quality is the plant being harvested at the right time, in the right way, with the correct amount of heat (not too much to where it destroys the beneficial compounds) and from its indigenous growing environment where the soil is optimum for a higher quality of natural chemical constituents in the oil.

3- Third, having each liter of oil under go multiple third party tests to ensure the value and quality of the oil.  The oil’s compounds are tested on a Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Scanners which identifies all chemical constituents in the oil as to determine the content of beneficial compounds and purity.

In selecting a brand of essential oils, the quality is imperative. When an essential oil is harvested and distilled correctly, the result will be an essential oil beyond organic standards.

Making a quality oil is very costly, this is why many companies must add fillers or synthetic oil into their essential oil.  Danielle Daniel, after over 20 years of using oils and researching on this level of purity for its benefits, only recommends high standard essential oils.

How to Apply Essential Oils


TOPICAL
 
Essential oils are usually administered by one of three methods: diffused aromatically, applied topically, or taken internally as dietary supplements.  Due to their natural molecular composition, essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin and can be safely applied topically. Application of essential oils can have immediate, localized benefit to the target area of application. They have restorative and calming properties and can be used effectively with massage and beauty therapy. The chemical structure of essential oils also allows them to be absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin for internal benefit throughout the body.
AROMATIC
Our sense of smell influences many physiological pathways including the stimulation of hormones and other metabolic processes. Aromatherapy is founded on the body’s response to specific olfactory stimuli. Essential oils are widely used in aromatherapy applications. Certain essential oils, when diffused in the air, can be very stimulating, while others can be calming and soothing. Beyond emotional benefits, diffusing essential oils can purify the air and support respiratory airways.



INTERNAL
 
Essential oils can also be used as dietary supplements supporting a variety of healthy conditions. Some essential oils have powerful antioxidant properties while others help support healthy cellular function in the body. Many essential oils are generally regarded as being safe for dietary use, but some oils should not be taken internally. Do not use any essential oil product internally that does not have the appropriate dietary supplement facts on its label.