Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils

By Vicki Opfer

Essential oils have been used since early recorded history to support health and wellness. The ancient Egyptians used many oils as medicine, and their recipes are recorded in the hieroglyphics. There are 188 references to the use of essential oils in the Bible. Today, essential oils are considered by many to be the leading edge of natural medicine.

Essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-depressant, immune supporting, and regenerative. They can be applied to the skin, diffused in the air, added to bath water, and the doctors in the European medical community prescribe oils to be taken internally, in place of pharmaceutical medicines.

Essential oils are very concentrated plant extracts. A single drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea. 5,000 pounds of rose petals are required in order to distill 1 pound of pure rose oil, making it one of the most precious and expensive oils on the market.

Traditionally, essential oils have been used in food flavoring, air fresheners, veterinary preparations, and even in making adhesives, so the quality was not very important. Today, when using the oils as a natural support to health and wellness, purity is absolutely critical to the process. Since 95% of the world’s essential oils are created for industrial use, many of the oils found on the market, even in health food stores, are of low quality. Young Living Essential Oils is a company created by a naturopathic doctor, dedicated to producing the finest quality of oils available, and with the purpose of supporting health.

How does fragrance affect us? As molecules within a fragrance flash into the air, they stimulate the odor receptors of the olfactory system. These receptors are similar to hair-like extensions of the nerve fibers that lie submerged in a thin layer of mucous. As vapor molecules enter the nasal cavity, they are received by the receptors, similar to a key in a lock. If the vapor has the proper structure, it is received by the nerve endings in the form of an impulse, which is then transmitted to the limbic system. The brain sends impulses to different parts of the body, depending on the type of stimuli used, and the function of the stimuli.

When applying essential oils to the skin, they are absorbed easily, and are picked up by the bloodstream and carried to every cell in the body. Receptor sites on each cell can utilize the molecules in the oils just as they are used by the olfactory system. Therapeutic grade essential oils may be the most profound healing modality of our time, capable of changing medicine as we know it.

Enjoy the wellness enhancing properties of your oils!