I’ve heard it a time or two. You shouldn’t call essential oils “essential” since you don’t actually need them. Fear not, I will save my long rant about “essentials” for another day. Today I want to focus on this common, and easy mistake.
Before I really get into it, let’s head to a farm. They grow flowers. Consider the flower. It smells quite nice. Plants use specialized cells to attract pollinators and protect against predators. It is these special cells that hold the key to essential oils. These cells, or glands, are found in various parts of different plants. Sometimes it’s the flower of a plant, other times it’s the wood, roots, rind, or leaves. No matter where these cells are, there are three common ways to extract the essence of the plant.
Some essential oil distillers use steam, this happens to be the most common method of extracting the essence of a plant. Plant material is put into a sill and pressurized steam is used to open up the specialized cells, which release oil, that oil is in turn condensed and separated from the left over water at the end of the process.
There are plenty of other extraction methods, and I might discuss those in another post. I must get back to my topic. Are essential oils truly essential? We’ve discovered the name “essential” is actually referring to the scent, the essence of the plant. But how do we use them, and why?
Let’s take a popular flower, the lavender, as an example. Lavender is simply legendary for it’s soothing qualities. As a person who struggles with anxiety on a regular basis, I can tell you I would bathe in the stuff if I could. Typically I use lavender as aromatherapy because it is the fastest way to get the soothing benefits. Once a person inhales the delicate aroma of the lavender flower, the molecules from the oil are carried into the mucous membrane inside the nose. This is the olfactory membrane. Membranes contain millions of capillaries which move the oil’s molecules into the bloodstream. The olfactory membrane will also send the information directly to the limbic system and the cerebral cortex. All that to say, when you smell lavender essential oil, your body carries the soothing benefits of the plant into your bloodstream and signals your brain to relax.
It’s so important to understand that while oils may be used inappropriately by certain people, they can be so beneficial when you know how they interact with the body. And when you identify certain needs, like if you need to focus on a term paper, or relax before bedtime, you can then choose which essential oils to use to give your body a boost and support your needs.
Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to browse the “Products” page on my website, the Wake Up Call and Bedtime Buddy Duo Kit is perfect for when you need energy and focus, or when you need to relax.
Peace to you,
Willow R
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