What is all the hype about Essential Oils?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock somewhere, you have heard of the new Essential Oil craze. WHAT IS AN ESSENTIAL OIL? Used for centuries in our medicines, cleaners, and beauty products, an essential oil is a highly concentrated natural product made by distillation with either water or steam of flowers, rinds, leaves, bark and other natural products. Essential oils combine the benefits of aromatherapy with the therapeutic benefits of plant oils.
When applied to the skin (the largest organ of the human body) the tiny molecules of the oil penetrate quickly while the fatty carrier oil stays on top of the skin but allow the essential oil to penetrate slowly. Some inexpensive brands of "essential oils" are actually fatty oils with essential oils added which may not be clearly added to the label. A pure essential oil will smell like the plant, not like a candy or a cleaning product and will not be greasy.
Source: The Chemistry of Essential Oils by David Stewart

Many claims have been made about the health benefits of essential oils.  I myself have jumped on the bandwagon and use them like there is no tomorrow.  As you are doing your own research, I have a couple of things to share with you.  

#1 Be careful of your source.  Not all essential oils are equal.  Some essential oils, even the ones labeled as 100% pure, are not. Truly pure essential oils will not only cost more but when stored properly will never expire. Consider the cost basis from the fact that it takes much more of the plant constitutes to make up an oil with pure chemical qualities.  For example, it takes 75 lemons to make a 15mL pure bottle of lemon oil, or 1 pound of raw peppermint material to make one 15mL bottle of peppermint oil. Here's a link to my personal favorite oils My recommended pure essential oils

#2 Watch for drug interactions.  Essential oils will never replace a good physician.  I use a balance approach with the oils.  If my irritated throat does not go away after a few days of essential oil use, obviously I go to the doctor.

#3 Learn the lingo.  As you are reading up on oils, here's a few vocab words you should know.

Essential oils are a wonderful way to stay healthy and when used correctly, are a valuable addition to a well family.  To learn more about essential oils there are tons of resources at www.lifesciencepublishers.com . To get started using essential oils, check out my favorite, trusted oils here: my favorite oils Happy Oiling!