My son and I were playing a game of Truth or Dare in the pool the other day and in typical kid fashion it was silly and fun. This simple game got me thinking however about how much misinformation is out there about essential oils and natural health products.
So today, I thought we could play a version of Truth or Dare blog style to debunk and clear up some of the concerns people may have about trying natural solutions in their health and home.
Myth #1 – They’re bad for you, your family and your pets
When I hear someone say essential oils aren’t good for you or they are dangerous it makes me wonder where they heard that information.
Essential oils are simply highly concentrated elements from a plant, root, tree, flower or fruit. Nature and all that is in it is good for us.
For ages people have relied on nature to help with healing of ailments, illnesses, emotional support and spiritual connection. Those practices continue today in our tech connected, uber busy lives.
Essential oils respond differently with each person and animal because we are all different. There are common things we all respond to like Peppermint for respiratory support but then there are others that we may not like Cinnamon.
Pets and children are highly sensitive in their respiratory and skin systems. Stronger oils like cinnamon, oregano, arborvitae or spearmint may not be comforting or supportive to them due to the level of sensitivity they have. This means when using these types of oils around them, you need to make sure they are highly diluted.
There are however other oils that work really well with babies, children and pets. Lavender for example is excellent at bug bites and cedarwood is a natural repellent. Both can be applied topically to children and pets when they are diluted with a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil.
It is important to know how to use oils safely. I think the news about failure to adhere to safe use that has resulted injury, illness and other has resulted in this misinformation that oils are bad for us.
This is why purchasing through a doTERRA Wellness Advocate is important. Wellness Advocates are thoroughly trained and regular users of oils. That person can provide you with accurate information, education and training on how to use your oils, proper ways to dilute and store your oils and be there for you when you have questions. doTERRA provides a wealth of quality information and education to ensure we can all enjoy the benefits of the oils safely in our health and homes.
Myth #2 – All oils are the same
Due to the popularity and interest of essential oils and natural solutions many companies have created their own versions of essential oils to the public. Natural solutions are not regulated so it is a buyer beware area that we need to be savvy in before we purchase essential oils.
Not all oils are the same and selecting a brand that is less than pure will introduce risk to your health and home in the form of irritation, illness or worse.
For this reason, it is important to do your research before buying oils. Compare companies, brands and read the customer testimonies. Check the independent testing quality standards and if that company doesn’t publish them then that’s your first clue it’s not a good brand to use.
doTERRA’s oils are independently tested for purity, quality and sourcing at 8 different points in the process between harvest and bottling. They are the only company that tests to this level currently and was recognized this year as the number one global leader for essential oils quality.
Since many oils can be used internally and as part of our diet, it is extremely important to make sure you are using a high quality oil that is pure, free of any added fillers and tested to the highest standard possible.
doTERRA publishes all of their testing results regularly and openly communicates where the oils come from around the world. They are truly centered on ensuring quality and safety of their products.
Myth #3 – Oils are expensive
It can seem expensive to spend $21 for a 15ml bottle of lavender essential oil but consider this about that little bottle:
Each 15ml bottle of doTERRA essential oils contain 250 drops of oil
The doTERRA lavender essential oil was made using 30 pounds of lavender per bottle
There are over 35 ways to use lavender in your health and home every day
You can replace approximately 10 products in your home that are chemically made with 1 bottle of doTERRA lavender essential oil
When you use essential oils in your health or home you are typically using 1-3 drops only. The purity of the oil replaces the need to use larger amounts of other types of products so it lasts much longer.
Per drop the $21 bottle of doTERRA lavender comes out to $0.08 per drop. Compared to using chemical based products the cost of the lavender comes out to much less per use than any other cleaner or health product available.
Here’s a quick comparison of the popular Benadryl Bug Bite Relief Spray that costs $2.80 per ounce. The ingredients are chemical based and the product will cost $5.60.
Now consider that 1 drop of lavender essential oil at $0.08 per drop and a couple drops of fractionated coconut oil cost approximately $0.03 per drop.
Both will relieve your child’s bug bite but 1 is chemical and costs a lot more than the all -natural solution that is just as effective and cost pennies!
I have also broken down the cost of cleaning products compared to using essential oils and natural products to traditional cleaners and came out way ahead on the natural side. You can see my results of that in my blog post from April 9 titled The Cost of Clean (link: dragonspitapothecary.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/the-cost-of-clean/)
Every time I have personally done my own cost comparison essential oils have come out to be less but I challenge you to do your own comparison.
Myth #4 Oils are not medicine
Our American health care system is severely broken. The multi-billion dollar industry is not making people healthier or living longer. Most people are taking at least 2 prescription medications every day to control the effects of poor diet and lack of quality food. Even people who “eat healthy” are not getting what they need the majority of the time from our highly processed, man-made food system that is loaded with pesticides and chemicals.
Returning to basics of food and health using nature to heal our bodies reduces our dependency on man-made chemicals that are making us sick and causing these horrific diseases we have in our world.
It is very important to find a doctor that will work with you on incorporating natural and traditional medicine into your treatment plan. There is a place for traditional medicine and scientific works but we must take control of our own health and stop thinking a pill is going to make us better.
Essential oils are supportive to our bodies physically and emotionally. They will help our bodies heal and teach our bodies to perform functions it should be doing to keep us healthy. When we become sick our bodies are not performing optimally. Essential oils can support the functions that promote healing and overall strengthening to restore our health. In many cases medicine we take is doing the work for our bodies instead of strengthening our bodies to do it for us. Sometimes it is necessary to have medicine help us temporarily but long term our goal should be restoring health so our bodies can perform independently.
Myth #5 Oils don’t work
The truth is oils do work but carrying on from Myth #4 it may take time to see results. We must give our bodies time to heal, detox, reset and restore. Essential oils can support that work and help us see progress but it may not be instant.
There simply is not a “magic pill” to make things better instantly.
We must apply the support and do the work to heal our bodies.
If you want to see immediate results…
Once of the easiest ways to see if oils work immediately is to switch out one or two of your home’s chemical cleaners with a natural based one.
For instance, replace your laundry detergent with doTERRA’s OnGuard Concentrate Detergent. The results are amazing with just the first wash. Doing this simple test demonstrates that not only do your clothes get clean with much less product being required but you have also:
Reduced water waste by replacing chemicals that would go down the drain with a natural plant based cleaner
Reduced plastic waste due to bottle size and amount used
Spent less on the natural detergent
Eliminated the need for chemical add-ins for scent
So if you want to see something immediate and how effective essential oils work, try replacing your homes cleaners.
doTERRA offers several premade options as well as recipes to make your own using doTERRA’s all natural essential oils.
Interested in more?
If you would like to debunk these myths yourself, please let me know. I’m happy to answer any questions and help you find the products for your particular needs and interests.
amyk@dragonspitapothecary.com
my.doterra.com/dragonspitapothecary
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