Do Essential Oils Really Work?
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UPDATE: I am no longer a Young Living Distributor. You can read about my search for the Best Essential Oils Company here. You can also skip to the end of the series here.
The other day, I wrote about how I overcame my serious doubts about essential oils (specifically, Young Living's oils) and experience using Young Living's Thieves blend.
I was a complete skeptic about essential oils, thinking they were some kind of scam or “woo woo foo foo” stuff that really did nothing.
As in, “you put it on and it smells good and somehow you convince yourself that it's really working” kind of thing.
Today, I'm going to share with you some other oils that I've been experimenting with and what's happened with them.
Really, read on. Some of these things really surprised me.
How Essential Oils Have Helped Me
Following are ways that we tried using essential oils for common ailments, and the results we had.
Head Tension
Peppermint Oil is great here too. Again, I don't typically get headaches, but when the occasional one strikes, just a drop of peppermint rubbed on my temples has taken the pain away. Amazing.
I can't say that it cured my head tension and I personally think that it's important to figure out why your headaches are happening and work on that, rather than just treating symptoms, but I assume that the peppermint supports the body's work in getting better. My youngest gets head tension sometimes, but his has been diminishing since starting a new therapy and using zeolite. Regardless, he has found relief with the peppermint as well.
No acetaminophen.
Nice.
Stomach Aches and Digestion Issues
I typically don't struggle much with stomach aches, but at times I do. One particular time when I had some tough stomach issues was when I was trying to address adrenal fatigue.
I worked with a practitioner Nutritional Balancing that is designed to rebalance minerals and remove heavy metals and toxins from my system. (2014 UPDATE: I am no longer doing Nutritional Balancing, but have moved on and found other things that have helped immensely.)
More on all that later, but when the metals are coming out, I've hada some uncomfortable symptoms at times, one of them being an upset stomach.
And of course we all can have a sour stomach or stomach but at times.
Peppermint tea is supposed to be good for upset stomach, but Peppermint Oil is like super-charged peppermint tea. There are a lot of essential oil reps saying to just put some peppermint oil on your tongue at times like this, but that's not safe.
You should instead dilute it with a carrier oil and apply to the stomach. If you are going to take essential oils internally, they should be diluted with an appropriate amount of carrier oil in a capsule.
Growing Pains
My youngest had growing pains regularly until we started Nutritional Balancing. Now, he really only gets them every once in awhile. These pains were one of the first things that we tried essential oils on. I was really skeptical – “So, how on earth is an oil going to help with something painful going on inside of him?”
Well, they did. We've used Peppermint, Wintergreen, and a blend for pain, all of which have helped him. What a blessing to have your little one, who was in pain a moment ago, say to you, “Mom, I really think it's working! I feel better!”
He gets to sleep and so do I. And having your son smell like a Wintergreen Lifesaver is a nice side bonus.
Tendon Issues
This one really floored me.
I'm a blogger. That means I type a lot!
Well, about 2 months ago I started experiencing pain in my right pinky finger and it really hurt to type.
I'd had carpal tunnel years prior that was cured with B6, but this pain was worse.
I didn't really want to own up to myself that the pain was there. What if I couldn't blog anymore? What if I needed surgery? Not pleasant thoughts.
After a few days of pain and worry, I decided to turn to my Essential Oils Desk Reference Guide for some ideas. It recommended a blend for pain, so I tried it.
Again, the skeptic in me thought, “This surely isn't going to work.” But I doubtfully rubbed a drop around my knuckle where the pain was, just before bed.
I awoke the next morning completely amazed.
The pain was gone!
No surgery, and I can still blog. I am not for sure I had carpal tunnel or cubital tunnel, but my pain went away.
Since then, I've used peppermint and lemongrass diluted in carrier oil for tendon issues and that's worked amazingly well.
Muscle Aches
Numerous times we've had aches and pains that needed some TLC. Whether from injury or overuse, we've tried several oils and blends: Peppermint, Wintergreen, and several pain blends as well. Each one has worked well. Depending on the situation, sometimes one oil or blend has worked better than another, but it sure has felt nice to use something natural rather than OTC meds or synthetic chemical-filled creams and ointments.
Update: – Please use caution when using wintergreen. It can be dangerous when used topically and ingestion can even cause death.
Are Essential Oils Worth the Cost?
And I know, you're probably wondering about the cost of these oils.
There are loads of kinds of essential oils in stores and online.
Some are cheap and some are more pricey.
Let me assure you – I am super frugal. I'm sure that you've figured that out if you've been following me for awhile. If you haven't, you can see how stingy frugal I am by checking out my posts on:
- Easiest Almond Milk Ever
- Homemade Coconut Milk
- Homemade Coconut Butter
- MYO Powdered Sugar / Powdered Sugar Substitute
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
As you can see, I don't spend money typically if I don't think it's worth it. And I save wherever I can.
I personally try to choose the best quality that I can, for the best price, and for me that means paying up a bit to make sure that I am not getting lower quality essential oils – especially since I will be putting them on my skin (where they will be absorbed) and using them occasionally internally.
UPDATE: I am no longer a Young Living Distributor. You can read about my search for the Best Essential Oils Company here. I ended up choosing this company, Rocky Mountain Oils (formerly Native American Nutritionals).
You can find out why and see all of the “dicey” discussion by starting here.
Here are my basic thoughts on the cost:
- Health is priceless
- I'd rather use natural oils than OTC meds or prescriptions drugs (and they're not cheap either)
- Essential oils can be cheaper than going to the doctor or physical therapist (or even surgery!)
- When you feel good, you have more energy to save money elsewhere
Basically, yes, if you choose quality essential oils you will be paying more than the inexpensive brands, but if you use them only when needed you will likely save in other arenas that will more than make up for it.
Regardless, I am thrilled to have a new natural remedy in my medicine cabinet.
What has your experience with essential oils been?
I would love any information you have on adrenal fatigue. I was prescribed 3 different meds and feel much worse taking them so have stopped and trying to heal my body naturally. I know your not a doctor but any advise would be a blessing, thank you.
Hi there. I have a number of posts and have worked w/ some practitioners as well.
Here are some:
https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/signs-symptoms-adrenal-fatigue/
https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/adrenal-fatigue-adrenal-fatigue-diet/
https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/do-you-have-adrenal-fatigue-take-this-quick-test/
https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/thyroid-disease-hypothyroid-what-causes-hypothyroidism/
Hope that helps!
I’m the frugal type too. I was ‘drawn into’ Young Living because I love their lavender oil along with their purification blend. BUT, I reasoned, all their oils came from herbs and such so I went beyond the oils and as you have done, I did the research online (can’t afford the long distance calls either). Now I make my own herb and spice blends for our food, medicinal and for health of our dogs. I’m still learning but am happier and healthier. Yes, I too went through the heavy metal detox. WOW the purge…..and O the healthy feel after! Though I am still in a wheelchair, I am healthier than I have been in a long time. Thanks for the articles and what you do to get the messages out there. 🙂
Thanks for sharing and glad you are doing better. I find it interesting that you like YL’s lavender. I never cared for it but I guess that everyone is different. I kept thinking it would help me sleep but I didn’t like the small.
So are you using oils still?
Something I learned in biology class in High School over 40 years ago, a class exercise showed us that people can have different taste buds and smell different smells just as they see differently or hear differently. The lesson–not all senses are equal in everyone. In my case, my sniffer doesn’t work so well defining smells. So YL Lavender has a very strong smell for me. I actually can’t afford to buy very many EOs though I do have some. Since I grow many of my own herbs or buy at the Farmers’ Market, being thrifty as I am, it doesn’t make sense to buy something just to have to add it to a carrier oil for it to work in some cases. That said, I have found myself blending together both EOs and herbs for my health and my family.
For sleeping? To shut down the brain so I can sleep, I pray first, then sing a children’s hymn. When my mind wanders, I pull it back to the song and keep doing so until all of a sudden I’m waking up. At my age, I do a midnight wakeup most nights and it bothered me until I learned that before we had artificial lighting, sleeping through the night just didn’t happen. The first sleep was for relaxing after the day, then awake for romping. 😉 then back to sleep to get the restful sleep we all need. After learning that, I sleep well knowing I’m doing what my long ago ancestors did. 😉
Folks sure do have different senses, however I find it interesting the particularity with which the essential oils and culinary “gurus”, etc. talk about how things smell and taste so I guess there is supposed to be some universality?
That’s interesting about the sleeping through the night – really? Never heard of that. Where did you hear about that? I love the nights that I sleep all the way through.
It was a show on PBS talking about the development of lighting from fire to the current lights we have. I really have found it interesting how many have jumped on the EO bandwagon. Knowing and using different herbs can be so much more interesting. Especially since I started by researching what I normally use in my cooking. So I just began by looking into my spice drawer. 🙂
Fascinating. Thanks!
DO YOU RECOOMEND ANYTHING FROM HERE FOR HELPING SLEEP??? WITH OILS OF COURSE
I don’t recommend Young Living anymore. Here is the series that I wrote about my choosing a new company: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/natural-remedies/the-great-essential-oils-showdown-in-search-of-the-best-essential-oils/
And this guide to buying EOs might interest you: https://wholenewmom.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-essential-oils-before-you-buy/
From the company that I chose, I would probably buy lavender and tranquility. (these are affiliate links).
I can’t medically advise, but that is what I personally use.
Lavender: https://wholenewmom.com/LavenderEO
Tranquility: https://wholenewmom.com/TranquilityEO
Hope that helps.
what would you use for eczema on your eyes by your eyelashes I cant even where I make up anymore?
Hmmm…you have to be really careful to not get essential oils in your eyes. Typically eczema is caused by something internal but not always. I can’t medically advise, but this post might help you. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/eczema-and-food-allergies-our-story-from-despair-to-healing-part-one/ Have you worked on diet, etc?
My son gets eczema from candida as well. I would think for me personally I would try clean diet, probiotics, and maybe a salve w/ geranium, lavender and melaleuca, depending on how close to your eyes it is. Please do not get the oils in your eyes. I hope that helps! Again, please talk to your physician before making any changes to your diet or supplements, etc. 🙂
EOs can be absorbed through your feet as well – no worries about getting it in your eyes. Same idea as vicks – put it on & cover with socks.
I just started using essential oils about 4 months ago. I started very slowly because it can really be overwhelming when you start researching them. There are about 10 essential oils that can be used for a headache that I have seen but I am here to tell you that peppermint has worked for my usual weekly headache every single time. I have never had a reason to even try any other essential oil for a headache. And a headache is just one of the zillion things you can use it for. To those of you that are just getting started or are very curious about different oils, I would highly recommend starting with peppermint, lavender and thieves. If we all had a bottle of this in your medicine cabinet, the world would be a much better place. I am amazed daily at the new ways I’m discovering to keep my family healthy. My boys are the only 2 kids in their boy scout troop who aren’t hacking all over with snotty noses, THE ONLY TWO!!! THANK YOU THEIVES!
I thought I read somewhere on your blog that you should never ingest any essential oil because it is 50 times more potent…am I correct in that? if you did state that, can you tell me why? I use YL and many of my friends take the cold bomb, the morphine bomb..etc…with great results. one friend and her husband have Lymes and take EO internally and have been retested and the doctor found not trace of Lymes disease!
If you did state this, would you mind clearing up for me your reasons? I don’t like taking things internally especially if there is concern it is not safe or too potent!
Thank you!
I did not state that. There are others stating no internal usage but I personally (not medical advice) think it is OK within reason. I mentioned internal use in my 7 part “best essential oils series”.
Now that you are now recommending another brand of oils, is there a similar product to PanAway or the oils to make a similar mix yourself? I have just tried this (won a bottle at a gift fair), and it is helping with my post-surgical knee pain.
Thanks for your thorough research.
Yes, they have Relief, Pain EZ and Freedom Plus. Check those out :)!
Why do Yougn Living, do-Terra and NA all base themselves out of Utah? does the owner of NA have something against the other two companies? are you at all disturbed with Gary Young’s claims and his legal troubles?
I don’t know why they are in Utah, but both companies are owned by Mormons and Utah is hugely populated by Mormons. I have heard that Utah gives great business discounts as well.
What do you mean by “something against”?
Yes, I am concerned about those things.
Can you recommend a book on nan products? Or a great essential oil book I currently am reading “reference guide for essential oils.” Also a oil recommended for tennis elbow I have tried pan away by YL but no luck. I can’t use peppermint because I’m breast feeding. I’m still trying out different oils!
Thanks
Hi Mandi. NAN has a book on their site that might interest you. Here is the owner’s response to your question.
I’m still learning about EO’S, but I have no clue what ‘NAN’ is. I’m very interested in checking out the book on their site….HELP!!
THANK YOU Adrienne, for sharing all your hard, researched work!!
Hi Sherry. Sorry about that. It’s the company that I went with. They have been bought by a partner company, Rocky Mountain Oils. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/natural-remedies/the-great-essential-oils-showdown-in-search-of-the-best-essential-oils/ I don’t believe that they have the book anymore and frankly it really needed to be redone. If you are looking for a good book on EOs, I would highly recommend the one at the bottom of this post https://wholenewmom.com/what-to-buy/best-essential-oils-company-young-living-review-doterra-review/. There is one other that is pretty good and it’s at the bottom of this post https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/are-essential-oils-a-scam-a-skeptical-look-at-thieves-oil/. The reviews say it’s a bit outdated, but it’s fairly good. Let me know if I can help more.
Ok, Native American…..I see. I used the link in your post & have been buying all my oils from Rocky Mountain Oils. Love them! Thanks for the links. I sincerely appreciate your very thorough research. I’m the same way, I have to know how things work, why, how they’re made, etc. Your blog has saved me countless hours of research. Keep sharing!!
🙂
“I’d rather use natural oils than OTC meds or prescriptions drugs”
The problem is…the way you are using EOs, and they way these other untrained salespeople are using EOs…is as OTC drugs. Internal use? You are not going to know you are harming your liver until your liver stops working. This is why drugs are tested for side effects before they are sold – because often the side effects are far worse and more hazardous than the benefits. You are not weighing that plus/minus. Essential oils have hazards and side effects and can even prove life threatening if used the wrong way. People kill their cats. People torture their dogs (a dog who can smell footprints being exposed to the concentrated scent of EOs is more than the headache you might get going into a Yankee Candle store for example.) ANYONE who has studied aromatherapy on a professional level knows…the things you have advocated here on your website are the practice of medicine without a license and you are risking peoples health and safety doing so.
I appreciate your comment truly. You are very right. But first, a few things:
1. I have a full disclaimer on my site. I am not a dr., nor a nurse, nor any kind of practitioner. The information on my site is for entertainment purposes only. Readers are to consult w/ their physicians before making any changes to their diet or exercise program. I am not recommending the practice of medicine on my site.
2. For the very reasons that you mention, I decided to do a whole series on Best Essential Oils, which you might have missed.
3. I take issues of fatality and overuse of internal essential oils seriously. However, could you please direct me to data on the sort?
You state that drugs are tested for side effects before they are sold. True, but there are so many deaths from them regardless. I read an article (the link is gone now…) It stated that “Vioxx alone may have killed 55,000-65,000 patients before being withdrawn by the manufacturer, Merck, in 2004.” I don’t think that speaks well for the testing of pharma drugs.
What I stated was what I would rather do. I am not telling others what to do. That is a huge difference.
Thanks for commenting.
I am a nurse & I have to comment on this post about testing of prescription meds. If anybody really believes that prescription drugs are all tested really well before release, are wrong! The politics & money involved in big business allow a lot more drugs to get ‘pushed thru’ than you may think. It’s in big business owners best interest to pay for ‘things’ to get their new drugs on the market sooner. So the big business folks & even politicians walk away with their pockets stuffed w/money to get these drugs out on the market before they should be! If anyone thinks that prescription meds are all safe because they’ve been tested, they’re wrong!! Just think back at how often new drugs are introduced to the market & later recalled!! The supposed ‘testing’ is not always what it’s cracked up to be.
I’m not saying that all prescription drugs are bad, but it just makes more sense to use natural remedies & save the prescription meds for acute (emergency) situations. If you feel the need to use them at all.
Using EO’S is not ‘regulated’ by any government agencies, YET! (Thank God!) And even if it were, I wouldn’t trust their guide lines anyway. What the medical profession claims to be ‘safe’ amounts of different toxins, is just a baseline & even in that, it’s in the interest of ‘Big Money’ to make those ‘safe’ amounts lower, there are still going to be folks who are more sensitive to a so-called ‘safe amount’ and there will be folks who can tolerate higher levels! It’s a personal to each individual.
ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDS HAVE SIDE EFFECTS! They are synthetic, not natural! An example, “Sue” talked about harming your liver……Tylenol is sold over the counter & causes liver problems. It is said that the ‘Safe Dose’ is no more than 4,000 MG in a 24 hrs period. Has anyone, who has used OTV Tylenol for years, ever had their liver tested??!!?? With EO’S, at least you’re putting something NATURAL in your body! It’s all about common sense folks!! I’ve actually stopped nursing, because of the things I’ve seen happen behind the scene, that patients never find out about! I just couldn’t practice medicine in that type of environment anymore. I KNOW ‘Sue’ & folks that believe like her, would be SHOCKED & HORRIFIED at some of the things I’ve seen & could tell them about. Suffice it to say that I worked full-time to put myself thru nursing school full-time. That’s a LOT of time and money spent to throw away, but I just couldn’t continue in good conscience. So anyone else who is thinking EO’S are ‘dangerous’, think it thru again & just use common sense!