Do you ever feel like the quality of your health could be better? We all do from time to time. When we have pain, we reach for the NSAID’s and other questionable medicines which can have significant long term consequences with frequent use.
What if I told you there were effective, safer alternatives to these medications which come with many of the benefits, and none of the significant risks?
What if I also told you that many of the same substances you can substitute for medications will also serve other useful purposes around the house? You can find all of this, and more, in the wonderful world of essential oils!
Essential oils are the concentrated fatty acids you find in everyday, natural products like fruits and trees. These oils are extracted and bottled for your use around the house. Unlike traditional cleaning supplies, they often smell delightful, too!
There are two types of essential oils which you must be aware of. The first is called a food grade oil, which will be safe for limited consumption. The second type is typically referred to as a therapeutic grade product and is only for skin application or cleaning.
While these oils are safe to use in the home, care should always be taken with any substance you put in or on your body so make sure you read the labels of anything you intend to purchase carefully. Essential oils will frequently be much safer to use than medications or standard chemical cleaning products.
Therapeutic grade oils are typically applied via the introduction of a few drops into what’s called a carrier oil. These carrier oils are chemically neutral and help diffuse the powerful concentrations of these products into a convenient, usable form.
This is great because it means you can stretch your supply a good bit without sacrificing any of the benefits!
Now that you have an idea of what essential oils are, I would like to present to you a list of the top 10 essential oils you can begin using in your home today! Many of these oils can serve more than one purpose.
And the best part is that they are usually available at under $15 for a supply which is more than double what you will typically get from standard cleaning or medical supplies!
These oils were selected for their efficacy in treating the conditions they are applicable to, as well as their safety of use. I’m sure you will find many uses for them in your life.
Let’s have a look at the top 10 best essential oils you should try in 2017.
Table of Contents
Orange Essential Oil
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If you were only going to pick one oil from this list to try, orange oil would be the perfect selection! While most essential oils have multiple uses, few are as versatile as this.
Orange oil is sourced from the outer rind of oranges and is the substance responsible for giving the fruit its vivacious scent as you peel it.
Therapeutic grade oils are fantastic for warding off the pressures many anxiety sufferers live with, thanks to their mood-boosting aroma therapy qualities.
A few drops in a carrier oil applied to the temples will provide a relaxing, refreshing lift. It can also be used in bath water to help soothe your mind as the beneficial, moist heat relaxes away psychological stress.
This is also an excellent oil for cleaning! People have used orange oils to clean their counter tops for centuries thanks to their potent antibacterial properties.
Adding a few drops of orange essential oil, and a few cups of white distilled vinegar, to a spray bottle, makes a strong solution you can use to clean most surfaces which won’t damage them and will keep your family’s cooking surfaces free from dangerous chemicals.
Peppermint Essential Oil
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Concentrated from the refreshingly intense peppermint leaf, this oil serves to settle your upset stomach when used in teas. Some people even use it as a preventative measure for motion sickness before embarking on a long drive.
There is evidence that this oil is also effective as an antispasmodic agent, meaning it can relax your muscles, whose tension is responsible for a good many aches and pains.
Tension headaches respond very well to peppermint oil. Likewise, you can use it as an analgesic to ease topical pain from bee stings or minor scrapes.
Frankincense Essential Oil
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Frankincense is made from the thick sap that flows from the Boswellia and Commiphora trees. People have used these saps since deep antiquity as medicines for a variety of problems, so you can feel confident in their efficacy. The ancients even used it as a digestive aid.
This oil holds unusually potent antiseptic properties which make it the superior choice for cleaning food prep surfaces. It can be diluted in water to extend it without dulling its efficacy.
I find the fragrance to be very effective at masking the old food smells you find left over in your kitchen after dinner, too!
Lemon Essential Oil
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Lemon oil comes from the rinds of the eponymous sour fruit, like Orange oil. And like its orange cousin, this oil is great for cleaning jobs which oils of lesser potency may not be suitable to tackle. You will find it cleans dishes with ease, and leaves bathrooms smelling extra fresh!
These oils have an especially potent mood elevating quality which you should employ whenever you need that mental boost in the middle of the day. I’ve often kept it with me for stress relief, and to energize me before doing important tasks at the office.
Many people have had great success with using lemon essential oil as part of a ski-care regiment, as well. It acts as an astringent which can help you clear up acne-prone skin, while also conditioning it to help reduce the scarring that can accompany outbreaks.
It is great to help you restore luster to the skin by using it as a substitute for the harsh chemicals women often use to remove makeup.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
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The leaves of the Melaleuca alternifoliate plant, native to parts of Australia, have given us an oil of unparalleled use in personal health.
Long used as a means to boost immunity, Tea Tree oil will become your best friend when you feel those first sniffles of a cold coming on. They can reduce the severity, and length of sickness and have you back on your feet sooner.
This is another oil which is effective in the treatment of headaches, which is always a useful thing. Likewise, you can use it to treat conditions like athlete’s foot or to ease the itch of eczema, as it has a potent anti-fungal property.
Tea Tree oil is also great if you have kids! Every child eventually comes home with ringworm, lice, or some other embarrassing pest, and you can use this oil to treat many of those conditions!
Simply use a few drops in a carrier oil two times a day and you will see a rapid improvement in the condition!
Rosemary Essential Oil
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You’ve undoubtedly used this herb in your cooling many times, but did you know that when its oils are concentrated it can be a stress reliever?
It achieves this by triggering your body to cease the production of Cortisol, a known stress hormone. Aside from the obvious effects of feeling better in the moment, you can also protect your heart via stress reduction.
Rosemary Oil can also be used as a skincare supplement when used topically. It will firm up your skin while making it appear more supple when used over time.
Along with preserving us, it can be used to preserve many other essential oils by extending their shelf life too!
This is an especially useful oil for women who have hormonal balance issues. Used regularly as part of a tonic, Rosemary essential oil can help regulate your body’s production of estrogen.
It’s not just for women, either, as men will find it improves prostate health which can help you avoid common complications with the organ later in life.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
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You are almost certainly familiar with the odiferous sensation of this potent oil. Sourced from the leaves of Eucalyptus trees, this oil is found in many decongestant salves that help to open up airways by relaxing the blood vessels and muscles responsible for causing airway constriction.
In this way, it also acts as an expectorant to help make your cough more productive when you’re sick.
This is a great oil for hikers and outdoor lovers of alls tripes as it is well known to detract insects. You can use it as a safer alternative to burning toxic citronella candles.
Eucalyptus oil can be used to soothe bites you may have gotten from the few pests it won’t deter.
Sandalwood Essential Oil
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The bark and wood of the Sandalwood tree has been used since time-immemorial for its mood-elevating properties. You may be familiar with it as a common fragrance in many churches, or from the incense used by eastern religions as a meditative aid for this very reason.
Lesser known, but equally titillating, is that it can be used as an aphrodisiac which can heighten romantic moments between you and your partner.
While the ancients used Sandalwood oil for its psychological benefits, modern science has unraveled another layer of usefulness in its use as an anti-inflammatory. The primary ingredient, Santalol, can reduce bodily inflammation responsible for the deleterious effects of numerous diseases.
Likewise, there is some research which suggests you may be able to keep your blood glucose better controlled by using a few drops of this oil with dinner, reducing the amount of insulin you have to take and serving as a protective measure against the effects of insulin resistance that accompany long-term hormone replacement therapy.
Lavender Essential Oil
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Lavender is an incredibly soothing and anxiety-relieving essential oil.
This particular oil is the highest quality and most potent lavender oil. It is a natural oil with no adulterants or dilution which makes this particular oil very luxurious.
Cinnamon Essential Oil
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While you’ve certainly enjoyed this spicy flavor in various rolls and desserts, were you aware that this seasoning is also a potent medicine?
Pharmacological interests have used cinnamon for the production of powerful medicines like Coumadin, a drug commonly used to thin the blood as a preventative measure after strokes. You can make use of this in your own home as well!
This is another great antispasmodic oil which has been used topically as an ointment to ease muscle spasms and pulls. You can use a few drops of it in your favorite desserts as a preservative which cans ave you money over the holidays when you tend to make a little too much to eat.
When eaten in food-grade oils, cinnamon is an effective antioxidant which helps protect your body from long term damage caused by free radicals.
Let’s Try Them All!
These 10 essential oils can revolutionize how you handle health issues, home sanitation, and boost your mental state. Remember to keep in mind the important difference between food-grade and therapeutic oils to avoid any toxicity issues, and read your labels carefully!
I know you want what’s best for you and your family, and essential oils can be a great way to get on that path.
When used thoughtfully, you will find you can replace many of the potentially toxic compounds in your medicine cabinet and chemical closet with safer alternatives that will leave your home so much the better for it.
Given their potency, you can use single vials to make many times more essential oil preparations at a fraction of the cost of leading household chemicals. Why not have a look at essential oils today and get started on your path to a healthier you?