Now that it's mid-winter here in the U.S. the best way to take the cold chill off your bones is by a good, long soak in Epsom salts and essential oils. But, you need to know how to do it right…

First of all, buying scented bath products is not only unnecessary and expensive, but many of them contain harmful toxic chemicals, additives and artificial fragrances.

Do you really want to soak in toxins and additives? When you think of how quickly toxins get absorbed through the skin, I should hope not!

For the sake of safety and health, use only 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils. Spend your money where it counts – on the oil – not the fillers, additives, and toxins. Mix the oils with inexpensive Epsom salt (also very therapeutic).

Many people think you can just pour essential oils into bath water. But that's not a good idea. The oils will just float on top of the water, rather than disperse evenly, even if you put them in while the water is running. Then they'll either stick to the sides of the tub or the first bit of skin they touch and no where else. You definitely won't get the full benefit of the oils.

Here's how to get the oils to disperse evenly:

Method 1: Put about 1/2 cup of Epsom salts into a glass bowl. Add 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix well and add to the tub while the water is running.

Method 2: If you don't want to bother with a bowl, simply put a handful of Epsom salts into your hand. Hold the essential oil bottle over your hand and let 10-20 drops fall onto the salts. Rub the oil into the salts with your fingers, or use the palm of your other hand and rub your palms together, letting the salts fall gently into the water as you mix. Rinse your hands and you're ready to soak!

Here's a list of my favorite Aromatherapy bath oils to soak in:

Lavender – you can't go wrong with lavender. Always soothing and relaxing, it's also tremendously nurturing for the skin and wonderful on stiff joints. And it smells heavenly…

Peace & Calming – Wonderful to relax tensions and uplift spirits. A hot soak in this essential oil (and a little applied to the feet) before bedtime pretty much guarantee a peaceful night's rest.

ImmuPower – Feel like you're coming down with something? This powerful blend of immune-boosting therapeutic-grade essential oils creates a fragrant and protective haven while increasing positive energy.

Grounding – Nothing feels better after a frantic day when you've been running all over the place than the stabilizing influence of Grounding essential oil. This relaxing and balancing blend of essential oils helps you cope with reality in a positive manner.

PanAway – When you've overexercised biking, hiking, rowing, or in yoga this classic blend provides comforting and soothing warmth to your sore, aching muscles.

Joy – When you need to warm your heart, this luxuriously exotic blend with uplifting overtones creates magnetic energy and brings joy to the heart.

Inspiration – We all need a little inspiration now and then. This essential oil creates an aromatic sanctuary for those seeking quiet meditation and spirituality.

Live with Passion – Soaking in a tub of this oil can help you find your passion and zest for life again. So many times, loss of drive and a feeling of emptiness in life stem from loosing our direction and passion.

Sensation – Stimulating to the senses and intensifying feelings of romance, this oil is great in a bath for two. Also very nourishing and hydrating for the skin and beneficial for various skin problems.

There are many more wonderful oils I could mention that are fabulous to soak in, depending on your mood and need – oils like Angelica, Harmony, Hope, Humility, Inner Child, Dreamcatcher, Magnify Your Purpose, Present Time (and ladies, don't forget Dragon Time for that time of month).

Winter is almost not long enough for all the aromatherapy baths I want to take. And to think, I used to not like winter at all!

So the next time your bones feel the chill, draw a nice, hot bath, get out your epsom salts and essential oil du juor, and sink deep into that wonderfully soothing aromatherapy bath. Ahhh…

Are you intrigued by the wonderful scents and healing properties of essential oils, but aren't sure how to use them?

This guide will go over some basics to keep in mind and give you an overview of how essential oils are generally used. The recommendations made here are specifically for use with Young Living Essential Oils — not any other brand. The reason is simply this: We can be certain of the high quality of Young Living's oils, but not others. Other oils may be unsafe to use directly on the skin and especially, to ingest.

To use these techniques safely and to achieve the desired effects, your oils should meet the same high standards as do Young Living Essential Oils. So, please do not use these techniques with other essential oils unless you know for certain that the batch you are using has been tested correctly for purity and quality.

Please note: we do not diagnose or treat diseases, nor is this page here for that purpose. We do not think of these oils as "medicine." We simply allow them to support the body and its systems in the healing process. The oil can be agents of energetic change that can enliven and strengthen us in the direction of wellness — physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. We urge anyone with a serious medical condition to work with a competent healer.

The Art of Using Essential Oils

It's important to bear in mind that the use of essential oils to support the body, mind, and spirit is an art. There are many ways to use them, that's why there are people using essential oils with approaches that vary widely. Each approach has its merits and proponents, with accounts of wonderful results.

The recommendations presented here are not meant to be exclusive or dogmatic. They just present the approach we choose because of the excellent results we experience. We honor the spirit of diversity and dialogue and hope that the use of these remarkable substances will help all of us feel more and more connected to the marvelous healing power of nature and to each other.

Individuality

Individual responses to essential oils can be as varied as individual responses to food. Now, if you were going to try a brand new kind of food, how would you go about it? Our recommendation is to proceed with intelligence, intuition, and a sense of discovery. Just like you can easily learn what foods taste and feel good to you, you can learn how essential oils smell and feel to you and how they work for you simply by trying them.

Go slowly. Explore this new world or aromatherapy with patience and sensitivity.

Your first day using essential oils

On your first day, start with only one or two oils. Your body may not be used to the amount of oxygen and other healing substances that the oils can provide. You want to be as aware as you can of the effects of each oil that you use so you can get to know each one well.

Give yourself a few days to adapt. After that, once you see how you respond to them, you can expand your style. Some people can use 15 oils in one sitting with wonderful effects, while other feel more comfortable with only three or four. Every body is different and it is important to not exceed metabolic capacity, especially if you have a chronic condition.

Diluting your essential oils

If you are new to the oils or have fair or thin skin, be sure to dilute the oils with a pure vegetable oil such as V-6 Mixing Oil (or a high quality cold-pressed vegetable oil). Even if you have tough skin, there may be places on your body where most people's skin is thinner and more sensitive, like the center of your chest or under your arms. Putting certain oils undiluted on your skin could cause irritation.

Diluting the oils prevents irritation and makes them more gentle. Don't be concerned that by diluting you're making the oils less effective. Not so. It just takes a little longer for the oils to go through the skin. Some people believe that the effects may even be stronger when the oils are diluted. The only way to know is to try it on yourself and observe the effects.

How to deal with "hot" oils

In general, the oils that will tend to feel "hot" and "burn" like a hot chili pepper are the spice oils, such as Thyme, Oregano, Clove, Cinnamon, etc. Peppermint has a deep penetration power that, while not exactly "hot," can be extreme. These oils are best diluted to "cool" them down.

Note: Be very careful not to rub your eyes after using them as that will give you quite a stinging sensation. If this should happen, just put some vegetable oil on a tissue or paper towel and smear it over the affected area. It should cool off in a matter of seconds. If it doesn't, add more vegetable oil. Washing with water alone only increases the burning sensation. However, washing with soap and warm water can wash the oil off and stop the burning.

A Few Principles

If one oil doesn't work, try another.

Sometimes you may need a week or more of applying an oil to tell if it is helping your body. This is especially true if the issues you are trying to affect have been chronic – meaning you've had them for a long time. If they took a long time to develop, they probably won't disappear overnight with any intervention. So, be wary of overly high expectations when dealing with issues of long standing.

On the other hand, there are people who have had remarkable and sudden improvements in their symptoms in one day or within a fews day or hours. Such is the mystery of nature and of people.

Remember, it's a personal thing

The point here is that using the oils is an intuitive matter and personal. No one can really decide for you. Like anything else in life, practice and experience are good teachers. The more one uses the oils, the more one starts to understand and respect them.

Do take periodic breaks from the oils

If you do use the same oil regularly, be sure to take a break from it every 4 or 5 days. Also, you can experiment with how often you put it on each day. Once? Twice? Every hour? Experiment. The effects of some oils can last as long as several weeks with one application! But sometimes, you'll need to use an oil more than once each day.

Apply one at a time

In general, if you want to use more than one oil in a session, apply each oil one at a time and allow a minute or so in between oils. You can "layer" oils in this fashion on the same area of the body, whether the feet or the location you're trying to help. (And you don't need to wash your hands between each new oil!)

In general, let the oil fall out of the bottle a drop at a time. Don't touch the edge of the bottle to the skin. Touching the rim can leave tiny deposits of bacteria or skin that can accumulate over time and decrease the quality of your oil.

Heating essential oils changes their chemistry. We recommend that you DO NOT use diffusers that USE HEAT. Burning aromatherapy candles or heating the oil under a candle actually changes the delicate constituents of the oil into toxic substances. Young Living offers several excellent types of diffusers, click here to see them. We also recommend keeping your oils away from bright light or any sources of heat.

Methods of Application

Aromatherapy is called by that name because the fragrances of essential oils can themselves often be therapeutic. That's why diffusing the oils in the air is the first means of using them. Opening a bottle and holding it up to your nose while breathing deeply is not the best way to do this. Rather, use a diffuser (without heat — no candles, please!) or put some oil on a cotton ball and wedge it into the grille of a fan or vent. You can also put oil into water in a misting bottle and, when covering your eyes, spray the mist around yourself. You can also spray a whole room, or your clothing, or your pillow.

The second way to use the oils is topically, on your skin. The best place to start is with your feet. (See Vita Flex Foot Charts that show how different parts of the body are represented on the feet. These diagrams appeared in Gary Young's earliest book, "Aromatherapy, The Essential Beginning", which is no longer in print. However all this information and much more is available in the "Essential Oils Desk Reference" available on Amazon.

If you're not sure about where to place the oils on your feet, don't worry. You can just cover the surface of the bottom of each of your feet with three drops of oil or so on each and know that the oil is getting everywhere you might want or need it to go throughout your body. You can get remarkable effects just by putting the oils on your feet. This is a great way to start.

Diffusing:

One of the easiest and most effective ways of taking advantage of the benefits of essential oils is by using an aromatic diffuser. Diffusing disperses essential oils into the air around you as sweetly-scented micro-mist particles, so you can inhale and enjoy them as you go about your day. The oil remains in the air for several hours.

Its a great way to purify the air in your home and get the benefits of essential oils into your system, or just relax and set a mood.

The best way to diffuse essential oils is with a diffuser from Young Living Essential Oils. Follow this link for more information on diffusers.

If a diffuser is out of your budget for now, don't despair – the economy method works, too (not quite the same, but not too bad). To use the economy method, just to put a few drops (5-10) or essential oil on a cotton ball. Wedge the ball into the grill of an ordinary fan or the vent of a forced-air system in your home/office/car, etc. You can start with just a few drops and add more based on how much scent you like in the air. If you stop smelling it after a few minutes, it's not because there's no more in the air. You're just getting used to it. Try going out of the room/office/car for a half hour and coming back in. You'll smell it again!

In general, diffusing for 10 minutes the first day is plenty. Let your body get used to the infusion of oxygen and oil constituents. After a few days you might diffuse more often or for longer. Take some time and experiment to find your own level of comfort and sensitivity. Diffusing for 15 minutes every few hours is generally a minimum amount for purifying the air of germs, odors, etc.

Applying on the skin:

The four types of topical application are:

1. On the feet
2. On the ears
3. On the fingers
4. Anywhere else (including using them in a bath or with a compress)

The first three are easy because they have places on them that relate to the rest of the body. In other words, if you have a headache, you could try to help reduce the discomfort by putting oil on the points on the feet that relate to the head (the pad of the big toe for the brain, the other toes for eyes and ears, etc.). Or you could put it on the places on the ears that relate to the head, etc.

There are various charts, mostly deriving from Chinese medicine, that depict these points on the feet, ears, and hands. You might be familiar with reflexology charts. (See the Vita Flex Foot Charts).

Helping the body heal by addressing these points is an ancient tradition. D. Gary Young's diagram is based on his own research in measuring electrical frequency changes at different places on the body when oil was placed on the specific points on the feet.

Using the example of the headache, you could choose to support your body with essential oils on the feet (on the pad of the big toe) or right on location: across the forehead, on the temples, on the crown of the head, etc. Similarly, for discomfort in other areas, you can apply oils locally. Cuts, burns, bruises, insect bites, rashes infections, etc. can all respond well to the topical use of essential oils directly on the location.

Deciding which oil to use

Which oils to use is always an individual matter. There is no one oil for headaches or muscle pain. This is because the cause of the symptoms can be different from person to person. One headache might be from indigestion, or an allergic reaction, or hormonal changes, or stress, etc. Look at the list of oils and the descriptions of their properties. Think about your symptoms and what might be the underlying cause. Take a guess or use your intuition about what oil might be appropriate for you.

Take the plunge and try one. If it doesn't do the trick, try another. Even if the oil you choose doesn't help your body turn off your headache, it will have other beneficial effects if only because of the increased oxygenation, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, etc. Get to know your oils, discover how they affect you, and know that someone else may respond to those oils in a completely different way. Honor the discovery process in yourself and others.

Taking a bath with a few drops of your chosen oil can be a peak experience. Even a short bath with the exquisite fragrances of your Young Living Essential Oils floating up from the water and sailing into your nose and skin can be profoundly relaxing or energizing, depending on which oils you use.

Leisurely soaks in hot baths helps relax the body and relieve achy, sore muscles. Adding a few drops of oils that are known to aid in muscle relaxation, such as Marjoram, Lavender, or Basil, can enhance that process. You also might want to try one of the relaxing blends made by Young Living like Peace & Calming or RutaVaLa to help ease tension and relieve stress further.

You only need a few drops, and they work best when dropped on to the surface of the bath once it's been drawn or by mixing first with Young Living's Bath Gel Base to disperse the oil throughout the bathwater as you fill the tub. Then, climb in and enjoy!

Oils can also be mixed with a dispersing agent before placing in the tub. Simply pour 15-20 drops of essential oil over Epsom salts and mixing before adding to bath water.

Massage

People the world over love to enjoy the effects of essential oils over large areas or their bodies during massages. Just use a few drops (3-4) and spread them over the area with a pure vegetable carrier oil. While the the oils might just take a little longer to soak in, they are not decreased when mixed with a pure vegetable oil. But do be sure there are no chemicals in the carrier oil, as wll as no scent, added fragrance or perfume.

Young Living also offers an excellent carrier oil called V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex Massage Oil Base that contains several pure, nutritious oils. In fact, it's so nutritious that it can also be used for salads and cooking!

Many body workers and massage therapists are now using essential oils with their clients, both for sheer relaxation and enjoyment, and for enhanced relief of pain, muscle spasms, and healing injuries. The Vita Flex Technique and the Raindrop Technique have become important massage techniques that are extremely beneficial.

The Raindrop Technique is a non-invasive, non-manipulative process developed by D. Gary Young of dropping selected essential oils on the back and massaging in with specific massage strokes. It combines Vita Flex and specific massage techniques with therapeutic-grade essential oils to bring the body into structural and electrical alignment.

The Raindrop Technique Video pages contain more detailed application instructions for Raindrop.

Vita Flex – is a specialized form of reflexive massage that uses rolling and releasing motions to activate reflex points on the feet, hands, and various areas throughout the entire body. It is particularity effective in delivering the benefits of essential oils throughout the body.

The stimulating rolling motion of the Vita Flex Technique does wonders for the feet and entire body! See the Vita Flex Technique page for more information.

Acupuncture

Essential oils can be used effectively with acupuncture. The most straightforward method is to place your chosen oil on the skin just before inserting a needle. Flicking the needle gently, once inserted, so that it vibrates slightly can enhance the action of the oil. Likewise, rotating the needle, once inserted, can enhance oil activation as well.

Taking Internally

Another excellent way of getting the benefits of essential oils is by taking them internally. This method however, MUST be reserved for only the purest therapeutic-grade oils, as offered on this site. Lesser quality oils cannot be trusted as they are typically thinned with solvents and include added chemicals and artificial fragrances, even though labeled "natural" (the label "natural" is legally meaningless in describing quality).

Young Living has pioneered methods of combining essential oils with nutritional supplements to increase absorption, effectiveness and antioxidant power. These supplements provide a wide array whole food-sourced multivitamins to great-tasting, essential oil-infused meal replacements. Infusing nutritional supplements with the added benefit of essential oils enables nature's living energy to provide internal bodily support.

For more information, see:

• Heart and Cardiovascular System Health
• Immune Health
• Bone Health
• Digestive Health
• Women's Health
• Children's Health and Products

Young Living also offers easy-to-swallow encapsulated essential oils to contribute to overall wellness by balancing dietary insufficiencies and infusing the body with essential oils. A few of these are:

• Inner Defense (a powerful blend of antimicrobial essential oils to reinforce systemic defenses in the immune system and create unfriendly terrain for yeast/fungus)
• Digest + Cleanse™ for healthy digestion.
• Longevity™ Softgels – Essential Oil Ultra-Antioxidant – a potent, proprietary blend of fat-soluble antioxidants packed into a veggiecap.
• And many more

Other Healing Modalities

Young Living Essential Oils can be combined with any healing practice, whether medical, herbal, psychological, spiritual, subtle, homeopathic, etc. At the very least, they connect us with something at the heart of life and nature, and inspire us. At the most, they give support to all the systems of body, mind, and soul, and heal us.

Always remember that therapeutic-grade essential oils are are energy-packed concentrations of nature's life-blood. Used with love and respect, essential oils can contribute to our wellness, enrich our lives, and inspire deep gratitude and appreciation for all that nature gives us.

According to the Essential Oil Desk Reference:

The oils in this blend contain high sesquiterpene compounds that have been shown to increase oxygen around receptor site around the pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus. They are responsible for the secretion of human growth hormone (hGH). Research indicates that they play a major role in dissolving petrochemicals known to plug the receptor sites and prevent receptivity. Brain Power may help clear the brain fog that people experience due to the ingestion of chemical foods, skin and hair care products with petrochemicals and breathing heavy chemical-laden air. Brain Power may increase mental potential, mental clarity and long-term use may retard the aging process. It may also support and strengthen immune function.

How does that translate to improving your child's grades? Here are the experiences of several parents:

My 9 year old son had difficulty with hand writing and spelling to the point where he was in tears every morning before school because it was all too hard. After two days of putting Brain Power on him he came home from school and told me he wants to write a book. What a transformation!

Obviously he did not instantly have the skills to do that, but his entire attitude and belief system about his writing abilities had changed for the better and we have not had tears before school since. Thank you Young Living for opening up my son's world and helping him move towards reaching his highest potential. – Lisa M.

My daughter, now in college, has some learning challenges and yet has done so well with Brain Power essential oil blend. She readily tells everyone, 'I can pass comprehensive finals now!' She uses a terra cotta pendant to put the oil on and smells it while she is studying and then again while taking the test. For me and for my other children who don't have learning challenges like my daughter this works well too.

My oldest son, now in the Army, used peppermint to study for his Promotion Board since he didn't have Brain power. He used it to study with and then wore the pendant under his uniform. He also put a drop of oil just under his nose before he went before the promotion board. He said it burned like heck but he could recall everything he needed to and passed the board with flying colors! – Quin S.

My daughter has epilepsy. She has more problems in the morning. So, I decided to try Brain Power. One Friday morning I put one drop of neat Brain Power on the back of her neck. No joke I have the note to prove it…the teacher said it was her best day ever and no seizures! I tried it again on Sunday morning before church and she only had one right before we went to find our seat. Since then I have been applying one neat drop on her neck every morning. We have only had three seizures in two weeks, which is a huge improvement. – Dana H.

For my son's 3rd birthday, my mom got him the 'Your Baby Can Read' DVD's, books and flash cards. In about 4-5 weeks he learned 16 words. I was thrilled! I thought it was pretty awesome that a 3 year old could read some words. I had read so many great testimonials about Brain Power that I decided to get it on my next order.

It came about 10 days ago. That day I started putting it on my son's brain stem. I had him put a drop on his thumb and put it to the roof of his mouth and suck his thumb (realigns the left and right brain). I also had him inhale it 2-3 times a day.

By day 8 he knew 40 words and wanted me to show him more new words! I started showing him the new words and he was picking them up so fast that I thought he was cheating because the flash cards show you the pictures of the words when you slide them out.

I tested him yesterday morning and he knew 5 more words. He wasn't cheating! The progress that he has made in this last week has been truly astounding.

I noticed some improvements in myself as well. I used to know how to count to 10 in Japanese and I wanted to start teaching Jake. The thing is, I couldn't remember anymore. I could only remember up to 4. Even my husband could remember and he told me. Two days later I couldn't remember it again! After putting Brain Power on myself the same way I was applying to Jake, it came back to me clear as a bell!

The other night I was looking up a recipe that I wanted to make for the next day. In the morning when I went to look it up again, page 506 popped in my head. That was the page that the recipe was on. I'm one of those that forgets the page 2 minutes after I've looked at it and would then have to go back to the index. Here I was 12-13 hours later and was able to retain it. Absolutely incredible in my opinion.

My two testimonies are small but I got a small piece of my memory back and I'll take it!!

I was talking with my friend and telling her of Jake's progress with the reading and she said, 'I think this is the way we are supposed to be. Smart, happy, healthy and strong.' I think that she is right and thanks to Young Living's amazing products we will all finally be able to be all of those things! – Rachel L.

There's no guarantee that Brain Power will turn your child into a genius… but you never know

For more information see Brain Power

Luckily, there's a promotion going on. From September 1st through September 30th, you can get 10% off Brain Power™ essential oil blend. Take advantage of the boost Brain Power™ gives your brain with essential oils that are high in sesquiterpenes. Use it to clarify thought and develop greater focus for you or your children. Here's where to go to get it now, while its on special. Why not give this school year a good start with the power of Brain Power™ essential oil blend.

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I'm holding a no-cost teleseminar tomorrow night (Thursday) with
Barbara Rozen on "The Healing Power of Omani Frankincense and
New Essential Oil Products for 2010."

Several new products and two new types of diffusers were
introduced at the recent Young Living Convention and we thought
you might want to know more about them. The highlight is the
new Omani Frankincense called "Sacred Frankincense"

Barbara is just back from the convention, where she learned a
great deal about it (what YL will never be able to put on their
website). She'll be sharing many of the incredible things she
learned about the power of this rare substance.

No pre-registration is required. Simply go to the link below:

Title: "The Healing Power of Omani Frankincense and
New Essential Oil Products for 2010."
…with Rufina James and Barbara Rosen

Time: Thursday, July 8th at 6:00pm Pacific
Listening method: Phone + Web Simulcast

To attend, visit:
http://attendthisevent.com/?eventID=13854360

You can listen either by phone or streaming. Listening through
the simulcast (web streaming) avoids long distance charges.

There will probably be a replay (although I can't guarantee it),
but the replay probably won't have the accompanying slides.

Hope to see you on the call.

PS If you have any questions, please submit the before the call
by using the contact form on this page:
http://essentialoilworld.com/contact.html

Aromatherapy has come to mean many different things to different people. Today, people call anything from using scented soap to adding a drop of basil to their salad dressing, "aromatherapy." Traditionally, it means the inhalation of plant oils, called essential oils, for improved physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

The main component of aromatherapy is the use of essential oils. Essential oils are the pure essence of a plant — often referred to as nature's living energy. Quality essential oils can provide both psychological and physical benefits when used correctly. Essential oils can be used on their own for aromatherapy or with complementary natural ingredients, such as vegetable or other carrier oils.

Aromatherapy for Health and Wellness

There are many ways to utilize the therapeutic benefits of essential oils. Aromatherapy is only one of them. It's so popular because it's very effective, easy to use, and smells so nice.

But for the therapeutic benefits of essential oils to be effective, it's vital that only pure, undiluted essential oils are used. Lower-priced, synthetic, perfume-grade products lack the necessary levels of beneficial constituents and offer little or no positive effect.

Many people hear that aromatherapy is a great way to relax and beat stress, or can help with a health and wellness issue. So, they buy the cheapest aromatherapy oil they can find – usually from a nearby health food store or online. But after trying it, they are very disappointed.

Is that because aromatherapy is ineffective? Not at all. The thing is, they did not understand that the secret lies in the quality of the essential oil. You wouldn't expect to buy filet mignon for the price of ground beef, would you? Of course not! Everyone knows that filet mignon is a prime cut that's quite a bit more expensive than ground beef.

It's the same with essential oils. A truly high-quality essential oil is "a cut above" the rest. It's in a different category than the usual, found at most health food stores and online aromatherapy websites.

The highest-grade aromatherapy oils on the market today are manufactured by Young Living. Only by diffusing pure Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ (YLTG) essential oils can you improve your physical well-being, create a proper mood or state of mind, or get the desired effects from a massage.

The Science of Aromatherapy

When a YLTG essential oil is diffused, it is inhaled and processed through the olfactory system, which then sends the therapeutic benefits of the aroma to the brain. Depending on the specific constituents in the oil, you may begin to feel the release of negative emotions, the soothing of undue muscle tension, or experience the cleansing effect of the oils as your body eliminates toxins.

How to Use Essential Oils in Aromatherapy

There are two ways to use essential oils for aromatherapy: inhalation and topical application.

Inhalation

When inhaling oils for aromatherapy, here are some commonly used techniques:

• Inhale essential oils directly—simply smell them straight from the bottle.
• Diffuse essential oils using a device that disperses the oil into the air in a micro-fine vapor. Young Living offers a line of essential oil diffusers that effectively spreads the aromatic benefits of essential oils through the air without damaging their important constituents.
• Use essential oils with a humidifier. Sprinkle a few drops of essential oil on a tissue or small cloth and place in front of the escaping steam. Avoid putting the oil directly into your humidifier, as it will float on top of the water instead of dispersing with the water vapor.
• Pour hot water into a bowl and add a few drops of essential oil. Lower your face a few inches over the bowl and cover your head and the bowl with a towel, then breathe deeply and slowly.

Essential oils can be applied directly to the skin. Be sure to read the label before using oils topically, as some oils must be first diluted with a carrier oil — like Young Living's V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex — prior to use.

Key areas for topical application are:

• Crown of head
• Temples
• Behind ears
• Neck
• Upper back
• Abdomen
• Over vital organs
• Soles and tops of feet
• Ankles

Steps for topical application are:

1. Place 2–3 drops of oil in the palm of your hand or directly on the desired area.
2. If placing oil in your hand, rub palms together in a circular motion and then massage oil onto the desired point of application. If applying directly to the desired area, massage the oil into your skin using a circular motion. Repeat as desired.

Note: Essential oils are very potent and some may be irritating to the skin. If irritation occurs, immediately apply a carrier oil or pure vegetable oil to the area to dilute. Please read label direction for each individual oil before using.

Most Popular Young Living Aromatherapy Products:

Believed to attract positive energy.

A relaxing, calming blend-great for adults and children.

Has a great citrus aroma that is refreshing and uplifting.

Diffuse this oil for a refreshing, uplifting effect.

The most versatile of all essential oils, lavender oil is good for quieting the mind before bed, and a myriad of other uses.

Revitalizing and uplifting, this essential oil is high in antioxidants and has a purifying, cleansing effect.

Good for relaxation, this oil brings peace and happiness to the mind.

Helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit.

Diffuse or apply topically for an energy boost or to soothe a stomach-ache.

Excellent for cleansing the air of impurities.

University tested for its cleansing and germ-fighting abilities.

Disperses essential oils into the air without heating so they retain their therapeutic benefits.

Atomizes cold water and essential oils, breaking up molecules into a microscopic mist for excellent coverage and easy use.

Adds convenience and portability to essential oil diffusing. Get the benefits of diffusing essentials oils wherever you travel.

With all the wonderfully fragrant possibilities, you're sure to find a favorite way to use Aromatherapy in your life!

Insulin certainly controls diabetes, but it leaves the patient dependent upon always having to have the insulin with him, no matter where they go, for the rest of their life.  This can be a big problem when traveling or in times of natural disaster when supplies can be disrupted (something we are all seeing more of these days).

Is there anything that can be done?

Prevention is the first and most obvious solution.  Adult onset diabetes is on the rise largely because of dietary factors like too much soda and sugar from an early age, too many food additives and not enough exercise.  Diabetes is occurring in children younger than ever before.

But diabetes can also occur for many other reasons, and if you're past the point of prevention, is there anything natural that can help? 

Perhaps there is…

A few years ago, I was talking to a wheelchair-bound diabetic woman who had cut down her need for insulin to less than half of what she had been taking.

"How did you do that?"  I asked.

Her answer surprised me.  She explained that she was part of a group of about 25 people in a neighboring town who were doing an unofficial study on the effects of coriander, fennel and dill essential oils on lowering glucose and insulin levels and supporting the pancreas.

The group of diabetics had been experimenting for many months and had settled on a simple protocol:

Coriander, Fennel, Dill Protocol:

Layer, one after the other, the following oils (to layer means to rub the oil into the skin until dry)…

2 drops of each of the following essential oils on each foot in morning: 

• Coriander
• Fennel
• Dill

At night, just before bed, apply the same oils again, but this time over the Pancreas -  the area just above the waistline and below the sternum. 

The idea is to alternate – in the morning apply the oils to the feet; in the evening – apply them to the pancreas (or vice versa, just alternate).

Grapefruit essential oil lowered blood sugar spikes

If one of the diabetics' blood sugar spiked, they would immediately apply 2 drops Grapefruit oil on or under their  tongue.  They would hold the oil in their mouth for a few minutes and swallow.  They had discovered grapefruit oil lowered the blood sugar within 20 minutes to an hour.

I told a diabetic friend about grapefruit essential oil, and it worked for her.  She used it regularly from then on.

Many of the diabetics in the group were able to decrease their need for insulin entirely over the course of six months or so to the point where they could control their diabetes with diet.  Others were able to lower the amounts they needed.

Only therapeutic-grade essential oils were used. I doubt you'd see the same results from lesser grade oils.

Of course, this was an unscientific study, so I can't say anyone's results will be the same.  Nonetheless, it provides food for thought.

I have also read about many official studies which show that cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels.  So, maybe adding cinnamon essential oil to the above protocol could be helpful.

Having trouble sleeping and wondering if there is an effective natural melatonin releaser?

Try cedarwood aromatherapy – using cedarwood essential oil at bedtime.  It can actually help your brain release melatonin. That's because cedarwood is very high in sesquiterpenes.

If you're not sure what that is, in brief, sesquiterpenes are some of the naturally occuring chemical constituents in essential oils.*  The combination of Sesquiterpenes and other constituents are what allow essential oils to have specific effects on your body.

Because the sesquiterpenes are at high levels in Cedarwood essential oil, they can stimulate the limbic region of the brain (the limbic region is the center of our emotions), having a calming effect.

Cedarwood oil also helps stimulate the pineal gland, which releases melotonin (an antioxidant hormone asociated with deep sleep).

And because cedarwood essential oil is so divinely scented, it's easy to take advantage of it's melatonin-boosting effects.  Simply open a bottle of cedarwood, place it close to your nose and inhale deeply several times before going to bed. 

Another way to take advantage of it's melatonin-boosting effects is by diffusing cedarwood.  Some people put their diffuser on a timer so it goes off for 10 to 15 minutes every hour thoughout the night.

Cedarwood aromatherapy is a lovely way to fall asleep.

More info on cedarwood essential oil here…

 *Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations. Biochemical modifications such as oxidation or rearrangement produce the related sesquiterpenoids.

Love the taste of pepper? Looking for new ways to experience it?

Here's a suggestion – try black pepper essential oil.
 
Black pepper essential oil is a "total emmersion" type of pepper experience.  Wonderful for those who love its pungent, crisp aroma.  It's quite a taste sensation… and it does wonders for your digestion.

More info about black pepper essential oil here…

But have you ever run out of fresh basil just when you needed it?  Or couldn't find it because it was off-season? 

Now you can enjoy the taste of basil year-round by using basil essential oil. It's the purest essence of basil in a bottle.

If you love fresh basil with food, you'll love basil essential oil. Its available year-round and is wonderfully refresing, envigorating and potent. 

Keep in mind that basil essential oil is highly concentrated, so only a drop or two is plenty for:

• salad dressing
• vinaigrette
• pasta
• sauces
• marinades
• fresh mozzarella cheese

Delicious!

Basil essential oil is not to be confused with cooking oil or any oil containing essential fatty acids.  Essential oils are highly concentrated natural plan extracts.  They are volatile or ethereal oils, and much lighter in weight than cooking oils, yet far more fragrant and flavorful.

You'll get the best results with basil essential oil if you mix it with another oil first, or drop it into an oil-based dressing.  One drop straight on a chunk of fresh mozzarella would be too intense.  Add it to a cold dish, or to a hot dish only after it's been removed from the heat source and cools just a little.

Buon appetite!

Ever wanted to how to keep flies off horses naturally?

Idaho tansy essential oil is a great natural pest repellant.  Idaho tansy floral water* is usually used to keep flies off horses naturally.  But if you can't find any floral water, you can mix up a solution with water and the essential oil.

It's easy to make a bottle of Idaho tansy natural insect repellant.  Simply mix 10-15 drops of Idaho tansy essential oil with about a cup of water.  Shake well and spray over your horse to keep flies and other insects away.

*Floral water is the water used in the distillation of essential oils.  After the oil is skimmed off, the floral water remains.  It is subtly scented and infused with the essential oil's qualities.

For more information about Idaho tansy essential oil, click here…