Essential oils have been used for medicinal purposes around the world for centuries. Chinese medicine is most popular for using herbs and oils to help the whole body rather than just using Western medicine and prescription pills to treat patients. Americans are starting to look for alternative ways to help heal their bodies, but with all the information on the internet how does one choose where to start? In this document I have compiled information on my favorite oils used for mental health purposes, as this is usually the reason people search for help when starting out with oils.

Depression and anxiety can be debilitating making it hard for us to sleep, interact with family and friends, and sometimes even concentrate. When you aren’t feeling comfortable or confident in your own skin, it is hard to put on a smile and interact with others. According to Fitlife.tv “Mental and emotional health has a connection to your immune system. Often times it can have a negative impact on your general health.” (Monasco, 2017). Our bodies aren’t used to the stressors we have in our environment. Additionally,  work and family stressors can take a toll on our health. The three oils fitlife.tv recommended to boost mental health and thus boosting overall health were: lavender, bergamot, and ylang ylang.

Lavender is one of the most diverse oils and can be used on children as well as adults. “A study performed in 2007 revealed that lavender aromatherapy reduced serum cortisol, which plays a major role in your body’s response to stress. The study also showed that lavender aromatherapy can be beneficial for your circulation. It also helps create an “inner peace,’ all while reducing panic, helping with sleep and reducing general nervous tension” (Monasco, 2017).

Bergamot is used mostly for anxiety as it has a calming effect on the body. When diffused in the air with lavender the whole family can enjoy the healing and calming effects. The most used way to benefiting from this wonderful oil is to put two drops in your hands, cup them, and inhale—breathing slowly.

Ylang ylang helps depression due to the incredible uplifting effects it helps the brain produce. “Research has shown that using ylang ylang essential oil can also help release negative emotions such as low self-esteem, jealousy, and anger (Monasco, 2017).”

These three oils are just the very beginning of all the incredible oils available to consumers. The most important piece of advice I can give when choosing oils is you know where they are coming from and what ingredients they have in them. An oil from the grocery store isn’t going to be as good for your body or be as helpful to you as they are usually more filler or carrier oil than essential oil. Going to a local oil farm, health food store, or a direct sales company is a better choice for a more pure and therapeutic oil. My personal favorite is a direct sales company who boasts their “seed to seal” guarantee. Pure oils coming directly from the plant, distilled and tested, and bottled is the best way to get all the incredible benefits of that plant therefore providing you the most health benefit.

Want more information or more on this subject?? Stay tuned!!

References

(2017). Retrieved from Young Living Essential Oils: https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/discover/about

Monasco, B. (2017, June 06). Fitlife.tv. Retrieved from Essential Oils for Mental and Emotional Health : https://fitlife.tv/essential-oils-to-use-for-mental-and-emotional-health_original/