Essential oils are, well, essential! We use them at home and in the office via diffusers (aromas in the air), topically or orally. Instead of a medicine cabinet filled with drugs, we have oils! We use them for pain, bruising, nausea, skin issues, colds/flu, digestive issues, mental fog, anxiety, post-workout, and more! Some must-have oils are Lavender, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Grapefruit, Lemon, Rosemary, and yes, even Frankincense! Essential oils are made from different parts of plants. Other parts of the world have used them for centuries, only recently in the US.
We always recommend doing research before purchasing essential oils. It is important to ensure that they are 100% pure with no additives or chemicals. You should be able to look up the origin of the oil, when it was harvested, and the company’s method of storage – all that good stuff!! If you can’t, it probably isn’t 100% pure and it should be a no-go.
There are so many benefits to essential oils, whether used as a topical, aromatic use or even ingesting it.
We use oils at Caring Medical to help our patients with nausea, anxiety, and pain. Our regenerative injection treatments can be painful and anxiety-producing. We also diffuse antiseptic oils to help clean the air during cold/flu season, as well as make cleaning solutions, air fresheners, and laundry detergent, the opportunities are endless here!
These are our most commonly used oils in the office and around the house.
1. Lavender – This is a must have – it is so versatile! Lavender can help with stress, pain and sleep. This is a very common oil that we either diffuse in patient room’s or add to a gauze square for patients to inhale while receiving treatment. It can also be used in your home by diffuser or adding a drop to your pillow or bottom of your feet before sleep!
2. Tea tree – Most people this for it’s antiseptic, antimicrobial, or antifungal properties. This is great to add a few drops to your laundry or to homemade cleaning solutions!
3. Peppermint – Awesome healing benefits. We love adding a drop of coconut oil and massaging it into our achy areas or massaging it on our temples if we have a headache/migraine. Peppermint has great healing properties for respiratory health and reducing stress – one way we like to use it is by adding it into a diffuser or putting a drop or two into our palms, rubbing it together, cupping our hands by our nose and inhaling – immediate relaxation!
4. Frankincense – This is like the “king of oils!” It is believed to have anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiseptic, and even anxiolytic and anti-neurotic effects, helping with inflammation, mood, and sleep! We like to add a few drops to our diffuser with On-guard for a relaxing, calming scent!
5. Rosemary – Now, you’ve definitely added this to your food for flavor but did you know that it can help boost brain function, reduces pain and stress and can even help with joint healing by reducing inflammation!? We’ll take it! Try adding it into a veggie capsule or using topically with a carrier oil.
We are huge proponents of essential oils but keep in mind that not all oils are made equally, so we encourage you to learn more about them so you too can start dumping medications from your medicine cabinet!