Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Finding Balance

This is not a sponsored post; I just know that someone reading this will be helped, so here you go.

I have always been skeptical about "essential" oils.  I mean, how essential can they be if I've survived 50 year without them, you know? This summer, though, after having had two especially-emotional breakdowns meltdowns upsets due (I think) to menopause, I became open to natural products that heal. That lead me to my cousin Margaret, who knows about these things and recommended essential oils, which are basically plant extracts that can address a huge number of physical ailments.

Mr.4444 has trouble sleeping, so I decided to try lavender. I kept forgetting to have him try it, but one day at work, I heard a coworker complaining that she "never" sleeps on Sunday nights, because she starts stressing out about the workweek. The next day, I brought the lavender in and suggested that she try it (breathe it in deeply a few times before going to bed).  A week later, I asked her how it was going, expecting her to say that it hadn't worked (She was a little skeptical, too.) but I was pleased to hear that the lavender had worked like a charm; my coworker bought her own lavender and is now sleeping like a baby on Sunday nights.

A couple of weeks later, I heard another coworker complaining that she was having a lot of trouble sleeping at night. My heart went out to her, because she lost her 15-year-old daughter last year to an unknown heart defect; I can only imagine her suffering. I approached her with my bottle of lavender and invited her to try it. Days later, she told me that the lavender is not only helping her, but it's helping her dog, who is anxious sometimes. How cool is that?!  I have another friend who uses essential oils for her neurotic dog all the time, too; she says they really help the week of July 4th, especially. She dabs the oil on the pads of her dog's feet.

Now, the particular brand of lavender that I bought is doTerra. I like doTerra because they don't use artificial ingredients, and I trust Margaret's expertise (She's also a massage therapist and one of the coolest people I know).  I've used doTerra's Balance formula a few times during which I was feeling extremely stressed out and needed to stop freaking out find some calm. I can't tell you whether it was due to a psychosomatic response or not; I can only tell you it worked for me. Thankfully, I think I'm past the worst part of the menopause business, but just in case, I'm not lending that one out!haha

There are many ways to apply/use essential oils, and I don't claim to know them, but I inhale mine or dab some of them on my wrist. I would love to have a diffuser, which is like a humidifier (sort of) that helps to get the essential oil into the air.

Essential oils are not regulated by the FDA, but studies about them suggest that they work. All I know is that the ones I've tried worked for me and people I know, so I will be getting some more when I can afford them; doTerra products are not cheap. If you have a health issue you've been struggling with, though, I think they're worth trying.

Do you use essential oils? I'd be interested to hear about your experience.


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