The use of essential oils in my home started as a solution to a small problem and they have since then influenced a complete and total overhaul in the health and wellness of my home.
To keep the story short, I have a kitty with chronic allergies and was looking for natural solutions to help him. His poor eyes would tear and water, he also had a moderate case of cat acne. The vet advised me to try a few different things to improve his symptoms. Amongst his recommendations were discontinuing the use of air freshener sprays and burning candles as these artificial fragrances are leading contributors to allergies in pets. If I’m being honest with you all, I was not excited about the vets recommendations. I used scented plug-ins, standing air fresheners, room sprays and candles daily in my home. What was I going to use to keep my home smelling fresh, inviting and clean without irritating my kitties allergies?
And thus began my journey with essential oils.
Prior to purchasing any oils I did an extensive amount of research on brands and companies who distribute oils as I knew not all oils would be created equally. What does that mean that they aren’t “created equally?” Well, I just said the purpose of using oils was to get rid of any artificial fragrances, so this meant I was looking for a pure and unadulterated essential oil. Many essential oils on store shelves or internet sites contain less than 1-3% of the actual plant oil and are heavily diluted and filled with carrier oils, synthetic fillers and chemical fragrances created in a lab. These were the very substances I was trying to avoid.
While researching brands and companies of essential oils, I seemed to be wading deeper and deeper into an overwhelming amount of information regarding the health benefits of essential oils as well as the health disparities that lie in our everyday household items such as cleaning products and cosmetics. At this point I had opened a large can of worms. As a nurse practitioner I promote health and wellness and discourage harmful substances and practices for a living. What was I going to do with all of this new found information? Was I going to be a hypocrite in my own home? It was clear to me I had a lot more research to do and a lot of changes to make.
Through my research I’ve learned so much about what essential oils are and what they are not. Pure and unadulterated essential oils are far more than air fresheners in diffusers. They have chemical constituents that produce desired therapeutic effects, which means they are can be used to support our body systems. Through the process of olfaction, essential oils can help support your immune system, nervous system, hormones and emotions (just to name a few) all of which play a vital role in maintaining homeostasis. Essential oils can also be ingested and applied topically for further therapeutic benefits.
Through my research I’ve also learned so much about toxins and chemicals lurking in our homes, wrapped in pretty packaging or “green washed” marketing schemes that are having devastating outcomes to our overall health. Burning a single paraffin candle inside your home pollutes air quality to the same extent as if you were standing in the middle of traffic on a busy street. Per the American Lung Association, paraffin candles contain 11 documented toxins, 2 of which are known carcinogens.
Happy as a Homebody is going to walk you through daily uses of essential oils to support your overall health and wellness and aid you in ridding your home of unsafe toxins and chemicals that are a threat to you, your family and your house guests.
What do you want to know about essential oils? What solutions can they offer you? Follow along on this platform for specifically curated blog posts as we take a deeper look in to all things essential oils! Make sure you subscribe so you never miss a post and if you’re interested in more oily education be sure to follow me on Instagram @happyasahomebody! If you have questions or are interested in getting essential oils in to your home I would love to help you get started, please send me a message!
