The Power of Essential Oils

Written by Timothy Miller ND

Essential oils and aromatic plants are far from a new thing! The use of aromatic plants can be dated back to ancient times with the Egyptian civilization. Their use began almost exclusively as part of religious and cultural traditions. However, in the advent of the 20th century, the use of aromatic plants and their extracted oil (called an essential oil) as medicine became known.

Essential oils are 20-70 times more potent than their whole plant counterpart. That means that the essential oil of Rosemary, for instance, is 20-70 times more concentrated and powerful than Rosemary leaves/flowers themselves! Super impressive, right?! That is why essential oils should be diluted for topical applications, otherwise they could irritate the skin. This is also why they should not be taken internally without medical supervision.

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In countries like France and the United Kingdom, essential oils are used in what’s called “medical aromatherapy.” Practitioners will use essential oils as medicine. In the United States, things haven’t quite yet caught up to speed. More often than not, practitioners will use essential oils as part of a massage or air diffuser to support relaxation. We haven’t been using them for all that they’re capable of.

In spite of how essential oils are used in the United States, their health properties are noteworthy. Essential oils have traditionally been used for cuts, burns, muscle spasms, skin infections, insomnia, stress, headaches, nausea, pain, inflammation, amongst other concerns. Essential oils can also be used energetically to balance the chakras and stimulate acupuncture points.

Studies are showing tea tree oil as an effective agent in killing staph/MRSA infections, peppermint oil in killing herpes simplex virus, and rose geranium oil in killing the trichophyton fungus (responsible for causing toe nail fungus).

Essential oils are forces to be recognized. Their incredible therapeutic properties are only beginning to be understood in this country. Moving forward, only more time and energy will be invested in them and more research conducted. They are nature’s gift that just keeps on giving.