So, You’ve been hearing a lot about Essential Oils lately, huh? They’re becoming more and more popular, and it seems like everyone and their Mom is joining the EO bandwagon! I’m not one to blindly follow a fad, but I could give you at least 10 examples just off the top of my head where Essential Oils have truly worked well for our family, including two that I recently wrote about: Allergy Symptom Relief and my Wisdom Teeth Removal.
Some people in the preparedness community have discovered these gems, but there are several people who are holding back, and to those people I want to shout: “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?” These are an infinite number of uses for Essential Oils, especially in SHTF scenarios! Today I give you my top 10 Reasons Why Essential Oils Are a Great Prep:TENThey’re great for emotional heath. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries to improve one’s mood. In a SHTF situation, I’ll bet a little lavender for calming or peppermint for alertness could go a LONG way. Bonus: This is also great for children! If you’ve never seen a little bit of diffused Peace & Calming do it’s thing in a room full of active toddlers, you haven’t lived! haha On a more personal note, I love to diffuse Lavender or Peace & Calming in my son’s room at night. He sleeps SO much better when I remember to turn his diffuser on!NINEThey’re easy to use. Essential Oils can be a little bit intimidating when you first start out. There can be so many questions: How do I use them? How much do I use? Where do I apply? Do I have to use a carrier oil? What IS a carrier oil? How much do I use in one application? How often? …..I’m not going to answer all of those questions in this post, because I could probably talk for quite awhile about how I use my oils vs. how various other people advise; however, I will say this: Until you figure out what works for you, Google is your friend! For example: You have a headache…Google “Essential Oils for Headaches” and you’ll find plenty of sites to tell you which oils you could use, different ways to use them, and everything else you might want to know. You really can’t go wrong! Once you have done this a few times, you get a good idea and can play around with it yourself, deciding if you prefer topical application, diffusing, capsules, etc. Again, the possibilities are endless!EIGHTEOs have a longer shelf life than fresh herbs and most medications. While using fresh herbs would be a great option, sometimes they can be hard to grow, or you might have a low supply during the winter. If something happens and you run out, EOs can come to your rescue! For example: Oregano EO is perfect as an antibiotic! Dried Oregano would work as well, but you would need several pounds of fresh or dried oregano to make the equivalent of a few drops of Oregano Essential oil! Plus, according to many aromatherapists, if Essential Oils are stored correctly (in a cool, dark place) they can be stored indefinitely! It depends on who you’re talking to, because other sources say to rotate your oils every 2 years, and still others say as often as 6 months, BUT there have been Essential Oils found in ancient Egyptian Tombs that were still fragrant, potent, and effective!SEVENDIY Cleaning Supplies. I can clean my entire house using ahomemade cleaning solutionincluding essential oils. No need to stock up on Floor cleaner or Windex because I can MAKE it myself! , Tea Tree oil is one of the main oils known for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, and can be used to disinfect kitchens, bathrooms, floors, laundry, and even kids’ toys! I’ve also been known to use Lemon or other citrus oils to freshen up my home.SIXReplace prescription or Over The Counter drugs. In a situation where pharmacies are closed and medication is hard to come by, Essential Oils can replace those drugs and provide symptom relief for anything from seasonal allergies to infectious disease to chronic illness.FIVEEssential Oils can relieve pain. I already mentioned replacing medications, but I thought pain deserved it’s own bullet point. From headaches to teething to leg cramps to upset stomach to labor pains/childbirth to chronic pain, or even fibromyalgia, essential oils have you covered! As I mentioned earlier, I used essential oils after my wisdom teeth were taken out, and they were incredibly helpful! Different oils work for different types of pain, but there are also some like Peppermint or PanAway that can be used for multiple situations.FOUREssential Oils are great for First Aid. Use Lavender for burns, Peppermint for fever, Valor for bumps and bruises… the possibilities are endless!THREEThey’re portable. As mentioned above, EOs are versatile, which means you can have only a handful of oils on hand, and can use them in TONS of different situations. This also means that you can pick your favorite 5 or 10 Essential oils and keep them in your purse, your car, or even your Bug Out Bag! I use a little $1 pencil case that I got at Dollar Tree, and keep my 5mL sample vials in my purse! They’re the perfect size for on-the-go, and they still have plenty of oil in them to be used for multiple occasions. When they get low, I just refil them from my larger 15mL vials!TWOEssential Oils are versatile. If you’re like me, you don’t like buying an item that only has one specific task. I prefer stocking up on items like duct tape that can be used for many things. Essential Oils fit that bill. Lavender is commonly referred to as the “Swiss Army Knife” of EOs because it can be used for burns, calming, sleep aid, insect bites…and a myriad of other uses. Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) and Peppermint are also incredibly versatile. If I have a problem, and Google the solution, often I’ll get a list of 3-5 Essential Oils that could be used. If I happen to not have ANY of those oils, I usually just wing it, and try one that I have on hand. Guess what? 9 times out of 10, It still works! ,ONEThey pay for themselves. Essential oils might sound like quite an expense up front, but if you factor in all of the money you would have spent on doctor’s visits, medications, cleaning supplies, etc, etc, etc, then you’ll soon see that essential oils are quite the bargain!What Do You Think?
Do You use Essential Oils? If so, what is your favorite use for Essential Oils? If not, What’s holding you back?A Note about Essential Oils
I used to be a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, but I no longer sell them. I believe there are several different excellent choices in Essential Oil companies out there to choose from, Young Living being one of them, but each person needs to research the companies on their own to determine which company will be the best fit for their family. Several of the oils mentioned in this article are Young Living specific blends; however, a quick google search can help you create your own blends from other single essential oils. I still use Young Living oils on occasion, but I have found Plant Therapy to also have excellent quality oils at about half the price, so I have begun to purchase my oils there instead. You can Contact Me with any questions you may have.
Please see my Disclaimer about affiliate links and medical advice.Share the love!RelatedAbout Lesslie B
