Delving into the world of essential oils with an Internet search can be overwhelming. The “information landfill” contains what you seek, but finding unbiased facts requires delving through some unsettling debris.
How much better, then, to have a personal guide who can explain what essential oils are, how they can be used, and why we might want to learn more about them.
Mary Beth Mount, an educator and distributor representing Young Living Essential Oils First, recently offered to be that guide during a recent talk at Barbee Library in Southport. Her disclaimer: Mary Beth reminded us that she was not a medical professional, nor was her intent to, as the ads say, “diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
However, she said her decision to embrace the product line resulted from months of intensive research. Now an energetic and enthusiastic advocate for the use of essential oils, Mary Beth began her quest with skepticism. The unregulated marketplace offered products of varying purity and efficacy backed by dubious medical claims.
Essential oils are derived from plants; their use dates back to at least the time of the Black Death, when grave robbers anointed themselves with clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary. The resultant “Thieves” line of Young Living products now includes everything from cleaning products to toothpaste.
Essential oils are administered by inhalation (facilitated by diffusers), ingestion (directly or through food or beverages), and application to the skin to treat conditions ranging from allergies and digestive woes to aches and pains, anxiety, respiratory problems, endocrine and cognitive function. For many not helped by traditional medicine, essential oils may offer relief.
Are essential oils for you? Maybe! Check out Mary Beth next session (Tuesday, Feb. 25, 10 AM, at Harper Library in Southport) for a compelling and inspiring introduction to their many benefits to people and pets!