The top 10 essential oils: Impressive Benefits

by Cat Ebeling & Mike Geary
co-authors of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning KitchenThe Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Essential oils seem to be showing up everywhere lately, but they have been in use for thousands of years for many different types of health, medicinal, meditational and spiritual purposes. These healing oils work well as a natural medicine without the dangerous side effects. You can use essential oils effectively for relaxation, a better night’s sleep, aromatherapy, cleaning, and alternative medicine.

Essential oils get their power from being distilled or extracted. Leaves, flowers, bark, peels and many other parts of plants are used in this process. Essential oils are highly concentrated and it often takes only a drop or two to deliver some amazing health benefits. Essential oils can have many different therapeutic benefits that stem from their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial properties.

Essential oils have been in use by many different civilizations for thousands of years and have been put to use by the Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks and Roman civilizations. Today, many of the healing arts use essential oils in their practice such as physical therapists, massage therapists, alternative medicine practitioners, and yogis.

Today even hospitals and midwives use essential oils for their patients to reduce anxiety and pain and improve moods. Essential oils contain some very powerful antibacterial compounds and have been know to fight even the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria!

How do you use essential oils? Essential oils, molecularly, are very small and are very easily absorbed into the skin. Once they penetrate the skin, they can be absorbed into the blood stream by the tiny capillaries and sent to all parts of the body. They can also be mixed with other carrier oils (like coconut oil) to be spread out over the skin. Because essential oils are highly concentrated as well, they have strong aromatic benefits and once inhaled, are absorbed by the lungs into the body. Some essential oils work well when ingested, but because they are so concentrated, they usually need to be diluted. And essential oils are a wonderful addition to add to your natural personal care products like shampoo, lotions, deodorant, bug spray, and even laundry soap and household cleaners.

Here are some of the top ten essential oils (according to Dr. Josh Axe) and the best ways to use their powerful properties:

  1. Clove—clove oil is an antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antioxidant oil. It has natural anesthesia properties and can be used for pain. It is often used on wounds to prevent infections, and it has powerful pain-killing properties as well. Mothers often use clove oil for their teething infants since it is safe, natural and powerfully effective.
  1. Eucalyptus—An invigorating oil that is often used in aromatherapy to help purify the body, and improve sinus and allergy symptoms as well.
  1. Ginger—We know the value of ginger and ginger oil is just a more concentrated form of that powerful health elixir. Ginger is well known to reduce inflammation, help digestion, relieve nausea, and improve circulation.
  1. Lavender—Lavender oil is a great anxiety reliever, and excellent for sound sleep. Lavender oil also has powerful antibiotic powers and a few drops of will naturally clean and sterilize any surface.
  1. Tea Tree—Tea tree oil is one of the most powerful anti-fungal, antibiotic oils that you can find and is excellent to keep on hand in a first aid kit for bites, scrapes, and cuts. It also works well for any type of fungal infection, such as athlete’s foot or toenail fungus.
  1. Oregano—Oregano oil has powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties, as well as anti-fungal power. It works well when fighting off a cold or a virus, and can also kill bacterial and parasitic stomach infections. It’s a necessary item when traveling overseas to prevent traveler’s diarrhea.
  1. RosemaryRosemary is known to stimulate brain function, so it’s great to use when working or studying. Rosemary also contains properties that can naturally thicken hair, so it’s great added to shampoos.
  1. Orange—Orange oil has a very ‘happy’ uplifting scent, so it’s known to improve mood, and works as an antidepressant and a calming agent. Along with the mood lift, it has stimulating properties that can improve digestion, clear up skin, and even work as an aphrodisiac! Orange oil is also a strong anti-fungal and antibacterial. Orange oil contains d-limonene, which has been studied for its application to fight cancer.
  1. Peppermint—Peppermint oil has been proven to help fitness workouts and help you workout harder and longer. Just add a dab on your wrist or other accessible area before you hit the gym. Peppermint has also long been known to sooth the stomach, improve focus, help reduce fever and stop muscle pain. Who doesn’t love the uplifting smell of peppermint?
  1. Frankincense—Frankincense is one of the oldest essential oils and has a variety of uses. It has often been used in religious ceremonies and is considered an incense, mood enhancer, stress reducer, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial and digestive aid. Frankincense oil also works well on the skin to heal wounds and reduce scarring, itching and swelling.

Essential oils are great for beautiful skin. The conventional cosmetic and body care industry contains products that are loaded with dangerous chemicals that can disrupt hormones, cause cancer, and even destroy your skin. Making your own beauty products with natural essential oils is a much better option! Tea tree oil can stop acne breakouts and help heal wounds. Rosemary, sage and lavender oils help to stop hair loss and thicken hair. Lavender and chamomile calms irritated skin, frankincense can reduce age spots, and helichrysum and myrrh make a natural sunscreen.

Don’t want to spray on dangerous DEET bug spray?

Make your own with lemongrass, eucalyptus, citronella, peppermint or clove oils. These oils will repel bugs, make you smell good and keep you away from those scary chemical bug sprays!

Want your own natural first aid kit? So many essential oils work well for killing germs, soothing inflammation, and stopping pain. Try keeping some lavender oil on hand to soothe burns, rashes, bee stings, and heal cuts and scrapes. What’s more, the soothing aroma of lavender is very relaxing as well and helps to calm ragged nerves. My favorite addition to a natural first aid kit is tea tree oil—its powerful properties kill infection-causing germs, kill fungus, and help bring on fast healing. Peppermint helps those sore muscles and achy joints, relieves tummy aches, lowers fevers, and helps to get rid of headaches. And don’t forget the frankincense—it helps to heal up bruises faster, reduce scars, and get rid of inflammation.

Essential oils can possibly for weight loss too! Cinnamon oil is extremely valuable at keeping blood sugar levels even, keeping you from the resulting insulin and fat storage surge. It’s also very effective if you have diabetes. Peppermint oil helps burn fat because it not only helps you workout harder and longer but it also helps to suppress munchies cravings. And don’t forget metabolism-boosting ginger oil. A few drops of this can increase your body’s ability to burn fat and gain energy!

Not all essential oils are alike, so it’s important to get the highest quality therapeutic essential oils, as some of the cheaper ones may be synthetic oils and worthless for health benefits.

References
Dr. Josh Axe (2016). Essential Oils Guide. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/essential-oils-guide/
Clark, Marnie. (2015). 13 Outstanding benefits of orange essential oil. Retrieved from https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/orange-essential-oil/

About The Watchdog

Mike Geary has been a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer for over 15 years now. He has been studying nutrition and exercise for almost 25 years, ever since being a young teenager. Mike is originally from Pennsylvania, but has fallen in love with mountain life and now resides in the picturesque mountains of Utah. Mike is an avid adventurist and when he’s not spending his time skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or paddleboarding on the lake, he has enjoyed skydiving, whitewater rafting, piloting an Italian fighter plane (seriously), scuba diving, heli-skiing, and traveling all around the world, enjoying learning about different cultures. At the age of 40, Mike now feels healthier, stronger, and more energetic than when he was 20... All because of a healthy lifestyle and great nutrition!

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39 comments

  1. Where is the best place to purchase essential oils that are not synthetic?

  2. How are they applied / consumed? In what quantities?

  3. To Shan, I have a company that I use that is USDA certified. If you want to email me at sjrobertson1114@gmail.com, I will give you the information. I started using essential oils a couple of years ago and love them!

  4. Like Shan asked: best source(s) for non-synthetic, natural, pure, organic and non-GMO Essential Oils that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Or at the very least – are price competitive. I have been using EOs for years now, and I’ve purchased for several different MLM sources (insist that theirs are the best but the cost 2 to 3 times more than the others; I bought from healthfood stores and vitamin shops – less expensive, but often questionable quality; and I’ve bought from online sources who claim that because they have no retail or MLM overhead, they are able to share the savings with their customers without compromising quality. I’m not sure I trust any of these sources completely. For example, once I ordered a very spendy EO from a MLM dealer in a 15ml bottle. The oil was great but there was only 7 or 8 ml in that 15ml bottle. And – as you know – all EOs are sold in dark glass bottles so you can’t see that you’re being ripped off. You have to suspect that you’re being cheated to ever even investigate.

    Please Mike … Cat: share some good, affordable, reliable EO sources. — Thanks

  5. And how does one use these oils drink it, rub it or can we consume and rub If so, what dosage in measurement pls.

  6. I started using the acv-cinnamon ,honey. not trying too lose weight, just getting rid gas & bloating,Caused by Diverticalosis works gteat.

    • William H Hutchinson

      Hi Bill, Bill here as well. I see that you use some oils for Diverticalosis, was wondering if these oils would be helpful for Helicobacter Pylori…thanks in advance.

      William H Hutchinson

    • Hi Bill. I have diverticulosis as well. Do you mix the ingredients you listed to create your own solution or do you purchase essential oils that contain these items? If so, what do you purchase and where? I’m just beginning the process of researching essential oils and will begin purchasing the ones I need. Thanks for your information. JC

  7. Thanks for the great info…

  8. where can i purchase these oils, and can i add it to my bath water as I have the ozone matt that i put in the bath

  9. good day , where can i purchase these oils, can i add it to my bathwater ? as I have the ozone matt thats in the bath

  10. What oil is best applied to the skin. My skin has been itching all over for more than 10 years. I have another drs. appt. Monday for it but I don’t expect much to happen. I have been using Nature’s Gate Tea Tree oil but it doesn’t work as well as it used to. Sometimes my itching is so bad I end up crying. Is there a very soothing oil out there I could use? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    Thank you, Judy

    • To the person that itches try a parasite cleanse.You may have parasites in your body and on your skin.In this order please .Do a colon cleanse,liver flush,gall bladder,pancreatic cleanse and finally a parasite cleanse. you must stop eating wheat,sugar and white flour products.Try to eat as many fresh green vegetables,fresh fruits and by all means good water as possible.

    • I had itching all over my body after I finished chemotherapy and radiation from breast cancer. I was miserable. My chemist suggested a vitamin shower head to filter the chlorine. Within days the itching stopped and it has been so good for my new hair also. http://www.sonakivitaminshower.com.au. I hope this helps. Itching all over is so, so tiring. I feel for you putting up with this for 10 years. ?

    • Judy, I think your problem is not the skin but your gut. Your skin is only the side effect. I️ don’t know any eo for itching skin though. But instead of a dermatologist ( who most likely will give you creams, medication or the worst case scenario antibiotics) go to a functional medicine doctor. Very often they hiropractors but I don’t think it matters much as long as they help you. He/ she will do extensive blood work and allergy testing and look at the results from a WHOLEistic perspective. For now stay off gluten and ( <— best) /or dairy and observe your body react – this is just a first step but it seems to heal most of the people who try. It’s so worth the try. Especially right now we have sach wide selection of options!!! Also invest in organic it also might make a difference. It is obvious you’re not tolerating something. It might be invironmental too?? I️ hope I helped anyhow ? and I wish you all the best on your path to heal.
      Ps. Also super important – heal from emotional traumas!, forgive yourself and others and… love yourself and the world! I mean it… 🙂

      • I’ve put cider vinegar in a small spray bottle and put a light spay on itchy skin after a shower. It works for me. Can’t hurt to try!

    • Rose Hip oil, carrot oil others like this

  11. I have trigger thumb and I am looking for essential oil that will help the inflammation of tendons

  12. To those responders: Young Living and doterra have been reprimanded by the International aromatics association. A good company is one that will provide GC/MS testing and those that are organic. I use the oils for Aromatic international as well as Pranarom. There is a distinct difference in there smell. They are also geographically local to me and some in a short while well packaged. Also remember that this oils behave as medicines and some have serious side effects. It is important that you know what you are doing and not just using some random recipe from Pintrest.

  13. I’m just beginning the process of understanding essential oils and there uses. Thanks for all of your posts. I’ve been receiving information from companies selling CBD oils. Are they comparable to the companies products you’ve all listed? How do I determine which are the best oils. Also, I want an oil diffuser. My house is very open so it would need to release a large quantity of product. Any suggestions what to buy and where. Thanks so much. JC

    • Eo’s are amazing for humans, but not so much for pets. Please check the oils you use for compatibility with household pets. Several of the oils can be toxic .

  14. Can anyone tell me if Davina and Fabulous Fanny are the quality of the oils you’re recommending? Also, can someone recommend a book for using oils? I’m just beginning this process. Thanks.

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