Create balance and harmony with this great discovery - The Liquid gold of Essential oils

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, our lives are subjected to many stresses and strains. I for one have not been exempt from this and so I have been in search of remedies to alleviate stress and boost my energy. As a single mother of two girls aged 5 and below extra energy is paramount. In my search i quickly figured two things. Firstly I had to start changing what I was putting in and on my body. Secondly has to start adding some tranquility to my environment.

You may have heard of the Adam and Eve story. God placed these two in a garden called Eden and allowed them to eat the plants and fruit to their hearts desire all except for one fruit tree which was in the middle of the garden. To cut a long story short they ate what was forbidden, God was annoyed and kicked them out of the garden. Fast forward several years, the lesson we are now learning today is to stick to what God intended in nature for us to have so that all will be well with us.

One of natures beautiful gifts is the essential oil which I consider to be the liquid gold of our time. An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. The oil is extracted by distillation and typically has the odour of the plant or other source from which it was obtained. Other sources include seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, fruit etc.

When we consider the scent of a flower, the aroma of an orange, the freshness of a mint leaf, our senses are elevated. However, what we perceive to be fragrances are the volatile aromatic compounds that the plant uses to ward off harmful insects, to attract helpful insects and to heal itself from infections and diseases. These aromatic compounds are around us everywhere and when extracted by the way of distillation they have endless applications to human health.

Essential oils can be taken the following ways:

1. Aromatically - sniffing straight from the bottle or using a petal diffuser to allow the scents to linger in your home taking you to a much needed state of tranquility.
2. Topically - massaged into aching joints and muscles to experience liquid gold heaven
3. Or internally - a few drops of grapefruit essential oil in your morning fruit blast to aid metabolism

When selecting your essential oil be sure that it is Certified Pure Grade which is without fillers and bulkers which adulterate the purity. In addition with this purer grade a little goes a long way- keeping your pounds in your pocket.

Here are two of my favourites to help me maintain a calm and well balanced mind in the midst of the chaos:

1. Scalp massage - this gives me and my kids the zingiest and freshest feel which then tranquilises us to sleep: 2 tsps olive oil. Two drops peppermint oil and two drops rosemary oil. Massage into scalp and enjoy! Peppermint oil aids blood circulation to the scalp and rosemary oil aids breathing. (There are other specific oil blends which aid breathing and support in ailments such as asthma) As an added bonus rosemary oil aids in healthy hair growth.
2. Love of Lavender bath - 5 drops of lavender in your bath water and soak. A drop of lavender on your pillowcase is also great for a good nights sleep.

There are many other blends for mood management which one can explore. What nature has to offer is endless.

If you are still on the fence about essential oils remember the smell in the air when you were in the woods, when you were hiking the mountains or walking along the beach. Do you remember the smell of your grandmothers lemon tree or the smell of bark and soil just after the rain? Do you remember how it made you feel? Essential oils can help you carry the beach, woods, mountains and your grandmothers lemon tree right into your home and create that feeling over and over again. For me this is the feeling of health, strength and wealth. Which is why essential oils have become to me, my liquid gold. Well worth the try.