The public’s interest in essential oils (EOs) — their uses, benefits, and safety — has been on the rise for several years. The most common means of using EOs is through aromatherapy, which includes having a diffuser in your home and or carrying a personal diffuser with you.

You’ll find that when you perform an Internet search for “essential oils,” almost every company or brand that comes up says “natural” or “organic.” That isn’t a gimmick! They’re not just trying to make a sale. Essential oils are natural! Essential oils are extracted from the volatile aromatic compounds found in seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants.

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One of the best things about essential oils is that there is no right or wrong way to use them. Each person’s preference will be different, and that’s OK. Choose whichever ones are best for you. You can access their benefits in a number of ways as well: aromatherapy is the most popular, but they can also be applied topically or ingested orally. Some popular uses for EOs include cleaning, reducing anxiety, improving sleep, relieving stress, detoxifying and purifying the air, exfoliating your skin, cleaning your hair, whitening your teeth, and relieving migraines, cold symptoms, and nausea. Essential oils are a great and natural way to ease many of the aliments that those living with chronic illnesses deal with on a regular basis.

Here are a few common oils to get you started:

Peppermint
Use peppermint oil to add a little pep in your step in the morning or to help you focus. It also works wonderfully to reduce nausea and can help alleviate muscle pain and headaches. It can even reduce fevers.

Chamomile
Known for its calming effects, chamomile oil works well as an antidepressant, for anxiety relief and to help you sleep. Lavender is another must have that can be used as an alternative to chamomile.

Lemon
Lemon oil is an incredibly powerful EO. It’s great for cleaning but can also reduce the appearance of acne and add shine to your hair if you throw a few drops in your shampoo.

Frankincense
Ladies, frankincense oil will be your best friend! It can help regulate your cycle and relieve cramps. It can also be used to build immunity, shorten colds, and improve brain health.

Ginger
You already know ginger will soothe your upset stomach but did you know that ginger oil can also be used to relieve pain, support joint health, and enhance mental clarity? It can even aid in weight loss.

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