Before you reach into the medicine cabinet, see if a natural alternative can help aliverate what ails you. Essential oils have been used by people in ancient times for centuries as ways to treat everyday issues. Essential oils are derived from the flowers, stems, roots, leaves, and fruits of a plant. They are made by heating and pressurizing the parts of the plant to extract the most potent part of the herb. Once you’ve bottled the oils, then you can use it to help you with whatever life brings your way.

Most essential oils are combined with a “carrier oil” to not irritate the skin. This can be anything from coconut oils, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oils. A few drops of the carrier oil and the essential oil, and then you have a powerful mixture to apply directly to the body. There are some essential oils that can be used without dilution, but for the safest results, it’s always best to combine them.

Essential oils have many different healing components. Before you start applying them, know which oils help what issues.

Grounding Oils

Grounding oils help us stay rooted in reality. When there are numerous stressful things going on in our life, things can feel out of control. To bring you back down, a ground essential oil can be useful–especially during something like meditation. Once you are grounded, you are able to have mental clarity, make better decisions, and see a clear direction for life. Grounding oils include Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, and Patchouli.

Calming

Calming essential oils are for melting away the stress and anxiety that plague us. Your brain keeps buzzing with all of the things that happened that day, and of all the things that you need to do the next day. You can’t turn it off, and everything starts to overwhelm you. This is the time when a calming essential oil can help you relax and calm your busy mind. Calming oils include Lavender, Rose, Vetiver, Bergamot, and Chamomile.

Digestion

Everyone has experienced an upset stomach, but there are those of us who suffer from consistent problems like IBS. Peppermint oil was scientifically studied and showed that there was a 19% decrease in IBS symptoms with the use of the essential oil. They used a placebo and double blind study which means that the participants and the scientists were unaware of who was receiving the treatment and the sugar pill until the end of the study. For these, you can combine one or two drops of the oil in a cup of water to drink. (Ensure that your essential oil is Food Grade.)

Essential oils for digestion include Peppermint, Clove, and Ginger.

Energy

Essential oils for energy spark the brain to pay attention and keep alert. These are especially helpful while trying to study for a test, long hours on the job, or for an extra pick-me-up for parents. We’ve all experienced that midday drag. Instead of another cup of coffee, maybe all you need is a little essential oil blend to perk you up. Essential oils for energy include Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, and Eucalyptus.

Mental Clarity

As you are preparing for a big decision, or are trying to recall important information, you’ll want to have a few of these oils on hand. These aromas are calming and energizing at the same time, which engages the mind in unique ways. The more often you use these, the more you’ll be able to recall from the scent trigger. Essential oils that can help bring you mental clarity include Sage, Basil, Rosemary, and Juniper Berry.

Essential oils are an excellent natural alternative to caffeine, Rolaids, and sleeping pills. Essential oils can’t treat everything, but they can prove to be very useful. It is often forgotten that our mental health directly impacts our physical health. By balancing ourselves out with the help of essentials oils, sometimes we can alleviate the physical pain that we feel.