Essential oils are becoming better and better known, of late.  People are coming to realize that good quality oils can be used for a variety of health reasons.  But there are so many oils!  How do you know where to start?  Most people can’t afford to just go out and buy all the oils they might ever want, all at once, so we need to take them in “tiers.”

These are my top 3 essential oils, and they’re the ones I find myself reaching for over and over.

1. Lavender

Lavender is fantastic for headaches.  I rub it directly on my temples (“neat” — that is, undiluted), and in most cases, I can feel the headache diminish almost instantly.  It’s good in massage oil.  It’s soothing for bedtime.  And it’s a fever reducer — a particularly helpful one to have on hand if you have little ones, because it’s much gentler than some of the other options.

(I would not use it neat on an infant or young child, though, even though it’s one of the few oils that’s typically safe to use neat on an adult.  I cut it with coconut or almond oil.)

It’s also mildly disinfectant.

2. Peppermint

Peppermint is also good for headaches, although I find it a bit harder to use for that purpose, personally, because it’s sufficiently “hot” that it burns my eyes if I get it too close to them.  (Not neat.  It’s not recommended to use peppermint neat because it’s such a hot oil.)

It’s excellent for fevers.  You know that cooling feel of your mouth when you breathe after sucking on a peppermint?  Well, peppermint oil on the body can do pretty much the same thing.  Unfortunately, it’s not so good for babies because it’s so strong, which is why I like to have lavender on hand, too.

It’s good for upset tummies.  Cut with oil, you can rub it right on the tummy.  (Or the feet.  Pretty much any oil that’s safe to put on the skin — which is most of them — can be applied to the soles of the feet.  Use whatever dilution is appropriate for your particular oil.)

If your oil is a good, pure, therapeutic grade oil, you can even put a drop in a cupful of warm milk and drink it.  (I probably wouldn’t do this for a child, either, but of course it’s up to you.)

Peppermint is also really good for respiratory clearing.  Again — you are probably already familiar with this phenomenon from sucking on peppermint candy or chewing peppermint gum.  Applying it — diluted — to the chest might be a good way to make use of it for this.  You can also diffuse it.  (Be careful diffusing peppermint if there are little babies around.)

As you can see, peppermint has a lot of uses, but can sometimes be a little less convenient than other oils because it’s “hot.”

3. Lemon

I’m told that lemon is also good for fever reduction, ‘though I’ve never yet had need to try it (thankfully!).

One of the constituents, limonene, (found in lemongrass as well as in true citrus oils like lemon and orange oils) was shown in a scientific study to effectively kill H. pylori, the bacteria responsible for most stomach ulcers.

Another study showed that inhalation of lemon essential can help with pregnancy-related nausea.  It’s well-known as a disinfectant (like for cleaning around the house), and it just smells good so it’s good for “freshening” things up!

(Lemongrass is useful for many of the same purposes as lemon oil, but lemon oil is more familiar and a little safer.)

Do be aware that citrus oils are typically photo-sensitizing.  That means that if you apply them topically, the area where they were applied can be sun-sensitive for a little while afterward.  Just be extra-careful in the sun for a few hours to a day, or apply the oils where the area will be covered with clothing.

How About You?

Do you have a favorite essential oil?

The necessary legal mumbo-jumbo: I am not a doctor.  This is not intended to be legal or medical advice; merely information for educational purposes.  This post should not be construed as diagnosing or treating any illness or other condition.  Yada yada yada.  In other words, think for yourself. 🙂