Civilizations thousands of years ago were using essential oils. Essential oils were referred to as "nectar of the Gods" is many ancient texts and over 500 references to their use in the Bible. What are they really? Essential oils are the life blood of a plant. These oils are what circulate through the plant tissue and carry nutrition into the cells and waste products out, like the blood in our bodies. Without them the plant will die, that's why it's called essential oil.

Essential oils can do many of these same tasks when applied to our bodies as they are quickly absorbedthrough the skin. These oils can permeate the cell walls of your skins and deliver nutrition and remove waste. The essential oils help clean the receptor sites of your cells…receptors that are easily disrupted by petrochemicals and heavy metals (chemicals found in plastic). This cleansing effect can help restore balance to your body which of course, will make you feel better.

There is a huge difference between synthetic fragrance oils and high quality essential oils. Quality essential oils are stored in dark bottles and list all ingredients on the label including their botanical name.Synthetic oils will come in clear bottles and will not list their ingredients on the label or if they do there is no mention of botanicals. These synthetic oils have no healing properties at all.

There are three basic ways to use essential oils. You can smell them, apply them to your skin, or eat them. Not all oils can be ingested or put directly on the skin. It's always best to try a new oil on a very small area first to see how your body reacts. In order to smell them you can diffuse the oils in a diffuser or just put a drop or two on your hand and smell it. Eating them would mean simply adding a few drops in your food or drink. Remember though that only high quality essential oils should be used for any of this as synthetic oils can be dangerous to your health.

Essential oils can be your key to a more fulfilling and balanced emotional life. You can use essential oils to: Inspire a positive emotional state, purify your home, enhance your wellness, refine your skin and even help you create deep spiritual awareness.High quality essential oils can help stimulate olfactory receptors and activate regions in the brain's limbic system, which is associated with emotion, state of mind and memory.

I have only recently started delving into the use of Essential Oils and am learning more and more every day. There is so much information available online if you would like to learn more yourself. Just google Essential Oils and an abundance of information will show up for your perusal. Remember to do your due diligence as the quality of the oils you use are very important. Healthcare travelers and travel nurses should find many beneficial uses for these essential oils in their everyday lives. Be safe and smart! 

Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network