Fact: I hate medicine and for the longest time I could never swallow a pill, especially those huge multivitamins recommended by the doctor. I had to chop it up into little pieces and even then I hated to take anything for my aliments. Although I am a firm believer in medicine and I know it is here to help, I was and still am concerned about the long term effects of medicine prescribed for every issue. So when someone reaches out and suggests I try doTERRA Oils, a natural remedy and supplement, well I jump all over it. Today I am sharing a Q&A with an essential oil guru who introduced me to doTERRA Oils, Michelle Brubaker. She has been a huge help in guiding my journey into adding more natural products to my daily routine. Michelle has been using essential oils for two years, and like me, became interested in a more natural approach to her lifestyle before she had children. She found essential oils after attending a class where she was saddened to learn babies are born with over 260+ chemicals already in their bodies. She wanted a remedy to reduce exposure to those toxins and she quickly feel in love with doTERRA. Read below to learn more about Michelle and doTERRA essential oils.
MT: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
MB: Hi! My name is Michelle and I’m excited to teach you about the many facets of essential oils and help you understand the power behind them. From the evening of the first class I ever attended, I knew these were important products and I felt a strong desire to share my newfound knowledge with other people. My children are currently 4.5 and 3 and I am lucky to spend my days with them. In my free time, I enjoy teaching people about essential oils (obviously), design and DIY projects, playing volleyball, practicing yoga and meditation. Follow me on instagram @soessentialmichelle and check out my website and the classes I offer here.
MT: What are essentials oils?
MB: Essential oils are highly volatile compounds that are found in the stems, roots, bark, seeds, petals, and leaves of plants and the rinds of citrus fruits. We’ve all come into contact with them. Have you ever touched a basil leaf? When you grab a leaf, you’re popping the oil sacs that contain the essential oil and release them into the air and onto your skin.
MT: How are essential oils used?
MB: There are three ways to use essential oils. Aromatically by breathing them in from your hands or from a diffuser; topically by applying them to your skin (I recommend always using a carrier oil); or using them internally by putting a drop into at least 4 oz of water or taking them in a vegetable capsule.
MT: What about doTERRA essential oils do you love most?
MB: For me, it comes down to empowerment. The feeling that I get from being able to provide something for my family that is so natural and so beneficial as well, is priceless. It also helps me be mindful. doTERRA has some great emotional aromatherapy oils but first you need to actually know how you’re feeling before you decide which one to use. Just the action of recognizing your current emotion is huge in helping your body achieve it!
MT: What is your favorite combination of oils and what is it used for?
MB: My favorite combination is Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. I recently discovered that I’m allergic to my cat and having this combination of essential oil minimizes the effects of that discomfort. My son has seasonal discomfort and this blend is perfect for that too. It’s definitely my most used combo!
MT: Are essential oils safe for everyone? For kids? During pregnancy?
MB: They are! Not all essential oil brands are created equal, so when researching the brand you want to go with, it’s important to look at the quality of the oil and to do that you’ll want to know whether or not the company has their oils tested, and by whom. doTERRA has a rigorous testing schedule from harvest to bottle and while doTERRA tests their own oils, they more importantly have a third party test their oils so that there is accountability as well. It’s important to dilute essential oils when using them on babies and children, and I suggest researching dilution amounts and then going by your child’s age. Common sense is important too. Pregnant women utilize essential oils often, especially because there are some medications that are not recommended during pregnancy which can make getting a cold while pregnant seemingly unbearable. That said, common sense again is needed and there are a couple of oils that should be avoided, though when researching essential oils and their uses, and their general purpose to balance, small amounts won’t do any harm. For instance, Clary Sage is not recommended. Clary sage is wonderful for balancing the hormones, which during pregnancy can be all over the place at any given time. It’s very effective at supporting uterine contractions, so while it’s safe to use during labor, it’s not recommended prior to 37 weeks.
MT: Will the essential oils irritate my sensitive skin?
MB: I always recommend diluting essential oils when you’re going to use them topically. The reason for this is that there are actually many benefits to diluting. Diluting helps to protect sensitive skin from having a reaction. It helps to spread the essential oils over a greater surface area to maximize absorption but it also slows the absorption into the skin, allowing the oils to have a longer lasting effect. There’s really no reason not to dilute, other than for convenience from time to time. There are some essential oils, however, that you never want to put directly on the skin without a carrier oil, things like cinnamon, clove and oregano can burn the skin.
MT: What benefits can I expect when using essential oils?
MB: What benefits do you want to expect? From a quantum physics standpoint, what we want out of essential oils, we can get. Essential oils communicate with our cells and influence their processes. It’s kind of like smiling. When you smile or laugh, it lifts your mood. Chemicals are released in your brain that enhance that experience. Essential oils work to balance our mind, body and spirit. Positive and focused thinking are very powerful. Now I sound like a total hippie, right? This lends to the mindfulness that I talked about earlier. Just the fact that you’re thinking about your needs at that given moment and then addressing those needs is very beneficial for your body. I invite everyone to try it and see what happens!
MT: What if I have a sensitivity to smells?
MB: First, I think it’s important to determine if you have a sensitivity to synthetic scents or natural scents. I hear a lot of people say that scented candles give them a headache but essential oils don’t. The reason for that is in the chemistry of essential oils. Because they’re carbon based and so are we, as humans, our bodies can understand them with no problems. When it comes to synthetic fragrances, our bodies have to decipher them before they can get the information from them. This can cause a bit of stress in the body for some people that can result in things like headaches or skin reactions. It’s not possible to have a physical allergy to essential oils because allergies come from being allergic to a specific protein and essential oils do not have proteins. It is possible, however, that an essential oil can put you ‘over the edge’ in terms of your cellular load, which can result in a reaction. If you’re a sensitive person, I suggest small amounts at first to find out what you are sensitive to and then you’ll know what to avoid.
MT: Do essentials oils have adverse effects when mixed together? Mixed with medication? mixed with other vitamins?
MB: It’s definitely important to talk to your doctor about contraindications with medicines you might already be taking. If they can’t answer the question, ask them to look into it for you. You don’t want to write off using essential oils because your doctor (who works for you) can’t answer. Personal research is also important and thousands of individuals using essential oils have or have had this same question. I’m also available to help you figure out anything specific as is doTERRA’s customer service team.
MT: Why do you recommend essential oils?
MB: I just want people to know they have a choice and that there is a natural option. Medicine has it’s place and it is downright necessary at times, but for day to day home health concerns, essential oils are a great option. There are no side effects to worry about! In my eyes, it’s finally something to help me be proactive about my and my family’s health instead of always being reactive. I want to live a long and healthy life and I know that using essential oils will support my body in staying healthy.
