Essential oils

Here’s a list of six essential oils that are powerful weapons in the fight to maintain your health:

Lavender

Lavender essential oil is easily the most useful and popular essential oil on the market. It has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and can be utilized for a wide range of applications. It can be applied topically to alleviate skin disorders, acne, insect bites and even minor burns. It also can be used as a disinfectant for scratches and shallow cuts. It can be used aromatically to help with anxiety and calm frayed nerves, and can even help you get to sleep at night.

Lemon

Similar to lavender, lemon essential oil has a long list of viable uses. It is perhaps most celebrated, however, for its ability to cleanse toxins from the body, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and restore energy levels. Recent studies have even shown that it can promote certain neurological activity, which triggers the breakdown of body fat, essentially making it a natural weight-loss tool. And, of course, a couple of drops of lemon essential oil in water or tea can help to soothe a sore throat. Good old lemon!

Tea tree

Tea tree, otherwise known as Melaleuca alternifolia, is famous for its strong antiseptic properties. It can be used topically to disinfect wounds, and has been shown to kill various strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Several studies have examined the use of tea tree essential oil as a replacement to conventional drugs, and have shown that in many cases it makes an excellent alternative to mainstream medicines. Furthermore, tea tree essential oil has actually been suggested to have a synergistic effect in the body, meaning that it may help prevent the development of antibiotic resistance.

Eucalyptus 

Eucalyptus, known for being the food source of koalas, arguably Australia’s cutest marsupial, also has a range of uses as a medicine. It has most commonly been used in relation to colds and flu, helping to cleanse the body of the toxins and microorganisms that make people sick. It can aid in alleviating sinus and allergy problems, and can even help with respiratory illnesses including asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis when rubbed on the upper chest. 

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil, in addition to having a great smell, is second only to lavender oil in its range of uses. When applied topically, it provides a cooling sensation, which can relieve sore muscles and itchy bug bites. It also can soothe headaches when applied to the back of the head or the temples. When ingested, peppermint helps relieve nausea due to its ability to reduce muscle spasms. When blended with pine and eucalyptus oil, it can also be particularly effective for dissipating coughing fits and helping to relieve bronchial congestion. Finally, along with lavender essential oil, peppermint oil can help with an underactive thyroid.

Oregano

Oregano essential oil makes a great friend and a merciless enemy, with strong antifungal, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Pretty much anti-anything bad, so be sure to keep a bottle of oregano oil close at hand. It can aid with fungal infections (including athlete’s foot), sprains, bruises, joint pain, tendonitis, cysts, warts, Candida, and herpes, to name but a few. Keep in mind that oregano is a hot oil, meaning that if used undiluted it can potentially irritate your skin. For this reason, always use oregano essential oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or castor oil.