Have you ever wondered what essential oils you should have on hand for yourself and your family?
I will be posting a quick reference guide to each essential oil to help you choose your personal apothecary.
We’re going to be going over what each oil is good for, how to use it, what it goes with to create a blend, and what to watch out for if you’re pregnant, planning to spend some time in the sun, or dealing with a particular ailment or medical condition.
As I sharing these with you we will be looking at pure, single essential oils, not at the many blended products that are available from just about any essential oil provider. Before you choose any of these blends many of with are touted by glowing testimonials on the distributors websites, or by sales representatives with long-winded spiels. Be sure that you know exactly which oils are in them.
Blends are meant as conveniences to help speed relief to you for an ailment, but they often contain oils you do not require for that purpose. Just as you would not mix up a handful of pills and swallow them without knowing what you were taking, be cautious in using blends that contain ingredients you do not require.
And as with all essential oils, check with your doctor before using any product to be sure it will not react with medications you already take.
Be an informed consumer and take the safest path to overall wellness.
Ok, now that we got all that out of the way today we are going to be talking about…
Bay
Also known as sweet bay, Mediterranean bay, and laurel, this oil has a spicy-sweet scent.
Its source plant is native to the West Indies, Venezuela, and the Guianas, but most of it today come from Morocco and Spain. Bay was popular with the ancient Romans, who presented Olympic champions with laurel (bay) wreaths to symbolize wisdom and protection.
The oil is produced from the plant’s leaves through steam distillation.
WHAT IS IT USED FOR
- Arthritis
- Circulatory issues
- Colds and Flu
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss or Thinning hair
- Neuralgia
- Muscle pain
- Skin Infections
HOW IT’S USED
- In a massage oil blend
- In a vaporizer or diffuser
- In a bath
COMPLEMENTARY OILS
- Cedarwood
- Coriander
- Eucalyptus
- Geranium
- Ginger
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Orange
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Ylang-ylang
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Be careful about using bay oil on your skin, since it can be irritating.
Pregnant women should avoid bay oil.
DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY
MAY CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION
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Sources:
Photo by monicore from Pixabay
Book: An Introductory Guide Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Sonoma Press
ISBN #9780989558693
Information pulled January 7, 2019
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