A Fresh Start to 2022 With Essential Oils
The new year is here! Start it off right by prioritizing self-care and your optimal wellbeing -mind, body, and soul by removing products with harmful chemicals and replacing them with gentler compounds extracted from organic plants. Here are our 5 top reasons to start fresh with essential oils in the year 2022:
• CLEANER AIR
According to the EPA, one of the leading causes of indoor air pollution is related to household cleaners (EPA, 6609J.) Leave commercial washes and sprays behind in 2022 by incorporating essential oils into your household maintenance routine. Though your usual household cleaners can be purchased already completed, Cleaning with essential oils is as easy as adding a few drops to some unscented dish soap, castile soap, baking soda or vinegar. As a result, you can make your house sparkling clean without having to worry about breathing in or touching your space afterwards. You may quickly realize that the cleaners you used to use smelled similar, or even identical to the infused soap recipe you replaced them with, since many brand name cleaning products use some essential oils in them alongside the adulterants. Adding essential oil to a diffuser is also a simple way to deodorize.
• MENTAL CLARITY
Essential oils can also serve as an effective way to ground yourself in the present and be mindful of your mental state by instilling micro-self-care habits. For example, Lemon has shown to be effective as an anti – depressant (Perry, N, Perry E. 2006) and its chemical components limonene and citral can decrease both physical and psychological stress. (Fukumoto et al. 2007.) Rosemary can help you focus on tasks and surroundings, and the scent of lavender has proven to be a useful tool for improving sleep quality, as well as relieving tension and stress. On the other hand, Orange contains chemical compounds that make you happier and more upbeat, which is helpful when feeling sluggish. (Hongratanaworakit, Buchbauer. 2007)
• CLEANER SKIN CARE
Since the skin is the largest organ in the body, we want to do our best to protect it, and the rest of our body, from absorbing compounds that hurt it, like endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. Essential oils added to castile soap make amazing hand and body soaps that are high in therapeutic properties and smell amazing. Added to Unscented lotion or carrier oils such as jojoba, these combinations serve as an excellent daily moisturizer or targeted oil for muscle aches, digestive issues, bruises, or cuts depending on the dilution level you use. (For blends focused on antifungal, antibacterial, and other medicinal purposes, Tea tree, and Eucalyptus, are excellent candidates.) According to studies, Lavender also benefits the skin by reducing inflammation and promoting cell turnover, which in turn makes the skin appear healthier. (Altaei 2012),
• ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE
Angie’s Organics oils are USDA organic, which means no pesticides or toxic chemicals are present in the product. This is not only excellent news for us, but is also kind to the Earth. Due to the sustainable nature of essential oils and the combinations including them listed above, these plant extracts do less harm to the planet when discarded and flushed down drains than commercial products.
• LESS BECOMES MORE
Due to their versatile nature, essential oils can replace a lot of different products and give you the ability to clear out your cabinets for the new year, and become more minimalistic. This also means that essential oils can help save money as well-rather than having multiple cleaners to purchase when they run out at varying prices, you’ll only have to worry replenishing a single bottle for a variety of uses every year or so instead. An example of this is Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) which can be used for anything from busting bacteria to treating bee stings. Its gentle enough to use on children over five for cuts and scrapes without distressing delicate systems, but tough enough to get rid of last years germs for a fresh start in your home or office.
WORKS CITED:
* “The inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality .” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality.
* Perry N, Perry E. Aromatherapy in the management of psychiatric disorders: clinical and neuropharmacological perspectives. CNS Drugs. 2006;20(4):257-80. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200620040-00001. PMID: 16599645.
* Hongratanaworakit, Tappanee, and Buchbauer . Autonomic and Emotional Responses after Transdermal ... Jan. 2007, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tapanee-Hongratanaworakit/publication/279804490_Autonomic_and_emotional_responses_after_transdermal_absorption_of_sweet_orange_oil_in_humans_Placebo_controlled_trial/links/559b312308ae793d138228af/Autonomic-and-emotional-responses-after-transdermal-absorption-of-sweet-orange-oil-in-humans-Placebo-controlled-trial.pdf.
* Altaei DT. Topical lavender oil for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulceration. Am J Dent. 2012 Feb;25(1):39-43. PMID: 22558691.