the journal

I’ll start by telling you that I’m not the kind of girl that has a cupboard chuck full of oils. …But… there is a possibility that I could become that girl. … I started using essential oils a couple years ago and have slowly used them more and more often. I love that there’s something natural I can use to help my body and mind feel better and to prevent it from feeling crappy!

I honestly don’t know a ton about oils but I do know that when I’ve used them, they always help! Ginger is a huge one for me. I don’t love the smell of ginger, but it helps so much with digestion and upset stomach! I have IBS and it seems like my stomach is always hurting in some way. And when it gets bad… there’s not really anything I can do to make the pain go away. But, ginger has helped so much! I just put a little bit on the bottoms of my feet (mostly so I can’t smell it) and my stomach will settle in a matter of minutes. (Peppermint works for this too!)

I also really love lavender lately. It’s such a calming scent and with all the craziness in my life, it really helps me unwind and relax. I’ve actually been using it for headaches and sore muscles lately too. I just put a little bit on the temples of my head or the base of my neck and it alleviates the pain. (Peppermint works for this too, just make sure you don’t get it in your eyes!)

The other 2 oils that have made a difference for me emotionally, are balance and cedar wood. Balance is very grounding and helps me to feel safe and calm and cedar wood really helps with anxious and nervous feelings. I always put cedar wood on my wrists or chest before I go to new places or meet with a lot of new people.

It’s amazing that doing something so little can help in such a big way. There’s a lot that I don’t understand about the body and how it works but I’m so grateful that I’ve found something that does work for me and I hope that if you’ve been thinking about using oils, you’ll start now!