Christina Anthis - The Beginners Guide to Essential Oils: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started

Copyright 2019 by Althea Press, Emeryville, California

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Althea Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization, or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665, or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500.

Althea Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa.

TRADEMARKS: Althea Press and the Althea Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Althea Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Interior and Cover Designer: Emma Hall

Art Manager: Sue Bischofberger

Editor: Vanessa Ta

Production Editor: Erum Khan

Illustrations geraria/shutterstock
Brittany Carmichael

ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-513-8 | eBook 978-1-64152-514-5

To my biggest fan, supporter, and personal DJ.
I love you to Eris and back, Clint!

Contents

AS A CHILD, I WAS AN OUTGOING, ADVENTUROUS GIRL who loved to dive into anything. That changed when I was diagnosed at age 10 with scoliosis and underwent a series of spinal cord surgeries. Suddenly, hospitals became my home away from home, and doctors became my teachers and friends.

Even as I grew up, my health troubles remained. I lived with near-constant nerve pain, narcolepsy, and chronic illness due to a poor immune system, and I was so focused on dealing with individual symptoms that I forgot to pay attention to my body as a whole. Finally, I decided to search for ways to break the cycle and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

My research into diet and nutrition led me down the path of herbal medicine and essential oils. The more I read about the many uses for healing plants, the more I wanted to know. Stunned by the realization that many of our modern medicines are derived from plants, I decided to take my herbal and aromatherapy education to the next level, enrolling in certification courses that taught me about the history and science of plant medicine.

I remember the first time I heard about essential oils and discovered that they were more than just pretty fragrances. Like the herbs from which they are distilled, essential oils have had a wide range of uses throughout history, from herbal medicine and natural beauty products to housecleaning and garden pest control.

Over time, I also witnessed dramatic improvements in my familys health when I used essential oils. Seasonal colds, sinus infections, allergies, and even the flu stopped visiting our home as often as they used to. And when they did show up, they rarely lasted as long as expected. We were healthier than ever, going months without illness. We all slept better, too, and my son and I saw improvements with our ADHD symptoms.

Aromatherapy, plant medicine, and essential oils made all the difference, and I am passionate about sharing this knowledge with the world on my blogwww.TheHippyHomemaker.comand in this book.

Essential oils have bridged the gap between ancient medicine and modern science for centuries, and we are learning today how they are capable of more than we could have ever imagined. In this section, Ill explain how essential oils work, how you can benefit from them, and how to use them safely around your home and family. Ill also introduce you to the wonderful world of aromatherapy.

In so you can put your newfound knowledge to use.

Whether youre just beginning your journey with essential oils or youve been using them for years, I hope this book will be a valuable and easy-to-use tool in your natural health library.

You may be familiar with essential oils and their uses in spa treatments and perfumery, but did you know that they can be used for so much more? Essential oils can sterilize wounds, treat infections, clear congestion, erase wrinkles, and clean your home. Each oil has a complex combination of chemical constituents with a wide array of applications and properties that are antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, digestive, analgesic, and antidepressant (among others).

There are many benefits to using essential oils, including aromatherapy, that can empower you to take your health and well-being into your own hands.

What Are Essential Oils?

Have you ever stopped to smell the roses? That subtle fragrance wafting up your nose is an essential oil at its finest. Essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds produced by plants to protect themselves, give them their distinctive scents, and aid in pollination. When inhaled, these aromatic compounds can play an important role in boosting the bodys natural healing functions.

How Essential Oils Are Produced

Essential oils are produced by extracting volatile aromatic essences from flowers, leaves, grasses, fruits, roots, and trees. Some require more plant matter than others for a small amount of oil, which is why essential oil prices may vary. There are several methods to extract essential oils, depending on which part of the plant is used.