The Healing Power of Essential Oils: Soothe Inflammation, Boost Mood, Prevent Autoimmunity, and Feel Great in Every Way

PREFACE

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then I said, Here am I. Send me! He said, Go, and tell this people…

—ISAIAH 6:8–9

I’ve always been that guy to step up and do what needed to be done. I can remember being a kid and helping my elderly neighbors by shoveling their snow, not because my parents forced me, but because I wanted to. It made me feel good. And it still does. If I see a need, I try my best to fill it, especially when it involves people.

When I became a Christian, this part of me got amplified. Early on, I stumbled upon Isaiah 6:8–9 and I remember raising my hands in prayer, mimicking the prophet’s words: Here I am, Lord, send me! I cried out, I don’t care what it is, I just want to do my part! That prayer has proven to be the impetus for my biblical health ministry, my career, and notably my focus on educating people how to use essential oils therapeutically.

I’m actually a late bloomer when it comes to using essential oils. In fact, my wife, Sabrina, who has been using them since the early 1990s, tried to alert me to their power several times before I finally had my epiphany. I’ll confess, as recently as a few years back I marginalized essential oils as the smelly stuff that Mama Z used every morning.

Thankfully, back in 2013 a client commissioned me to write a series of public health reports about essential oils. Supporting myself as a medical writer at the time, I was forced to take a second look.

That’s when I had my aha moment. I got lost in the literature. On studying countless peer-reviewed studies, I was floored when I read the clinical research that supported the efficacy of essential oils as a viable option to treat chronic conditions like cancer, hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, not to mention mental illnesses like addiction, anxiety, depression, and stress. Whoa!

Suddenly, all of those too-good-to-be-true stories I had read online started to sound more plausible.

Excited about my newfound research, I told Mama Z about the potential role that essential oils can play in healing the body and preventing disease. She looked at me with those all-too-familiar I told you so eyes, and I knew that I had some catching up to do. So the journey began.

FOUR INVALUABLE LESSONS

As I pored over the research, it became glaringly clear that the articles I read in the blogosphere discussing essential oils and the information in the medical journals didn’t jibe. Additionally, the blogs conflicted heavily with one another. Truthfully, it’s a confusing mess out there, which explains the sheer number of people who regularly come to me unsure about how to use essential oils in the right way. Millions of people visit my website and social media pages every year to learn about essential oils. There are four reasons why I suspect this is so.

First, a vast majority of bloggers are simply not trained as public health researchers, medical writers, or aromatherapists and have no business teaching about the therapeutic nature of essential oils. Telling your personal healing story is one thing. Presenting yourself as a trained expert is quite another.

Second, most of the information in the blogosphere is woefully biased. As a public health researcher, I’ve been trained to sniff out bias a mile away—especially when there’s a potential financial incentive at play. It’s challenging to find statistically sound articles about essential oils without seeing banner ads for the very product that is being written about all over the website.

Third, there are huge chasms separating different factions of the essential oils industry, and things have a tendency to get ugly. These are the main players in the field:

• Aromatherapists

• Bloggers

• Chemists

• Governing agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Health care providers (MDs, DOs, etc.)

• Network marketers

• Researchers

• Suppliers and manufacturers

Examples of these conflicts abound: Aromatherapists and multilevel marketing distributors are continually at odds with each other, disagreeing about the most fundamental principles of how to use essential oils therapeutically; chemists are often in disagreement with clinical researchers because they view essential oils through differing lenses; and consumers are always concerned as to whether manufacturers are supplying high-quality, pure oils. Moreover, governing agencies increasingly restrict the use of specific language across the field because essential oils are not approved drugs, and therefore organizations and individuals that sell them for profit cannot make claims that they can heal the body, cure disease, or even have an effect on the structure/function of the body.

Finally, I observed that many doctors and pharmacists are leery of advising their patients about how to use essential oils, which makes patients nervous about potential contraindications and drug interactions. It would be untrue to say that medical doctors and pharmacists are not in favor of using alternative therapies, but because aromatherapy is not a topic that they learn about in school, they have no basis for discussing it with their patients unless they have studied the topic on their own. As I mentioned earlier, essential oils have yet to be approved by the FDA to prevent or treat disease, thus placing medical professionals in a sticky situation. They can neither confirm nor deny the therapeutic use of essential oils because it is out of their scope of practice.

DISCOVERING MY CALLING

The more I learned about the friction within the essential oils industry, the more I yearned to bring together thought leaders representing each group to lay aside their differences. With my friend Jill Winger from ThePrairieHomestead.com at the helm as my cohost, the idea behind the Essential Oils Revolution® online summit was born in June of 2014.

We decided to host a free online conference, commonly referred to as a telesummit, so we could provide interviews with these experts to a mass audience. Similar to live streaming YouTube videos, we created a website that acted like a conference meeting space. People from all over the globe could join for free and, from the comfort of their home, watch a series of interviews from experts representing nearly every sector of the essential oils community. Online health summits have been around for a while, but none about oils had really taken off because they tended to be a sales pitch to sell essential oils. To remedy this, we eliminated what public health researchers call financial or brand bias and ensured that every interview we conducted was nonbranded, meaning that even the slightest mention of the interviewee’s favorite essential oil brand(s) was not permitted.

We set out to do what people told me was impossible because of the overwhelming animosity within the essential oils industry. With the exception of my loving, supportive wife, nearly everyone I spoke to said that we wouldn’t be able to convene aromatherapists, bloggers, chemists, researchers, and health care professionals under one roof to talk about essential oils.

After nearly a year of rejected offers, criticism, and negativity from countless leaders within each camp, Jill and I proudly launched the Essential Oils Revolution on May 11, 2015. We carefully selected panelists to offer insight on different subjects related to their particular expertise and covered a gamut of topics from safety guidelines to cooking with oils to a myriad of health conditions, including cancer, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, and weight loss.

More than 165,000 people from more than twenty countries participated in that first summit, which proved to be one of the largest online events of its kind. We received thousands of comments and emails from our online followers, and it became clear that most essential oil consumers were looking for an evidence-based, nonbranded resource to teach them about essential oils for their health concerns. People were not only desperate for help, they were uncertain where to go because of all the bias and conflicting information out there on the Internet.

The love and appreciation that came through those emails literally changed my life, and the experience of hosting the summit and helping folks improve their lives with essential oils actually shifted the entire focus of my career.

Truth be told, I had never intended to leave my career as a public health clinical researcher and medical writer. I never set out to be the online essential oil guy. After seeing the obvious need, however, it seemed pretty clear that God was calling my wife and me to be that reliable resource that people were so desperately seeking to prevent and treat disease.

The book you are reading is the result of this calling. What you’re holding in your hands is the best-of-the-best from my telesummits and literally thousands of hours of personal research and study. This book was crafted to be your go-to resource for all things related to using essential oils safely and effectively, and to empower you to approach the primary common health concerns affecting most people today.

I invite you to join me as I continue my journey to master the art and science of essential oils. I hope you enjoy the personal anecdotes as well as validating scientific research, and find my DIY hacks and recipes useful in your own quest to experience radiant health!

Introduction

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

—JOHN 10:10

We know more about nutrition and health now than we ever have before. Yet nearly every single American is taking a supplement and/or a pharmaceutical medicine. Why, if we are so advanced in our health knowledge, are we also unhealthier than ever?

Put simply, it’s because we’ve left nature out of the equation. God has provided us with what we need to be truly healthy. Need more vitamin D? Go out in the sun! Lacking vitamin C? Eat some limes! Need to improve your digestive health? Eat fermented foods! Have a cold, headache, or back pain? Use plant-based medicine such as essential oils!

There is a verse in Revelation (22:2) that reads: Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

I can think of no other substance on earth that epitomizes this Bible scripture more than essential oils, and I have come to see essential oils as a fundamental tool for achieving biblical health. They are the very essence of trees and plants, and they are vehicles of healing. And, in my opinion, they are also a cornerstone of a truly healthy life.

A CLOSER LOOK AT HEALTH

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.¹

—WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Do you consider yourself a healthy person?

I’m not talking about the mere absence of disease, as the World Health Organization (WHO) puts it in its definition of health. I’m asking if you are really well—physically, mentally, and socially. Biblical health is not a list of thou shalt nots. It’s an overarching concept that it is your God-given right to have and enjoy the abundant life that Christ refers to in John 10:10. Having an abundant life means that you enjoy the fullest expression of health in all areas of your life: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, financial, occupational, and social. Every area of your life is connected to all the others. Like a chain, you are only as strong as your weakest link. If your physical body isn’t performing how it should, it’s going to weigh you down emotionally and cause strain in your relationships. If your job isn’t going well or you aren’t working to your full potential, it’s going to impact your financial health and your mental health by raising your stress levels.

Again, let me ask you: Do you consider yourself a healthy person?

Consider writing your answer in the margin here or in your journal if you’re taking notes as you read this book. Periodically, go back to this question and answer honestly. I’d be curious to see how your response changes as your understanding of health and healing evolves because of what you learn in this book. At its core, this health journey is about balance. The foods you eat, the drinks you consume, the supplements you take, the medicines you use, the thoughts you think, the emotions you carry around, the feelings you have about your job, your financial practices, the stressors you allow in your life—all of these contribute to or diminish your experience of an abundant life.

You want to find a point of equilibrium in each of the seven areas so that you don’t feel off-kilter. Interestingly, I have discovered that using essential oils can help you find this balance, and I will show you how throughout this book.

MY PATH TO WELLNESS

As a kid, I never dreamed that I would one day be helping people restore their health. I didn’t think much about health at all, honestly, apart from considering myself pretty healthy because I didn’t suffer from any serious, life-threatening conditions like cancer. As I look back on my life, however, I see a different picture because I certainly didn’t enjoy the complete physical, mental and social well-being that the WHO refers to.

My health issues surfaced soon after birth. At just a few months old, I was so chunky, as my mom lovingly puts it, that my pediatrician advised that she feed me 2% milk because the formula I was exclusively drinking was making me fat. I haven’t checked the Guinness Book of World Records to confirm, but I’m confident that I would have earned the dubious distinction of being one of the youngest people ever to be placed on a diet!

This was the beginning of a childhood marred by misguided advice from medical professionals for seemingly normal health concerns.

My mom tells me that I started to get sick when I went to preschool. Like many children today, I had frequent bouts of tonsillitis and numerous rounds of antibiotics, which led to a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy when I was in elementary school. About that time I also started to develop anxiety and to battle stress and a variety of fears. To address a chronic stammering condition that worsened as my social phobias progressed, I began a seven-year relationship with a speech therapist in first grade.

By the time I reached middle school, I started to withdraw inwardly. My social awkwardness skyrocketed as cystic acne scarred my face. My dermatologist suggested a solution: take Accutane, a drug that was originally developed for chemotherapy but later commonly prescribed for skin conditions—and that has been linked to birth defects, depression, and suicidal ideation.

In high school, chronic pains in my joints started to develop and recurring gastrointestinal issues like gas and indigestion made my life quite uncomfortable nearly every day. Insecurity and fear prevented me from chasing a childhood dream of moving out of state and going away to college. Taking the easy way out, I chose to attend a local university and studied English literature because it came easy to me.

At one point during my college career, it dawned on me that I wasn’t living my own life. I was letting other people’s expectations of me and the status quo determine how I lived. This caused a deep sense of purposelessness that I’ll never forget. It was like I was falling into a black hole, and every single day that went by, the light around me got dimmer and dimmer. Not long thereafter depression settled in and I fell into the habit of taking over-the-counter medications, alcohol, and street narcotics to numb the pain.

As I stayed out until all hours of the night partying and masking my inner torment with reckless living, my energy levels plummeted, and I got to the point where I needed a pot of coffee and a pack of cigarettes to get through the day. And I wasn’t even out of college yet!

By the time I was twenty-two, I had reached rock bottom and started to ponder taking my own life. It was then that I put my faith in a higher power, and my life was forever transformed. The day that I asked God to free me from all of my addictions seems like yesterday. After I had failed numerous times to quit smoking and drugs, God delivered me overnight. No withdrawals. No detoxing. Nothing. It was like my body was given a second chance. Like I was literally born again. Depression and suicidal ideation disappeared, and I had a renewed vigor for life and a hope that I truly had a purpose to fulfill on this planet.

To be clear, not every symptom immediately evaporated, as if God had said, Poof! You’re healed! The litany of health issues that I described—the gut issues, the aches and pains, and the acne—still lingered. At first, I was confused. Come on, God, I negotiated. You healed me of the other stuff; why not these?

You see, if I had been healed of everything all at once, I don’t think that I’d have the appreciation for health and wellness that I do today. Hitting my rock bottom and then fighting my way back to health one issue at a time helped me develop patience, character, and perseverance—qualities I value in myself and try to instill in my children every day.

EXPERIENCING YOUR OWN TRANSFORMATION

I learned that my health was my own responsibility—not that of my doctor, my spouse, or anyone else. I was empowered by the revelation that health is an act of self-love and not something that I should focus on merely to be free of sickness. I also realized that I couldn’t take anyone’s word at face value. Paul’s admonishment to the Thessalonian church to test all things and to hold fast to that which is good became my guiding principle. Lastly, I came to see that we’re all under construction and that I needed to give myself grace whenever I missed the mark.

In his book From Within I Rise, T. F. Hodge puts it this way: You cannot build a dream on a foundation of sand. To weather the test of storms, it must be cemented in the heart with uncompromising conviction.² I urge you to find your own conviction to become truly healthy, whatever that inspiration may be, and act on it.

Even if you don’t feel that conviction at this very moment, get started today on improving your health. As you learn how to do that in these pages, focus on the low-hanging fruit—do those things that are easiest for you to implement right away to get some quick wins, which will increase your conviction. Take it line by line. Here a little, there a little. If you use the fundamental principles of this book to adopt an essential oils–based, holistic health lifestyle, you will never look back.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS BOOK

Are you overwhelmed by all of the information out there about essential oils? You’re not alone! Many of the sources that you may be reading use fear tactics or overstate potential therapeutic efficacy to convince you to follow their advice (or buy their products). This misguided and often conflicting information leaves a trail of bewildered consumers who are confused about how to use essential oils safely and effectively.

It’s with this in mind that I offer you four strategies to get the most out of this book:

1. Don’t overanalyze.

2. Quiet the noise.

3. Focus on the low-hanging fruit.

4. Remember biochemical individuality.

1. Don’t Overanalyze

Two phrases I learned during my short stint in the sales world were paralysis by analysis and ignorance on fire.

We were taught not to overthink things, which is a surefire way to feel that you’re not prepared to approach a customer and to make you freeze up before you ever get the chance to land the sale—in other words, paralysis by analysis. The most successful salespeople, on the other hand, tend to act before they think through all of the potential objections and have a much higher close rate—demonstrating ignorance on fire.

I have observed that many online health consumers fall into the paralysis by analysis trap. They have a tendency to agonize about the details and quickly become overwhelmed—and then are too afraid to move forward. To be fair, I can understand why. Health is a serious issue and people’s lives are at stake. Not to mention that the information out there in the blogosphere is anything but consistent.

What’s the solution? Don’t overanalyze! I don’t mean that you should try essential oils willy-nilly. Commit to educating yourself, but learn at your own pace and implement the recommendations offered in this book only as you’re comfortable. This isn’t a race.

2. Quiet the Noise

When you first start using essential oils it can be tempting to read everything you can get your hands on—from your new essential oils distributor to your favorite blogger, your medical doctor, and even your Facebook friend who fancies herself an essential oils expert. Maintaining a scientific focus is important, but feeling that you must read everything you can and interrogate everyone you know, until you’re completely overwhelmed, can be counterproductive.

A practical way to move forward is to limit your teachers to just two or three when you’re first starting out. This is not to say that you shouldn’t get a second opinion, but resist the urge to get a fourth, fifth, or sixth opinion, or else you’re likely to hear such conflicting information that you won’t know what to do.

Do your research and vet your sources by making sure they have valid credentials. When I first started learning about essential oils, I didn’t follow food bloggers. I sought out aromatherapists, chemists, and health care professionals with ample experience using essential oils in their research and practices.

When you find a quality resource, let your guard down and receive what’s being shared with you, just as a student does with her teacher. Then, when you have the basics down pat, you’ll be better prepared to venture into the Wild West and comb through the vast array of Internet resources!

3. Focus on Low-Hanging Fruit

Implementing essential oils into your daily routine is more than a fad; it’s a way of life. Even though the journey to health is a marathon, not a sprint, quick wins are a must because they create confidence, which is the foundation for long-term success.

This is why focusing on the lowest-hanging fruit makes the most sense. Set aside the advanced aromatherapy concepts and formulas until a later date when your knowledge and confidence are built up. Do something quick and easy first, like the Essential Oils Daily Practice in chapter 5 (this page). It’s all there, easily spelled out, ripe for the picking.

Making your own hand sanitizer is another great place to start. Everyone seems to be using the commercially produced stuff, and yet it couldn’t be more toxic. Want a quick win? Toss the hand sanitizer and make your own. You can get everything you need on Amazon, it costs only a few bucks, and it will take you just a few minutes to make a dozen batches. Check out my recipe on this page.

4. Remember Biochemical Individuality

By far the hardest concept for new essential oil users to grasp is biochemical individuality. In a nutshell: What works for me, a thirty-seven-year-old Caucasian male with Polish and Sicilian ancestry, will not necessarily work for a seventy-five-year-old African-American female. Our physiologies are as unique as our fingerprints. There simply is no one-size-fits-all approach to health care. There are always multiple ways to achieve the effects you seek, just as there’s more than one way to paint a wall.

This trips people up because we’ve been indoctrinated by the medical community to believe that a standardized approach to health care is ideal: Are you sick? Take this pill that everyone else is taking. You all have the same sickness, so why shouldn’t you all take the same remedy?

This seems logical, but don’t forget that it presupposes that all the variables are the same. You may all have the same sickness. But is everything else the same? What about your weight, race, gender, comorbidities, and contributing factors like stress, diet, and drugs you are currently taking?

We all have different biochemical makeups, and you need to find what works for