Episode 24: Why Should I Use Essential Oils Internally?

Transcript

Hi, my name is Brittany McDonald I am a Diamond leader in doTERRA, and I was first introduced to doTERRA essential oils five years ago. I am a mom of three boys; they're four, six, and eleven and I come from a background of fitness and health. So, I can't wait to share with you about how we have found using essential oils internally has just impacted our health and our wellness in a positive way. 

Taking Essential Oils Internally

So doTERRA's been a game changer for me and my family and our health I found that taking the oils internally has actually been one of the best ways to create healthy habits in our family. We're super busy. I've got three boys. I run a business and we're always on the go. So, anything that I can do to simplify and support our bodies, the better. 

We take essential oils in our drinks. We add it in to a veggie capsule. We'll put a drop on our tongue, under our tongue. I cook with them and bake with them. 

Why Should I Use Essential Oils Internally? 

There are so many ways that taking essential oils internally can positively impact the body. So, they help support our immune system* and our daily function as well as when seasonal threats are running high. That immune system is just so supported. 

We can use the oils internally for clear breathing and to support our respiratory system,* oils like Cardamom and Ginger, Lemon. Those are some of them that are fantastic at helping keep our digestive processes functioning normally or sometimes when we have the occasional upset stomach.* Those are great ones to take internally. The internal cleansing benefits are huge, and the added bonus is it's a delicious natural flavoring. 

So, most of us without realizing it are actually already using essential oils internally. They're found in the things that we drink, in the food that we eat, the gum that we chew. So, for me this was like just a natural addition when we started exploring the ways that we use the oils. 

Our bodies are meant to metabolize natural compounds. And in my mind, it was just a smart decision. I know that essential oils are natural compounds. So, to take them internally, my thought was that they would be easily used in metabolized by your bodies. So, when we had a drop of Lemon into our water it goes into our GI tract and into our bloodstream and from there it can be delivered throughout the body into the organs to be processed.* 

What Essential Oils Are Safe for Internal Use? 

So doTERRA has so many oils that are approved for internal use. So, if you're looking at the bottle it actually says it directly on the bottle whether or not the oil can be taken internally. 

Some of the oils that are safe for internal use are a lot of the citrus oils like Lemon, Lime, Wild Orange. Black Pepper, Cardamom, Fennel or Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary, Frankincense. Those are just several to name a few. But there's quite a growing list of oils that you can actually take internally. 

How do I take Essential Oils Internally? 

So, in my home what we have the kids do every morning is we have them fill their water bottles with water. And then we actually have them pick a citrus oil that they can put one drop in their water and take it to school. 

So, the reason we started doing this was because I wanted them to drink their water. They were always asking for flavorings or their friends had juices. So, I found that this was a way that we would make sure that their water bottle would come home empty not full. So, it tastes good and it's fun, they know what they're getting. But I also like developing some healthy habits right from the time they were little. So, teaching them how to use the oils every single day and then the other way in my mind is when they're using the oils and taking them to school it's supporting their gut health and promoting a healthy immune function.* As soon as those kids walk out the door in the morning who knows what they're going to be exposed to? So, if I can do things and be proactive to really support that immune function that is like a win-win in our house. 

Green Mandarin Essential Oil 

My six-year-old, Jackson, has dealt with digestive issues since he was born. He was one of babies that screamed for the first five and a half months of his life. And at that time, we had no doTERRA essential oils. But I really researched what I could do to ease his pain and promote a healthy gut. So we found a lot of holistic approaches and modalities but he still really struggled on a day to day basis especially his mood. He just wasn't a happy kid. 

When doTERRA came along, we found a couple oils that really supported him. They made his tummy feel really good. But not only that, it was like this little bit of a shift in his mood. He was able to just kind of take a deep breath and just relax a little bit for the first time in his life. His favorite oils were Wild Orange to rub on the belly and Green Mandarin to put in his water. 

So Green Mandarin is one of those oils that just makes you smile. It's a happy energizing oil. It's one of the favorites in our home and this is one that a lot of my kids are actually drawn to put in their water every day. And it's one that obviously doTERRA has on that list that they can take internally. So the properties that chemical constituents of this oil is known to support a healthy digestive system and immune function response.* 

So, I've seen firsthand with Jackson how when you take the green Mandarin every single day in your water or you can put it in an empty capsule how it really soothes the nervous system as well.* My crazy wild child who was always unhappy just seems a lot more carefree these days and we're not dealing with all the stomach and tummy things that we used to be dealing with. 

Using Essential Oils Internally and Safety

So, I want to talk for a minute about safety, so the safety of using essential oils internally. 

First of all, not all oils are created equal. So, when I talk about using and using the oils internally, I'm specifically talking about doTERRA essential oils. 

And second, just like when you use the oils topically and aromatically, they’re really potent and pure, so same thing, a little goes a long way. 

Other Ways to Take Essential Oils Internally

I'll add one to two drops in water or coffee or tea or smoothies, or I'll take them you know take one drop with each meal. It adds some delicious flavoring but also, it's really cleansing and supportive of my digestive system which is why I'm so consistent at taking them.* 

So, my husband and I like to take a combination of oils in a veggie capsule. So, this little guy here that opens right up this way. You don't need to taste it; you can just swallow them just like you're taking a normal supplement or pill. But a combination that we like to take in the morning and in the evening is a combo of Frankincense and Cinnamon, Grapefruit and Black Pepper. So, since we developed this combo that we start is take about six months ago we just feel this like vibrant amazing energy, and everything just seems to be a lot better in our bodies.* 

It's typically when I stop taking these on a regular basis so like when I go travelling or if life just gets busy and things get in the way. That's when I usually feel like I'm a little bit more sluggish, I'm not focused, I'm super scatterbrained, I'm feeling bloated, that kind of thing. So that's why I'm really keen on taking these on a daily basis. 

More Essential Oil Safety

A few more things to talk about when we're talking about safety. So, the oils that are approved as internal use, some of them are hot and spicy oils. So, these ones you want to exercise just a little bit extra caution when you're taking them. Some of these include Cinnamon, Oregano, Clove, Cumin, Thyme. So, whenever I take these ones in particular, I always make sure I'm either taking it in a veggie capsule or I'm taking it with some sort of a liquid like water or juice. I've heard some people take it with milk, things like that, so it's not so powerful at the same time. 

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil

Cinnamon bark is one of those oils that we actually use a lot in our house especially right now during different season changes and in the winter. I just find that adding a few drops to certain recipes like our oatmeal or cinnamon apples or different muffins and we bake, it adds some amazing flavor, but not only that, I know that we're able to consistently help maintain a healthy immune system and metabolism by using those in some of the recipes.* 

My favorite recipe with Cinnamon Bark is to make a bulletproof coffee. So, every morning I have a coffee and I'll either put a drop or two in the coffee grinds before the coffee filters through or I'll add it to the blender after to blend it up to mix it together. So, this one is a spicy one, which is why I'm always mixing it with something. 

But even though it is spicy, I'm comfortable using it with my kids a couple different ways. So, one is I'll actually make up a throat spray for them. So, I put water and the liquid Omega supplement and a couple drops of Cinnamon and a couple drops of Lemon, and then anytime one of my kids are complaining about their throat, or I'm noticing that they're run down I just shake this bottle up, and I spray it in their mouth. So, it actually coats their throat and feels kind of numbing and it's also incredible at supporting the immune system.* 

Cooking and Baking with Essential Oils

So, since I've been talking about cooking and baking and having drinks with Cinnamon, I thought I'd share a little bit more about the cooking and baking with essential oils. So, this is a fabulous way to flavor your food while at the same time getting the benefits health wise. 

So I used to get really frustrated when I would try new recipes or want to make a recipe that I'm not normally making because I would go and reach for that herb or spice or fresh herb from the fridge and I would either be bad or it wouldn't have the ones that we would need. 

So, since the oils have come into our life, it's really handy having these on hand. We use Basil a lot and Thyme a lot, those natural fresh but spicy herbs. Also, a lot of citrus oils, those ones I do a lot of baking with. So, they've just been a perfect addition to when we are making meals and snacks. 

Peppermint Essential Oil 

I want to talk about my favorite oil here. One of my favorites, I have got too many to pick, but Peppermint. This is one that I use all day, every day, in every season. So, it's just this minty fresh like powerful punch in your mouth. 

This was one of the first oils I fell in love with. I remember my first doTERRA experience. I put a drop on my hands, rubbed my hands together with Peppermint, took a deep breath, and rubbed it on the back of my neck and shoulders. And then somebody suggested that I should lick my hand to experience it in my mouth. And I did, and it was like it woke me up right away. I was energized. I was focused kind of all in one. And that's really what got me hooked. Because I was feeling really drained at the time, and not focused. So, this was just fantastic. 

When I put a drop in my water, I take this every day when I go on workout. I'll put a drop of Peppermint and then I usually will pick one of the citrus oils. I like the Green Mandarin; Wild Orange is also a favorite. I find that adding them before a workout is a great energizer. It keeps my stomach relaxed and really lets me like breathe easier.* I just feel everything like my whole body just opening up. 

That three o'clock slump that most people experienced throughout the day. That's also a great time to add Peppermint. It gives you a little kick and a little boost I find. Peppermint is also one that we travel with a lot. So, from our day to day things. So, I usually keep a bottle in my purse or in the car if it's not really hot out, and just to put a drop in my mouth to freshen my breath to wake me up to keep me energized. 

But also, if we are you know traveling away from our home, typically we're eating things we're not used to or eating more than we're used to. And I find that using Peppermint after a meal, so either in the capsule or in my water, I just find that it just settles my stomach much better, so I don't feel that necessarily bloating or indigestion that I normally would if we're traveling a lot, even for my kids.* 

So a tip for kids and just settling that flip flopping of the stomach is I'll take a small mug of water, warm water, and I'll take a toothpick and touch the top of the bottle of Peppermint. And then from there, I'll actually swish it around in that warm cup of water and then they can drink it from there. So, it's not that strong, but it's giving them just a little bit of that Peppermint. 

Using Oils in a Veggie Capsule

Umm, using oils in a veggie capsule. OK. So, this is something that I mentioned we do every single day. It's part of our normal day because our body feels and functions way better than it ever has. After having kids, getting older, I started to feel the wear and tear on my body and my mind, and I noticed that after having my last baby my metabolism was like non-existent. 

So, since I found this routine of taking the oils in a capsule in the morning and at night, I definitely feel like our health is much more enhanced. We just feel healthier overall, probably than before we even had kids. Taking the oils internally has been one of the best ways for us to consistently implement healthy habits in the oils in daily.* 

So, I think that if you really want to be consistent and intentional about your health and really feel vibrant, then an internal use of doTERRA essential oils is like the best option for you if you can get into that routine. Most of us are looking for a little bit extra support in our gut on a daily basis or you know those occasional times when we have an upset stomach. Many of us are wanting to have a healthy immune system run all the time. And metabolism, who doesn't need a little bit of extra metabolism help?* 

So, there are so many benefits to using the oils daily and our food in our drinks and in a veggie capsule that I think if you were to start using them and experimenting and just try and find a routine that works for you, you'll really experience a lot more health benefits.

Okay, I think I’m done!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.