What Are Essential Oils???
Now, for most of us, when we think of “oil” we think of the thick, fatty oils that we use in the kitchen. With that in mind, the thought of applying oils topically, ingesting them, or even just using them as a natural source of medicine seems messy and unappealing; fortunately, essential oils are of a completely different consistency and make-up.
Unlike fatty oils, the molecules that make up essential oils are extremely tiny, enabling them to easily pass through the tissue of the plant and into their very cells, passing right through cell walls. Their job is to travel throughout the plant and administer to its needs by bringing nutrition and information to the cells and carrying waste products out. Some of their jobs include regulating plant growth (like hormones), managing metabolism (like enzymes), initiating healing in the event of a cut or wound to the plant, and providing the basis of the plant’s immune system. A sort of built in maintenance service, if you will.
Essential oils can administer to our bodies in much the same way they do the plants. The oils are transdermal and when applied anywhere on the skin they can be absorbed and reach every part of your body within minutes. Some of the stronger oils can be applied on the feet and then be tasted in the mouth within less than a minute!
Unlike modern medicines, which often leave you weaker and more vulnerable to various diseases, essential oils work with your body to attack foreign or harmful bacteria and viruses while simultaneously strengthening your immune system and natural defenses to disease, leaving you less susceptible to viruses or bacteria.
Obviously, there’s much more to the oils, but this is just an introduction designed to give you a basic idea of how they work. An excellent source of information on essential oils, how and why they work, and various other information is Dr. David Stewart’s Healing Oils of the Bible. An excellent book, I must say!