Why Use Essential Oils When You Have Medicinal Herbs?
Inside: Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both medicinal herbs and essential oils as therapies for wellness. This is an “herbs versus essential oils” commentary from an experienced herbalist and aromatherapist.
In my interactions with students and sometimes clients, I usually hear one of two things:
"I only want to use herbs....." or
"I'm only interested in the essential oils...."
The truth is, they're both special and wonderful. Let me share my views on this, but first I'll just say that I was a 100% herbal girl for years before delving into aromatherapy. Herbalism was my first foray and exposure into natural wellness, and it’s still my first love. However…I also love essential oils and the benefits they bring. Besides, who doesn’t love a beautifully scented home or body?
Herbal medicine is the traditional "real" medicine used by the people for thousands of years and for many reasons: rituals, burials and preservation, medicine (of course), food, and more. Also, aromatic plants--those with fragrances, have been used in conjunction with regular herbs too. These have been used for beauty, attraction, cleanliness, and medicine.
Even now, over 40% of the world's population turns to herbs and plant medicine first!
I like to think that humans and plants have grown together over the millennia, and we need each other. There's an absolute symbiotic relationship between plants and humans, and we can see this in even just the exchange of CO2 (our waste) being the life-giving support to plants; while the plant's waste (O2) is the very air we breathe.
Did you know there are around 300,000 catalogued plants, and that of these around 260,000 are producers of seeds? And that only about 3,000 produce essential oils? And that only about 400 of these plants are commercially cultivated? (An aromatherapist I know, Shanti Dechen, shared this information.)
Here are some important things to know about both herbs and essential oils, plus some of my own experiences and opinions about each as both an herbalist and aromatherapist:
About Essential Oils:
1) Essential oils are the volatile aromatic compounds found in some plants. Not all plants have essential oils. And some essential oils are only found in certain plant parts. For example, rose essential oil comes from the petals and nowhere else. Vetiver essential oil comes from the roots. And so on.
2) Not all flowers have essential oils--or the amount is so tiny that it's not worth dealing with the distillation process. A couple of examples I can think of include honeysuckle, lilac, and gardenias. They're wonderfully fragrant to our noses, but the amount of essential oils is so teeny. Steam distillation just won't work. ***When you see these listed as fragrance...just know that it's synthetic and created in a lab.
3) Essential oils only contain a few of the plant's chemicals, specifically esters, aldehydes, terpenes, and a few others.
4) For extraction of essential oils, there are only a few methods, and only steam distillation is available to lay-people, yielding small amounts of essential oil and then lovely hydrosols. Other methods include cold pressing (citrus peels, primarily), using solvents or CO2 for extraction (these final two yield what we know as absolutes). Most people purchase their essential oils. Here you’ll find a personally vetted list of high quality companies.
5) Essential oils have many uses, from helping alleviate pains and aches, digestive upset, stress relief, and emotional support. Essential oils really shine when it comes to mental and emotional wellness including cognitive support and help for certain needs such as ADHD. More and more studies continue to prove the efficacy of essential oils as a supportive and legitimate alternative integrative health modality.
6) Applications for essential oils include topical (in lotions, rollers in carrier oils, massage oils, and salves); inhalation (diffusers, inhalers, and cupping); and ingesting (not recommended unless you're working with someone trained in this modality).
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About Herbs:
1) When we use the whole plant or whole plant part, we're getting the advantage of all the chemical constituents (or at least a lot of them) depending on how we choose to prepare the plant. What we're not getting much of with whole plant use are the essential oils as they're so fragile.
Being able to enjoy all the chemical compounds is a blessing! God made them like this for us! And when we can work with the essential oils too, wow--herbal medicine is incredible!
2) Extraction processes of herbs.... There are a number of ways to extract herbal constituents and these generally involve some kind of infusion, or maceration (i.e. soaking). You can also dehydrate and powder them, using them in electuaries and pastilles and honeys. Finally, some people enjoy smoking their herbs, and find this can be helpful too. Herbal extractions are easy and simple to do right at home!
3) Herbs have SO many uses....from helping with musculoskeletal needs and inflammation, digestive upset, urinary tract support, liver support, respiratory support, help for the brain and cognition...so many things. In fact, there's really no part of our body, brain, psyche, or spirit that can't be supported by using appropriate herbs.
4) Applications are broad and can even be managed right outside in the field depending on the need (spit poultice, anyone?). From inhalation (herbal steams and smoking and incense), to topical use (liniments, sprays, rubs, poultices, salves, etc.), to internal use via tinctures, herbal teas, glycerides, and others...applications are many and varied.
TOGETHER... Power in partnership!
When I began my learning about herbal medicine so long ago, I was intrigued with essential oils. But when I was approached by an MLM (multi-level-marketing) distributor, I realized that there was a lot more to these little drops than met the eye...or that the distributor I was working with realized.
And thank goodness I listened to my "gut" which was telling me that som eof the things I was being told to do were potentially dangerous. Some of the MLM (multi-level marketing) companies actually have techniques where rather large amounts are poured neat on the skin!
So, I turned away from essential oils for a very long time.
But I couldn't get rid of the feeling that I should learn more about these plant extracts...and that's simply what they are. Another type of plant extract. They're not magical. They're not strange. They’re pretty amazing!
I view them as another subcategory of herbalism that requires its own special studies into the special phytochemistry of the essential oils in their concentrated form.
How Essential Oils Power Up Herbal Preparations....
1) Herbs and essential oils together create an incredible synergistic pair. For example, when I make a salve for calming the aches of arthritis, I'll nearly always add in my choices of essential oils that potentiate the pain relieving effects of the herbs (without increasing danger), and I'm able to make good choices to support the individual and his/her unique needs, too.
2) The scent of essential oils....oh my goodness. Just this aspect contributes to the healing process, both physically and emotionally. There’s plenty of research these days to support this additional healing aspect of aroma, especially in terms of how scent affects the limbic system of our brain. This affect on our emotions can serve to enhance mental wellness.
3) Skincare---Herbal skincare is incredible. Plants like calendula, comfrey, and others with little or no essential oil are amazing by themselves! But when combined with essential oils that have an affinity for the skin? Wow. Rose geranium, for example, enhances the ability of the skin to absorb certain chemicals. Helichrysum speeds healing and support the health of the skin. When herbs and essential oils are used together for skincare, what an amazing thing!
4) Sometimes...internal use. We all know that essential oils are used prolifically in the food and flavoring industry. From commercial teas, to candies, to sauces, to vinegars and oils to chewing gum...many food and medicinal items are flavored with essential oils.
I've been known to use essential oils to spritz onto my herbal tea blends (safely and within food standard limits) to enjoy. Take my FREE Herbal Tea Challenge to learn about this!
Essential oils can be added to pastilles and into oil-based capsules too. For my own personal therapies, I'll sometimes make up necessary capsules safely.
NOTE: I am trained and have earned certification in Internal Use of Essential Oils. I still do not recommend this modality unless you're working with someone who is a minimum professional level 2 aromatherapist AND who has the additional training for internal use. This practice should also be overseen by your medical professional.
You can see that both of these natural plant-based modalities are just incredible options for wellness--by themselves and together as a pair. Just beautiful!
Get your free 22 page guide on using herbs and oils to help with stress, anxious feelings, and general relaxation. Click HERE, and I’ll send yours along!
You might enjoy some of these formulations where I combine both herbs and essential oils:
1) How to Make a Pain Relief Salve (Article)
2) How to Make an Effective Salve for Cold Sores (and shingles + other herpes relatives)
3) How to Make a Super Black Drawing Salve (pulls toxins and other invaders from the skin)
4) BEST Essential Oils to Scent Soaps Naturally (and these blends can be used for perfumes too!)
5) Get my FREE Guide to Herbal Steams if you don't have it yet. Herbs. Essential Oils. Supreme respiratory support!
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Before I wrap up this quick note, I just want to let you know that I haven't forgotten about the power of carrier oils in this equation of making herbal and aromatic remedies! Carrier oils have their own balances of healing qualities, and my friend, Susan Parker (author of Power of the Seed) has a workshop out now (FREE) that I've been enjoying immensely.
If you want to add knowledge of carrier oil bases to your understanding of plant medicine, you'll love this workshop. You can sign up below:
(And today's video is about antioxidants in carrier oils! I'm loving this, and I know....I'm a plant geek!)
Remember, it's FREE, and you'll be able to watch all the videos for a few days.
Have a beautiful and blessed Wednesday, and I'll be in your inbox soon with a great recipe, inspiration, and more herbal tips this Scentsational Sunday!
Hugs, Health, and Herbs,
Heidi
P.S. Don’t forget! Please forward this along to a friend who might be interested or benefit from the information!
