Opinion: Why I Use Essential Oils
Media by Sam Hall
Let’s make it clear: I will vaccinate my kids.
If you have ever met me chances are, I have offered you essential oils. They are a big part of my life and I use them frequently. Which makes many people concerned about the well being and health of my future children.
It started when I was in middle school, through making my own face washes and scrubs because I wanted to see what I could do to naturally even out my skin tone and clear acne. In my research to make these products, I found certain oils, such as tea tree and lavender have many antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Let’s make it clear: I will vaccinate my kids.
Around the same time, I was dancing about 20 or more hours a week outside of school and had been diagnosed several years prior with Osgood-Schlatter, a knee disease caused by an overused tendon. This resulted in me taking an unhealthy amount of pain medication. To where I was dependent on them to be functional.
I wish I could say at this point I realized it was unhealthy and stopped, but I didn’t. It had become a part of my routine. Wake up, stretch, take pain meds for the day.
It took me passing out multiple times and looking at the amount of empty medicine bottles I had accumulated to realize it was starting to get out of hand.
Honestly, it was a really low point in my life. Having to choose between the love of my life, dance, and my health.
Time passed and I was still wrestling with this decision until I decided to not stop dancing, but decrease the amount of classes I took over the summer to ease the pain.
About this time, I was having some stomach issues and I was in a lot of pain. My friend offered me a blend of essential oils to help.
At first I was really skeptical. I didn’t know anything about essential oils except for in relation to face care, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how the oil blend helped my stomach ache.
From that moment on, I was hooked.
I did a lot of research into the different oils and what specifically could help me as a dancer. Some of my favorites are peppermint for headaches and other muscle pain, jasmine for stress and anxiety and eucalyptus to help with a stuffy nose.
The best part of using essential oils has been being able to share this new-found knowledge with my friends and show them an alternative to medicine.
Everyone could benefit from using essential oils. I’m not saying essential oils are a “cure all” and you shouldn’t vaccinate your kids, but maybe next time when you have a headache, instead of reaching for Tylenol, try peppermint oil instead.
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Sam Hall, sophomore, is a staff reporter for the Messenger. She is involved in Equity Club. She dances six times a week along with some conditioning and...
Jane Preston • Feb 4, 2021 at 11:11 PM
What oils did you use for the Osgood-Schlatters and for the stomach ache? My daughter’s got both and I suspect the stomach ache is from the amount of Advil she takes.