So if you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m really into living as healthy as possible (within a realistic sense). I try to eat clean, workout regularly and support my body with things it needs to be healthy. I recently became an essential oil devotee and I feel like it’s something a lot of guys tend not to explore. But guys, you totally should! I recently got a Young Living (more on them later) Essential Oil Starter Kit and I’m hooked.

The details of essential oils are both interesting and deep, so go explore if you want more information. But here’s the main thing to understand about essential oils. Essential oils provide physical, mental, emotional and spiritual support for your body so it can thrive. As Americans we are particularly prone to contact with toxic chemicals in our every day products.

The U.S. has banned about 11 harmful cosmetic ingredients while the European Union has banned over 1,400.

The average American comes in contact with over 400 toxins before breakfast. Think shampoos, face cream, deodorant, household cleaners, etc. If you don’t believe it, download the Think Dirty app. It allows you to scan your products and it’ll provide you with all the toxicity details. It has carcinogenic (cancer-causing toxins) data, reproductivity toxicity levels and allergens. With essential oils you can start to lead a less toxic life.

So what are essential oils you ask?

Essential oils are the pure chemical compounds derived from all-natural botanicals. Through extraction, essential oils end up being more powerful than the botanical they’re derived from. For example, one 5mL bottle of lemon essential oil requires the rind of  75 lemons to create. The rind contains limonene, which is way better than the citrus part of the lemon–it aids in digestion, acid reflux and the detoxification of our major organs. So a drop of lemon essential oil can support so many processes in your body.

Side note: In the process of researching, I discovered Young Living. Young Living has some of the strictest purity standards of any essential oil company. They are also the only company with a “Seed To Seal” promise. Essentially (see what I did there), they’re in control every step of the way from growing, production and distribution. That means they add zero synthetics (which other companies can’t say) so you’re only getting the purest essential oils. So you can get cheaper products, but realize they won’t be as pure and powerful. Just a heads up.

What do I use essential oils for?

• Digestion. I’ve had digestive issues since I was an infant. In recent years, I’ve really taken an aggressive approach to healing my digestive system and supporting it with what it needs. Young Living’s Digize essential oil blend is great for supporting a healthy digestive system. And if I’m super bloated or having some particularly bad stomach issues, I rub a blend of Digize, peppermint oil and lemon oil on my stomach. No joking guys, within minutes I tend to feel better.
• De-stressing. Between work, family and friends, and life in general, I tend to be prone to stress. Diffusing oils like lavender oil or peppermint oil, or even lemon oil, as citrus is an uplifting scent can help keep you grounded. And we could all use a little bit more peace and calm in our lives. If I get a tension headache, I rub a drop or two of peppermint oil on my temples and along my hairline–such amazing relief.
• Skin health. Lavender oil and Frankincense oil both support healthy, moisturized skin, combatting your body’s tendency to overproduce sebum which clogs pores. Clearer skin? Umm yes please.
• Immunity. Knock on wood, I have not been sick this year. All winter, people were suffering from nasty winter germs and I’ve been able to get through unscathed. And that’s with me sitting in a confined space at work with a bunch of infected people. Sounds like a scene from The Walking Dead, but in all seriousness… I’ve been using Young Living’s Thieves blend (exclusive to them). It’s intended to support your immune system and while everyone else around me has struggled with their immune system, I’ve been enjoying life.
• Workouts. I’ve talked about it on my Instagram Stories before, but I use RC (another Young Living blend) before workouts. It helps to open up my airways and motivates me to hit the gym hard. And post-workout, I use Panaway (a unique blend) to support muscle recovery.

These are just a few of the ways I’ve been using them lately. If you have any questions or thoughts, please DM me on Instagram–I’d love to hear from you!

Learn more and become a Young Living member here.