While essential oils have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, recent scientific research suggests they help support the body’s ability to heal itself. According to a 2020 meta-analysis published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, “Essential oils, as well as some of their individual components, possess antimicrobial, antiviral, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties as well as purported psychogenic effects such as relieving stress, treating depression, and aiding with insomnia.”
This comes as no surprise to licensed pharmacist Liat Chiprut, co-founder of LaCura, which creates certified, pure, organic, therapeutic-grade essential oil blends. “Essential oils and functional medicine offer a better way for many patients to overcome their health and wellness challenges,” she says.
The benefits of essential oils
Essential oils contain active healing properties that can benefit your health. Commonly extracted from plants or seeds, they are a natural way to promote well-being for many reasons.
First, certain essential oils can boost immunity and reduce inflammation, soothing pain and swelling. This is particularly important because inflammation has recently been associated with the development of chronic disease and mental illness.
Other essential oils have antimicrobial properties that can be used to treat cuts, burns, and insect bites as well as ear, lung, and UTI infections. Some can also ameliorate skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.
In addition, essential oils can support healthy hormone levels. Since hormones are the body’s internal messengers, keeping these in balance is a key factor in health and well-being. Hormones play a key role in determining your moods, so these essential oils can help you alleviate stress and feel more relaxed and calm.
If that wasn’t already enough, essential oils may improve sleep, increase energy levels, and boost the metabolism, which in turn can reduce fatigue and stress. For instance, lavender essential oil promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety and is often used during meditation or yoga classes for its calming effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Peppermint essential oil has been shown to increase mental focus as well as speed up the metabolism. In this way, some essential oils act as adaptogens, meaning they enable us to adapt to our environment and maintain internal balance.
Finally, essential oils present an alternative means of coping with allergies. Eucalyptus and lemon, for instance, can alleviate congestion, and a Korean study found that a mixture of sandalwood, frankincense, and Ravensara oils improved symptoms of participants’ allergic rhinitis.
LaCura offers specialized blends of essential oils that address a wide range of health issues. Unlike other essential oil companies, the team at LaCura gives consultations to individuals and customizes blends. “Our purpose is to educate people so they can make healthy choices for themselves,” Chiprut explains.
The importance of purity in essential oils
When purchasing essential oils, buyers should beware. “Not all essential oils are the same,” Chiprut explains. “Your essential oils should be so clean and pure that you would be able to eat them. If you can’t ingest them, then you shouldn’t be smelling them or putting them on your skin.”
Chiprut recommends only using certified organic essential oils that contain no synthetic chemicals or additives like artificial colors or fragrances. “The vast majority of manufacturers use preservatives to help their essential oils last longer,” she observes. “Look for all-natural, completely clean essential oils that do not include such toxins.”
According to Chiprut, it’s also important to understand how your oils are sourced, which is why she recommends buying from companies that can back up their claims of purity with real data. LaCura, for example, tests all of its oils with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), which detects trace amounts of substances down to 0.001 percent. “Just ask, and we will provide the full Gas Liquid Chromatography (GLC) data and safety data information on every organic oil,” the company’s website says.
To keep their essential oils pure, LaCura chooses only the most environmentally sustainable farms and exercises oversight over their procedures. As the website states, “Our supplier checks that there are no adulterants present or chemical residues of any sort, guaranteeing that the source of growth is from a certified organic farm. Our supplier provides reports of their extraction methods and farming techniques, keeping a close check on the crop quality and harvest over the entire season.”
How to use essential oils
“Most of LaCura’s products are designed to be taken internally,” Chiprut says. “One can ingest a dose on a regular basis for a long-term, systemic effect. It can be added to water, our vegan capsules, or honey.”
Other ways to use essential oils include applying them directly to the skin in diluted form or adding them to bathwater. Infusing essential oils into the air for aromatherapy is also a popular method.
Essential oils are a safe, natural way to help your body heal. With LaCura’s pure, organic essential oils, you can ensure your own health and well-being for years and decades to come.
