Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves of the aromatic plant that is native to the Mediterranean (2). It is a member of the mint family and shares with it cooling and stimulant properties (2,3). While rosemary may be most associated with food dishes including lamb, chicken, or potatoes, it is actually a powerhouse herb that has many beneficial uses. 

Personally my FAVORITE use of the oil is to inhale it directly from the bottle and to rub into temples and the base of my skull when feeling mentally foggy or spacey. It’s memory enhancing properties can be especially helpful when you are studying or rehearsing; according to one source (4) simply inhaling rosemary essential oil is enough to transport 1, 8 cineole (primary chemical constituent) into the bloodstream, directly impacting acetylcholine neurotransmitters, influencing learning, and cognition, and memory up to 75% (p. 208)! 

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As you can see, pure, therapeutic grade, properly harvested and extracted oils are much more than a pretty smell; used properly, they can be incredibly potent health allies! 

I hope that you found this spotlight helpful as you continue to build your Empowered Practice toolkit, and as always please feel free to comment or reach out with any questions! 

I love supporting you!

Jadi

P.S. - Enjoy learning about how to fully utilize your EO's? Click Here to read on! 

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1. https://www.fastcompany.com/3051417/why-its-so-hard-to-pay-attention-explained-by-science
   
2. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-rosemary-oil
   
3. The Essential Life (5th ed.). (2018). p.145
   
4. Snyder, M. (2019). The essential oils hormone solution: Reclaim your energy and focus and lose weight naturally. Penguin Random House: New York, NY, p. 208.
   

Wild Orange essential oil, in combination with citrus oils (e.g., lemon, grapefruit) are among the most commonly purchased oils. Many love to add them to flavor water, and to diffuse them to create an uplifting energy.

While lemon was one of the first oils I incorporated, I held off on Wild Orange thinking, “Meh, they probably have the same effects.” And while both oils are extracted via cold pressing the rinds, and both oils share D-Limonene as their main chemical constituent, their interaction with my body chemistry creates a totally different outcome! Wild Orange has been an incredibly supportive oil for me in reducing the physical impact of stress and overwhelm (e.g., exhaustion, headaches, lowered immunity), and has had a potent and immediate effect on lowering the severity of anxiety and panic. 

DoTERRA’s Wild Orange is harvested in Brazil, as the climate provides ideal conditions for producing citrus fruits. Purity and potency of the oils aside, another aspect that I really appreciate about this company is the amount of love and care that goes into the growing and harvesting of the plants. In the case of Wild Orange, the oranges are grown by small, local farms that the distributors have worked with for over 40 years and one of the leads at the distribution center’s family has been crafting citrus essential oils since the 1870’s (1). Here’s a video if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBIVTFbx65E

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As you can see, wild orange is an incredibly versatile oil, with energizing, sedative, antiseptic, antidepressant, and immunostimulant properties; it can be used aromatically, topically, as well as taken internally. Here are some of the top ways to use the oil (2): 

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• Inhale straight from the bottle (MY FAVORITE!) to support reducing feelings of stress, anxiety, and panic, depression, and irritability 
  
• Place 1 drop of wild orange and 1 drop of peppermint in cupped hands, rub together, and inhale to increase focus and concentration 
  
• Place 1 drop in cupped hands and inhale to reduce digestive discomfort stemming from anxiety
  
• Inhale from the bottle to shift feeling drained to productive (HELLO!)
  

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• Add 1 drop to a glass of water for immune support and to support the body in detoxification
• Take 1-2 drops under the tongue before bed to support sound sleep
• Add 1-2 drops to a veggie cap and take for digestive support, heartburn, or sluggish bowels

*Me, deeply inhaling over my diffuser*, "Ughh, smells SO.GOOD." 

Ylang Ylang (pronounced e-lang, e-lang) essential oil comes from steam distillation of the draping, yellow, fragrant flowers of the Ylang Ylang Tree, native to islands of the Indian Ocean, Madagascar being one of them (remember, to get the most potency from the constituents of each oil, it is IDEAL that they are harvested where they grow indigenously; doTERRA follows this protocol. In fact, Madagascar is one of their Co-Impact Sourcing sites, which you can learn more about, here). 

Because of its fragrant floral aroma, Ylang Ylang trees are known as "perfume tress" and their flowers have been used for centuries in rituals and ceremonies such as weddings; in more recent decades, they've been used in the creation of perfumes, beauty, personal care, and food products (1). 

Each essential oil contains many, many chemical constituents, which is why each oil has a wide variety of applications. The main constituents of Ylang Ylang (or Cananga Odorata, its species name) include Germacrene D, and Beta-Carophyllene, both of which fall into the sesquiterpene category, and tend to have a calming, soothing effect. In fact, a recent review of the research on applications of C. Odorata essential oil included (2):

• a reduction in stress index upon inhalationreported by participants in comparison to a control group (who received peppermint)
• a sedative effect in systolic and diastolic blood pressure upon inhalation
• a potent free radical scavenger (aka holds potent antioxidant properties)

As you can see, indigenously grown, properly harvested, pure Ylang Ylang essential oils has many possible applications! Here are a few:

Aromatically: 

• Inhale straight from the bottle to support a calm, uplifted mood
• Diffuse 3 drops of Ylang Ylang combined with a citrus oil (my FAVE combo is adding 2 drops Wild Orange) to provide a calming, uplifting aroma in any room. (FYI: this is not the oil to diffuse when you are needing to do mentally focused work; rather when you are looking to create, peace, ease, and to release tension). 
• Add a drop to pillow and linen sprays to promote feelings of calm and relaxation 
• Create an aromatherapy steam facial for yourself by boiling water, pouring into a large bowl, and adding 1 drop of Ylang Ylang and resting face over bowl. Your skin and your nervous system will thank you <3

Topically:

• As Ylang Ylang is very supportive in skin and hair health, you can add 1 drop of the oil to your non-toxic conditioner or create a deep conditioner of your own by putting 1 drop of the oil in a tbsp of fractionated coconut oil and applying to scalp (double up with longer, thicker hair)
• Add 1 drop of Ylang Ylang to your favorite non-toxic moisturizer or serum to support health of skin
• Add 1 drop to 1tbsp of fractionated coconut oil or unscented lotion and massage into areas of tension (BONUS: Ylang Ylang is an aphrodisiac, so feel free to incorporate this massage into an intimate moment with your partner or as a self massage); you may also apply to pulse points to support a calm, uplifted mood

Internally:

• Add 1 drop to 4 oz. of water or take in a veggie cap with 1tsp carrier oil for antioxidant support; REMINDER: internal use is only recommended with oils that have been rigorously tested for impurities. The essential oil industry is a part of the larger supplement industry that is largely unregulated. As there are at present no regulatory standards for a therapeutic grade oil, DoTERRA has created their own standard. It is quite rigorous and includes both independent and in-house laboratory testing of EVERY batch of oils for consistency, potency, purity. You can check your own bottle by typing the SKU number on the bottom of your bottle HERE !

Alright, that's the basics of this gorgeous oil. I hope you found this helpful! Feel free to download the image and keep a growing library reference of uses that support you! 

Big Love,
Jadi

References:
1. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-ylang-ylang-oil
2. ​https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4534619/

The Nourished and Free Method is a 30 day program created by Founder of the Nourished and Free Collective, Meg Doll, RHN, myself, and the other leaders, to support your health, holistically. 

It includes 30 days of recipes, journal prompts, at-home exercise and yoga classes, as well as in-depth essential oil education (and our favorite ways to use each of the products)! 

As most of our team works in the health and wellness field, and each of us have certainly experienced our own health challenges, busy schedules, and societal conditioning that suggests self-care is "selfish", we've poured our hearts into making this program accessible and truly a pure act of Love and Empowerment. 

When intentioning to create a daily routine that supports your overall Life Vision, I've found that some structure or system can be really helpful, at least in the beginning; once there is less mental effort involved in creating the habit, intuition can come in more fully <3. Here's our Structure: 

This program was created by over 20 Health and Wellness experts and is valued at over $2000, but all that's required to participate in the Nourished and Free Method, and to receive all of the above, is purchase of doTERRA's Healthy Habits Kit ($156 USD). 

HERE ARE THE STEPS: 

​1. CLICK HERE: (you will be directed to doTERRA's new enrollment page)

2. Click the drop down to select where you want your products delivered, and preferred language

3. Fill in your personal information on the "About You" page 

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should see my name Jadi Engels and ID (3096407) appear as your Sponsor. 

4. Select the "Healthy Habits" enrollment kit for purchase 

This kit includes all of the products you will need to participate in the Nourished + Free Method, and will also secure a Wholesale Membership, giving you 25% off for an entire year. 

5. Finalize your shipping and payment information and then click "Process Order Now and Continue" 

6. Email me (jadiengels@gmail.com) letting me know you've enrolled so I can add you to the course! 

In the past decade we have seen the holistic health world GROW, EXPAND, EVOLVE! And it continues to do so! And it's a great thing! 

While essential oils are a part of this, they aren't "new". Essential oils have been used for thousands of years; in fact, modern archeological testing of ancient mummified bodies in Egypt have dated the use of oils such as juniper, camphor, and myrrh back to 3000 BCE, suggesting use in burial rituals. Similarly, Ancient Greece, Rome, Iran, and India utilized plant extracts in beauty care products, massage and spa treatments, as well as in medical procedures such as surgeries and for health promotion in the form of supplementation! 

Fast forward to today, tremendous research is being done on the potential healing potency of essential oil constituents. Scientists from many fields and continents continue to contribute to refining the practices for growing, harvesting, distilling, and utilizing these beautiful plant given gifts. But with any new or emergent field, there is often a lack of universalized standards, and therefore, quality assurance is SUPER IMPORTANT. 

Research being conducted on therapeutic uses for essential oils is being done with therapeutic grade oils, so if you are using them for more than a nice smell, it is important to attain the highest quality oils you can. Look for companies that support indigenous and organic growing practices, and undergo rigorous testing for purity and quality assurance (such as Gas Chromotography/Mass Spectrometry) through independent lab testing and share the results with the public. 

As you might've guessed, doTERRA oils check all of these boxes. So my mind is happy! But that isn't actually what drew me to their use...

I had use some other popular brands of essential oils in the past, and really enjoyed their smell, but didn't experience any transformative effects. Then in 2016, I found myself in India on a yoga/meditation retreat in the Himalayas. My body was having a challenging time with the climate of hot hot temps during the day and super cold temps in the evening (plus all the travel and the 12 hour time difference ;) ). I was experiencing a sinus cold and had a terrible headache, and had been for the better part of the last couple of days. One of the beautiful women on the retreat handed me a roller bottle and said, "here, rub this on the back of your neck and on your temples". "What is it?" I said. "Peppermint essential oil", she said. I was willing to try it, but based on my experience in the past, wasn't expecting much. 

In less than a couple of minutes, my headache was completely gone and I was SUPER intrigued! I began to explore and loved how intuitive the doTERRA oils are, especially the blends (my first favorites were Balance and Serenity <3 <3). 

Then in May of 2018, I experienced an extremely intense gastric episode that brought me to the ER. While nothing was diagnosed, it was the most intense, sharp pain I've experienced in this life, and it took weeks to recover from. It was at this point that I was introduced to Meg Doll, holistic nutritionist and founder of the essential oil community, The Nourished and Free Collective. As part of my gut healing protocol, she recommended putting doTERRA's digestive blend on my stomach as well as ingesting a "tea" with hot water and 1-2 drops of the oil each day. Once again, I felt relief immediately; it was the most profound result of all the things I was using (including celery juice, bone broth, and other supplements). 

It was at this point that I became extremely interested in the doTERRA brand, their research, and the potential for a broader use of these oils in my life. For the last year, I have been easing in, one oil at a time, and have been and continue to be SO IMPRESSED with their impact on my ultra sensitive system. 

My current passion is EMBODIED FEMININE; embracing our female physiology, the ebb and flow of our cyclical nature, and honoring that in all I do. It feels like something that is generally ignored in our modern culture and to great detriment; we see the epidemic levels of female reproductive challenges from post-birth control syndrome, to endometriosis, to PCOS, to further up the chain issues like adrenal and thyroid disregulation. It's time to get back to nature, to honoring our rhythms and cycles. And I have found holistic nutrition, yoga, and essential oils to be amazing allies on this path.

So if you are on a journey of recovering from chronic burnout, overachieving, striving, and doing, and would LOVE support in creating the habits of restfulness, ease, stillness, and receiving, I AM HERE FOR YOU! I would LOVE to support you. Please email jadiengels@gmail.com for more information.

Essential oils, also known as Volatile Aromatic Compounds, are the part of the flower, plant, root, or tree/resin that give that plant matter is aroma or scent. They are lipid soluble and "volatile" in that they can change their state (from liquid to gas) quickly!

These compounds exist in high concentrations in the plant, are potent, and serve many functions beyond its aroma including protection from harsh environmental conditions and even healing the plant from bacteria and viruses! 

Over 3,000 aromatic compounds have been identified, each with unique chemical properties, or the active ingredients that create the aroma and beneficial uses of the oil. Each oil has hundreds of these chemical compounds, which is why one single oil, like Lemon, has literally 100's of uses!

doTERRA harvests these amazing plant compounds from a network of farmers across the globe so that the plants are grown in their indigenous climates; it also offers an opportunity to support the growth of developing countries (see Co-Impact Sourcing). (P.S. I cried the first time I watched the video on how Frankincense resin is harvested; SO MUCH LOVE and CARE goes into it and I feel connected to all beings on the planet when I open the bottle and take an inhale). 

​Depending on the plant, the oils are gathered through steam distillation, cold-press, or solvent extraction methods, and because doTERRA oils go through an extremely rigorous 3-tiered battery of tests, they can be utilized in three ways: 

1. Aromatically (inhaling from the bottle or diffusing): this is also known as the German method, as German scientists were first to promote the benefits of aromatic essential oil use. Have you ever inhaled a pure grade essential oil and felt an immediate difference? I have, daily! It is because the molecules travel through our olfactory system and immediately to our Limbic Brain (center of the brain for motivation, emotion, learning and memory). This is one of the reasons that pure therapeutic grade essential oils can be supportive for emotional/mental health. 

2. Topically (physical application neat or with carrier oil): Also known as the English method, based on Madame Maurgerite's work that essential oils are absorbed trans-dermally. Historically this has been a popular way to utilize oils via beauty products and massage therapy. When adding essential oils to a carrier oil, the concentration decreases but because they are fat-soluble, absorption increases! 

3. Internally (physically ingesting the oil): Also known as the French method, as it was promoted historically by several French aromatherapists for health maintenance. If utilizing oils internally, be sure to check that they are GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA (the doTERRA website denotes this for each oil safe for internal consumption). Additionally only use pure, therapeutic grade oils in this way, as the industry is not yet regulated, and many oils have potentially toxic synthetic ingredients, and fillers added to them.