Choosing the Right Essential Oils for your Therapeutic Protocol

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When looking at the specific protocols found in the Essential Oils Desk Reference's Personal Usage Reference, the list of possible oils and applications can often be quite overwhelming.  There seem to be so many oils to choose from, how are you supposed to know which to use?  This article, based on information found (or, at least, present) in the Desk Reference, should help.

So many oils, so little …

In following any of the protocols in the Desk Reference, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1. There is no need for you to use all of the oils listed.  Usually, only 2 or 3 are required.
2. The essential oils listed in any of the Personal Usage Reference's protocols are not intended to be a comprehensive or complete list; they are merely a starting point.
3. The essential oils noted there are not listed in any particular order.  You may find some of those listed at the end of the list to be more effective for you than those listed first.

Choosing the right essential oils for you:

While the Essential Oils Desk Reference gives you a substantial list of oils to start with, it is possible that your best results will not be achieved by using them.  You might well find that some oils not listed in the Personal Usage Reference prove to be equally, or more, effective for your individual needs.  This is because one oil might be more compatible with your unique body chemistry than another, simply for aromatic purposes and skin sensitivity, not necessarily for any physical response.  It all depends on your unique body chemistry. 

Nothing can replace having a solid place to start from.  And, unless you have specific training in aromatherapy, having a copy of the Essential Oils Desk Reference is invaluable, and I would strongly recommend purchasing a copy for yourself.  In it, besides the protocols found in the Personal Usage Reference, there are listings for all the individual oils.  It is possible that, as you learn about the individual oils, you could find something in an oil's listing that would indicate that it is what you should be using, despite not being included in the Personal Usage Reference for your particular condition.

Much of this must be worked out on a case-by-case basis, to see which oils work best for you.  If you try an oil, or combination of oils, and results are not felt within several minutes, on your next application of the oils, try another oil, blend or combination. 

And, the more you work with the oils, gaining personal experience with how you respond to the different oils, it should be easier to choose which oils to use in new situations.  I've found that, as I work with the oils more, I've picked up an intuitive sense (more of a sensitivity to the frequencies of the oils, I think) of which oils work best.  It's important to "listen" to your body for indications of what to use.

Using the essential oils effectively:

The Essential Oils Desk Reference provides a list of oils that have been used in a clinical setting for specific conditions, and notes that these oils and blends can be used either separately or together.  I have often found it to be very effective to combine a single oil with one of the blends.  By combining one single oil with another recommended single oil or blend, a synergistic — or additive — effect is produced that results in a stronger total effect than the sum of the actions produced by each oil or blend separately.

As a rule, unless otherwise noted, 1-3 drops of each oil from the list should be used.  For example, when the list reads, "Coriander with cinnamon, fennel, dill, cypress, rosemary and clove," this means that 1 (or more) drop(s) of coriander should be mixed with one (or more) drop(s) of any 2-4 of the other oils for a synergistic blend.  Normally, it is best to avoid using more than 3 oils in any given blend at a time; also, blends should never be mixed together, and no more than one single should be added to a blend.

However, you can layer one of these synergistic blends over another with very good effect.  It is probably best not to layer more than 3-4 blends in this manner.  (See What an aromatherapy session looks like for more details on how to use the oils.)

Using essential oils as supplements

Many essential oils can be used as dietary supplements (see the list of these oils in Appendix C of the Essential Oils Desk Reference).

All essential oils should be diluted prior to oral use, unless directed by a physician or one trained in the oral use of essential oils.  The simplest way to dilute essential oils for ingestion is to mix a drop of oil in a teaspoon of honey (do not give honey to children age 1 or under), agave syrup or a cup of almond, rice or raw, organic whole milk.  If taste is a problem, oils can be diluted 50-50, placed in a gelatin capsule and swallowed.  No more than 2-4 drops should be consumed at one time (in a single serving), unless indicated otherwise.

Drink plenty of water to void reactions to the oils:

When using essential oils, always increase your fluid intake (you should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day, with at least 8 fl oz immediately before applying the oils and another 8 fl oz immediately after application).   This is necessary because the oils can accelerate the detoxification process in the body.  If you are not taking in adequate fluids, toxins could recirculate, causing nausea, headaches, etc.

I strongly recommend drinking a structured water, because of their greater hydrating and clearing capacity.  Tap water should be avoided like the plague that it is, and most bottled water is nothing but filter (if that) tap water.  You should get your own distiller (I use one from Water Wise), add the structured water concentrate and, possibly, add a few grains of Himalayan Crystal Salt.