Photosensitive Essential Oils + FREE DOWNLOAD

Let's talk oils + photosensitivity. You may have seen some articles floating around facebook with pictures of people with pretty severe burns from using essential oils and then going in the sun all day. Some of the articles are a bit sensational and misleading, and I always want to educate you guys with the TRUTH so that you are equipped to use your oils safely, effectively, and confidently!

It is important to know that some essential oils ARE photosensitive (mainly citrus oils, and blends that contain them).  This means that when they are applied topically, they increase our skin's REACTIVITY to the sun's UV rays.  If we put Lemon oil neat (undiluted) on our wrists and then go spend time in the sun, there's a good chance that we'll walk away with a severe sunburn.  This is not a burn from the oil itself, it is a SUNBURN because the oil made our skin much more reactive to sunlight. The same thing happens if you handle lemon or lime juice and don't wash your hands before going in the sun.  Google "margarita burn."  This is called phytophotodermatitis.

The good news is that we don't have to stop using our beloved citrus oils in the summer!  We can simply apply them at night or somewhere that will be covered by clothing.  Even the bottom of our feet! I like to wear them on a diffuser necklace so that I can still smell them without having to apply them to my neck or wrists. You can also dilute them well and apply them where you usually would - just be sure to pay attention to how much sun exposure that spot is getting. If you do apply a photosensitive oil, be sure to avoid direct sunlight for up to 12 hours.

I made this handy dandy flyer for you to download and print to keep with your oils so that you know which oils to use with caution this summer!

*This list is not comprehensive.  Be sure to read your labels (especially blends!) to see if any oils on the list are in them before exposing to sunlight.*

Drink More Water!

Let’s talk about  W A T E R!  We hear “Drink more water!” all the time, but WHY is it so important? Well, every cell in our bodies (all 100ish trillion of them!) requires water to function properly.  Even very mild dehydration can result in:

• impaired mood
• an increase in the frequency of headaches
• muscle fatigue (which makes exercise difficult)
• chronic fatigue/exhaustion
• constipation
• lack of concentration
• BRAIN FOG

Besides preventing all of the above, water is also incredibly important for you kidneys to be able to flush toxins out of your system. We don't want toxins hanging around! Many of the symptoms we experience daily can be avoided by simply drinking more water.

We should drink around EIGHT 8oz glasses of WATER a day.  Sports drinks do not count.  Coconut water doesn’t count (though it is good for you).  Juicing doesn’t count. Water that has been turned into tea or lemonade or coffee does NOT count. It needs to be filtered, pure water. If you’re like I was 2 years ago, that sounds daunting!  I didn’t even LIKE water, so how was I supposed to drink that much every single day?! 

If you don’t yet enjoy drinking water and are accustomed to drinking sodas or other flavored beverages all day, one thing you can do is add a drop or 2 of essential oil in your glass of water for flavor.  When you use oils to flavor your water, you reap the health benefits of the water AND the oils.  It’s a win, win!  Some of my favorite oils to add are Young Living’s:

• Lemon Vitality
• Peppermint Vitality
• Orange Vitality
• Tangerine Vitality
• Grapefruit Vitality

We use a Berkey Water Filtration system in our home, and I keep a glass water bottle with me at all times and a mason jar beside the system so that I can easily drink water throughout the day.  When you decide to become intentional about upping your water intake, I suggest keeping track of your consumption either in a journal or in an app like iDrated or Waterlogged. Before long, you’ll find yourself craving water! It’s amazing what happens when we give our body what it NEEDS instead of just what we think we WANT. 

**When I speak of consumption of essential oils, I am only referring to the Young Living Vitality line of EOs. Please do not ingest oils off the shelf at your local health food store (or Whole Foods/Wal-Mart/Bed Bath & Beyond). Do your research!**

Cooking with Essential Oils

Everyone knows that oregano, basil, and cinnamon are great seasonings for flavorful dishes, but did you know that those same herbs, and many others, in their essential oil form, are even MORE potent? It’s true - not only is the flavor stronger, but essential oils offer health benefits when you cook with them that the dried herbs do not.

You can ingest (and cook) with any of Young Living’s Vitality oils, which is the Dietary line of oils.

Benefits of cooking with Young Living Vitality essential oils:

With just a drop of oil (or less!), essential oils give food incredible flavor. Fresh herbs and dried herbs eventually go bad, but essential oils last MUCH longer and can be more cost effective in the long run. Each individual essential oil has a multitude of health benefits unique to it, and you can reap those benefits by cooking with them (as well as through inhalation, applying them topically, and ingesting via capsule).

How much oil do I substitute for herbs?

Well, that differs depending on the oil. Generally, you will want to start with less and then add more to taste as needed. 

Herbaceous Vitality oils, like basil, oregano, thyme, dill, etc are very potent. Start by running a toothpick in the rim of the oil bottle then dipping it into your dish. Repeat as necessary to get the flavor you want.  I like to add these oils early in the cooking process and then add more before serving if necessary.

For citrus oils - Lemon, Lime, Orange Vitality, etc - I typically use 1-2 drops per tsp of juice/zest

For Peppermint and Spearmint Vitality, try using 1 drop per tsp of dried mint. 

Cinnamon Vitality essential oil is also strong in flavor, so I use 1 drop per 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon. 

Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it back after you’ve already added it! A little bit goes a long way. When in doubt, start with a toothpick dip and just addmore a little at a time.

A couple of my favorite ways to cook with essential oils:

Peppermint Brownies

Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Pie

**Only cook with and ingest Young Living Vitality essential oils.**