The Scent of Healing

When a vendor at an event offered Amber Bailey a sample of an essential oil as something that might help support her young sons with their chronic respiratory issues, she was happy to accept it. However, when she got home, she put it on a shelf, not sure how to use it.

“Oils seemed like a spa treatment or something fancy,” said Bailey. “I had no experience with it and didn’t know the value of it. I was afraid to use it on my kids.”

Many people in the United States are not familiar with the use of essential oils. In fact, their use in medicine, cosmetics, perfumes and spiritual rituals has been documented dating back thousands of years in many cultures. The ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Indians and Persians all used essential oils.

During World War I, essential oils were used to tend to soldiers suffering from wounds, gangrene, skin infections and burns. And in the 1920s, a French scientist discovered the healing properties of lavender, introducing it to a number of hospitals in France.

“Aromatherapy” — or the use of essential oils from plants for healing — did not become popular in the United States until the 1980s. Today there are many products sold as aromatherapy, but some of these contain synthetic fragrances. They should not be confused with essential oils, which are concentrated extracts taken from the roots, leaves, seeds or flowers of plants.

Essential oils can be used topically or inhaled (put a drop in your hand and cup hands to breathe in; or use a diffuser). And, if they are from a trusted source and you are properly educated about their use, a drop of essential oil can be added to drinking water and ingested. Different essential oils and blends are known to have properties that support energy levels, mood elevation, better sleep, healthy digestion and much more.

Bailey is mom to a blended family of ten children, including her two youngest sons who routinely caught colds, which turned into raspy coughs and led to difficulty breathing.

“When they caught a cold I knew what was coming,” said Bailey. “The cough would turn into a bark, and then we would be doing steam showers and breathing treatments at the doctor’s or the Emergency Room. It was a vicious cycle every few months.”

It was while looking into one of her youngest son’s scared eyes as he labored to breathe during one such episode that Bailey decided that she needed to try something different.

“We were doing everything the doctors told us to do,” said Bailey. “There were some medications, but there was nothing preventative. I was frustrated and felt out of control.”

Bailey remembered the essential oil on the shelf, and did some research, learning about a protective blend (containing cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, rosemary and wild orange essential oils) that she diluted with fractioned coconut oil and applied to the bottom of her sons’ feet to help support their immune systems.

“Not only did it work, but it exceeded my expectations,” said Bailey. “It wasn’t long before I noticed that they were not getting as sick as often.”

She followed a similar process with a respiratory blend (containing laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, melaleuca, lemon and ravensara essential oils), applying it to her sons’ throats at the first sign of a cold. She was thrilled when the familiar nasty cough didn’t develop.

Bailey was so inspired by her experience that wanted to share the information and help others, particularly moms. She became a wellness advocate for doTERRA, a popular brand of therapeutic-grade essential oils, and now enjoys introducing new people to the world of essential oils.

Cindy Maricle, an independent distributor with Young Living Essential Oils, another popular brand of therapeutic-grade essential oils, has a similar story. Her journey to becoming an advocate for the use of essential oils began with a horse-related back injury.

Facing debilitating spine pain and numbness, her doctors offered her the choice of surgery or steroids. Even with a background in Western medicine — she had a long career as a medical technologist — Maricle felt disillusioned with her options.

“At that time I opened my mind to learning about alternative healing modalities,” said Maricle. “I became personally interested in learning how to help support my own body’s innate ability to heal and restore itself.”

Using essential oils, Maricle learned how to support her immune system, skeletal structure and address discomfort. She has not needed surgery or steroids for her back, and hasn’t used medication for nearly a decade since her injury.

Fascinated with the science of essential oils, Maricle sought further education and now sits on the faculty of the Center for Aromatherapy Research and Education. In that role she educates medical professionals and others about the chemistry of essential oils and their uses.

“After my experience I decided that I wanted to make sure everyone has access to education about essential oils,” said Maricle. “I want to empower people to achieve extraordinary levels of wellness, purpose and abundance.”

Bailey shared that when she first started using essential oils to support her family’s health she heard from others that she would soon be able to throw away everything in her medicine cabinet.

“I didn’t quite believe that,” said Bailey. “But it has actually been true for us. It has been life changing.”

For more information: Amber Bailey, mydoterra.com/AmberBailey, amberbailey06@yahoo.com, 541-815-9672; Cindy Maricle, cindymaricle.marketingscents.com, scmaricle@msn.com, 541-280-9103.