At doTERRA we recommend using essential oils aromatically, topically, or internally depending on the properties in each individual oil. Diffusing an oil helps us take advantage of its most noticeable characteristic—it’s scent. By learning more about how much of a role smell plays in our lives, the impact of essential oils can be understood on a deeper level.
The Power of Scent
Our sense of smell is one of our most powerful senses, and you have probably noticed in your own experience that some scents are more positively associated in our minds than others. At the top of your nasal cavity rests your olfactory nerve cells, the cells responsible for your sense of smell. Every nerve cell has different receptors that react to different scents. The same part of the brain responsible for mood and memory formation also processes the messages sent from the olfactory nerve cells. That’s why scent can trigger memories and change your mood—all of these functions are uniquely tied together in our brains! That’s because our sense of smell is the strongest and fastest sense.
When we breathe in aromatic molecules, they travel to the top of the nose where the molecules come in contact with specialized nerve cells called Olfactory cells. These cells have tiny hairs which recognize a specific aroma through the ‘lock and key’ process. This means each hair will only recognize a specific aroma. This process produces nerve impulses which travel to the limbic system, the part of the brain which is most concerned with survival, instincts and emotions.
By putting essential oils directly into the air we breathe, we can influence the feeling of our environment, and, more powerfully, our own emotions. The Emotional Aromatherapy System contains six blends formulated to address specific emotions, but any oil can have this impact. We know that citrus oils, for example, are uplifting and energizing to your mood, while scents like Lavender or Balance are calming and grounding.
Other Uses and Benefits
While smell is a great tool, there are other reasons that diffusing essential oils can be beneficial to you:
- It can purify the air in your home. Juniper Berry, Lemon, Lime, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), and specific blends like Purify and On Guard® are useful for this purpose.
- Some oils can help maintain feelings of clear breathing and open airways. For example, Breathe®, Douglas Fir, Lavender, and Eucalyptus all have this ability, among other oils.
- To minimize the effects of seasonal threats. Specifically Arborvitae and Breathe help here. Peppermint, Lavender and Lemon are also great for allergies.
- Only 1 drop of oil is needed in a diffuser. This means you can use one bottle of essential oil many times a 15ml bottle contains 250 drops.
How to Diffuse
The best way to use a diffuser is to fill up with water add 1 drop of oil and plug into a power source. Most of the diffusers doTERRA offers are ultrasonic diffusers, meaning that they use water to disperse the oil into the air.
If you don’t have a diffuser, there are other ways to enjoy the benefits of diffusing. Try adding a few drops of essential oil to your palms and cup them over your nose while you inhale deeply. This is an easy technique especially when you’re on the go. Or, add some drops of oil to a glass spray-bottle with water and spritz around the room. Add 1 drop to a tissue and pop into the pillows or on a cuddle toy for a baby/child.
The combinations of essential oils you can diffuse are endless. And, like each of you, they are as unique as you would like them to be.
