Transcription:
Essential Oils for Stress and Emotions

Deborah Howell (Host): Welcome to Stoughton Health Talk. I'm Deborah Howell, and I invite you to listen as we get introduced to essential oils and learn how they might help us get a handle on stress and our emotions. This podcast is for education purposes only and does not serve as an endorsement.

Joining me is Valerie Howard, a Certified Essential Oils Specialist. Valerie has been practicing holistic health for herself and family for 12 years. Essential oils are her very, very favorite tool for supporting health. And Valerie, it is a very favorite thing of mine to welcome you. It's such a pleasure to have you with us today.

Valerie Howard: Thank you. I'm excited to be here.

Deborah Howell (Host): Well, first of all, if people have not listened to our other podcast together, can you just tell us in a nutshell what are essential oils?

Valerie Howard: So essential oils, they are compounds extracted from plants. All parts of the plants, we can get them from the fruit of the plant, the stems, the flowers, the bark, and it's basically the plant's immune system. So just how it works for the plant to keep the plant healthy, they work with our body, and they're going to address issues, health issues and emotional issues. They work at their root on a cellular level.

Deborah Howell (Host): And what's the difference between a single oil and a blend?

Valerie Howard: So, a single oil is just going to be one plant. So, that might be lemon oil or lavender oil, peppermint oil. So, it's just a peppermint leaf in that bottle. A blend is when you combine multiple plants into one bottle, so that might be lemon, lavender, and peppermint, all in one bottle, and we call that a blend.

Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. And is there a difference in strength between a single and blend?

Valerie Howard: No, there is not.

Deborah Howell (Host): Is there anyone who really can't use essential oils?

Valerie Howard: No. Everyone is going to benefit from the essential oils. There are some people that might be a little more sensitive, so I would say especially the elderly or any children under the age of six, then you would just dilute the oils heavily.

Deborah Howell (Host): Is there an emotional component? Do you have to be a believer that the essential oils are going to work for them to have any effect?

Valerie Howard: That's a good question. It's hard for people to understand how just smelling an aroma is going to affect their emotions. So if you think about it very simply, we have our olfactory system, which is right above your nose, right on the top of your nose. So when you're inhaling an aroma, that aroma goes up to your olfactory system. It sends it up to your limbic brain and your limbic brain's in charge of your emotions and your memories. So, it actually triggers memories and emotions and helps to balance out things in the brain, which also affects your nervous system.

Deborah Howell (Host): There have been medical studies about this, people who were allowed to sniff oranges that were cut into before taking a test did better than people who did not smell the orange before they took the test.

Valerie Howard: Right. Yep. Same thing.

Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. What have essential oils done for you and your family? I understand your son had an issue when he was a toddler. Can you take us through that story?

Valerie Howard: Yes. He was about two and a half years old. And by that time, he was having frequent meltdowns and a hard time focusing. So, we knew we needed something to help support him through that. So, I made up a blend. I asked a friend who knew more about essential oils back then than I did, and she recommended these four oils that I blend together. And so, it was Serenity, Balance, Wild Orange and Vetiver. They took those four oils, made a roller bottle, which you dilute with a carrier oil. And we would roll that on his feet a couple times a day and then as needed. So if he was having a meltdown or just was having a hard time with his emotions, we would put it on his feet or you could put on the back of the neck. After I would rub it in, you'd have the aroma on your hands and I would just cup that over his face and have him inhale it. He was very receiving to the oils and learned to love the oils from a very young age.

Deborah Howell (Host): And is he still using them now?

Valerie Howard: He is. So, now he's 11 and a half and we've changed up that blend a few times to support him now. He's able to focus a lot better. But yeah, we use the oils all the time and he takes it to school with him and he uses it himself now.

Deborah Howell (Host): Wow, that's wonderful. Do your clients come to you for months and years or just maybe for a couple of weeks while they're going through something like stress?

Valerie Howard: Yeah, months and years. Once somebody experiences the oils and has a good experience with them, they continue using them to support all aspects of their health, physically and emotionally.

Deborah Howell (Host): Yeah. The one that I took, it was probably 20 years ago, but now I'm very interested in them having spoken with you, was called Abundance. I don't know if it was because I believed or it was because of the oil, but I was going through desperate financial straits and it did resolve quite quickly.

Valerie Howard: Yes. Yeah, I love that.

Deborah Howell (Host): Yeah. So, it's not just for respiratory issues, it's also for things like abundance in your life.

Valerie Howard: Correct. Yes, emotional health, mental health.

Deborah Howell (Host): What other things can it be used for?

Valerie Howard: Basically everything. So, we have this saying there's an oil for that. So, I try to help people train their mindset to realize, you know, when they're going through something, maybe their kid fell down and got a scrape, maybe they have stomach ache or a headache or anything going on, always think there's probably an essential for that. And grab your essential oils and figure out which one you need to use, there's going to be an oil to support that. So like I mentioned, digestive issues, any kind of aches and pains, everyday uses.

Deborah Howell (Host): Sure. So, I suppose as a customer, you become a little bit more aware and you get to know what is going to be used for what. But you do have a support system. If a customer has a question for you, they can go to your Facebook group or where else can they go? Can they call you?

Valerie Howard: So, I have customers that actually text and call me daily. Email is another good place. But yes, that's my favorite part of my job, is supporting people. I love when people message me and ask these questions because that means that they're using their essential oils. So, I love to help them figure out which ones to use. We have books, little handheld books that are super simple to use, that you can look up your ailment. It'll tell you which oil to use. There's also an app, so lots and lots of resources.

Deborah Howell (Host): Oh, that's great, and we'll get into your contact information at the end of the podcast. But in the meantime, do you do phone consultations or Zoom meetings as well as in-person appointments?

Valerie Howard: Yes, I do phone consultations. I prefer Zoom or virtual just because I'm a face to face person, but either works. And those are about 30 minutes to an hour and I offer those for free just to teach people about oils and see which oils would be best for them.

Deborah Howell (Host): Now, it's been a really stressful couple of years with the pandemic and the war on Ukraine and inflation and so much more. Do you find a lot of clients are reaching out to you to help them deal with stress?

Valerie Howard: Yeah, I would say, in the beginning of the pandemic a couple years ago, our main oils, the most popular ones, were the ones to boost immune system and support the immune system of course. And then, as it went on, people were really reaching out for anything to support their emotions and all of the stress. So, there are a ton of oils that can be very calming and help to balance out the emotions.

Deborah Howell (Host): Sometimes we can control them. Other times, our emotions control us. Are there certain oils you'd recommend for those times when we're just plain more emotional than usual?

Valerie Howard: Definitely. And what I love about essential oils is you can use them as often as needed. So, what I do is I carry one in my purse, so I have it with me at all times. I have one on my nightstand, kind of having them in reach at all times. And some of my favorite blends would be Adaptive, Serenity, Balance and Peace. Those are four different blends that are all very calming. And it depends on the person, depends on preference. Single oils would be lavender, frankincense, copaiba, magnolia, and rose. Those are all single oils that are very calming and good at supporting my emotions.

Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. And can essential oils be used while you're on medication?

Valerie Howard: They can. I would say they are safe with most medications. But of course, always consult with their doctor.

Deborah Howell (Host): Sure. And what about side effects? Are there any?

Valerie Howard: There are no known side effects. Some people are more sensitive to certain essential oils, just like with anything else, but there's no like long-term side effects.

Deborah Howell (Host): And what about people who are allergic to perfumes and colognes? Can they use them?

Valerie Howard: They can, and that depends on the quality of essential you're using. I only use certified pure tested grade essential oils, which are third party tested to make sure there's no synthetics, no fragrance, no additives, no chemicals, no traces of pesticides or anything like that. So when people are allergic to perfumes and colognes and things like that, that's usually because it's a synthetic fragrance.

Deborah Howell (Host): Do you have a success story you might want to share from a client who came to see you and then the issue was resolved through essential oil use?

Valerie Howard: I have a client who's actually now a friend, and she had been on medication for years just to help her get through some emotions, some unwanted emotions that she was having. While she was using this medication, she just wasn't really feeling like herself being on it and she didn't feel like it was a good fit for her, so she was looking for other options. We started her on essential oils. The two that I recommended to her was Balance, which is one of the calming blends in combination with wild orange. So, she really liked those two together, they go really well together. She started using those and her testimonies and like what she would tell me was amazing. She just felt completely different. She loved the benefits, she loved how she was feeling. And I mean, now until this day, you'll never see her without those two oils.

Deborah Howell (Host): That's so great. Is there anything else you'd like to add to our conversation today, Valerie?

Valerie Howard: Just to not be intimidated by using essential oils. They might sound complicated. But once you start using them, just like with anything else, you get the hang of them and you'll realize how much they really could benefit you.

Deborah Howell (Host): How can people get in touch with you?

Valerie Howard: If you can find me on Instagram at Wellness by Valerie, or my email is wellness@valeriehoward.org.

Deborah Howell (Host): Well, this has been incredibly wonderful, Valerie. Thank you so much for joining us today and informing us all about essential oils. Very exciting.

Valerie Howard: My pleasure.

Deborah Howell (Host): And for more information, you can head on over to our website at stoughtonhealth.com. And that concludes this episode of Stoughton Health Talk. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other Stoughton Hospital podcasts. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a wonderful day.