Soon after we met my dear friend Jamie -- and immediately after he realized she could stand up to some good-natured ribbing -- my husband began to tease her about her use of essential oils, which she substituted for perfume, medicine and a whole host of other things. He wondered aloud whether she might not be a closet witch, considering the "potions" she mixed and drank for headaches, rubbed on her arms to keep bugs away and even dabbed on her dog's face when he got an abcess from scratching. He teased her the most when she suggested we try them, too.
But at some point, we did . . . and now we're hooked. Tea tree for facial breakouts, lavender for cooking burns, thyme spritzed in the bedroom when we're fighting off colds -- and there is no gastric sin that cannot be atoned for with a spoonful of honey stirred into a cup of warm water and a mere drop of peppermint.
They smell amazing, of course; they work beautifully; and I feel so much better about turning to plants for healing instead of chemicals.
In case you're curious, here are the products that first made me think about it, and here is the book that convinced me to take the plunge. There are remedies for everything from bruises to baldness (never tried the latter, but I guess it's worth a shot!)
But at some point, we did . . . and now we're hooked. Tea tree for facial breakouts, lavender for cooking burns, thyme spritzed in the bedroom when we're fighting off colds -- and there is no gastric sin that cannot be atoned for with a spoonful of honey stirred into a cup of warm water and a mere drop of peppermint.
They smell amazing, of course; they work beautifully; and I feel so much better about turning to plants for healing instead of chemicals.
In case you're curious, here are the products that first made me think about it, and here is the book that convinced me to take the plunge. There are remedies for everything from bruises to baldness (never tried the latter, but I guess it's worth a shot!)
