The Daily Turn On! Refresh with essential oils

Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Every Monday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will provide you with ideas and tips to awaken your mind, your body and your life as you journey through each day of the week! Check in each Monday to get your tip for Turning On every day of your life.

Essential oils have long been used for medicinal purposes. Did you know it is speculated that Mary Magdalene used essential oils for natural healing? It is commonly known these types of oils have long been revered by many natural healers for their soothing and balancing properties. Essential oils may also be used for your mind and spirit, as well as your body. This week we will look at various ways to enhance our lives through the power of essential oils.

Scent is very powerful. The olfactory system has a unique and direct relationship with the brain. One end of the scent organ is in the nose and the other is in the brain. Messages from the other senses--sight, touch, taste and hearing--are all passed along nerves to the blood-brain barrier, a protective membrane around the brain, where they are transferred to a different set of nerves inside the brain. This allows for some degree of a weakened perception; however, this does not happen with the sense of smell, which is why aromas are so powerful.

Essential oils are derived from aromatic plants. Essential oils are incredibly concentrated: it takes 30,000 roses to make one-half ounce of essential oil, which is why even just a small amount can be quite pricey.

You can also create wonderfully refreshing bath products. Try out a few of the following recipes. They make wonderful gifts for your friends, family and of course yourself!

Bath & Shower Oils

• Add four to six drops of grapefruit, bergamot, lemon and eucalyptus to almond or grapeseed oil (1 drop per ml. of the vegetable oil).
• Add one teaspoon to a warm bath (after the water has stopped running) Or, massage the same ratio of essential oil to almond or grapeseed oil directly onto your skin for an extra moisturizing treatment. Never apply essential oils directly to your skin without diluting with other oils as they can really irritate or burn your skin.