From topical to ingested, what is the best use of essential oils when it comes to your body? Since consuming essential oils has both negative and positive elements, finding a method of incorporating essential oils into your body is a must.
The practice of applying oils to the bottom of the feet is gaining in popularity, as it’s often combined with foot reflexology. When using therapeutic grade essential oils, there are at least five important benefits of putting essential oils here.
1. Oils delivered faster through the bottom of your feet
The pores are thicker on the sole of the foot and our legs act like straws sucking up the compounds quickly into the bloodstream. If applied all over the bottom of the foot, the oil can be detected in every cell of the body within 20 minutes!
2. The soles of the feet and the palms of the hand are the only sites on our body without sebaceous glands.
Since sebum is an oily substance it would actually further “shield” the body from absorption of anything. Since the palms and the soles do not secrete sebum, they are more ready to absorb oil. Do not apply oils on “sweaty” hands or feet. Dry them off first so that the essential oil is not repelled by the water.
3. Reflexology
It is suggested that every nerve line in the body ends in your feet. Reflexologists believe that areas on the feet correspond to the body’s organs and systems. The left foot corresponds to the left side of the body and all of the organs and valves while the right foot corresponds to the right side of the body. For example, since the liver is on the right side of the body, its reflex point is found on the right foot.
By including essential oils into the art of reflexology for the feet, you may increase the benefits. It may also allow you to target certain areas of the body just by applying them to the feet.
4. Less irritation and sensitivities
Also, the safety is high when oils are applied on the bottom of the feet with a reduced risk of skin irritation and sensitivities. The skin on the soles of the feet is less sensitive than the skin throughout the rest of the body, allowing us to use even the “hotter” oils (oregano, thyme, citrus oils…) here without the need for dilution.
5. Bypass the liver
When using the foot application, the oils will be bypassing the liver and will not accumulate there. Instead of being processed by the liver, the oils reach the lower bronchial capillaries via the circulatory system and the entire organism unprocessed.