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Can I use Essential Oils in my diffuser?
This question comes up SO often from friends, and even family – and most of all, it happens primarily at this time of the year when kids are coming home with the crud from school and adults are having to battle with the transfer of that crud to everyone in the house.
In order to understand the answer to that question, we need to talk about each one – diffusers AND humidifiers.
Diffusers break essential oils down into tiny particles using cold air and spread them in the air . In turn, we inhale them through our nose and all of those tiny particles work hard in our body to help us breathe better, help with hormone balance, help improve our mood and more.
Using Essential Oils in a diffuser goes FAR beyond smell.
What does diffusing actually do?
When you inhale them through your nose, tiny nerves send an immediate signal to the brain; at that point in time, the brain immediately goes to work on the systems that moderate your mind and body.
Inhalation is the most direct method of nurturing components in essential oils: the chemical messengers in the nasal cavity have direct access to your brain.
Essential oils have the ability to pass the blood/brain barrier and penetrate membranes allows them to reach the emotional center of the brain in seconds.
What are the benefits of diffusing?
- Boosting the Immune System
- Cleansing the Air
- Help you Relax
- Set the Mood
- Benefit many people at once
How do you diffuse? Do you diffuse all day? How much oil do you use? And how fast are the oils absorbed?
ALL of those questions are valid ~ and the answer is that diffusing essential oils is great for the body. Some diffusers will run for 3 hours, 4 hours, and some up to 8 hours. The Young Living Home Diffuser can run intermittently for 8 hours and diffuse every 30 seconds.
Simply add 4-5 drops of Essential Oil (or, your favorite blend) to your diffuser, add distilled water, and turn it on.
As amazing as diffusing is for the body, it’s best to diffuse intermittently or, for short periods of time to allow your body a chance to absorb the essential oils.
Can you diffuse essential oils in your humidifier?
I wouldn’t suggest doing that for several reasons:
Essential Oils can break down plastic – and most humidifiers are not designed with the same type of strong, durable plastic that diffusers are. Humidifiers are made to handle water. Although some oils may be less strong than others (Lavender vs. Citrus Oils), they should never be used in plastic that is not designed to withstand their properties.
Humidifiers cannot run intermittently – they run, or they don’t. You have no way to set a timer on a humidifier so it runs nonstop. Our diffuser runs for 30 second bursts, for a total time of 8 hours. It’s great because it gives your body a chance to really absorb the oils without overwhelming your system.
Some humidifiers use warm air and not cold – and this is rather important to know because heating the oils can affect their therapeutic properties.
Diffusers are ionic nebulizers – not only can they disperse your oils into the air for max benefit to your body, they cannot break them down into small particles, which is actually the most beneficial for your body. Though I will say that *some* diffusers can serve many purposes – humidifier, diffuser, nebulizer – you just have to find the right one!
In the end, diffusers are best
It might be tempting to put essential oils in your humidifier, but please – don’t do it. Not only can you ruin your humidifier, you run the risk of wasting precious essential oils to something that won’t break them down in a way that your body can benefit the most.
Cold air diffusers are the best option for diffusing essential oils – and in some cases, certain diffusers may serve as a diffuser, humidifier and nebulizer in one.
The Young Living Home Diffuser does just that – we have one in the kitchen, living room and in each of the bedrooms.
Young Living’s new Home Diffuser, with its rose-inspired design, combines a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one simple-to-use product that safely releases essential oils into the air to eliminate odors and create a relaxing atmosphere.
Young Living’s home diffuser is offered as part of their premium starter kit, too – along with 11 additional essential oils. Pick up this Young Living Starter Kit Diffuser Combinations, too!
This month, Young Living is offering FREE Christmas Spirit when you pick up the Premium Starter Kit AND get 24% OFF your future oil purchases.
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