It’s time for one of my favorite shows! Our listener Question & Answer show! All month long, we have listeners submit questions to us and we try to answer as many as possible. So, without further ado, here are this month’s inquisitive questions.

• What are the best essential oils for helping deal with anxiety?

Orange, Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Ylang Ylang.

Orange has been proven to help reduce overall anxiety and anxiousness by 35% when inhaled, by helping the body to reduce its cortisol response. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone.

Lavender has a calming and sedating nature. In studies it’s been shown to have the same affect on the brain as anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazepine class drugs, like Valium, Ambien, and Xanax. It increases the production of the brain’s neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA. This amino acid causes the brain cells to slow down their activity. As some of us have heard, benzodiazepine-based drugs are highly addictive, so Lavender EO is a fantastic alternative.

Roman Chamomile has been used for centuries for creating an atmosphere of calm. It calms the emotional response associated with anxiety. It also supports the release of anger and negative emotions associated with past events.

Ylang Ylang helps to balance the body’s male and female energies, allowing the mind to focus and not be distracted. It also promotes confidence and self-love. This EO is specifically for helping you to stop crying.

All of these EOs can be used together or separately, as needed in your diffuser. It’s important to smell these EOs. You can also put a drop in your hands, cup over your nose and inhale deeply. And most are also, with the addition of Patchouli and Tangerine, part of one of my go to oil blends for anxiety. Young Living’s Peace and Calming.

• Back to school is on it’s way, how do you use Essential Oils to help with Lice?

Tea Tree (Melaleuca), Citronella, Pine and Lavender

Tea Tree is the number one EO for Lice. Applied topically, it will kill the eggs or nits. Add a dozen or so drops to a small bottle of water and spritz throughout the hair focusing on the scalp or mix with olive oil and rub throughout the hair. Put on a shower cap and leave on for 12 hours. Shampoo, rinse and repeat for another 12-hour cycle. Then the nits should be dead and loosened from the hair and easier to comb out. Be careful when using on your little ones younger than 6 yrs old.

Lavender is a great alternative when your little ones 6 and under are affected by lice. Follow the same directions as you would with Tea Tree EO. You may need to do one extra 12-hour cycle to make sure everything is dead, then do your wet combing. The most important thing is to remove all the nits, because they take up to a week to hatch.

Citronella and Pine are great repellants for Lice. A simple mix of either EO in a water bottle and spritz through the hair on regular basis will ward off any lice. If you wear a hat frequently, you can add 1 or 2 drops to the inside rim and it will help prevent infestation, too. But both EOs are skin sensitive, so careful when using with your little ones.

• What Essential Oils will help with Leg Swelling?

Tangerine, Cypress, and Copaiba

Tangerine and Cypress both have the ability to help support the reduction in fluid build-up anywhere in the body. Apply directly to the area of swelling every day until the swelling is reduced. DO NOT go in the sun after application as Tangerine is phototoxic. You will burn severely. It would be best to apply these oils at night before you go to bed.

If the swelling is do to inflammation, add Copaiba to the mix, This EO is my number one oil for support the reduction of inflammation.

If the swelling is more generalized, take these oils internally in a gel cap on a daily basis until swelling is reduced.

• Which Essential Oils help balance Estrogen in your body?

Clary Sage, Sage, and Ylang Ylang

Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang are estrogen balancers. If there’s excess Estrogen in your body, both of these EOs will help to distribute it evenly and get rid of what’s left. Apply them topically to your neck along your thyroid area, along your lower back, across your liver and kidney area.

Sage EO mimics Estrogen in your body. So, if your levels are low, use Sage as a substitute to help regulate your levels. Use two to three drops in a gel cap on a regular basis until Estrogen levels return to normal.

When having hormonal problems, a change in diet to a more healthy, whole food-based diet will greatly improve overall hormone levels, as most processed foods contain soy which is a huge enemy to Estrogen.

• When Lavender doesn’t work for sleeping, what other EOs will?

Lavender with Valerian or Myrtle

Sometimes, Lavender by itself isn’t enough to sooth your mind. Sometimes your body is overactive in other areas, besides your mind.

Valerian is an overall central nervous system depressant. When inhaled, it reduces the activity of the central nervous, causing the body and mind to relax. Add in the soothing properties of Lavender and you’ve got a great bedtime combo.

Myrtle EO has wonderful sedative qualities. Used in combination with Lavender, it will allow for overall emotional and mental soothing to help you get a better and more complete night’s sleep. Myrtle helps you to release negative emotions that maybe blocking your sleep cycle and it’s said that Myrtle helps if your insomnia is related to hormones.

Start diffusing 30 mins before your bedtime to give your mind time to start to relax.

• What Essential Oils work great for Rashes?

Lavender, Tea Tree, Peppermint and Roman or German Chamomile

Lavender is super soothing on inflamed skin and works wonderful to reduce the redness associated with rashes.

Tea Tree is excellent for stimulating the healing process, but it in it’s self can be an irritant to the skin, so use with a carrier oil, such as almond or grapeseed oil.

Peppermint is wonderful for soothing itchy skin related to rashes.

If the rash is related to an allergic reaction, then grab the German or Roman Chamomile. They’re both considered anti-histamines and will help the body start blocking the histamine response that is causing the rash.

Any and all of these EOs can be used separately or together to treat any rash symptoms. Use them topically and if you’re dealing with sensitive skin, always use a carrier oil.

Well, that’s all the questions for today! Thank you so much to our listeners for all these wonderful questions!