Oh suh-nap! I am about to be totally obsessed with essential oils. Ok -- about a year ago I posted on Facebook that  I was lamenting over the smell of three humans of the male variety plus two animals of the four-legged variety stinking up the entire house. Several of my FB friends recommended a simmering pot of water with a few drops of essential oils as a cure. It definitely worked, but being the absent-minded person I am, I've nearly burned down the house many, many times. Much to my husband's chagrin, it was a risk I was willing to take to combat their funk . Anyway, I digress (as usual).

A few weeks ago, while in Arizona, my friend introduced me to these great essential oil diffusers and her Family Essentials Kit of oils. What sold me was the book she showed me that listed seemingly every ailment from A-Z and what oil (and how) you could use to make it feel better. Well, I was already a lightweight believer -- if you've ever heard my ethereal lavender angel cures psychotically crying Harrison infant on the plane story, you know why (if not, maybe I will write a blog about it)-- so my youngest son Nas and I were looking forward to the kits' arrival. Well it came a few days ago.

Nasir has been using the essential oils religiously day (lemon and orange mostly) and night (lavender for sleep) since then. Until today, I've mostly been enjoying his enjoyment. But today I woke up from a nap with migraine threat. You know -- you don't have a migraine yet, but you're just not quite right, the world is extra loud and you might be nauseas in about five minutes. Of course today was a super busy workday and migraine was not on the schedule (o-KAY!).  So I pulled out the A-Z book.  It said peppermint oil on the inner wrist, temples, forehead and base of skull as one of the options.  I did it.  I am not exaggerating -- 15 minutes later I was on my way to a meeting and migraine threat was completely gone. COMPLETELY GONE!!!! Whoa! As I type this, I'm diffusing some soothing blend for good measure. I am like totally stunned and totally sold. Wow! Where have essential oils been my whole life?! This A-Z book is about to get WORN OUT!

Of course I posted about it on my Facebook page and basically all of my friends were like, uh YEAH!  One friend said she began using peppermint oil 9 years ago for her migraines and has not taken a headache pill since.  What?!!!

Amazing -- I have to admit, my physician-skepticism has been full-fledged until now, but many of these oils have good data including randomized controlled trials.  If you're wondering about any oil in particular, you can check out the NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) website and search.

So yep, I am totally sold!