Living Magazine English Living Magazine 2016 | Page 31

Take Lavender, for example. Multiple studies show that
Lavender essential oil offers far more than just a pleasant
smell. Inhaled Lavender oil has been shown to directly
affect the brain’s serotonin system,1 upregulate antioxidant
enzymes,2 and maintain open airways.3 All those volatile
chemicals can enter our nasal passages and begin to interact
with our physiology almost instantaneously. It’s one of the
ways essential oils are so powerful.

Another key to essential oil chemistry lies in the delicate
balance of components. A drop of essential oil is like a snapshot
of the plant’s unique makeup and environment. All of the
chemicals in the essential oil (hundreds of chemicals, in some
cases) play some role in the plant’s physiology. And all of
those components make a complete oil that’s unique, like a
fingerprint—and that’s far more than the sum of its parts.
We don’t fully understand the synergy of essential oils.
We know that in many cases, an oil contains a handful of
main active components—players like pinene, eugenol,
limonene, linalool, and carvacrol—and a whole host of “trace”
components. Sometimes these are precursors or reaction
products of the main players. Sometimes these are just
individual chemicals thrown into the mix—a little of this, a
dash of that, all contributing to an amazing final product.
The interesting thing is that multiple studies have illustrated
the synergy of essential oil components. One recent study,
for example, took seven essential oils and tested their
antioxidant properties, comparing those results against the
same tests run with the single most abundant component in
each oil. The study found that an oil’s antioxidant capability
can’t always be traced to one main component. Often, it’s the
supporting “trace” chemicals that modulate and interact with
each other in ways we don’t yet realize.

Humans evolved with plants. Our physical makeup is based
on the same organic molecules. We’re subject to similar
environmental stressors and threats. It’s therefore no surprise
that the chemicals developed by plants for protection and

environmental adaptation are powerful agents within the
human body, too.
Unlike chemicals manufactured in a lab, essential oils change.
They adapt. They morph into whatever chemical cocktail will
best support the plant’s survival. It is this adaptability tha