Students can develop ever-changing emotions in college and must learn to cope with them.  There are natural options.

Health and wellness consultant, Julie Berry, will be hosting an essential oils talk on campus through the Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention program.

Essential oils are naturally scented liquids extracted from plants. There are many benefits to using them. 

“Whether the stress is brought about by late-night study sessions, tests, jobs, sports or extracurricular activities, essential oils can be a great de-stress and [make you] feel more alert,” Berry said.

Berry added that college students experience much more than stress. 

“Students encounter a never-ending barrage of germs and viruses that coexist around them,” she said. “The daily routine of taking care of themselves and trying to find out who they are can be a monumental task.”

Essential oils help with mental fatigue, lack of concentration and poor memory, according to Berry. Boosting mental energy is vital for maintaining productivity in school.

Berry said essential oils can be used topically, internally and aromatically. Topically, oils can be applied anywhere on the body. Internally, oils can be ingested by adding drops to beverages or dropped directly in the mouth. Aromatically, oils can be ultrasonically diffused, or simply held up to the nose and breathed in.

Essential oils can transform lifestyles through minimizing exposure to negative toxins, helping to reduce stress and negative emotions, and increasing intake of essential nutrients. They can also be a natural and effective substitute for some medication and improve the wellness of the mind and body, according to Berry.

Among the countless uses of essential oils, Berry has a few favorites.

“[I] drink two drops of lemon oil in my morning water,” she said. “[I] wash dishes, hands and laundry with products made from thieves oil, diffuse throughout the day and before or during sleep. I apply lavender, frankincense, lemon oils on [my] face before bed.”

Berry is a wife and mother of two boys and has incorporated oils into her household.

“Our active family lifestyle is focused on strengthening our bodies through nutrition, exercise and the power of essential oils,” she said.

Quality matters when choosing the right brand of essential oils.

“Young Living Essential Oils and other Young Living Essential Oil-infused products have supported, strengthened and maintained our family’s overall wellness,” she said. “They have truly become essential to our way of life.’ ”

Senior and health science prehealth professional major Reem Brikho has received a preview of essential oils through her integrative holistic medicine class.

“Not only do essential oils aid as stress relievers, but each scent has a specific use in health,” she said.

As Brikho is looking for a way to destress, she is interested in giving essential oils a try.

“I would use essential oils for relaxation and a stress reliever,” she said. “I would choose the lavender because it helps with that.”

Berry will be discussing the complex topic of essential oils in more depth when she speaks at OU in March.

To contact Berry about essential oils or attending call (248) 245- 5011 or email [email protected]