For years, Rachel Kass, a healthcare worker who spends long hours on her feet, had struggled with varicose veins. Seeking relief, she was able to have surgery which dramatically improved the varicose veins but ultimately brought on the debilitating pain of neuropathy. Some days, the pain was so great, she was nearly unable to walk. The pain would often radiate up her spine and into her head resulting in headaches and exhaustion.

Unfortunately, her physicians were unable to find the right medication to reduce her pain because Kass was either allergic or would experience unbearable side effects. After many visits, it was determined that she had invisible pain (pain that doesn't have any obvious signs or symptoms that are noticeable to people other than the patient) and it could not be safely treated.

It was not until Kass was introduced to essential oils that she found relief. “The oils not only addressed the discomfort I was experiencing,” explains Kass, “but they also had a positive effect on my mood.” Additional essential oils helped her find deeper rest and increased energy. She was so impressed with her results that she wanted to learn more about how these oils could support overall health and wellbeing. What she learned is helpful information for anyone seeking relief from pain and other ailments.

Do your research when purchasing essential oil. Currently, there is no accepted standard or regulatory body that ensures the purity of essential oils, so look for a reputable company that ensures the purity of the product. Study their research and ask questions—what you learn may be surprising.

Understand where your essential oil is coming from. Oils come from plants that are grown by farmers and how they are grown and harvested matters. Look for those that are organically grown whenever possible. Understand how the plants are harvested as the efficacy of oil can be greatly impacted by something as simple as the time of day it is picked. All the steps of the process matter and the company from whom you are purchasing should this information.

Kass was able to find a product that included a blend of oils to help relieve the symptoms of neuropathy, including frankincense, turmeric, and ginger to provide relief from aches and pain, and wild orange and peppermint to increase energy. The addition of a blend with lavender, coriander, and fennel reduced anxiety and improved her physical and mental resiliency.

As a healthcare worker, Kass understands the importance of a healthy immune system. A blend of wild orange peel, clove, black pepper seed, and eucalyptus helped her and her family make it through the last 18 months with virtually no cold or flu symptoms.

Rachel Kass is a healthcare provider with the Fairview Health System. She is a strong proponent of both allopathic and natural health and strives to help people incorporate the best of each to support their wellbeing. In this vein, Kass cohosts the weekly podcast, Infusion Health, with husband Cris Patrick. For more information, visit LoveInfusionHealth.editorx.io/mysite.