Can essential oils enhance your fitness program? Absolutely.



If you would have asked me my opinion of essential oils in 2013, I might have responded with a blank stare. They weren't on my radar at that time.



A year later, Vanessa started using essential oils. I was a little slow getting started, and even slower getting behind them.



It's not that I didn't trust my wife. She always does her homework. However, I noticed a lot of people with little experience in health and fitness, saying things that you're not allowed to say about natural products.





The Truth Is Good Enough



One of the reasons I was so skeptical of essential oils was because of the outlandish health claims I saw posted on social media and spoken at events.



Like dietary supplements, essential oils are natural products. They are not drugs.



And yet, I consistently saw people make drug claims about essential oils, claiming they'd cure just about any disease, resolve any dysfunction, and outdo almost any other remedy available.



The claims were irresponsible, often illegal, and sometimes outlandish.



The illegal claims could be considered drug claims, a major no-no according to the FDA.



The irresponsible claims made essential oils sound like the only thing you needed to use in order to be healthy and live longer. Never mind the importance of diet, exercise, and good lifestyle choices.



The outlandish claims sometimes sounded like new age hocus-pocus, such as "essential oils eliminate negative energy in your environment."



I'm not saying people shouldn't passionately talk about essential oils, supplements, or other ways of improving one's health. What I am saying is that they shouldn't play doctor, promote pseudo-science, or suggest that using essential oils is the main step in improving health and wellbeing.



To that end, this article is about using essential oils to enhance your health and fitness program. I will not refer to disease states or suggest oils for treating chronic conditions.



If you've ever been turned off from using essential oils by what someone said about them, I hope this article turns you back onto using them. If you've ever exaggerated their benefits, I hope this article helps to ground you in what they're capable of. The truth is good enough.



Like Supplements, Essential Oils Do Best With a Solid Base of Support



Somewhere between my skepticism, and the over-the-top claims I saw on social media, I found the middle ground. There's no longer a day that goes by when I don't use a handful of different essential oils in some way.



I also understand their limitations.



No essential oil makes up for a lousy diet, a lazy lifestyle, or a lack of sleep.



Before you'll experience the full benefit of essential oils, you need a solid foundation of health to start from.




Eat a high-protein diet



Strength train at least four days per week



Sleep a minimum of seven hours each night



Supplement with the Foundational Five




If you've read my book, The 3 Pillars of VIGOR, you'll recognize the first three.



Will you get some benefits from some essential oils without a consistent commitment to the points above? Perhaps.



But part of my goal each time I write is to avoid blowing smoke.



Anyone who suggests you can achieve great, long-lasting health just by using a supplement or essential oil is either knowingly lying, or doesn't understand what it takes to get fit and healthy.



If it seems like there's a tinge of irritation in those remarks, your perception is accurate.



I'm tired of people getting lured into gimmicky exercise, diet, and supplement programs that promise way more than they can deliver.



Ok. Soap box session over. Let's get into how I recommend using essential oils as part of your fitness program.



My First Essential Oils Experiment



Vanessa started using essential oils in January, 2014. In March, she asked if I'd be willing to try an essential for male hormone support...