Last Updated on November 25, 2025 by Joyce Runyan

Many Health IQ viewers are interested in taking charge of their own health, especially in the areas of nutrition and stress management. Lots of people are also willing to explore natural alternatives to a modern focus on pharmaceuticals.

 On this episode, Brenda sat down with Joyce Runyan, a self-professed aficionado of Essential Oils, to discuss her own long experience with the oils for a divers range of maladies.

Joyce told the story of her introduction to essential oils years ago. Her husband had pulled something in his back that left him in a great deal of pain and practically unable to move. As it was on a weekend and no doctor’s offices were open, they tried everything recommended by friends and family, including the use of cold/heat packs and over-the-counter pain killers, to no avail. Desperate for a solution, she called a friend who was into essential oils and brought home some samples to try. The application of two blends, called Valor and Panaway, brought astonishing, nearly instant, relief.

This was enough to make Joyce investigate further, and she soon became an enthusiastic advocate. She herself had suffered in secret for many years with chronic back pain, which led to the dangerous over-use of things like Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen. She, too, found quick relief with certain oils, until, presently, she lives pain free.

Of course, these are merely anecdotes that describe her personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice, but the viewer is encouraged to investigate further. The information surrounding essential oils and their potential benefits is not scarce.

Brenda asked about how an interested person should choose a brand of essential oils to try. Joyce pointed out that it is much like learning to read the labels on the back of foods at the grocery store.

One should seek a high level of purity in the oils. Some commercial brands cut the pure stuff with filler oils in order to lower the retail price, for instance. Pay attention to the process of harvesting the oils as well. Are pesticides used while growing the crop of Lavender, for instance? Joyce advocated use of oils obtained through a “cold” pressing method, as the application of heat may seem to help with the yield obtained, but may also damage the plant oils.

In this area, the old adage may be quite true: You get what you pay for.

The good news is that there do seem to be a few options for getting high quality essential oils, although Joyce is partial to the Young Living brand.

Another tidbit of good news for those just exploring: essential oils are non-toxic. You can’t overdose on them. They will not poison you if you swallow them, although the experience may not be pleasant, due to the fact that some oils are very “hot” in the sense of potentially causing burns on the skin or eyes (a decent website or guidebook to their use will be sure to warn you about these hot oils, and how to make them safe).

Brenda was curious about the range of maladies that may be addressed with essential oils, but they really only scratched the surface, focusing mostly on pain relief in this episode. Here is a very small, representative list of things people have found help for with essential oils:

Arthritis; Bladder Infection; Cancer; Digestive issues; Ear infection; Fatigue; Gallstones; Hemorrhoids; Insect bites; Joint pain; Kidney stones; Liver disorders; and, Measles. There are multiple dozens more.

Joyce shared the content of her essential oils “first aid kit” that she carries everywhere in her purse and why.

               Lavender – Generally good for anything skin related, like insect bites, cuts, or burns.

               Purification – A blend for combatting the onset of colds and flu.

               Raven – A blend that provides relief for headaches and muscle pain.

               Eucalyptus – Helps with breathing issues including hay fever and allergies.

               Digize – A blend that helps with digestive issues like nausea or gas pain.

Joyce went on to say that people are routinely amazed at how quickly an essential oil may bring relief. However, they are not magic and are not miracle cures. Sometimes they don’t do what you wish they would. But, again, the good news at this point is the non-toxic nature of the oils: If one doesn’t do anything for that wasp sting or your headache, there is no danger in trying another.

It also seems that an oil that may have consistently helped you in one area can stop working after some time, and so the solution is to try to the next one recommended.

They also talked about reference materials that are specifically focused on the treatment of pets and other animals with essential oils.

The bottom-line recommendation is to acquire information for yourself if you are thinking about exploring the use of essential oils. To that end, the podcast published a recommended book list that included the following:

Essential Oils Integrative Medical Guide by D. Gary Young, ND

Essential Oils Pocket Reference from Life Science Publishing

Essential Oils Desk Reference of Animals from Life Science Publishing

Watch this podcast here: Tapping into Nature’s Pharmacy: the Truth about Essential Oils