How to Cook Curries and Keep a Sweet Smelling Home

Do you have a slow cooker? I love mine, and cranked it up this morning so I could have a nice vegetable curry ready and waiting for dinner.

But while I love curry for dinner, I don’t love the house smelling like curry. (There’s a reason why people don’t sell Curry-Scented Air Freshener. Or Salmon-Scented, come to think of it.  And typical commercial fresheners are laden with toxic ingredients, so who wants to inhale even the nice smelling ones?)

It’s an easy fix, though, by following the German model of essential oils usage: inhalation. (The French model is that of ingestion and neat/undiluted oil application, and the English model is that of diluted application through massage for relaxation and relieving stress. More on those some other time. Right now, we have an urgent curry problem to deal with!)

Diffusing essential oils changes the structure of odour-creating molecules rather than just covering them up — so it helps remove the smell rather than temporarily masking it.

It’s important to use a cold-air diffuser rather than putting the essential oils in a burner, because heat changes the structure of the essential oil molecule and not only lessens its therapeutic value, but can even create toxic compounds. And you want to reduce the toxic compounds at home, not increase them.

Cold-air diffusers work by atomising a microfine mist of essential oils into the air where they can remain suspended for hours, working their therapeutic magic and neutralising unwanted smells all the while. Young Living has a range of diffusers available: some work by pumping air through essential oils, others work by using ultrasonic frequency to atomise cold water with essential oils added. (Click here for help if you’d like to order one or head to the contact page if you have questions.)

My favourite Young Living blend for diffusing while cooking is Citrus Fresh™ with its orange, tangerine, mandarin, grapefruit, lemon and spearmint. Citrus Fresh™ is clean and fresh-smelling, and high in ‘feel-good’ citrus oils so it’s good for happiness as well.

If you’re travelling or don’t have a diffuser, you can still achieve good results by adding several drops of your chosen essential oils to one cup of purified water in a spray bottle. Shake it well each time before you spray and mist it high into the air throughout your home.

If you’re thinking diffusing sounds like a good idea and wondering if it’s ok to do it even when you aren’t cooking, you’re right! Don’t just save diffusing for specific occasions — it’s one of the most user-friendly and simple everyday ways to use essential oils around the home.

If you want to tell me about your favourite essential oil for diffusing or your best curry recipe, I’m all ears.  Please reach me via the contact form.

Enjoy the good oil daily.

The information on this site does not constitute advice. Please consult with your health practitioner. When using any of the products mentioned throughout this site, please be sure to read the labels and follow their suggestions for safe use. Image © Young Living Essential Oils | Used with permission