Monday, December 14, 2009

Skeptic about Essential Oils? So was I


A friend of mine turned me on to essential oils a while back.  I have to admit I loved the aromas- lemon, peppermint, lavender, lemongrass.  Ok, so being the skeptic that I am about these kinds of things, I first had to get past my concerns about Essential Oils safety and the concern I had that folks who use these oils think it may cure everything from a sore throat to cancer. When people go overboard I tend to stay on the ship, and take 10 steps back. And what about self-diagnosing that seems to be done? I'm not a aromatherapist and what does that mean anyway?
So, I started reading books from my local library. I found so much information and thank goodness a lot of opinions on these matters were the same, so it seems more reliable to me.  Here were my initial questions swirling around in my head.
  • What is a Essential Oil, really?
  • How do they get the oils from the plants?
  • Can anyone grow plants/distill oils?
  • Do they have a shelf life?
  • Are they safe for children and older people? 
  • Can you be allergic to essential oils if they are "natural"?
  • Safety/FDA approved/Tested/Proven/Toxicity?
  • How to know which brand is best and most effective
  • Can you take oils internally?
  • Use in other countries more commonly/taken seriously as a preventative option for healthcare
  • Disclaimers
  • Self Diagnosis
  • What is Aromatherapy?
  • What is a Certified or Registered Aromatherapist?
  • Do some oils interfere with drugs/medications?
  • How do you know the quality and purity of a essential oil -how to buy the best?
  • What precautions should you take, are some oils actually bad for you?
  • What about oils for pets?  Is it safe
I will look into all of these concerns individually.  Check my new site for a continuation and exploration of these topics regarding Essential Oils which I'll have up soon, stay posted!