Three Important Rules of Safe Essential Oil Use

Essential oils are a beautiful and powerful addition to your wellness routine. When you use high quality, pure essential oils, you are working with nature to bring a greater sense of balance to your body, mind, or emotions. Experiencing symptoms of any sort is a sign that the perfectly designed systems of our body are out of whack. Introducing the essential oil of a particular plant, flower, fruit, or tree can help to bring harmony back to that struggling system, relieving symptoms and bringing that welcomed sense of wellness back.

Even though they smell pretty and are super trendy right now, it’s important to know that essential oils are potent chemical compounds that have the ability to promote healing but can also do damage if not used with care.

There is a lot of conflicting information out there and it can be hard to know who to listen to. Clinical Aromatherapists have gone through extensive training to understand the chemical make-ups of these oils and how they interact with different systems of the body, in healing ways and in harmful ways. Books and articles written by Clinical Aromatherapists are always the best place to start.

Here are three important rules to follow for people that want to incorporate essential oils into their wellness routine at home:

Do not ingest essential oils.

Aromatherapy is the healing modality that uses essential oils, and that word clues us in to the primary effectiveness of oils–aroma! The olfactory system (our sense of smell and how it works with our brain) is powerful in how it sends messages to the different systems of the body to create chemical changes that promote harmony and healing. The digestive system is just not the place for essential oils.

Essential oils are extremely concentrated and can be taxing on the organs of the digestive system. They also can do damage to the tissues of the mouth and esophagus on the way down. In order for the components of these oils to enter the bloodstream after being ingested, they would first need to go through the systematic breaking down that is the job of the digestive system. This is just not the most efficient way to get the benefits of these precious oils. So not only is it hazardous, it’s wasteful.

Always use a carrier.

Again, essential oils are highly concentrated. Skin irritation can occur from the chemical components of certain oils when applied directly without a carrier. A carrier can be an oil such as jojoba, almond, or coconut oil, or an unscented lotion or gel, for example. The carrier combines with the essential oil to become a gentler yet effective agent for wellness.

A good rule of thumb for starting to blend essential oils with carriers for a generally healthy adult is to use a 2% dilution. That means for every ounce of carrier, use 12 drops of essential oils. Less is more! If you’re dealing with a significant symptom like a strained muscle or a respiratory infection, this percentage can increase to 5% or 30 drops per ounce of carrier.

Be careful with children, pets, and medicated adults.

Essential oils are great to use for general discomforts and imbalances in healthy adults. Extra care should be taken in their use with individuals that may have more sensitive systems or health concerns.

For children, essential oils should be used sparingly and only after age 2. Diffusing is the safest use for children and even then should be at a low concentration.

Speaking of diffusion, in confined spaces diffusing certain oils could potentially be harmful to your pets, especially cats. In large, open rooms it is usually not a problem but err on the side of caution in bedrooms or other small spaces and keep the animals out. Essential oils should not be used topically on pets unless instructed by a trained veterinarian or specialist.

Although essential oils are wonderful to use when we’re experiencing illness, injury, or discomfort, adults who have significant health conditions, or conditions that are managed by prescription medication should take care in using essential oils. Certain oils are off-limits for some health conditions, including pregnancy. If you are living with a disease or other condition, it is always wise to consult with a professional before taking a chance on an adverse reaction.

With the growth in popularity of essential oils over the past decade, greater education is required. There are a lot of excellent resources available from reputable sources. Have fun with essential oils–they are a beautiful gift from nature! Just be safe and follow these three rules when incorporating them into your own wellness practice.