When it comes to essential oils, safety is always a top priority. Here are some tips to keep you safe while using essential oils:
Essential oils are a great way to relax, and a growing body of research has found that they might have health benefits for your body and mind. Like anything else, however, essential oils can cause problems if used the wrong way.
That doesn’t mean that you should let the dangers of misusing essential oils put you off trying them. Instead, let this article be your guide on how to avoid the most common essential oil mistakes.
Use Essential Oils For The Purpose They Were Sold For
Utilizing essential oils incorrectly is one of the most frequent blunders people make when using them.
Since essential oils are so concentrated, they might not contain all of the characteristics that you associate with the plant from which they were extracted. Additionally, essential oils from various plant parts might have diverse effects. In addition, the body’s numerous organs each have a unique capacity for processing.
For these reasons, it is not always a good idea to assume that essential oils you purchase for topical applications can be ingested or that you can add drops of essential oils you purchase for aromatherapy to your bathtub.
Dilute Your Essential Oils
The misuse of essential oils at incorrect concentrations is another frequent error.
Although essential oils are highly concentrated, they still need to be diluted for optimal application. If essential oils aren’t adequately diluted, they may irritate.
The instructions for diffusers or bottles of essential oils typically provide information on how to dilute the oils to prevent issues. There should be dilution guidelines for essential oils used for massage or consumption.
Keep Out Of Reach Of Children
Just like any other potentially harmful substance, essential oils should be kept out of the reach of children and animals.
Children and animals are most likely to misuse essential oils, and they may also react more severely to the oils, especially if they are used undiluted.
The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy has also composed special recommendations for using essential oils around children.
Be Aware Of Any Pre-existing Conditions
It is possible to be allergic to essential oils, and there is reason to think that aromatherapy, especially with certain essential oils, may trigger symptoms in people with asthma, especially people with severe atopic disease.
If you are allergic to a plant that essential oil is made from, the essential oils may not trigger an allergic reaction. Talk to your doctor before using essential oil from a plant that you are allergic to — or from a plant that is related to a plant that you are allergic to – for ingestion, and aroma therapy.
Consider testing the diluted essential oil on a small area of skin before applying it to a larger area before applying an essential oil topically, such as for a massage or in the bath.
Try To Buy Quality Products
Low-quality essential oils’ impurities may increase your risk of experiencing side effects. A crucial step in avoiding these problems is to purchase your essential oils from a reliable supplier. However, since essential oils are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as pharmaceuticals, finding a trustworthy company can be challenging.
However, if a product results in enough issues, authorities may issue statements to alert customers. You may find out if a company’s products have caught the attention of watchdog organizations by Googling them before you purchase them.
The personnel at a nearby health and wellness store that specializes in selling essential oils may be able to point you in the right direction.
Asking your doctor if they can recommend any brands isn’t going to hurt you, but essential oils aren’t used in medicine frequently enough for every doctor to be familiar with the top brands. Before purchasing essential oils, it can also be a good idea to do some thorough research online and in books.
Read The Box Or Bottle
There should be instructions on how to use the essential oils on the label, as well as additional warnings and advice to help you avoid misusing them, no matter what you purchase them for or who manufactured them. The same is true for tools like diffusers that make it easier for you to use essential oils.
While there are many general guidelines for using essential oils in this article, you can find more information about safety tips for using essential oils in Your Aromatherapy Handbook.
