Why I Use Essential Oils Sparingly & Things To Consider for Yourself
It is 3:30 am and all of the sudden you are woken up to the sound of your child crying. You get to their room and find them with a fever, stuffy nose, and slight cough. You try to think of what to do for them. You are just beginning this lower toxin living journey and you have recently heard that essential oils could help your child. You find your newly purchased starter set and try to remember what would be the best in this case and grab what you think you remember being suggested and put it on your child.
My Personal Scare with Essential Oils
This scenario is all too familiar to me. Right before my first child was born I was just beginning my healthier lifestyle. After she was born I was just starting to explore options that were not things I grew up using or had experience with. The first time she got a slight cold I had a friend who I trusted suggest using some essential oils for her cold. I took the essential oils and knew nothing about them or how to use them but had listened to my friend who said I could apply it to her feet. I proceeded to put the essential oil on my child and watched her breathing become more labored. This concerned me and I listened to my intuition to wash off the essential oils immediately. I am so thankful I did this because my daughter had an adverse reaction to the essential oils I had placed on her. In that moment I learned it is vital to take caution with essential oils and if I wanted to use them I needed to educate myself.
Essential Oils and Their Power
Essential oils are many times talked about as powerful, amazing, natural solutions to multiple problems. And they are when used in the correct way. However, with that power comes the potential for harm even though they are natural. Essential oils definitely have their place and I still use them and enjoy them but my usage of them has altered since I have learned and researched about them more.
Things to consider before using essential oils:
- There are oils that should not be used around children – peppermint, eucalyptus
- It is vital to dilute essential oils, they should never be used directly on the skin and there are proper levels of dilution for certain products.
- Essential Oils should NEVER be ingested (unless under the supervision of a certified professional)
- Certain Essential Oils are photosensitive and could result in burns
- Pets cannot tolerate essential oils in the same way people can
- We need to think about the sustainability of their usage
These are just a few areas to think about before using essential oils. I strongly encourage you to do research before you begin using essential oils. Some great resources to begin your research are Robert Tisserand.