Minimal Precautions required
As with anything, common sense is key and a little knowledge is useful. However, having and using Essential Oils is of less concern than most things you likely have under your sinks, in your medicine cabinet, laundry room and garage.
Fear about using Essential Oils is understandable considering what you may have heard. It is correct to say that true essential oils are very concentrated and potent, which makes their effectiveness is very real. That being said, the likelihood of an adverse reaction is small.
Here's a quote found in an article on National Institute of Health site: "Safety testing on essential oils shows very few side effects or risks when they are used as directed. Most essential oils have been approved as ingredients in food and fragrances and are labeled as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the U.S. FDA. Swallowing large amounts of essential oils is not recommended."1 It simply would not be helpful. Though it likely would not hurt you, it would be wasteful!
If you take time to do the research, you'll find that above quote was directly referencing true Essential Oils, but what is a "true" Essential Oil?'
TRUE Essential Oils Required for Safety!
Whether you plan to use Essential Oils topically, aromatically, internally or for cleaning, the molecules are so tiny, they'll enter your bloodstream. Therefore it is vitally important to purchase steam distilled, pure, organic, therapeutic grade EOs - "true" true Essential Oils.
Per the same article referenced above, "Essential oils are volatile liquid substances extracted from aromatic plant material by steam distillation or mechanical expression; oils produced with the aid of chemical solvents are NOT
considered true essential oils." Note: "volatile liquids" are liquids that evaporate quickly.
To distill EO properly, it takes a lot of the material (flowers, petals or bark) so the process is not cheap. This means that...
To distill EO properly, it takes a lot of the material (flowers, petals or bark) so the process is not cheap. This means that...
Inexpensive Essential Oils are NOT true essential oils. It's possible you may feel some benefit from cheap oils, however, in the long run they can damage your body and overall health - especially when used repeatedly.
Risks when purchasing EOs you think are the Real Deal:
- Very inexpensive oils are never the real deal.
- Yet, an expensive oil does NOT ensure you're buying a true EO - it could just be a marketing scam.
- True essential oils are sometimes stretched with inferior carrier oils - disqualifying it as a true EO.
- Remember, every part of the process is important, harvesting, steam distillation, packaging and shipping.
How To Find "True" Essential Oils
When you're looking for true Essential Oils, do your research and ask these questions. You won't go wrong if you just stick with Young Living because can say YES to all of these:
- Has the soil been pesticide free for at least 50 years?
- Is all weeding done by hand?
- Are there quality control measures in place at every step of the process?
- Is there a Seed to Seal guarantee?
- Are they so well respected NASA chose them for their EO space research?
- Have they worked with the F. D. A. to get approval for ingestible oils?
- Are they sold in mainstream doctors offices and well renowned Naturopathic doctors offices?
- Can YOU visit their farms at any time of year or only at designated times? (so they can be on their best behavior)
- Do they work with multiple third party companies for inspection?
- Is EVERY batch tested?
Regarding Allergies
Allergic Reactions – are very rare because most people are allergic to the pollen of a plant. There is 0% pollen in EOs, therefore most people can use the oils of plants to which they are allergic. Some medical experts have said allergic reactions are not possible with true EOs , however, sensitivity may occur including small red bumps. If you get little bumps on your skin, you may want to try again with greater dilution of carrier oil, however, discontinue use if they persist.
Most people are allergic to the pollens of a plant but not the Essential Oil.
For instance, I (Suzette) am off the charts allergic to Cedar, but I can use the Cedarwood Essential Oil. The first couple of times I used it, I got a headache – just as if I’d been in a Cedar grove, but learned that our mind is so sensitized to things that have previously caused adverse reactions that that the odor alone will cause the same reaction even when the allergen is NOT present. It is a psychological reaction that is not real. After learning this, I tried Cedarwood again and have been using it with no headache ever since. Truly a mind over matter situation - and a little embarrassing for an Essential Oil advocate!
One last note regarding allergies: many people find relief from seasonal issues and other irritations by using Essential Oils. Peppermint, Lavender and Lemon make a good combo. Adding Copiaba to the mix can help if you also experience stuffiness or head pressure. When my allergies are severe, I use this combo in your diffuser, carry a rollerball with me and take a capsule everyday.
Topical Usage
- Topical Use - be sure to dilute with an organic carrier oil - at least at first. It's better to go slow than risk sensitivity. In the unlikely event you are sensitive, just wait a few days and try again with a stronger dilution.
- Sun exposure - citrus oils cause sun sensitivity. Please stay out of the sun if you use citrus oils topically.
- Eyes, Ears and Private Parts – Generally, it is not a good idea to use Essential Oils on these thin membranes. If you do get some in one of these sensitive areas, it will sting and may feel like it's on fire, but, you will be ok. Do NOT flush with water! It will intensify the sensation and cause it to spread. Water will not cause damage but it won’t help.
DO Flush with a Carrier Oil and wait a few minutes - it should subside and you'll be fine. Repeat this process every few minutes. However, you know your body best, if you need medical attention, please seek it. But beware, medical professionals, unfamiliar with Essential Oils, have been known to flush with water, causing prolonged discomfort for their patient.
Are They Safe to Consume
The Vitality line of oils (white labels) have directions for internal and dietary uses. These are in our Vitality line and labeled for "human consumption" per the F. D. A..
What you need to know - the Exact.Same.Oil is in both bottles - whether is has a colored label or it is labeled "Vitality".
ie. a bottle of Lavender EO with a purple label contains the exact same oil as the white label, Vitality Lavender.
Think of it this way, ONE OIL - TWO LABELS.
Why would we do that? It was not our choice! It's an F. D. A. requirement. They do not allow any item to have usage directions for both ingestion and topical/aromatic use on the same label.
Note: Please use Stainless Steel or Glass bottles, bowls and utensils. Essential oils can break down plastics and we wouldn't want you ingesting or being contaminated by those toxins!! PET or PETE plastics are chemical and oil resistant plastics and are safe to use with EOs. You'll find this stamped on the bottom of the container.
Is Diffusing useful for health benefits?
The short answer is YES! When we inhale things, they enter our body quickly. Inhaled EOs have been found in blood samples within 26 seconds of inhalation. So whether it's outdoor pollution, or fumes from paint, glue, candles, or air fresheners - they all affect our health.
There are many diffuser recipes found in our member vaults that you may enjoy, but it is safe to make up your own recipes too! There are a couple of rules of thumb. When placing drops into the diffuser, start with one drop of oil per hour of diffusing. When creating your own recipes, it is best to combine single oils with only one oil blend.
Pets & Pregnancy, Infants & Littles
While most essential oils are safe, a few special considerations should be made when using around or on Pets, pregnant women, infants and littles. Inferior oils have been known to cause harm!
Young Living has a whole line of products dedicated to Pets and we have a Kids Scents line.
Here are some links for precautions on: Pets, Pregnancy, Infant & Littles.
Want more info on one of these subjects? We happily connect members to groups and share sources!
Is It Safe to Clean With Thieves?
Let's talk about cleaning our hands first. Did you know that traditional hand sanitizers and popular antibacterial soaps destroy your skin's microbiome? Just like too many antibiotics destroy your gut, we are destroying the very organ, our skin, that should be our first line of defense against everything that might want to attack our bodies.
Killing the bad stuff is important - germs are what makes us sick! But traditional cleaners kill all the microorganisms, both good and bad! They are indiscriminate and kill everything. Essential Oils are inherently different. They protect the good while killing the bad.
Recently we got the F. D. A.'s approval to change the name of our Thieves Hand Purifier to Thieves Hand Sanitizer with the same labeling as other sanitizers saying it kills 99.99% of germs! This is HUGE! But we ONLY kill the bad stuff.
The same active ingredients, that is in our Thieves Essential Oil, is in all of our cleaning products. We believe it is just a matter of time before we will be able to label all of our Thieves products in the same way.
What's totally amazing is that not only will our Thieve's products effectively clean EVERYTHING, they are actually promoters of good health because the vapors is full of essential oils! Instead of choking on the fumes and wheezing, you'll get a dose of good health as you clean your toilets, kitchen sink, floors, countertops. You'll want to clean everything with Thieves once you give it a try!
Short Answer:
Yes! It is safe to clean with any and all of our Thieves products.
âž• Young and Wholly Living presents information for personal education and to motivate and empower you to take your own wellness journey. Your journey should be based on your own research and partnership with your healthcare provider.
âž• Information provided by Young and Wholly Living and Young Living products cannot be used for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, curing, or preventing disease.
To order Young Living Essential Oils or nontoxic products, please use my link: youngliving.com - thanks!
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