Page 4 - Using Essential Oils For Aromatherapy And Health Enhancement

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1.1 What are essential oils, the dangers and benefits?

Essential or ethereal oils are generally distillates of plant flowers, leaves, branches or
roots, containing the fragrance and other water soluble substances from the plant. These
are often the plant substances with the health enhancing or scents for which the source
plants are known for. Unlike the cooking oils which have stable molecules and are called
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“fixed” oils, essential oils are called “volatile” oils, because they consist of molecules so
unstable, they oxidize and get changed quickly when exposed to heat, air, and light,
resulting in them being unusable.
They are highly concentrated preparations, and this is why using too many drops in oral
usage can reverse the positive effects and cause a bad reaction. This is why it is used
diluted with water or other oils, as described in chapter 1.3. It is also why you should
first check if you are allergic to the essential oil you intend to use by placing a drop of
it on the inner side of your forearm, and waiting to see if there is any redness or swelling,
or other internal reactions, which would mean you are allergic to the selected essential oil.
When applying topically on one's skin the quality of essential oil used, purity and organic
ingredients, should be satisfactory, so the oil does not contain insecticides and other
poisons, and this is best guaranteed by making your own from organic farmed plants.
Essential oils must not come into contact with eyes. Even when coming into contact
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with skin, some of them will create a strong burning sensation and you will not be able to
easily wash it out.
People with high blood pressure should not use essential oils before consulting with
their assigned medical specialist. Be extra careful with dosage in this case.
People with epilepsy are not allowed to use essential oils.
To be on the safe side, do not let pregnant women and small children use any
essential oils. Keep essential oils out of kids’ reach!
Ingesting essential oils, using for food and drinks, even those viewed as generally
safe up to 2% of concentration, and even in diluted form, and not going over the 2
drops of diluted essential oil maximum per day, is not advised unless recommended
by an appropriately trained practitioner (aromatherapist), even then there is no
guarantee they are “food grade”, and it is not known how they affect liver and gut
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flora.
Undiluted essential oil must not come into contact with your mucous membranes
(lips, mouth, tongue, nose insides, ...). If you must use essential oils on these areas,
use a mild dilution with a vegetable oil, with up to 0.1% concentration!
Elderly people should be careful when using essential oils, if you decide to use
aromatherapy, lower dosage, dilute more, and always consult medical doctor first.

1.2. What is aromatherapy?

Using the strong fragrances and ingredients of essential oils for improving your mood,
breathing and health is called aromatherapy.

In aromatherapy three forms of application are known, the essential oil can be used for
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disinfecting air and making it have a scent (Aerial diffusion), for respiratory decongesting