I knew little to nothing about essential oils 4 years ago and am so glad I discovered them. My caregiver for my second child's pregnancy introduced me to diffusing oils when I was put on bed rest. They were very relaxing and though I do not think they are the reason I was able to go off bed rest after 2 weeks, they definitely helped and gave my family many other benefits.
One of my favorite reasons to diffuse the oils was that certain oils have traits that help them to kill any bad bacteria in the air making it less likely for our family to get sick. I enjoyed diffusing them so much that I decided to do some extra research. As I read books and research from so many different places I fell more in love with the amazing power of essential oils.
When I read about people saying that there is no research done on essential oils it is kinda funny to me. There is more literature and research out there than people seem to realize... and its a lot. For a list of a bunch of resources see my other post called "Research On Essential Oils?" where I put a few of my favorite references along with a longer list of research based more strongly on scientific and medical studies.
Most people I talk to don't know that in France the Medical Doctors actually prescribe Pharmaceutical Essential Oils. I found this so interesting because here in America they are not even close to being covered on any type of insurance program and its rare to see them in a doctors office. It turns out that in France there was a lot of research done on the level of their effectiveness vs. other pharmaceuticals and in this they looked heavily on what chemical compounds the essential oils contained. All oils contain these components (though in different amounts - therefore giving different results according to the ailment and what is used for its medicinal therapy): Phenols, Aldehydes, Estragol, Ketones, Monoterpenes, and Monoterpene Alcohols. These components in proper dosages cause chemical reactions that can help jump start the body into healing. The french government decided that if it was being prescribed than they needed all the oils to follow very strict guidelines for these components. Sadly, when the oils are altered (even when it is for a good cause) it actually does not work as effectively as the unaltered oil does according to the literature and research by Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.
Essential Oils have been around for thousands of years, really since the first plant grew. They are truly the "essence" or "being" of the plant that they come from. Hence the name essential. If plants did not contain these oils within themselves they literally would not have an immune system to survive and would die off. This is why it is such an amazing thing. We get to help our immune system and body by providing help from an alternate form of an immune system. I know that may sound kind of silly, and it is simply my own interpretation from all my research, but it is very true that using outside elements such as certain oils, food, and herbs (all derived from plants by the way) can help strengthen our immune systems greatly.
On that same note, everything that is taken into our bodies should be taken with a strain of caution and some research. Yes, people seem to show less side effects from using essential oils than from using pharmaceuticals. However, that does not mean that one should not need to gain some knowledge about what they are doing before they do it. If you are on a medication than there are many oils that won't react with a lot of many medications, but there are some that will react badly. This is why it is so important to become well informed and talk to your doctor. Most doctors in America don't know much about essential oils and therefore are afraid of using them. This is why it is nicer to have a Naturopathic Physician. They are trained and have the authority to give pharmaceutical & natural prescriptions (although these doctor visits and their natural prescriptions aren't covered by insurance here in America yet).
Also there are some oils that are not good for people. They can be very harmful instead of helpful. I will definitely post a list of these in the future, but it is important to inform oneself before the use of any oils or any other type of care too (be it natural or medically based care). When purchasing oils be very careful. Laws for essential oils have a lot of loop holes. ...Continue Reading in Part 2...
To Read Part One Click Here: Essential Oils a Scam? Part 2
To Read Research on Essential Oils Click Here: Research on Essential Oils
Essential Oils have been around for thousands of years, really since the first plant grew. They are truly the "essence" or "being" of the plant that they come from. Hence the name essential. If plants did not contain these oils within themselves they literally would not have an immune system to survive and would die off. This is why it is such an amazing thing. We get to help our immune system and body by providing help from an alternate form of an immune system. I know that may sound kind of silly, and it is simply my own interpretation from all my research, but it is very true that using outside elements such as certain oils, food, and herbs (all derived from plants by the way) can help strengthen our immune systems greatly.
On that same note, everything that is taken into our bodies should be taken with a strain of caution and some research. Yes, people seem to show less side effects from using essential oils than from using pharmaceuticals. However, that does not mean that one should not need to gain some knowledge about what they are doing before they do it. If you are on a medication than there are many oils that won't react with a lot of many medications, but there are some that will react badly. This is why it is so important to become well informed and talk to your doctor. Most doctors in America don't know much about essential oils and therefore are afraid of using them. This is why it is nicer to have a Naturopathic Physician. They are trained and have the authority to give pharmaceutical & natural prescriptions (although these doctor visits and their natural prescriptions aren't covered by insurance here in America yet).
Also there are some oils that are not good for people. They can be very harmful instead of helpful. I will definitely post a list of these in the future, but it is important to inform oneself before the use of any oils or any other type of care too (be it natural or medically based care). When purchasing oils be very careful. Laws for essential oils have a lot of loop holes. ...Continue Reading in Part 2...
To Read Part One Click Here: Essential Oils a Scam? Part 2
To Read Research on Essential Oils Click Here: Research on Essential Oils
