ESSENTIAL OILS AND HOW TO USE THEM

Let’s start with the basics: what is an essential oil? For those of you who are not aware an essential oil is the concentrated natural oils found in plants extracted through a distillation process. What might this be used for? The list of things I use my essential oils for is never ending. Some examples are: room fresheners, steaming my floors, cleaning my counter tops, laundry, mouth wash, baths, topical treatments, and bug spray. Essential oils are a big part of my life and were integrated into my lifestyle years ago before I even had much knowledge on them. For someone like me who is very sensitive to chemical scents, essential oils provide me with a way to experience fragrances without the side effects I would normally get.

Essential oils have active ingredients that can actually help add value to everyday things, for example some oils such as tea tree have an antibacterial property to them, which makes them great for cleaning or adding to mouthwashes. Some oils such as lavender have a calming effect and can be used in baths or to diffuse into the air to help you sleep or relax. Essential oils are a great addition to your routine if you’re looking for a boost.

Navigating the world of essential oils as a newbie can be intimidating! I can be hard to know what to look for or even how to incorporate it into your life based on your needs. To get you started with some of the basics we got in touch with Dana Clark, local  Certified Natural Health Practitioner and owner of From the Roots Holistic. Dana has an incredible knowledge of natural treatments including essential oils and was kind enough to give us some of her recommendations!

What should I look for when shopping for essential oils?

I want to know that the plants the oils are made from are grown in native soil and harvested in the proper season, this will yield a better spectrum and concentration of the constituents that make the oils therapeutic. I need to see Latin name listed so I can be assured of correct botanical species. I want to be sure the oils are produced using the proper methodologies, ie… cold pressed and steam distilled and the name and contact of the distillation company. After quality has been established I look at pricing, in general but not always low price point is often an indicator of poor quality oils but that does not justify some of the prices out there for oils.

How can I use oils to my advantage?

For health use, top of the list is it’s use for relaxation, mental health, and sleep. They are wonderful alternative for skin conditions such as dermatitis and acne and have been used traditionally in skin formulas before the popular use of “fragrances”. Essential oils can also be used to reduce pain and may be helpful when dealing with symptoms of viral & fungal infections or as preventative measures. Also when using these oils we have to keep in mind application methods, she suggests “in general I recommend essential oil scented bath salts, diffusing with a nebulizer, personal massage rollers, salves, and steam inhalation, all safely formulated and used responsibly of course.

Can essential oils be dangerous?

Essential oils are concentrated medicines and need to be treated with respect and care. Using them unsafely can cause reactions instantly or eventually with repetitive use or improper use. Poison Control reports have gone up with the popularity of essential oils and most of it is linked to using the oils undiluted (they need to be diluted 99% of the time), ingesting the oils (don’t do this unless you have gotten directions and the go ahead from a qualified health professional), and not storing the oils out of the reach of small children (some of these oils smell so good you just want to gobble them up and a child will do that).

Another thing often overlooked is contraindications, some oils are not safe for certain individuals do to their medical history (medical conditions, allergies, medical treatments, and medication), and their life stage (infant, child, pregnancy, senior). Just like any medicine one should always consult with a qualified health practitioner to be sure the oil you intend on using is safe for you and how to safely use the oil.

Who should I talk to to see if essential oils are right for me?

Go to the person with the formal training and expertise on the subject, look for local Herbalist & Aromatherapist and book in with them privately or see if they offer classes and programs.

If you’re interested in learning more about essential oils Dana has teamed up with Jenn from Zen Fitness and they are offering a program May 12th for Mother’s day. It is an afternoon event of Essential oils, yoga, and more. To find out more on Dana Clark and what she has to offer you can check out her website www.fromtherootsholistic.ca