Being Safe with Essential Oils: The Truths, Lies, and Myths Every Clinical Aromatherapist Needs to Know

Being Safe with Essential Oils is a much needed reference for aromatherapists and consumers alike looking for natural methods of supporting health and wellness. It is packed with common sense information on how to use powerful essential oils properly and safely. The history of using essential oils for mind, body, and spirit goes back probably 10,000 years but in recent years we have become alarmed at the lies and myths that have been promoted about these natural “medicines” of the earth. We have been taught that they are dangerous in the hands of ordinary people and should always be diluted or prescribed by medical physicians as they are in France. Or, that they be heavily diluted for massaging the whole body as is taught in English approaches. Linda Smith gives a balanced view of the truths, lies, and myths we should all know regarding essential oils. This ebook provides tables indicating which oils are to be avoided and which ones used with caution. She debunks the scare tactics of toxicology and describes safe routes of administration plus addresses safety concerns with using essential oils in pregnancy, with homeopathy and interference with pharmaceutical drugs. To summarize, she gives a common sense approach to rules for safety. Smith addresses reactions to essential oils and explains why you cannot be allergic to a properly distilled genuine essential oil. But can you have a reaction to an essential oil? YES. There can be skin irritations, sensitization or photosensitivity to certain oils. The quality of essential oils is a major concern—not all essential oils are therapeutic so she provides some important questions to be asked of the companies that produce essential oils. For aromatherapists, there is important information on how to measure toxicity. Accidental poisonings have occurred with children and small pets primarily in the U.S. and Australia. If a child drinks a bottle of wintergreen or eucalyptus, it could be lethal. Smith shows you how to figure out oral toxicity levels. Plus, wondering how to adjust the amount of essential oil to be used for a child or the frail elderly? Charts give dosages that are age appropriate. This ebook is well referenced and give an extensive reading list. Be safe with your oils!