40 DECEMBER | JANUARY 2018 best health besthealthmag.ca
conscious. For pain, if you’re using something like ibu-
profen, it first has to be digested, then absorbed into
your bloodstream to relieve your sore back or shoulder.”
But oils and conventional medicine are by no means
meant to be a dichotomy and can be used in conjunction
with each other. “When I get a headache, the first thing I
reach for is peppermint oil because I get relief in one
minute, but I still take a pill, too,” says Dr. Qureshi.
Even though these oils are natural, research is still
recommended before making your own concoction.
Cumin oil, for example, is safe in food but can cause blis-
tering on the skin. And, though Clark recommends
marjoram for sore muscles, she cautions against using it
every day. “It actually kills your sex drive and is extremely
numbing, so I wou ldn’t put it in a crea m,” she says. But Dr.
Qureshi says that there is less of a chance of adverse
effects when essential oils are used properly.
Dr. Qureshi advises pregnant women to be especially
mindful of safety: Certain oils derived from celery and
parsley and essential oils of Spanish sage, pennyroyal
and rue contain compounds that can put your pregnancy
at risk. There’s also sufficient evidence to suggest that
oils like cinnamon bark, clove, carrot seed and chaste
tree are unsafe to use during pregnancy. Moms should
take caution, too: “Children have much thinner, more
delicate skin than adults and tend to be extremely sensi-
tive to their potency,” says Dr. Qureshi. She says that oils
should never be given internally to children or used
undiluted on the skin. If used at all, they should always
be diluted twice as much as they would for adults. Some
oils, such as orange, lemon, lavender, camomile and
frankincense, are generally considered safe for use on
children (when diluted), but you should still do a skin
test. And don’t forget to keep essential oils out of reach of
children. Oils like wintergreen can be fatal if swallowed.
Adults who aren’t pregnant need to be careful, too. For
one, you should never ta ke essentia l oils interna lly. A lso,
don’t use them undiluted on your skin: They can lead to
problems ranging from mild irritation to blistering
rashes (or even permanent loss of skin pigmentation).
Always dilute your essential oil with a carrier oil like
jojoba, coconut or almond oil. The general rule is to
dilute the essentia l oil in a carrier oil (three to five drops
of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil). You can per-
form a patch test to check for irritation before you pro-
ceed. If you react, you can have your doctor determine
specifically what you’re allergic to so that you can avoid
it in the future.
Essential oils are worth trying if you’re looking to
innovate the way you relieve what ails you. “When there
is very little potential harm, try using them,” says Clark.
“What’s the downside if you feel that they help you?” bhHEADACHES
TRY PEPPERMINT
WHY It’s antispasmodic and analgesic
CUTS + BURNS
TRY LAVENDER
WHY It has healing properties and is high in antioxidants
(with a bonus calming effect)
ANXIETY
TRY ROMAN CAMOMILE
WHY Camomile is nervine, which means that
it relaxes your nervous system
SORE MUSCLES
TRY BLACK SPRUCE
WHY It is antispasmodic and helps
relieve tension
THERE’S AN OIL FOR THAT AILMENT
Now that you know what they are and how they work, want to try some?
Here are some helpful ways to use them.