To Ingest or not to Ingest?

Is it safe to ingest is the number one question I receive from my clients. It is also the number one question debated by essential oils enthusiasts and CCA's (Clinical Certified Aromatherapist). Let me try to explain why.

First, let me be upfront, I do not promote ingestion of essential oils. With the studies I have undertaken to learn how to use them safely and understand the effects they have on our bodies, I can't with complete confidence advise clients to ingest essential oils. I would need a medical degree to achieve this confidence.

Essential oils are natural, but that does not make them safe! Just because they are FDA-approved does not make them safe! Why is this, you ask? Well, you need to understand the ratings used by the FDA.

To be FDA-approved, drug companies must present clinical evidence that the supplement is safe for humans. Since there is little clinical testing done on essential oils, the companies can't supply the standard tests needed to be FDA-approved. However, the FDA can approve it as GRAS, Generally Recognized as Safe, or FDA-compliant. Oils marketed for internal use are FDA-compliant because they labelled the bottles correctly. These oils are no different than other oils and are not FDA-approved. The FDA does not approve or regulate essential oils.

"I 've been ingesting oils, and nothing has happened to me," you might be yelling at me now. That is wonderful, but it doesn't mean nothing will happen. Some oils like Eucalyptus can cause seizures, and side effects from improperly stored oils can cause diarrhea and vomiting. Essential oils can build up in our liver

causing hepatoxicity.

Essential oils are beneficial to us in many ways and can be harmful to us in many ways too. They are highly concentrated liquids that you should only be ingesting if under a practitioner who is qualified and licensed to prescribe such treatment.

Now go out there and do your research. Ensure that the research you're reading is by an independent source and not through companies wanting to promote their brand. Here are some websites to guide you.

www.tisserandinstitude.org/saftey-guidelines/

www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33145540/

www.piper.filecamp.com/uniq/9ZN62pw4DkShNNNS.pdf (page 128)