Quality
of Essential Oils
Therapeutic
grade essential oils represent a safe and natural alternative approach
to healing the body. Because of their chemical structure, they are
metabolized in the cells like other nutrients and, unlike many synthetic
drugs with their expense, unwanted complications and side effects;
oils don’t accumulate in the body since they evaporate and dissipate
quickly.
The perfume industry has been producing fragrances for centuries that
mimic the natural aroma of essential oils. Sometimes they extract
certain molecules from an essential oil and at other times they produce
synthetic chemicals that have a similar fragrance but molecularly
are quite different from the original oil. When synthetic chemicals
(solvents or other substances) are added, essential oil quality becomes
weaker and weaker. Adulterated or synthetic oils do not have healing
properties, and worse still, may cause rashes or other skin irritations
even if diluted.
The last place to find quality oils is in supermarkets or even health
food stores. When you pick up lavender oil for $5, be assured that
it is not quality oil. Even if you check the Internet for references
to web sites willing to sell “therapeutic” grade essential
oils you have to be discriminating and examine their materials for
references to whether their oils are tested for quality. Young Living
Essential Oils is one company that certifiably tests and offers top
quality oils as well as provides customer education.
Oils are nature’s natural medicines and need to be respected
for their potent healing properties whether inhaled, ingested or rubbed
on the body. Care must be taken to know the source of the oils and
the processes whereby the oils are obtained. It is helpful for users
to be aware they are highly concentrated and need to be used properly
to prevent harm. Users also need to be knowledgeable about their individual
healing abilities and proper usage to obtain their full benefit -
physical and spiritual.
Pure grade essential oils to be used therapeutically must come from
a known source, where the reputation of the company and their quality
standards are high. While there are as yet no American standards for
therapeutic grade essential oils, there are international standards
that state percentages of certain constituents must be present for
an essential oil to be considered therapeutic grade.
The two most referred to are ISO and AFNOR, the International Standards
Organization, and the Association French Normalization Organization
Regulation respectively. In order to gain the AFNOR stamp of approval
for instance, oils must be sent to France for gas chromatography testing.
Check to see if your essential oils are marked with either of these
standard symbols.
There
are various schools of thought regarding how essential oils are applied.
The various methods emphasize either using the oils through inhalation
(German), dilution for body massage (English), directly (neat) on
the body or taken internally (French). The French model seems to have
the most experience with using unaltered essential oils therapeutically
becoming world leaders in a new but very old healing practice. Aromatherapy
became a specialized study in medicine for the French. Aromatic plants
and their essences have the potential to the forefront of preventive
medicine in our times.
What
Are Some Uses of Essential Oils for Today?
