Are Essential Oils safe for us?

[marti]

I might have asked this before.. can't remember. I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with Essential Oils? In my desperate attempt to find relief from pain and anxiety, I've bought these oils and tried them. Sometimes they kind of make my nose burn and I cough a little. I throw them out, buy them again and keep trying everything and anything to feel better. Maybe it's just my out-of-control anxiety and phobias that are giving me doubts and fears.

So has anyone with MS used these things safely and successfully? Am I just wasting my money, time and sanity on this hope?

[zilphia01]

check with google

Some essential oils are okay to ingest, others are very dangerous.

Some essential oils are okay to breathe, others can damage the mucous membranes of your nose, throat, lungs.

Some essential oils are okay to rub on your skin, others.....

you get the picture.

I use my boyfriend Google.... he knows EVERYTHING...... making sure the site you are going for the information is respectable. Remember anyone can post, so I stick to .edu sites, or medical sites, and I find it useful to make sure the information is on more than one believable sites.... and of COURSE listen to your body. If you feel bad after using the oil, STOP.

[Mamabug]

I really like the concept of essential oils and using a natural product. But, I'm pretty new at it.

There are different ways to use essential oils. The person I purchased them from suggested mixing them with a carrier oil and applying them topically. I really don't like that method. One for weight loss, belly fat, liver health, I need to slather all over my abdomen and liver area. Another one, for sleep, goes on the bottom of my feet, etc.

It's just yucky and messy.

So, I'm beginning to read up on other ways to use essential oils. I'm not experienced with any yet.

But, you can do your own reading and share your observations with me if you find something successful.

http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/...essential-oils

[marti]

My biggest problem with any med or supplement is that I scare myself. If you ask questions on Google ( which I do ) you end up with tons of pros and cons and get all mixed up and end up throwing everything away and just enduring the symptoms.

Then later I start ordering again, based on reviews on Amazon and whole cycle starts over again. I NEVER ingest the oils! I have a feeling they are probably ok for most things and actually work to a point. But I'm so medicine-phobic that I question everything I put in my body. Including food. This anxiety is probably my most major problem now. In the last 15 years I have acquired so many autoimmune problems and so many health issues that I believe the anxiety comes in a package deal.

So right now I'm trying some of them again, but I'm so afraid I will use them in the wrong way. Mix them wrong, use too much, too little... whatever.

Thanks guys.

[Mamabug]

... This anxiety is probably my most major problem now. In the last 15 years I have acquired so many autoimmune problems and so many health issues that I believe the anxiety comes in a package deal...

I also believe anxiety is very related to chronic illness. I find that it works both directions.

• My MS, like you, makes me more anxious about things that I would not have been anxious about in the past.
• When I am stressed, my stress triggers MS flares sometimes. In fact, most of my flares can be traced back to a time when I am either experiencing anxiety, physical (health related) stress such as illness, or even "good stress" such as anticipating a happy event.

I encourage you to develop some stress management techniques, or even stress reduction or stress prevention. I find that I've become able to greatly reduce the negative stresses that I experience. I haven't been successful, yet, at avoiding some of the flares that occur around holidays or vacations, that are caused from "good stress".

[marti]

I also believe anxiety is very related to chronic illness. I find that it works both directions.

• My MS, like you, makes me more anxious about things that I would not have been anxious about in the past.
• When I am stressed, my stress triggers MS flares sometimes. In fact, most of my flares can be traced back to a time when I am either experiencing anxiety, physical (health related) stress such as illness, or even "good stress" such as anticipating a happy event.

I encourage you to develop some stress management techniques, or even stress reduction or stress prevention. I find that I've become able to greatly reduce the negative stresses that I experience. I haven't been successful, yet, at avoiding some of the flares that occur around holidays or vacations, that are caused from "good stress".

MAMA.. I wish I knew how to control my stress. Every day brings something new to worry about. My husband is kind of a ticking bomb healthwise. I am trying to take care of him and am pushing my own issues aside. Not good. I know there are things we cannot control and no amount of worry is going to help. But... my mind never stops twirling. Hence... insomnia. You are right... holidays are the worst. We mothers feel responsible for everyone's happiness. We try to make holidays almost perfect for everyone and all the different personalities. My family is NOT demanding. They help all they can and they know when to leave me alone. But as a mom I want to make them all as happy as I can. My body is 65 and feels older. But I still remember all the things I used to be able to do and I still try to move like I did many years ago. So... I end up hurting myself even more.

I absolutely LOVE your posts. You never fail to help me. Thanks.

[Mamabug]

MAMA... I wish I knew how to control my stress. Every day brings something new to worry about...

One of my strategies is that I've learned what to say yes to and what to say no to. If I think it will be stressful, I no longer feel guilty about saying no. That goes for requests from other people and also for the "shoulds" that I think I should do.

I've decided that saying "no" is a health management strategy. I don't feel guilty about taking my Copaxone, so I shouldn't feel guilty about decreasing stress either.

I've also mostly discontinued cooking and housecleaning. We eat most of our meals out and bring home leftovers for other meals. We eat very little fast food, but try to keep costs reasonable by using discount coupons, for example, at a local diner.

I hire a housekeeper twice a month. I wash and dry laundry,pick up clutter, and load the dishwasher in between. But, he dusts, vacuums, tidies clutter, takes care of the dishwasher when he's there, folds the laundry that I've washed, etc. Takes a lot of stress off of me.

When we have company, I do cook some, but plan simple meals that don't take much preparation.

... my mind never stops twirling. Hence... insomnia ...

I sing to myself at night. Kind of like a lullaby, I guess. It helps me sleep. The song that I use the most often is I Cast All My Care Upon You.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgXlbM_xXOM It reminds me not to worry.

I absolutely LOVE your posts. You never fail to help me. Thanks.

Awww; you're sweet. Thanks.

...

[foxglove]

I am glad you aren't ingesting essential oils. I see all of these threads going around with people talking about putting essential oil in drinks to flavour and it gives me the chills. They are NOT safe to ingest unless under the supervision of a licensed doctor and even then, many wouldn't suggest it.

I do think Mamabug's comments about learning to say no is important. That is something I have been working on for the past 5 years, even before my diagnosis, and I think it has helped. Unfortunately for me I already was carrying a crazy amount of stress in my body before diagnosis, since then it's just gotten worse. I don't even remember what it feels like to not be stressed any more. Thankfully now that I recognize that, I can work on tackling it.

I am reading a book from a friend called Full Catastrophe Living by John Kabat Zinn. It is a staple in the mindfulness based stress reduction community. I have a hard time focusing (ADD!) but am looking forward to getting through it. It also comes with a cd with some guided meditations!

UCLA also offers free guided meditation through their website. Both for computer and on your phone!

I have been trying to drink Tulsi (holy basil) or Lavender/Chamomile tea on a more regular basis. Organic India has many different types of Tulsi tea, I use their Tulsi sleep and it is very good for relaxing me at night. I think the more regularly you drink calming herbs like this the more ob..vious the effect is. I have also used Scrappy's lavender bitters in soda water at work when I feel my anxiety and stress levels peaking. That has worked well for me in the past.
I have heard magnesium can help. I haven't tried it. There are other herbs and supplements I take when I am suffering extreme anxiety as well.

Inhaling essential oils out of the bottle could definitely burn your nostrils, they are very potent. Usually its good to get a diffuser and put a few drops in to fill a room with the scent.
If you are inhaling them from the bottle make sure you are keeping a good distance between the bottle and your nose.

There are a lot of natural companies that make things like roll on natural mild fragrances with different oils. I might try that instead? Putting a little on the wrist or under the nose when you're stressed.
Badger Balm also has a wide range of balms available for energy and stress. Very clean company.
A balm or a roll on might be good, you can carry them easily and it just takes a second to apply.
Also you could find or make pillows with calming herbs inside of them. Those are sometimes nice for before you go to sleep.

Try to take time to stretch and reflect at the end of the day. It's hard when you are the type of person that is always anxious and always in your head, I know I am.

I have just started a daily gratitude journal. It sounds super cheesy but a few of my friends have started doing it and one said if you can take time to write three things you are grateful for every day for a month that somehow it rewires the brain to think more optimistically. I don't know how true that is, I'm just going off of opinions, but I figured it couldn't hurt. Hard to think of things to write when you're always stressed. Hoping it does something.

I also find exercise to be good for stress reduction, in whatever way you can.

It's hard to know how to destress when you can't even remember what your body feels like when it is relaxed.
I'm just kind of hoping that everything I am throwing at it will start to have impact.

Just some of the stuff I'm trying or have tried in the past.
Hope that helps a little!

[poppydarling]

I might have asked this before.. can't remember. I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with Essential Oils? In my desperate attempt to find relief from pain and anxiety, I've bought these oils and tried them. Sometimes they kind of make my nose burn and I cough a little. I throw them out, buy them again and keep trying everything and anything to feel better. Maybe it's just my out-of-control anxiety and phobias that are giving me doubts and fears.

So has anyone with MS used these things safely and successfully? Am I just wasting my money, time and sanity on this hope?

Marti I'm sending you many virtual hugs ((((()))) I know the stress of feeling like the answers are all in our hands – I guess that's better than feeling they're all out of our hands, right? But just know that you're doing the best that you can.

I highly recommend going into a shop that specializes in holistic foods and body preparations, like Whole Body/Whole Foods. Staff there are very helpful, and their stock is always super fresh, which is important with essential oils.

I also recommend a book like The Fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Ann Worwood. She is a trained aromatherapist and the book is packed with fantastic advice and recipes for building your own combinations for every conceivable ailment. When I lived abroad and was a walking bundle of stress, I used this book every day. It got me through many stressful times!

I also second the recommendation of Jon Kabat Zinn and his books, like Mindfulness for Beginners. My therapist recommended him to me and I have found mindfulness along with meditation nearly eliminates my anxiety.

[Mamabug]

...

So has anyone with MS used these things safely and successfully? Am I just wasting my money, time and sanity on this hope?

I used to slather them on my body, using a "carrier oil" to dilute them and make them safe. I hated messing with that. Recently, I purchased a diffuser. I bought a good brand name, so it wasn't cheap. But, it will likely last a lifetime. I love the way it makes the room smell -- like an air freshener except very natural.

[Waydwnsouth1]

Because of all the medications we, or at least I, take I don't take anything OTC without first consulting my Neuro or PCP. It's just not safe. Even some supplements can be dangerous. But then again maybe I'm just being paranoid.

But it is something to think about. That could why you're having some of the reactions you are having. Just a thought.

[Mamabug]

I really like the concept of essential oils and using a natural product. But, I'm pretty new at it.

There are different ways to use essential oils. The person I purchased them from suggested mixing them with a carrier oil and applying them topically. I really don't like that method. One for weight loss, belly fat, liver health, I need to slather all over my abdomen and liver area. Another one, for sleep, goes on the bottom of my feet, etc.

It's just yucky and messy.

So, I'm beginning to read up on other ways to use essential oils. I'm not experienced with any yet.

But, you can do your own reading and share your observations with me if you find something successful.

http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/...essential-oils

Instead of using a carrier oil to "slather" my essential oils on myself, I add some drops to "Zum" body lotion and put them on that way instead.

I also purchased a diffuser and I add some drops in there and use it, mostly during the night in my bedroom for health reasons, but sometimes during the day in other parts of the house to make the house smell nice.