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Your Newsletter for Health

1. Essential Oils. Are they safe?
2. The Pain Scale - be able to communicate the severity of your Pain
3. The Difference Between Drugs and Nutrition Supplements for the treatment of Neuropathy
4. Underlying Causes of a Sluggish Thyroid Gland

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Essential Oil Safety (and Are Essential Oil Diffusers Safe?) by Dr. Josh Axe

Below is an some information about Essential Oils with lots of FAQs that you might have. McVitamins likes what it is finding using these oils. It is not the fragrance that makes you feel better - essential oils are the naturally occurring compunds that exist in plants and protect them in their natural environment. They have been used for thousands of years by all cultures as plant medicine.

Remember you can always email or call us 888 758-5590 or 818 252-1038 if you have quesitons.

We will also soon have another McVitamins website for you that will help you learn more about using oils and tell you where you can order the best brand that we find.

Read what Dr. Josh Axe has to say:

Essential oils have been shown in studies to have very few negative side effects or risks when they are used as directed. But given how popular essential oils have become in recent years, and how many different brands of oils are now available, it’s not surprising that there’s some growing concerns regarding essential oil safety.

Are essential oils bad for your health? After reading the information below, I believe that you’ll agree that no, essential oils are not generally dangerous. Overall, there’s good evidence that essential oils are both safe and can be a powerful, healing tool in natural medicine.

That being said, there are different methods of application that are most appropriate for each essential oil, so it’s important to do your research and buy high-quality oils in order to use these products safely. Essential oils may be applied on the skin (dermal/topical application), inhaled, diffused or taken internally, but it’s not always safe to use every oil in all of these ways. Some precautions are necessary, and certain oils should NOT be used topically, internally or by people with certain sensitivities.

Are Essential Oils Safe?

A key point to understand about essential oils is that they are very concentrated, meaning you only need to use a very small amount to experience results. Essential oils must be used with care and labels must be read carefully so that guidelines are always closely followed.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding essential oil safety:

Should essential oils be used externally or only topically on skin?

Depending on the specific oil, they can be used in both topically or internally. When applying oil to your skin, it’s usually best to dilute about 2 to 3 drops of pure oil with a vegetable oil that serves as a “carrier oil.” Mix a small amount of the essential oil with equal parts of coconut oil or jojoba oil and then apply to your skin over the affected area that you’re treating. Some of the best locations on the body to use essential oils include on your neck, temples, wrists, over your abdomen, chest and the soles of your feet. Essential oils should never be applied to the eyes or ear canals.

Are essential oils safe to inhale?

Yes, most essential oils are safe to inhale or diffuse. You can diffuse about 5 drops in an oil burner of diffuser, or inhale the oil directly from the bottle for several seconds.

Is it bad to inhale essential oils if you’re already sick?

Inhaling certain essential oil vapors can actually help to improve recovery if you’re congested, dealing with a cold or if you have seasonal allergies.

For example, rosemary, peppermint and eucalyptus oil can all help you breath more easily and manage symptoms of respiratory conditions. You can also add 10 drops of oil to boiling water, put a towel over your head and breathe in the aroma for 5 minutes
.
Are essential oils safe when used internally and ingested?

This depends on the specific oil. Certain essential oils have been approved as ingredients in food and are classified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Is it safe to drink essential oils?

You can use very small amounts of certain essential oils in water or tea, such as lemon or ginger oil, but in general you should use precaution when taking essential oils internally.

Are essential oils safe during pregnancy?

Infants, toddlers, young children and pregnant women are all are more sensitive to the effects of essential oils. It’s necessary for pregnant women to avoid using some essential oils all together because the oils can have stimulating effects on the uterus, pose risks to the fetus, affect blood pressure, or simply because not enough research has been conducted to show that certain oils are definitely safe.

Due to increased sensitivity, some oils will also need to be avoided by children, women who are breastfeeding women, and the elderly. It’s important to read labels carefully before using any oil if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or giving oils to your children.

What essential oils are good for you and safe if you are pregnant?

Some that you can safely use include: lavender, bergamot, chamomile (German & Roman), frankincense, geranium (safe after first trimester), ginger, grapefruit, juniper, lemon, sandalwood, orange, and ylang ylang. Diffusing oils aromatically is a safe way to use essential during pregnancy because it doesn’t have as strong effects as using the oil on your skin or internally.

Are Essential Oil Diffusers Safe?

Given how popular essential oil diffusers have become, you’re probably wondering about the safest way to use one. Here’s what you need to know about essential oil diffuser safety:

Essential oil diffusers are used to vaporize oils, releasing small amounts into the air. The same safety concerns regarding inhaling essential oils also apply to using oils in a diffuser.

Overall inhalation is considered a very safe method of using oils that poses a low level of risk. It is very unlikely that the concentration of any essential oil will rise to dangerous levels due to vaporization.

Do not diffuse oils around newborns, babies, young children, pregnant or nursing women, or pets unless you are sure they are safe.

If you have allergies, asthma or a similar condition you may find that diffusing essential oils, which have strong fragrances, may trigger respiratory a reaction. Stop inhaling or diffusing essential oils if this is the case. Oils that can be less irritating when inhaled include peppermint, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus and chamomile.

Use a diffuser for about 30–45 minutes at a time for the most effectiveness. Don’t leave your diffuser plugged in overnight. Fill up the diffuser with a appropriate amount of water and read the directions carefully.

You may want to purchase a diffuser that has an automatic stopper after about 20–30 minutes of use, which means it will turn off on its own if you forget.

Keep all essential oils away from flames (candles, gas, etc.) as they can be highly flammable.

Make sure your home/room has good ventilation. Open up windows if the fragrance becomes too intense.

Don’t add carrier oils to your diffuser, which might cause it to break. Periodically clean your diffuser with soap and warm water to help it to work effectively and to prevent mold or bacteria from accumulating.

Best Ways to Use Essential Oils
Essential Oil Safety Tips for Your Skin

Always perform a small patch test to make sure you are not allergic to an oil before using it on a larger section of your skin, or taking it internally. Stop use immediately if irritation occurs.

Avoid application on open or damaged skin, wounds, burns or infected scrapes. Damaged or inflamed skin is often more penetrable and may be more sensitive to dermal reactions.

Safety Tips When Using Essential Oils Internally:

Read labels carefully to make sure the oil is appropriate to use internally. Check the warnings for each oil before ingesting, and only consume essential oils that are Certified USDA Organic and labeled as dietary supplements.

Use only very small amounts of oils internally, about 1–2 drops at a time, up to 2–3 times daily.

Only use 100 percent pure oils, since using adulterated essential oils increases the likelihood of an adverse response.

If you’re currently taking prescription or over the-counter medications, whether taken by mouth or used on your skin, keep in mind that using essential oils at the same time can increase a drug’s side effects.
Always talk to your doctor if you have any safety concerns regarding medication interactions. People taking heart medications, such as blood thinners, should avoid using clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, rosemary, sage and thyme oils.

If you’re dealing with any type of hormonal issue, keep in mind that lavender, tea tree, chamomile, sandalwood and clary sage may alter hormone levels.

Are There Any Unsafe Essential Oils?

Som oils are toxic when ingested or apply topically. Read the labels.

Final Thoughts on Essential Oil Safety

Essential oils are generally safe, but can be irritating or cause problems when used in the wrong ways.

To practice essential oil safety it’s important to use oils in the appropriate way. Essential oils may be applied on the skin (dermal/topical application), inhaled, diffused or taken internally, but the best application depends on the specific oil.

It’s possible for essential oils to interact with medications or over-the-counter drugs. Always ask your doctor if you have any safety concerns regarding medication interactions. -Dr. Josh Axe

We suggest that you ask your pharmacist as well as they have a database to check for interactions. Read our article Will It Interfere with the Other Things I'm Taking?

We want to make sure that if you are interested in trying essential oils, that you get a good brand. We will be announcing what our research has found shortly.

The Pain Scale - designed by Andrea Mankoski, (c)1995,  This is the best pain scale I've seen to describe severity  (though not necessarily quality) of pain.

Remember, whenever a doctor asks you to rate your pain from 1 - 10, ask for a pain scale so you can be sure you're speaking the same language.

Pain Scale

The Difference Between Drugs and Nutrition Supplements for the Treatment of Neuropathy

No matter what the cause of your neuropathy, a person has only a few choices about what to do about it..

The Drug Approach

What a drug does is it forces the body to do something that it normally wouldn't do.. When it comes to a medication, the body reacts in certain ways to this medication and it is done in order to achieve a desirable effect. For instance, in order to balance itself and handle the effects of a drug, the body has to lower its blood pressure. If this is what you want to happen because its a blood pressure medication, it's a good thing.

However, there are also various other ways the body can react to the drug and sometimes this is not such a good thing - this is called a "side effect". It is the reason someone can wind up on 4 blood pressure medications. Each drug is given in an attempt to balance another drug so as not to create the various side effects of the other drugs. It is a balancing act.

The Natural Approach

What a nutritional supplement does is give the body the actual tools it needs to build health.

In the case of neuropathy, it is the nerve cell that is not healthy. The body needs certain tools (nutritional factors) to do this. Drugs don't repair anything; they treat the symptom, not the cause of the problem.

As with our example of blood pressure, if they don't know what is causing the high blood pressure, the drug just lowers it and you are on it for life.

There are many causes of nerve damage. It can be the result of too much sugar in the blood, the chemicals used in cancer treatments, etc. etc. (See Causes of Neuropathy) - but one thing is known, the damage is done to the cell and this causes the pain. It is now an unhealthy nerve.

You can cover this up with pain killers, or with other drugs that are manufactured to handle this, but the drugs aren't building health.

The Nutritional Approach

Nutritional supplements are actually vitamins and minerals that the body needs for health

In the case of neuropathy, there are specific ingredients needed by the body to build healthy nerves cells. These are the supplements you want to take.

Another difference is that if you are taking a drug and just covering up symptoms, you have to continue to take the drug to get relief and sometimes even have to increase the drug to get the same relief.

If you take natural supplements, the body can fix the problem, and as long as you don't do anything to damage the cells again, there is an end to taking the supplements. Healthy nerves do not hurt, are not numb, do not tingle, etc. etc.

To find out what the Nerve needs to be healthy: What is Needed for Nerve Health

Dr. Eric Berg DC

Almost everyone has heard about the impact that an underactive thyroid gland can have on a person’s ability to maintain a healthy weight. Hypothyroidism is the underactive production of the thyroid hormone.

This hormone directly impacts the body’s metabolism, causing the body to put on weight uncontrollably.

It’s NOT Really Your Thyroid

What many people don’t realize is that the majority of hypothyroid issues are not primary conditions. What this means is that the condition has an underlying “other” source that causes it.

The key to improving the thyroid is to find the real root of the problem. This article will take a brief look at a couple of common causes of an underactive thyroid.

Damaged Liver or Gallbladder Problem

The thyroid gland produces an inactive hormone that has 4 iodine molecules attached to it called T4. The hormone then travels through the liver, where enzymes within the liver strip away one of the iodine molecule, activating the hormone to T3.

Eighty percent of the thyroid function occurs through the liver. When the liver is damaged it negatively impacts the ability of the liver to strip away the iodine molecule, which leaves the hormone in inactive. Even with a healthy liver, a low production of bile will also make it difficult for the liver to properly process thyroid hormone.

One common remedy is using my Gallbladder Support, which has bile salts as this will help the conversion from T4 to T3.

Estrogen

High Levels of the hormone estrogen in the body will also interfere with the thyroid’s ability to function properly. Often women who have recently given birth suffer from hypothyroidism because of the estrogen spike that takes place post partum.

High levels of estrogen interfere with the thyroid because estrogen competes with the thyroid for the thyroid receptors.

Estrogen also can negatively impact the liver’s ability to process the thyroid hormone, as well as block the production of bile, which would also create an underproductive thyroid gland.

The hormone produced by the thyroid is extremely important to the body’s metabolic processes. When the thyroid is not functioning properly it can be almost impossible to properly maintain and manage your body’s weight.

The key is to understand that in almost every case (except radiation exposure) hypothyroidism is the secondary symptom to a primer or an underlying cause.

The remedy for this is to consume more cruciferous vegetables as they are anti-estrogenic. But of course add some sea kelp just to make sure the iodine is available. Dr. Berg's Health Formulas (inluding cruciferous and sea kelp)

Learn more about Tyroid and Hormones from Dr. Berg Video Blog. 

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Sidebar:

Magnesium and Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, magnesium is one of the most important nutrients you can take. 

If you have any questions about our this Formula, please email or call us at (888) 758-5590 (US & Canada)  or (818) 252-1038 (International). 

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