General
Safety Considerations for Essential Oil Use
(courtesy Sylla Sheppard-Hanger, Copyright
1994, see book review below)
- Keep
essential oils out of reach of children. Do not leave a bottle which has
no fixed integral dropper where a child could take off the cap and consume
contents.
- Do
not use directly on or near the eyes; ensure caution with compresses. Most
diluted essential oils will sting the eyes; if accidents happen, flush
with clean warm water; if NEAT oils get is the eye, immediately flush with
cold full fat milk, or vegetable oil to dilute. If stinging is not
alleviated, seek medical assistance.
- Do
not, unless otherwise advised by an expert, apply neat essential oil onto
the skin.
- To
remove neat oil spills on hands, use cream or vegetable oil to dilute,
apply soap, wash with warm water; may need to be repeated.
- Never
assume that an essential oil will have the same properties as credited to
the whole plant from which it is obtained.
- Ingesting
any oil should only be undertaken under the supervision of a professional
health advisor and never exceed the suggested amount.
- Essential
oils should always be used diluted over a large body area.
- Excess
(of EOs) can cause headaches, nausea and general feeling of uneasiness;
drink plenty of water, get fresh air, take frequent breaks.
- Do
not drive a motor vehicle (or allow client to) immediately following a
relaxation treatment or after using soporific oils (e.g., clary sage)
- Regulate
the frequency when using essential oils. If used daily over a two week
period, give a week's grace before recommencing treatment.
- Reduce
the chance of acquiring a sensitivity reaction from constant use of same
oil(s) over several years by varying choices. This gives the body a break
from constant use.
- If
any kind of skin rash is observed when using a particular essential oil,
stop using it immediately and try another oil.
When working daily with essential oils,
follow these precautions:
- Use
only safe essential oils in dilution, aoid contact with neat oils (by
wearing gloves when bottling)
- Ensure
adequate ventilation
- Take
frequent breaks
- Tolerance
increase with time
- Avoid
transferring oils to sensitive areas (nose, face, neck)
- Vary
the essential ols worked with (or diffused) daily
- Avoid
sensitizing oils if hands become cracked or sore
The Aromatherapy Practitioner
Reference Manual
A Complete Reference Book of Over
350 Aromatic Plant Extracts,
Index of Biologically Active Phytochemicals,
Clinical Index and Taxonomical Index
by Sylla Sheppard-Hanger
* The Aromatherapy Chart of APRM is
a quick overview of 350 essential oils. It contains easy-to-read,
easier-to-follow sections covering each aspect of an essential oil, including
Botanical Name, Biochemical Class, Traditional & Esoteric uses, Systems
effected (including Respiratory, Muscular/Skeletal, Cardiovascular, Immune,
Digestive, etc.) and Safety Data. Each of these areas are further broken down,
providing information both common and exotic.
From the book:
"This book allows a
practitioner to look up a problematic indication, understand the required
bio-chemicals necessary to effect treatment, and find the essential oils for
use. Included are over 340 botanical species with all known common names, their
commercial availability, their predominant bio-chemical classes, as well as
predominant bio-chemicals inherent therein. Anyone could easily start with the
essential oil name, and find out what particular treatments could be effected
with the information provided. In the Chart, one could immediately find the
traditional uses and actions, the purposes and methods of delivery
applications, toxicity and contra-indications, along with their traditional
uses in perfumery. Also, morphologic and character types are included, as well
as all relevant esoteric relations. Although there may be criticism from the
scientific community that esoteric uses have been included, the authors feel
that to truly treat in a holistic manner, this information needed to be
included."
Item
Number
|
Price
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b19
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125.00
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About Sylla Sheppard-Hanger
Sylla Sheppard-Hanger speaks with the wisdom of 20 years experience and
research in aromatherapy. She has worked with the most knowledgeable people in
the fields of aromatherapy, essential oils, herbology and aromatic medicine. She
is the founder and Director of the Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy located
in Tampa, Florida.