Guest guest Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 >In regards to authors and info on the Internet, you have to be >careful because many of these authors aren't even herbalists. It is >my opinion that a trained herbalist would know that an essential oil >use is far different than the use of an herb, if they don't then they >weren't properly trained, yet I do have a couple of books written >by >herbalists suggesting the use of citrus oils in blends without any >warnings whatsoever MOST herbalists dont know much about essential oils- frequently they put too much eo in a salve, or citrus oil in a lip balm, or use essential oils like mugwort! I know of a case where a chinese herbalist gave a pregnant woman an oil with essential oils of peppermint and mugwort in it to use as a belly balm for pre term contractions!!! Mugwort infused oil would have been appropriate, as mugwort herb is used in TCM to " calm a restless fetus " but the EO! egads! I informed her of the difference, and that mugwort eo is full of thujone- she had no idea and was offended. Oh well. The pregnant woman was a friend of mine, and I told her NOT to use that oil! I will actually be teaching an aromatherapy foir herbalists class, because I have seen this so often. I AM an herbalist, but have studied aromatherapy intensively as well. Not all herbalists have... Blessings Michelle www.greentaramama.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Hi Michelle, Yeah, I really don't know what the statistics are. I have come across a few who seem to have a clue about what they're doing. But you are right that there are a lot of people practicing in the bodywork field who don't know what they're doing. The worst I have found are massage therapists and Reiki therapists. I met a couple of Reiki therapists who were putting essential oils like Spikenard and Sweet Orange " neat " on their hands while they worked on clients and I told them that was dangerous and about the sensitisation and photo- sensitistion issues and they looked at me like I was crazy. One said that they had never read that in any of the books they had. I have frequently run across people who were going to new age shops and health food stores buying essential oils and using them " neat " on their skin like perfume. I have found frequently in health food stores here in in Southern California, the people working in the body care department, have no training whatsoever about essential oils and I've seen them just recommending the business hype of the oils when people asked them, but knew absolutely nothing. When asked about a particular blend, I've seen them go over to whatever aromatherapy books they have in stock and look up the ailment and prescribe the oils to the customers, one without suggesting a carrier oil and I stepped in and told the lady that she had to dilute the oils before putting them on their skin. Unfortunately, this was a while ago and I didn't know as much back then so I didn't know if the oils were right or not. That's good that you're doing a class, good luck with that. Michele Madison Robles , " m morton " <greentara@x> wrote: > >In regards to authors and info on the Internet, you have to be > >careful because many of these authors aren't even herbalists. It is > >my opinion that a trained herbalist would know that an essential oil > >use is far different than the use of an herb, if they don't then they > >weren't properly trained, yet I do have a couple of books written >by > >herbalists suggesting the use of citrus oils in blends without any > >warnings whatsoever > > MOST herbalists dont know much about essential oils- frequently they put too > much eo in a salve, or citrus oil in a lip balm, or use essential oils like > mugwort! I know of a case where a chinese herbalist gave a pregnant woman an > oil with essential oils of peppermint and mugwort in it to use as a belly > balm for pre term contractions!!! Mugwort infused oil would have been > appropriate, as mugwort herb is used in TCM to " calm a restless fetus " but > the EO! egads! I informed her of the difference, and that mugwort eo is full > of thujone- she had no idea and was offended. Oh well. The pregnant woman > was a friend of mine, and I told her NOT to use that oil! > I will actually be teaching an aromatherapy foir herbalists class, because I > have seen this so often. I AM an herbalist, but have studied aromatherapy > intensively as well. Not all herbalists have... > > Blessings > Michelle > www.greentaramama.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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