There seems to be a few stages with this essential oils thing:

1) It is a scam or fad designed to take your money;

2) Oh maybe I should see what the fuss is about. But of course really to just prove that I am right.

3) Gosh these things actually work. So what other oils are there?

4) Man these things are amazing – you should try them (to friends who, of course, are at step one and think you are insane).

And sometime not long after stage 4, someone will pull you up about ingesting. Because naturopaths don’t like it. Because mucus membranes. Because whatever.

And you’ll say oh yes for most essential oils that is right because they have fillers and things but Doterra’s ones are super pure and for a number of them it is ok. Pull-up person disagrees and unpleasantness ensures – potentially.

But most of us are not health people – so what do we do when?

• Naturopaths and friends who are knowledgeable people say you can’t and

• Doterra and friends who are knowledgeable people say you can.

My suggestion – MAKE YOUR OWN MIND UP.

If instinctively it all feels wrong to you to put them in food or water – here’s the thing – Don’t. Diffuse them, apply them topically or just breathe from the bottle.

But if you are unsure and are kind of on the fence – here is a suggestion I have received that I think is excellent. But again your body; your decision.

Smell them and ask what does your body think about ingesting?

For me:

• Onguard – get that in me now

• Tea Tree  – are you insane?

Now both Doterra say are ok to ingest. One I will and one – you couldn’t pay me enough to put in my mouth.

Now last time I looked alcohol is considered ok to ingest as is deep fried food, Cheezels and Fruit Loops. And I have been known to ingest those too. They make me feel cr@p so I try not to. Unlike:

• Lemon in water which makes me feel clean and centred;

• Peppermint – in water and food – which makes me feel energetic and happy and

• On guard in anything which makes me feel nourished.

And as for Basil, Cassia, Rosemary, Wild Orange, Grapefruit, and Lime in food? Well they taste nice and save me the hassle of grating anything or spilling packets of stuff in the kitchen. I am so uncoordinated. Something even beyond the powers of the oils to fix. 

But ultimately I don’t argue with the ‘non-ingestors’. That’s what works for them. And that – in my view – is what is most important.

Andrea

Update

A reader has raised a concern about ingesting caustic oils such as oregano. While such oils can be ingested in a capsule or in cooking – directly would cause risks of literally burning your throat.

So as well as the smell test – that is funny for tax people – always check the Modern Essentials App about how best to ingest. As even the official advice for oregano doesn’t fully spell out its risks.