Skepticism, Science & Pseudoscience

gollygee

(22,336 posts) Thu Dec 29, 2016, 03:54 PM Dec 2016

Essential oils, vaccines

I get a flu shot every year and make sure my kids get them too. I also like essential oils, but I don't think they're medicine. I just like how they smell, and the odor makes me feel better in the same way listening to certain music can make me feel better.

But I had an anti-vax friend ask why I have any interest in essential oils when I vaccinate my kids and get the flu vaccine every year. I had never thought of them as being incompatible. I use science, and then i use feel-good stuff, but I don't confuse the feel-good stuff with science. Any effect essential oils have on viruses would have to be pretty small, if there's any effect at all. I've heard some essential oils work at least a bit as antibiotics, but I don't know how anti-viral they are.

Are essential oils and aromatherapy on the same level as anti-vaxxing?

4 replies

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Highlight:

Essential oils, vaccines (Original Post) gollygee Dec 2016 OP

I think it's kind of like chiropractic. trotsky Dec 2016 #1

Sounds like an ignorant hipster trying to play turf war Warpy Dec 2016 #2

NO I have studied the chemistry of essential oils for the last 5 years and can tell you that they flying_wahini Dec 2016 #3

I have a friend heavily into essential oils wyldwolf Jan 2017 #4

trotsky

(49,533 posts)

1. I think it's kind of like chiropractic.

Reply to gollygee (Original post)

Thu Dec 29, 2016, 03:58 PM

Dec 2016

Accepting chiropractic as joint adjustment and massage is perfectly normal.

Thinking that chiropractic cures you by aligning your chakras or some such nonsense is woo.

Yeah tea tree oil has some anti-fungal and/or anti-biotic properties, I've heard. Not sure what tests have done on it. But if I got athlete's foot, I'm buying some Tenactin or whatever.

Warpy

(113,131 posts)

2. Sounds like an ignorant hipster trying to play turf war

Reply to gollygee (Original post)

Thu Dec 29, 2016, 03:58 PM

Dec 2016

Just tell her you get to like what you like and that she doesn't get to make the rules.

A lot of people who work in medicine use essential oils in things like candles and lotions. When they get sick, they go to a doctor, not the fragrance bar at the health food store.

flying_wahini

(8,026 posts)

3. NO I have studied the chemistry of essential oils for the last 5 years and can tell you that they

Reply to gollygee (Original post)

Fri Dec 30, 2016, 09:56 PM

Dec 2016

absolutely DO work! and if I do say so myself they work Great!!You just have to know what you're doing.
I have made several medical salves and creams that heal burns and diminish chronic joint pain and carpal tunnel.
My past nursing career of 20 years and interest in the chemisty of botany has helped my studies tremendously.

The problem is that people read crap online and most of those people don't have a clue how they work.
Essential oils can be extremely dangerous when used incorrectly. i.e. NEVER take them orally!
As a matter of fact there are several studies that prove that they DO work better than many antibiotics and
anti fungal meds.

wyldwolf

(43,891 posts)

4. I have a friend heavily into essential oils

Reply to gollygee (Original post)

Mon Jan 2, 2017, 05:27 PM

Jan 2017

When I told her one company she buys from ( dōTERRA ) was warned by the FDA for making claims essential oils cures or aids in the treatment of cancer, brain injury, autism, endometriosis, Grave’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, tumor reduction, ADD/ADHD, it didn't phase her.

She's REAL into woo.

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