Hey guys, welcome back to another installment of the wonderful world of essential oil and men! Today I am going to start with a question for you. You know how when can tell someone has wanted to ask a question for a while but never really been able to work out how to do it and then it just flies out? This was that occasion… a blurted out question full of bravado and a little anger… and all from the most gentle soul you will ever meet. Her question: “Yeah, that is all well and good Paul, but can you PROVE that essential oils work?”.
Let’s go back a bit HIMYM style… We were at a friend’s place – and yes, there was a little alcohol involved – not enough to give us a hangover but enough to loosen lips. Another friend was asking me about my website and what I was up to. I was carrying on abut the price of Rose oil and being VERY funny about it when the above questions came at me from nowhere. Angela wasn’t cranky, more concerned… There was a discussion which I will now share with you (with Ange’s permission) and my responses to her questions including the main one of can I prove that essential oils work?
This discussion is timely
It is actually quite interesting to me that this conversation happened at this point in life of this site. You see it is actually six months since I started this journey and I have certainly learned a real lot about essential oils. More than I ever thought I would. I have mansperimented a lot, sniffed a lot, researched a lot and rolled my eyes a lot at the things that these little bottles of smelly liquid are supposed to be able to do.
Am I still skeptical? Absolutely! Do I think that essential oils are worth using? In most cases yes. Do I think they are worth the money? ummmmm…. depends. Anyway let’s revisit my journey based on Ange’s questions – starting with the big one!
“Can you prove that essential oils work?”
No! *Eyebrows raised*
I cannot – but that doesn’t mean that they don’t. I use them for a number of things and choose not to for others as I
have discussed in other posts. I know that “they just do” is not really an answer but in terms of my original skepticism, that is the answer I have but can I prove it? No.
I have mentioned this a few times on this site in regards to Copaiba on my calf muscle cramps. I get them quite badly and have always taken paracetamol for it. Nic mixed 4 drops of Copaiba with a ‘dollop’ of coconut oil in the palm of her hand and rubbed it on calves and, after about 5 minutes, the pain went away. Can I prove that it worked? No. Did it work? Well it certainly appeared to – and has since – which is probably the biggest test – whether it works more than once.
Conversation over? No… next question…
“Tell me what works then”
I then listed all of the things that we do use them for on a daily basis. I have again listed most of them in previous posts so I won’t bore you all again with them here but here are the main ones:
- Dropping Lavender or Frankincense on our heads when we are tired and cranky and Nic needs to get Connor / I to sleep quickly
- Sniffing Rosemary, Lemon or Northern Lights Black Spruce when I need to concentrate on work and am feeling a little tired.
- Grounding oils on my wrists and neck when I am ‘all over the shop’ and need to be brought back into the present.
- Lemon and Thieves to clean
- Peppermint, R.C and Eucalyptus if we are all a bit sniffly
- Lemongrass to keep the flies away
I can honestly say that I believe that these work. I can’t prove that putting Frankincense on my head calms me down ready for sleep but it does. Highly likely it is a placebo effect or even a bit of the old Pavlov and his dog, but you get my drift.
Although the flies definitely disappear after the lemongrass comes out so I guess that is a little proof!
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Now for her final question, and what I believe is the focus of her own skepticism.
“Do you still go to the doctor?”
Of course we do. I am a believer in essential oils but also a realist. Whilst they have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes I am not even close to being convinced that I can give the doctor the flick just yet. I am not a fan of being dosed up with a lot of chemical laden drugs, but if it is the only proven thing to date that keeps me alive then bring it on. Aalthough don’t get me started on what is proven and what is not in the pharmaceutical world.
If in time essential oils can be proven to cure some of the many many many ridiculous things that some pages say that they can, then I am all in, but until then… not really. I do know that my panaway and peppermint concoction certainly does help with my joint pain, but I am not going to apply it if I have a tumor on my leg.
From here the conversation went a little off script – remember there was beer and wine involved. I will just list them Q &A style to save you some time.
“Other questions”
“Do you drink them?”
No, Nic sometimes puts a single drop of Lemon into her water bottle for flavor but I am not into consuming them at all. I cannot see the point and am not convinced about it just yet.
| Read more: Can You Eat Essential Oils? – Man Versus Oils Investigates |
“Do you really shave with them?”
Yes, it took me a while to get used to but it is ok now.
“Do they help with the old. you know… [insert rude hand gesture]
I have read that some do but I have not tried that no.
“Do they get you high?”
No.
There were others but I really don’t have the time here to clean them up for general viewing so we will just move on. Which as it turns out was the final question:
“So you just believe essential oils work?”
And you know what? After six months of researching them, writing about them and mansperimenting on them, I actually do think that is what it comes down to. You either believe that they work or you don’t. Granted some people’s belief on what they can do and what they can cure is bordering on the absurd or dangerous, but they still believe
Do I believe that Lemon and Northern Lights Black Spruce smell amazing together on my skin? Yes I do – and so does Nic as she keeps using it all. Do I believe that it gives me a little energy lift? Yes I do. Do I believe that the Lemon Essential Oil is going to stimulate lymphatic drainage – If I even knew what that meant my answer would still be no!
Can I prove any of it? No – But I believe
| Read more: The Science Behind Essential Oils – Man Versus Oils Investigates |
Conclusion
Those who know me well are probably reading this post laughing about the fact that essential oils have managed to infiltrate the Sunday BBQ but there it is. I hope I have answered Ange’s questions to her liking. If not, I definitely am looking forward to the next get together – might just keep to the soda water next time though…
What are your beliefs? I would love to hear about them below.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
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My name is Paul and I live on the east coast of Australia with my wife and six year old son. I also have 19 and 23 year old daughters. I am an ex government and bank worker who took a bit of a sea change and opened my own business by the beach with my amazing wife. If you can do it, try it. You will never look back. You want to know more about me, read my About Me page
