As I type this it all seems like common sense now, but looking back I realize I was like most women with essential oils. I assumed they would provide only the best + natural health benefits without the risk. I believed in the power of plants, I still do, actually even more so now.
A little bit of my health history before I tell you what happened to my hormones! I am predisposed to have high estrogen & endometriosis. My grandma, aunt, and sister, along with myself all suffer/ed with endometriosis. In November 2015 I had a 3.5 hour laparoscopic surgery to remove the severe endometriosis lesions on my reproductive organs which lead us to IVF. After that surgery I realized how much pain I had been in for over a decade, for the first time in my many years I felt what it was like to live without pain. I remember feeling very light & free! It was amazing. I got pregnant via IVF soon after the surgery, and pregnancy was a dream, I felt great. After I had Magnolia I was determined to change my lifestyle and keep the endometriosis away. Five years later I still feel better than I did in my early thirties, but I can feel the endo making it's way back into my life. I started working with a naturopathic doctor a few years ago, and she has been a wonderful guide in helping me understand my hormones and how to keep them in balance. We did a ton of blood work and everything came back normal except my estrogen was a little high and we made a game plan to get it down. I started to see improvements in my menstrual cycle within about three months and my energy level was (and still is) off the charts! I wish I could say my migraines were cured, but they weren't (that's another topic for another day). Fast forward to COVID & 2020. I skipped my yearly blood work as many people skipped routine medical visits. Early 2021 I had started using essential oil roller balls on my neck for the migraines & to help me relax. I tried CBD oil in hopes of it helping also. I was desperate for something to help with the migraines. Around the same time I noticed my menstrual cycle changing and it was very heavy and painful. I cannot tell you how thankful I am to have my blood work done in May 2021, about 3-4 months after I started using the essential oils topically! My estrogen came back SKY HIGH, like off the charts high, four times higher than it should have been. My naturopathic doctor said it was one of the highest she'd ever seen. The results alone made me feel very panicky - like WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT HAVE I DONE? I had stuck to our estrogen detox plan for three years, I followed it religiously, never skipping a supplement. I was committed to my almost dairy free diet, little meat, I even stopped drinking alcohol. I drank my smoothies and loaded up on all the fruits and veggies. I was sleeping better than I had been in years (Magnolia finally started to sleep through the night). And then it dawned on me.........
THE ONE AND ONLY THING I HAD CHANGED OR STARTED TO DO DIFFERENTLY WAS USE ESSENTIAL OILS TOPICALLY!!! I immediately stopped using them as I began my research on each individual oil. I also started to take 2 tbsp of flax seed every morning and two-three cups of green tea daily, along with everything I was already doing (DIM being the most important supplement for detoxing estrogen). Below is a photo of my notes, what I was using, and the asterisk by each oil that is considered ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING or has ESTROGENIC PROPERTIES. Let me tell you there are not a lot of studies on essential oils, and there are way more sales ladies that will tell you all the health benefits they provide. I do believe in the health benefits, but I also believe in the risks, especially now after what happened to me. If you Google essential oils to use for menopause (when estrogen starts to plummet) you will find some of these oils. Wouldn't it be common sense if you can use some of these oils, such as lavender to help with menopause, that it might cause women in child bearing years to have the opposite effect? I cannot tell you how many bloggers and Instagramers I've seen take a bottle of essential oil and apply it straight to their wrists, heart, neck/thyroid! It's alarming now to think about. I did it too! I worry about all the women that might be applying oils to their children without realizing the negative effects it might cause.
After stopping the oils and doing more to detox the estrogen I am back to where I was before I started using the oils topically.
A Few of the Essentials Oils that are Endocrine Disrupting & have Estrogenic Properties
- Eucalyptus
- Rosemary
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Hysop
- Wintergreen
- Sweet Marjoram
- Basil
- Lemon
I realize this is just the tip of the iceberg. I could deep dive even more into the limited research and studies, but I'm not going to. I will never use them topically again, and will only diffuse them in our kitchen. I am now careful not to buy cosmetic products with essential oils in them. My deodorant for example had lavender and eucalyptus in it before I realized what it can do to hormones. I'm sure some oils used in moderation topically & diluted is fine, but for me and my family, I'm proceeding with major caution. Also, noteworthy, coconut oil is bad for estrogen and CBD oil can wreck havoc on your hormones. My doctor told me to avoid coconut oil and stop using CBD oil!
My hope in sharing this is that you will do research on the oils and not become too relaxed in how you use them, for example, don't apply them like perfume to your thyroid. When I first started to use them I was pretty cautious and as the years went on I felt more comfortable with them and started to apply them topically without a care in the world. I assumed they were safe. You'll be told they are safe, but I hope you'll question that!
xo
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