Listen to the Full Podcast Here.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect first episode to re-launch The Essential Oil Revolution podcast than with my interview with Jade Shutes. Jade’s knowledge about essential oils and her experience with them is truly awe-inspiring. She is an author, researcher, herbalist, and the founder of the School of Aromatic Studies.

Jade is also the past president and one of the founding members for NAHA (National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy). Under her leadership, the clinical guidelines for aromatherapy certification were established.

During the show, we discuss so many topics about essential oils! We start with Jade’s aromatherapy background, including her experience with its different models. Then, Jade and I dive into the controversial topic of the internal use of essential oils. Next, Jade shares her prediction on where aromatherapy is headed in the future. She also provides some great essential oils’ DIYs and offers copious pearls of wisdom throughout the show.

Below is an overview of this not-to-miss episode!

Jade’s Journey and Mission

After witnessing the power of essential oils firsthand by achieving relief of chronic back pain, Jade became a seeker of the truth on how to maximize the healing potential of these volatile compounds. She started her education through the lens of the English model, which mostly focuses on essential oils for massage, external applications, and stress relief. After researching the roots of aromatherapy and studying under many incredible influencers in the field, Jade then began integrating the biomedical model of essential oils via the French model. This approach utilizes more aggressive and oral dosages of essential oils. Ultimately, Jade sees the future of aromatherapy as the merging of these two viewpoints to create a unified perspective between the safe external and internal usage of essential oils.

With Jade’s extensive educational background, and being that she literally applied, taught, and studied all these different techniques, she can speak with authority. Jade is driven to empower herself, her family, and others on how to access the power of essential oils most effectively. She is committed to a balanced approach that represents truth, progressiveness, and education on essential oils.

True or False, Never Ingest Essential Oils?

Jade and I got into the myths, controversy, and science regarding the internal use of essential oils. These include:

• the misconceptions and misunderstandings based on the different schools of aromatherapy.
• the presence of essential oils in foods and flavoring products and having GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status from the FDA.
• studies with peppermint and other essential oils that support their safe use internally.
• liver concerns: Jade and I discuss our knowledge on how liver enzymes may shift favorably with essential oil use due to their antioxidant properties which can protect cellular, liver, and body health. In fact, some oils have even been shown to modulate the master antioxidant, glutathione, in vitro.
• the importance of quality and how poorer quality essential oils can potentiate safety myths. This is especially concerning due to the lack of standardization and quality control in the United States.
• different labeling laws the FDA has for dietary and cosmetic use. These regulations are why some essential oils’ labels warn to “not ingest,” yet they could be safe to take internally.
• optimizing dosage, a little drop goes a long way.

One must be responsible, take accountability, and be knowledgeable about their body so they can acquire the appropriate education and guidance on using essential oils. For instance, before even considering taking an essential oil internally you should know for a fact (1) that your oil is high quality, (2) that it is an oil that can safely be taken internally, (3) and proper dosage.

If you want more information on the internal use of essential oils, see this article I wrote for Townsend Letter. Jade also has a blog on essential oil safety here.

The Present and Future for Aromatherapy

Towards the end of the episode, Jade and I took a deep dive into how essential oils can be incorporated into all wellness protocols to support the foundations of health. We discuss how essential oils offer an easy way for doctors to support their patients with emotional and mental health, which is so necessary today. For example, we discuss how essential oils stress-relieving properties have been shown in studies exploring the efficacy of Japanese forest bathing. These trials reported that the aromatic compounds exuded from trees are responsible for the lowered stress response and enhanced immunity. (This is why the phytoncides found in fir oils provide an easy way for me to evoke feelings of safety, ease, and grounding in my clients.)

You don’t want to miss this incredible conversation and the re-launch of the podcast.

An Overview of What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. What it was like in the early days of aromatherapy.
2. How the aromatherapy world changed over the years (from massage to medicinal use).
3. Why the internal use of essential oils is so controversial including:

• • quality concerns
  • different schools of thought in aromatherapy
  • labeling laws for cosmetic use vs. internal use
  • FDA GRAS status for essential oils

4. The ability of essential oils to balance stress and emotions.
5. What makes Jade so passionate about teaching essential oils.
6. Jade’s predictions on how aromatherapy is unfolding given the growth and changes that have already occurred, including their incorporation into mental health treatments.
7. Jade’s favorite DIY: A Fir Oil Roller and Personal Inhalers to enhance the experience of nature and forest bathing. (See additional recipes from Jade here.)
8. Closing Questions: What Jade does for self-care and what she thinks we should ditch and replace with instead for more balanced living.

Click here to listen in on my conversation with Jade.

Where to Find Jade Shutes:

• Website
• Aromatic Studies on Instagram
• Aromatic Studies on Facebook

Jade’s School: Courses at Aromatic Studies

• Foundations of Aromatherapy Course
• Foundations of Oils Therapy
• Aromatic Studies Online Course
• Aromatics, Trauma, and Aromatherapy
• Grief and Aromatics
• The Carrier Oil Palette

A Sense of the Quality Posts from Jade’s Website

• Learn about Cypress Oil
• Burnout and Bergamot Oil
• Article Review: Chamomile-Lavender Aromatherapy and Music Therapy Reduces Anxiety in Clinical Nurses
• Raynaud’s Syndrome: The Vagus Nerve Connection – Part II
• Models for Aromatherapy: French, English, and the Emerging New Model

Jade’s Bio:

Jade Shutes is an aromatherapist, herbalist, author, researcher, gardener, and aromatic distiller.

She holds a Diploma in Holistic Aromatherapy, Holistic Massage, Anatomy and Physiology, and Reflexology from the Raworth College of Natural Medicine in Dorking, UK, and a Diploma in Aromatherapy from the International Therapist Examining board (ITEC). She also holds a certificate in herbal medicine.

An aromatherapy practitioner, researcher, and educator for over three decades, Jade is passionate about aromatics and believes the sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses for healing the mind/body/psyche in this era of upheaval and change. She is considered to be a thought leader in the aromatherapy community and is highly respected for her balanced, progressive and inspiring education.

Jade is the founder of the School for Aromatic Studies. She is the past president for the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (2000-2003 and 2013-2015), author of Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers, co-author of The Carrier Oil Palette, and the main author of the Ultimate Guide to Aromatherapy.

Previous Essential Oil Revolution Episodes with Jade Shutes:

227: The Art of Blending with Aromatherapist Jade Shutes

282: Save Your Skin with Essential Oils with Jade Shutes

304: True or False? NEVER Use Undiluted Essential Oils

305: True or False? NEVER Ingest Essential Oils

306: True or False? NEVER Use Essential Oils w/ Cats

307: True or False? NEVER Use EOs While Pregnant or w/ Kids

363: Why Smell is More Important Than You Think w/ Jade Shutes

Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Resources for Hormonal, Mood, and Digestive Support

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• Learn about my community membership program that provides full access to my essential oils database, essential oils course, Q&As, and exclusive content.
• Tools for coping with isolation and separation.
• The Essential Oil Revolution Podcast

Many blessings.

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25272759/
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285206689_Influence_of_some_citrus_essential_oils_on_cell_viability_glutathione_-S-transferase_and_lipid_peroxidation_in_Ehrlich_ascites_carcinoma_cells
3. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition
4. https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-labeling-regulations/cosmetics-labeling-guide
5. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20