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Your day is going great. Really great, actually. You settle down at your desk to start being a good, productive human being when, out of nowhere, you feel it: the start of a headache.
They come without any warning and can ruin a good day in a matter of minutes. Instead of being productive like you planned, all you want to do is turn off the lights and nap for the rest of the afternoon.
If you’re like me and have a busy schedule that doesn’t stop for headaches, or if you just don’t like being in pain, you probably aren’t going to sit around and wait for that headache to run its course.
Most people reach for Advil or similar products to treat their headaches. I used to as well until I read that the FDA recently strengthened their warnings on the health risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
NSAIDs are generic anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen. Most of your generic over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are NSAIDs, like ibuprofen or naproxen. Advil, Aleve, Celebrex, and even Voltaren are some brands that use NSAIDs. Products that many people use quite frequently without having any idea of the harm they can cause.
People I have talked to have had no idea about the health risks associated with these common medications. Health risks mainly include heart failure and heart disease (a 10-50% risk increase, according to the FDA), but also include gastrointestinal damage, internal bleeding, and an increased risk of renal disease.
On my quest for a headache solution that wasn’t going to cause long-term damage, I fell in love with doTERRA’s peppermint essential oil.
“I prefer to diffuse oils when I use them. So, whenever I feel a tension headache or something coming on, I’ll diffuse some peppermint oil and it alleviates it pretty quickly.” (Will Carnall, stereo compositor from Toronto)
“The peppermint was super fun. [It] cleared my headache. I had been feeling ill all week and this oil definitely took care of that. I rubbed some on my temples and the back of my neck.” (Leah Cab, 4th year actuarial science student at Western University)
I was quite skeptical at first. I mean, how on earth does a scent treat a headache? It just didn’t make sense to me. I also have a sensitivity to synthetic scents like you find in candles and cleaning products, so I was worried the smell would irritate me. But, after hearing some rave reviews, I decided to try the oil for myself.
Amazingly, the doTERRA peppermint oil took my headache away almost instantaneously. The scent was extremely strong, but it was fresh and energizing. My headache was gone, so I couldn’t care less about smelling like toothpaste.
On top of that, I didn’t experience any of my regular discomfort from scented products. I later learned that since it’s from a plant, it has a lower chance of triggering allergic reactions.
What’s even better? This product is extremely safe, and has been scientifically proven as effective.
“I [love] the change [peppermint] made for my migraines. I was on four different meds and decided enough was enough and went strictly to the oils. Now I wear peppermint eevery dayon my bracelet, neck or temples.” (Katie O’Donnell, recent graduate from King’s College at Western University)
Ever since buying my doTERRA peppermint oil, I haven’t even touched the giant Advil bottle I keep in my cupboard.
The only downside I see is not being able to use the oils in scent-free facilities: the smell is VERY strong. While I might not be bothered by the smell, essential oils can still trigger allergic reactions in some people and thus shouldn’t be used in scent-free facilities. Peppermint oil is probably better suited for at-home use or in areas where scents aren’t an issue.
Overall, I am loving my doTERRA peppermint essential oil. While I originally fell in love with its headache-alleviating properties, I’ve started using it for other things, like flavouring peppermint brownies and improving my digestion.
So while NSAIDs are probably still in our medicine cabinets, we should consider making some room for more natural, safer alternatives.
doTERRA peppermint essential oil can be sampled and/or purchased by contacting Sarah Nagus on Facebook or at sarah.nagus@gmail.com.
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