Re: Ledum (Ledum groenlandicum) Essential Oil

Just a clarification on a statement in this post. It mentions to only take an essential oil internally "only if your EO is approved for internal use". According to federal law, it is illegal to tell anybody to take an essential oil internally unless the oil is food grade. In order to make an essential oil food grade, it has to be distilled twice: Once from the original plant products and again from the resulting oil. The idea is that the second application of heat will kill off any illness-causing bacteria left from the first steaming. Therapeutic grade oils are not, in and of themselves, considered food grade by the federal government. I am not writing this to tell you not to take oils internally. I do it all the time, especially peppermint oil for tummy ache and fennel oil for bad breath. People just need to be fully informed when choices are presented.