Essential oils might provide relief from aches, ailments — and even help with weight loss

Persistent cough or cold making the days and nights bothersome? There's an alternative to paracetamol that might agree with your body more.

In an interview with Unang Balita on Friday, nutritionist and herbalist Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan talks about essential oils and how they can help with some ailments.

The Oxford Dictionary defines essential oils as "natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which it is extracted". Galvez-Tan explained that "kung ano rin 'yong gamit ng halaman, siya rin 'yong gamit ng essential oil sa halaman na 'yon."

Some popular oils are lemongrass (tanglad) and sambong, which are used to lower blood pressure and treat hypertension.

Meanwhile, yellow ginger, banaba, and garlic have slimming and "fat-burning" qualities, Galvez-Tan said.

To use essential oils, simply dab it on your skin, smell it, or add a few drops to a drink.

Jackie Dellota has been using essential oils since 2014 and she swears by them. After getting breast cancer scare, she was advised by a doctor to find a product to increase blood circulation in her breast. She read on the Internet that cypress essential oil could help with her situation and she's been using it since then.

Galvez-Tan cautioned people against going straight for the oils as these might not work for them or might trigger allergic reactions. "Very rare 'yong allergy, but just in case, it can still happen."

He also advised people to be discerning and be wary of fakes. "'Pag mas mura, most likely it will be synthetic kasi essential oils are really expensive as a whole...except siguro 'yong mga very common," he said. —Aya Tantiangco/KG, GMA News