Essential Oils Soothe, Relax and Provide Healing
There are many different types of pure essential oils for aromatherapy used today and they offer wonderful healing benefits. Therefore it helps to know what oil will work best for your situation.
Organic essential oils are extracted from the natural source (concentrated) such as from, the stem, leaves, flowers, roots or the plant’s berries. These oils offer therapeutic benefits, flavor and beauty treatments.
Some essential oils are considered carriers, and some are considered scents. When used on the skin a carrier oil needs to be used to help aid in the
distribution process and to avoid using too much of the concentrated product on the skin. The structure of essential oils allows you to mix them
with other oils and creams or use in a variety of ways to affect your emotional, physical and cellular life.
Aromatherapy Essential Oils
There are oils for all purposes, including essential oils for aromatherapy, massage oils and edible oils for nutritional health. Again, you need to know what type of oil should be used for what and where.
Pure essential oils for aromatherapy are not applied to the skin directly, a carrier oil is used, so you do not have to worry about their strength. (Applying Essential Oils)
Some of the more common fragrances include lavender, jasmine, peppermint oil and bergamot. These can help to soothe stress, provide anxiety relief and gives you a wonderful feeling of good health!
Edible Oils
One essential oil category is edible oils. For example there are many benefits in relation to the essential fatty oils.
- Oils such as flaxseed and Evening Primrose oil are commonly used as edible essential oils because they offer fatty acid benefits. These edible oils can also help to balance the digestive system.
Essential oils, such as Evening Primrose oil are beneficial in helping women with problems such as PMS and help balance their hormones. Another benefit is in the beauty area. You can experience clear skin, shiny hair and strong nails.
Massage Oils
Pure essential oils are also commonly used for massage, but with a twist. You are still going to use aromatherapy essential oils, but you will need to dilute them with a base oil, such as olive oil or almond oil. When warmed slightly with the hands, these aroma therapeutic oils can help to ease sore muscles, ease tension and add an increased sense of well being.
- Just make sure to follow the directions when you’re diluting these aromatherapy massage oils so that you can get the great benefits without any of the potentially irritating side effects of the very potent, pure essential oils.
- There are also baby massage oils. These oils are gentle to the skin and provide benefits to the baby and the parent. The baby enjoys the touch and sense of calmness and the bond between parent and child grows…and the parents have a peaceful baby!
Massages are stress relieving in and of themselves, but adding some essential oils is a great way to reduce stress, cure headaches, eliminate or relieve pain and more. If you are interested in natural healing using essential oils, it is important to know how to use the right oil for your purpose so that you can reap the benefits as aromatherapy is a wonderful healing therapy.
Aromatherapy Healing Benefits
Research has been conducted with brain scans to see what happens when you smell essential oils. The hypothalamus is brought to life, which is the center for the hormones which control energy and drive. That’s why certain smells can make you feel more energetic and centered. There are different responses for different smells.
For example, mint can make you more energetic, lavender can calm you down. You can choose which scents you want to use for your aromatherapy depending on your needs. You can even combine scents to make a unique to you treatment for your particular conditions.
- Improve Energy Levels – Do you feel tired and lethargic? If so you can use aromatherapy to help energize yourself. Many smells can help you feel more peppy, like citrus and mint. Put some citrus oil like orange or lemon in some water and put it into a spray bottle and spray the air around you.
- Relieve Everyday Stress – Everyone has stress in their lives but with the right essential oils you can reduce your stress exponentially. Use lemon oil, lavender, peppermint and other essential oils to help lower stress levels. Put some essential oil on a candle in the hot melted wax, and it will fill the room with the smell
- Reduce Driving Stress – Put some essential oil onto a cotton ball and leave it under the seat in the car, then you can relax, energize or clear your mind while driving.
- Reduce Anger and Frustration – Some stress responses cause angry outburst, if this is the case for you or your child try using lemon oil as your stress reliever.
- Enhance Memory – Sage and orange are good essential oils to use for memory enhancement. One way to trigger memory is to smell the same
things you smelled at the time you experienced the memory.
- Natural Antidepressant — If you suffer from depression or feel down, you can use some essential aromatherapy oils to make you get in a better mood. Chamomile, jasmine, lavender and peppermint are good scents for helping reduce depression. Put a few drops of lavender and geranium in your bath at night to help reduce depression and improve sleep.
- Reduce Headaches – Eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary and sandalwood are used to help eliminate headaches. It is good to know what type of headache you have. For example a stress headache may be better relieved using lavender essential oil. Rub a drop of lavender oil on the back of your neck.
- For Getting Better Sleep – One of the most important factors in health aside from eating right and exercising is sleeping. Any of the calming scents will help you such as lavender and chamomile, plus there are many others.
- Reduce Pain – Essential oils can help with chronic pain in many ways from directly putting the oil on the painful area, to using a compress on the affected area, or by inhaling to help you relax your body. For painful muscles or arthritis, mix the essential oil, such as sage, with carrier oil like sweet almond oil.
Aromatherapy oils can be used in various different ways and it is just a personal choice as to how you use them. Here are a few examples…
- Bath – Add a few drops of oil and enjoy a luxurious soak
- Foot Bath – A couple of drops into a foot spa for approx. 20 minutes
- Steam Inhalant – Add a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil into boiling water and spend a few minutes inhaling the scented steam. It is beneficial for colds, sinus problems and headaches.
- Massage – Aromatherapy oils make any massage luxurious.
Suggested Oils To Have on Hand
- Lavender – Benefits include, calming…especially anxiety…, antiseptic used for bites and stings, soothes muscles and joint pain, insomnia and soothes minor burns.
- Tea Tree – Anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and can be useful for insect bites and spot treating pimples. So many uses…I can’t list them all here!
- Peppermint – Excellent for keeping you alert. It keeps your senses sharp. Just don’t have any near you if you want a good night’s sleep! Many people keep peppermints in their car to keep them alert.
- Eucalyptus Oil – A few drops on a handkerchief helps with congestion. It is excellent for all respiratory problems, including asthma and colds. It is also a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal oil…so very handy indeed.
Using Essential Oils Safely
The question is often asked, are essential oils for aromatherapy healing safe to use? Many people are not aware that essential oils, if used incorrectly can cause problems. That’s why it’s important to understand that even natural components, overused, can cause side effects and issues. So here are a few tips to use essential oils safely.
- Dilute Properly – Essential oils are highly concentrated, and if used on the skin it could harm you if you don’t use a carrier oil and therefore dilute it. Almond oils is often used for this. The phrase ‘less is more’ is important to remember with all aspects of using essential oils for aromatherapy.
- Be Careful with Citrus – Due to photosensitizing molecules it’s imperative that if citrus oils are applied to the skin that you don’t get direct sunlight for at least 12 hours otherwise a burn could occur.
- Check Labeling – When you purchase essential oils they are required to have the name of the oil and the country from where it came.
- Store as Medicine – Don’t leave essential oils within reach of pets and children as they can be dangerous and deadly just like medicine. Just recently a toddler of a very good friend of mine, drank from a bottle of eucalyptus oil. He was immediately flown to a hospital in the state capital as he was dangerously ill. He survived, so the moral is store them safely!
- Understand The Uses – Don’t just use essential oils without understanding their uses. Read and learn about each one you want to use.
- Avoid Mucus Membranes – Don’t put essential oils near the eyes or other mucus membranes.
- Inhalation Time – Each day it’s best if you only inhale vapors from essential oils a total of an hour or less. A few moments are really all you need. Some respiratory ailments have occurred from overuse.
Using essential oils is safe and effective when used in moderation and in the right way. Learn about the methods that are used and best prescribed for the treatment of certain health issues, and always do your due diligence before trying anything new when it comes to essential oils.
So that said, I would love to hear how you use essential oils for your health!
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Very interesting content written here about essential oils. I know a little about aromatherapy and I know every time I have had a massage done, the oils rubbed are very soothing. In fact that is the most soothing part of the massage so it makes sense. Oils also help reduce depression and help with brain function.
Hi Dawn,
An aromatherapy massage certainly does feel soothing. I would love to have one everyday…and I am sure everyone would love that too. 🙂
The edible oils are also excellent for our health, so essential oils have many wonderful health properties.
Jennifer, Yes I have been doing a whole lot of research recently on essential oils. I use them in aroma therapy, where I have experienced incredible results. Not only for myself but every one in my household.
Since I am still at the experimental stage. This is my favorite way to acquaint myself with the oil and their effects.
I put a few drops on to a cotton ball and place it in a snack size ziplock bag. I write on the outside of the bag exactly what flavors and number of drops it contains. I do combinations for depression, energizing, calming, stress, etc. I write in big letters on the bag exactly what it is mixed for. I have these little bags in a convenient place in the kitchen (where I hang out a lot).
I get stressed I grab the bag and take about 3 deep slow breaths. In through my nose out through my mouth. Do not exhale into the bag. Zip the bag closed and sit for a minute. It is amazing.
When my grand son gets overly excited I have him a special cotton ball with lavender and Roman chamomile. I’m impressed.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for sharing your results! I love how you are using essential oils and it will help so many others who read your comment. I’ve heard many people have success with essential oils to help calm their children who show signs of ADHD and your test with your grandchild is great to hear!
I love using essential oils and I know my family always seem happier and calmer when I have an oil burner going. I’m also positive that the fragrances I use are also are happy triggers in their minds. ‘Happy house, happy life’ and the fragrance becomes a happy memory.
I’d also like to thank you again for alerting me to your comment disappearing as it would have been such a waste if you hadn’t told me!
I look forward to hearing from you often! Have a beautiful day,
Jennifer