A Quick Introduction to Essential Oils
November 17th, 2008 by Luke Smith | No Comments | Filed in Healthy Living, Style and Beauty, Supplements, Women's Health
Ever walk down the aisles of the whole body section of your local health food store, look at the pretty little bottles of essential oils all in a row and wonder, “What are Essential Oils
and why and how do people use them?”
Essential oils are used in a variety of different ways from enhancing a massage to many bath and beauty products. Today, I want to focus in the diffusion and the inhalation methods.
The diffusion method is characterized by some sort of vessel heating up and releasing the fragrance of the essential oil. Several options range from a Car Diffuser that plugs into the cigarette lighter of your car to a terra cotta ring placed over a light bulb to help disperse the scent.
The inhalation method is used with water. Place 3 drops of oil in a bowl of steaming water, cover your head with a towel, close your eyes and inhale the steam through your nose. In certain instances, you can place a small drop of essential oil on a cotton ball and sniff it that way.
There are a few contraindications about using essential oils that are good to know. People with certain conditions should use caution with essential oils: the terminally ill, substance addicts, people with certain chronic illnesses, pregnant and nursing mothers and children . It is recommended that you check with your doctor AND an professional aromatherapist before using these on yourself if you have any of these conditions.
Here are a few popular essential oils and their uses:
- Lavender is used for cuts, insect bites, anxiety and insomnia. It is the only essential oils that can be directly applied to the skin without an addition of a carrier oil.
- Peppermint is used for headaches, nausea, fatigue and mental tiredness.
- Black Pepper is useful for colds, muscle aches, tiredness and lack of concentration.
- Eucalyptus is useful for colds, bronchitis & sore throats.
- Tea Tree is good for insect bites, rashes, bacterial, fungal & viral infections.
If you’d like to know more about the history, benefits and cautions associated with aromatherapy, I’d recommend picking up a copy of Essential Aromatherapy: A Pocket Guide to Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Susan and Valerie Ann Worwood. It is a great way to get started with using essential oils yourself.
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