Aromatherapy Essential Oil - Chamomile

Chamomile is indispensable if you have children because it can be used for teething troubles and in the bath to ease nerves and tetchiness. Chamomile is used in the treatment of burns, including sunburn, psoriasis, eczema, asthma, hay fever, diarrhea, sprains and strains, nausea, fever, and all nervous and depressed states.

Chamomile is a non toxic and non irritant. It is extracted through steam distillation of the flowering chamomile plant. Chamomile has been used for over 2000 years in Europe for medicinal purposes. The oil should be a pale blue that will turn yellow as it ages. It will have a warm, fruity, sweet smell. Chamomile blends well with lavender and geranium as well as sage and jasmine.

Chamomile is well known for its calming properties. So much so that it can be used in aromatherapy to treat nervous disorders, headaches, and migraines. It is also used to calm allergies and asthma. Many women use it for the treatment of PMS or to relieve a teething or colicky baby.

Aromatherapy Essential Oil - Peppermint

Peppermint has been used by many ancient cultures, including the Egyptians, Chinese, and American Indians, no doubt because of its extremely useful health enhancing elements. It is an excellent digestive, it helps the respiratory system and circulation, it is an antiinflammatory, and an antiseptic.

Peppermint essential oil should be pale yellow or greenish in color. It has a strong grassy mint scent. Peppermint works well with other mint scents like eucalyptus as well as rosemary and lavender. 

Peppermint has been studied in the science community and its health benefits proven. Because of this peppermint oil is available in pill form. It contains many minerals and nutrients like iron, magnesium, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamins A and C. 

Peppermint is an excellent remedy for respiratory problems and is widely used as and expectorant to remove nasal and respiratory congestion. As an aromatherapy it can be used to treat nausea, headaches, depression, and stress. It has also been known to treat irritable bowel syndrome. As a skin care product peppermint oil can improve oily skin and replenish dull skin.


Previous : Teatree Aromatherapy Benefits

Next : Chamomile Aromatherapy Benefits

Essential Oil List : Aromatherapy Kits

Aromatherapy Essential Oil - Tea Tree

The antiseptic action of tea tree is thought to be one hundred times more powerful than carbolic acid - and yet it is non poisonuous to humans! 

Tea Tree essential oil is a non toxic and non irritant but can cause sensitization in some people. This oil is extracted through steam distillation from the leaves and twigs of the Tea Tree.Tea Tree has long been used by the aboriginal people in Australia and is named for their use of it as an herbal tea. The oil should be a pale-yellow green or water white color. Tea Tree blends well with lavender, clary sage, rosemary, and many spice oils.  

Tea Tree oil is known for being anti bacterial, anti microbial, anti septic, and anti viral. In short, it can almost be called a cure-all because it has so many properties to ward off disease and germs. In Australia it is found in nearly every household because of these properties.

Tea tree oil can be used as an anti bacterial to cure all sorts of bacterial infections including the treatment of wounds. As aromatherapy it can be used to treat coughs, colds, congestion and bronchitis. It can also keep fungal infections at bay and even cure dermatitis and athlete’s foot. Tea tree can be used as a stimulant to hormones and circulation and to boost ones immune system. Tea tree oil can help remove toxins by opening pores and promoting sweating which removes uric acid and excess salt and water from your body.

Previous : Lavender Aromatherapy Benefits

Next : Peppermint Aromatherapy Benefits

Essential Oil List : Aromatherapy Kits

Aromatherapy Essential Oil - Lavender

Lavender is capable of many important jobs and is a delight to use. every home should have a bottle of Lavender, if no other oil, because it is so very effective in the treatment of burns and scalds. Lavender Oil is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, antidepressant, sedative and detoxifier which enhance healing and prevents scarring, and also stimulates the immune system and contributes to the healing process by stimulating the cells of a wound to regenerate more quickly.

Lavender is a non toxic and non irritant essential oil.  It is extracted through steam distillation from flowering tops of the lavender plant. Lavender has long been a folk remedy used to calm an upset stomach. Lavender has both soothing and reviving properties. 

Lavender oil should be clear to pale yellow in will smell sweet with floral and woody undertones. It blends well with other floral and citrus essential oils. 

As aromatherapy it has a variety of health benefits. It’s pleasant and calming scent makes it helpful in treating nerves and headaches, anxiety, depression, and emotional stress. It also increases mental stamina and calms exhaustion. 

Lavender essential oil is often recommended to treat insomnia as its scent can induce sleep. Massage with lavender oil can remedy all types of soreness and pain even when it is deep in the joints. 

The vapor form of lavender oil is used to treat all sorts of respiratory problems including, colds, flu, chest congestion, whooping cough, sinus congestion, and asthma.  Lavender has been used to promote good blood circulation and stimulate the production for gastric fluids to treat stomach ailments.

Next : Tea Tree Aromatherapy Benefits
Essential Oil List : Aromatherapy Kits

Aromatherapy Basic Care Kits

If you are new to aromatherapy, there are a few oils that will help you get started. These are some of the easiest to find yet versatile essential oils. Not only are they used for therapeutic purposes but can also be used in many other applications. 

Some of these include making natural cleaning products and gardening. In addition to the oils you will need some way to get them into your lungs. An aroma diffuser is a good way to do this.

An aroma diffuser puts the essential oils into the air quickly and spreads them about the room which allows you to get your therapy by just relaxing and breathing deeply. They come in all different shapes and styles so you can purchase one that matches the décor in each room of your home. 

Some run with the use of an open flame while others are powered by electricity. You can even get aromatherapy diffusers that work in your car.

These are Essential Oil you want to start your journey in Aromatherapy with:

Lavender

Tea Tree

Peppermint

Chamomile

Eucalyptus

Geranium

Rosemary

Thyme

Lemon Clove

As for the benefits for each Essential Oil will be deliberately explained in the next posts...

Aromatherapy Benefits

The use of aromatherapy with essential oil can be beneficial to your health. These products in their natural form promote overall well being for those who use them. Instead of using complicated man made chemicals, you use products what nature intended.

Not only can you maintain health but you can ward off illnesses like colds and flu just by inhaling lovely scents in your home, car, or office. The use of essential oils will improve your health and raise your energy level. 

Aromatherapy can relieve your daily tension and eben calm nerves. By using these complex organic compounds you can feel better and look better. 

In addition to boosting your head to toe health the use of aromatherapy allows you to avoid using other dangerous products. When you use natures recipes to combat everything from diabetes to heart ailments you free yourself from the side affects of synthetic medications. 

If you still require prescription treatment you can use aromatherapy in conjunction with them. Be sure to check with your physician before you mix any chemicals or if you are pregnant or have an ongoing health condition. 

You should take time to familiarize yourself with the oils that can be hazardous especially as they pertain to your health issues or concerns. Remember that no two people are the same so what is a non irritant to another person may not be so for you. Simple tests can help you determine whether you will be allergic to an oil. 

As a beginner in aromatherapy you should also take note of safety precautions and hazardous oils. Some less scrupulous sellers, especially online, will still sell things that you should not use in aromatherapy. If you see something that looks suspect trust your research and avoid it.

Once you experience the benefits of essential oils you will wonder how you ever lived without them. Soon your home will be free of man made chemicals for cleaning and treating illnesses.

Do not underestimate the power of ridding your home of the scent of bleach and strong household cleaners. Imagine what taking those smells into your lungs does to your respiratory system. Now think of  how it feels to breathe in fresh healthy air. This is what happens when you use essential oils to maintain a clean home. You and your whole family will be able to breathe easier and feel better. All of this by using natures essential oils through aromatherapy. 

Aromatherapy is for you. It is meant to benefit your health and well being. All the tools you need are some high quality, natural oils and a few recipes. More important is the knowledge that you do not have to do harm to yourself to keep your body and home free of germs, bacteria, and negative energy. 

So, find a health food store and start stocking up on oils that you like. Smell them all and see which invigorates you. And once you know which one is suitable for you, you can always find the same essential oil online for cheaper price. Build a beginner kit and start healing yourself with essential oils. Once you do that your only job is to breathe.

What is Aromatherapy?

You probably heard the term Aromatherapy and wondered what ‘aromatherapy’ actually means. It is the use of plant oils in there most essential form to promote both mental and physical well being. The use of the word aroma implies the process of inhaling the scents from these oils into your lungs for therapeutic benefit.

If you have ever used a vapor rub for a cough then you have tried aromatherapy, although not in its purest form. As a matter of fact, you probably have been using aromatherapy on yourself and your family for many years without realizing it through vapor rubs or electric vaporizers.

Vicks or other brands of vapor rub use eucalyptus or menthol to clear out stuffy chests and noses. Imagine if you used the undiluted essential oil of eucalyptus how clear your lungs would feel.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants for healing. Although the word “aroma” makes it sound as if the oils would be inhaled, they can also be massaged into the skin or -- rarely -- taken by mouth. Essential oils should never be taken by mouth without specific instruction from a trained and qualified specialist. Whether inhaled or applied on the skin, essential oils are gaining new attention as an alternative treatment for infections, stress, and other health problems. However, in most cases scientific evidence is still lacking.

Aromatherapy’s beauty is in more than just its lovely scents. Aromatic essential oils extracted from trees, flowers, grasses, herbs, fruits, leaves, roots, and shrubs have the power to alleviate disease, promote vibrant health, and soothe stress. Essential oils used in aromatherapy can be more effective than their modern-day chemical counterparts. Can your favorite commercial perfume also cut a cold short, boost your brainpower, or brighten your complexion? The essential oils used in aromatherapy do all this and more. It just so happens that they also smell wonderful.

Aromatherapy unlocks the therapeutic power of nature, and small doses of essential oils extracted from a variety of plants worldwide are incredibly effective and pleasant ways to promote health without polluting our bodies, homes, or planet with synthetic substances.

Using aromatherapy for pleasure and for health is a truly holistic approach to well-being. Presently, there are about three hundred essential oils used in aromatherapy worldwide to cure common problems like stress, insomnia, emotional issues, and migraines. People have been using these oils for generations, and they have started appearing more frequently in commercial products, too, including medicine, food and drink, fragrances, and cosmetics.

A single essential oil can have dozens of uses. Peppermint, for instance, is marketed by the pharmaceutical industry as Colpermin and sold for its soothing effect on the digestive system. Commercially, it appears in everything from candy to aftershave. In private homes, it’s often used to alleviate headaches or to deter ants and mice. There is no single use for any essential oil, and many work wonders for a variety of common ailments, which makes aromatherapy so versatile.

Essential oils are a plant’s lifeblood: like your own blood, they contain hundreds of beneficial elements in even the tiniest droplet. When we extract essential oils from a plant, we extract its most potent medicinal properties. These oils form the basis of aromatherapy. Just as you benefit from the peace and tranquility of standing in a field full of lavender, you benefit similarly from just a single drop of lavender essential oil added to a steaming bath or dabbed onto a pillowcase at bedtime.

We obtain essential oils used in aromatherapy from different parts of a plant, including roots, leaves, stalks, seeds, resin, fruit peels, tree bark, or pine needles and twigs. For instance, bay oil comes from bay leaves, cumin oil from the seeds, lemon oil from the peel, and cinnamon oil from tree bark.

Extracting these delicate oils to produce just a few drops is an art form. Unlike perfumes, which can be created in a laboratory at very low cost, essential oils need to be extracted under very particular conditions. For instance, to produce just one ounce of pure rose oil, you need sixty thousand rose blossoms. Jasmine blossoms, which produce one of the most prized and expensive aromatherapy oils on the market, must be picked by hand on the first day they burst open – and before the sun destroys their precious oil forever. And sandalwood cannot be extracted from any tree that is not at least thirty years old and thirty feet high.

But the effort invested in producing these essential oils for aromatherapy use seems a bargain when compared to the endless benefits these oils provide. Whether you use them as part of an indulgent bath or massage, inhale them via incense smoke or steam, add them to your beauty concoctions or simply let their essence waft from a lit candle, you are not only enjoying a pleasant scent. You’re enjoying the spoils of the most comprehensive medicine cabinet on Earth: nature’s!