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Natures Cure: Essential Oils
By:
Published: August 17, 2006
Essential oils are pure liquid essences derived from plant materials. Unlike the synthetic composition of perfume oils, essential oils come from natural resources, making them surprisingly accessible in our day-to-day lives.
While these oils are found at local spas, all you have to do is open your kitchen cabinet to find a dizzying amount. Just think about how many times you have sipped a cup of jasmine or chamomile tea, sprinkled basil on your food or enjoyed the lavender scent of your bath gel, and you will begin to see how close to home they really are.
The technique behind creating the oils for aromatherapy, however, can be tricky. The oil is extracted from leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, bark, roots and other environmental elements. The most common method for extracting essential oil is distillation from steam or water. Sometimes a technique called cold pressing is used. In this process, oil is squeezed out with a heavy granite millstone. Needless to say, it may be easier to leave this part to the experts!
Even after extraction, essential oils are highly potent and should never be applied to the skin in this pure form. This is why the essential oil is always mixed with a carrier oil to dilute it. Typically the appropriate balance is about 15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. Contrary to its name, essential oils are actually not oily-feeling at all. They are usually clear in color, but are sometimes amber depending on the substance.
The most popular use of essential oils is via aromatherapy massage. If you have ever had a massage in a spa, you probably remember a pleasant aroma adding to your enjoyment. Although traditional opinion holds that the benefits of essential oils are due to the skin's absorption of the oil into the bloodstream, it is now widely believed the benefits are achieved through inhalation, via the olfactory system.
The healing properties tied to essential oils occur because smells can trigger reactions in the limbic system, which is the emotional part of the brain. Our sense of smell has a direct pathway to our emotions, which explains why aromatherapy can affect a person's mood or state of mind. Furthermore, since the limbic system directly affects a person's immune, nervous and endocrine systems, people may feel physical benefits as well.
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Different Applications for Essential Oils
For sinus or bronchial problems
Inhalation: Add about five to seven drops to a bowl of steaming water while placing a towel tent over your head to capture the steam. Close your eyes and inhale the steam until it cools or you stop smelling the scent. If necessary, you can repeat every four or five hours.
Skin care
Facial steam: For a deep cleaning experience, put five to six drops of essential oil into a pint of warm water or a facial steamer.
Facial oil blend: Add about 15 drops of essential oil into your carrier oil, unscented lotion or cream.
For colds, flu, sore muscles or simple relaxation
Bath: Put about five to 12 drops in some warm bath water. Swish around to make sure it disperses evenly. You can also choose to mix the oil with honey, milk or carrier oil before adding to the water.
Compress: Ideal for easing muscle pain and menstrual cramps. Add four to seven drops of essential oil to a bowl of warm water. Swish the surface of the water with a cloth, wring out and apply to the painful area. You can repeat when the cloth cools.
***
Common Essential Oils: Providing Emotional Relief
Chamomile: relieves anger, anxiety, hysteria, impatience, nervousness, tension and stress
Basil: eases fatigue (emotional & physical) and indecision
Lavender: relieves fatigue, panic, shock and suspicion
Jasmine: alleviates grief, fatigue, disappointment, shyness, suspicion and jealousy
Benzoin: reduces sadness and loneliness
Peppermint: relieves indecision
Rose: eases anger, anxiety, jealousy, shock, shyness and sadness
Sandalwood: alleviates stress, tension and anxiety
While these oils are found at local spas, all you have to do is open your kitchen cabinet to find a dizzying amount. Just think about how many times you have sipped a cup of jasmine or chamomile tea, sprinkled basil on your food or enjoyed the lavender scent of your bath gel, and you will begin to see how close to home they really are.
The technique behind creating the oils for aromatherapy, however, can be tricky. The oil is extracted from leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, bark, roots and other environmental elements. The most common method for extracting essential oil is distillation from steam or water. Sometimes a technique called cold pressing is used. In this process, oil is squeezed out with a heavy granite millstone. Needless to say, it may be easier to leave this part to the experts!
Even after extraction, essential oils are highly potent and should never be applied to the skin in this pure form. This is why the essential oil is always mixed with a carrier oil to dilute it. Typically the appropriate balance is about 15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. Contrary to its name, essential oils are actually not oily-feeling at all. They are usually clear in color, but are sometimes amber depending on the substance.
The most popular use of essential oils is via aromatherapy massage. If you have ever had a massage in a spa, you probably remember a pleasant aroma adding to your enjoyment. Although traditional opinion holds that the benefits of essential oils are due to the skin's absorption of the oil into the bloodstream, it is now widely believed the benefits are achieved through inhalation, via the olfactory system.
The healing properties tied to essential oils occur because smells can trigger reactions in the limbic system, which is the emotional part of the brain. Our sense of smell has a direct pathway to our emotions, which explains why aromatherapy can affect a person's mood or state of mind. Furthermore, since the limbic system directly affects a person's immune, nervous and endocrine systems, people may feel physical benefits as well.
***
Different Applications for Essential Oils
For sinus or bronchial problems
Inhalation: Add about five to seven drops to a bowl of steaming water while placing a towel tent over your head to capture the steam. Close your eyes and inhale the steam until it cools or you stop smelling the scent. If necessary, you can repeat every four or five hours.
Skin care
Facial steam: For a deep cleaning experience, put five to six drops of essential oil into a pint of warm water or a facial steamer.
Facial oil blend: Add about 15 drops of essential oil into your carrier oil, unscented lotion or cream.
For colds, flu, sore muscles or simple relaxation
Bath: Put about five to 12 drops in some warm bath water. Swish around to make sure it disperses evenly. You can also choose to mix the oil with honey, milk or carrier oil before adding to the water.
Compress: Ideal for easing muscle pain and menstrual cramps. Add four to seven drops of essential oil to a bowl of warm water. Swish the surface of the water with a cloth, wring out and apply to the painful area. You can repeat when the cloth cools.
***
Common Essential Oils: Providing Emotional Relief
Chamomile: relieves anger, anxiety, hysteria, impatience, nervousness, tension and stress
Basil: eases fatigue (emotional & physical) and indecision
Lavender: relieves fatigue, panic, shock and suspicion
Jasmine: alleviates grief, fatigue, disappointment, shyness, suspicion and jealousy
Benzoin: reduces sadness and loneliness
Peppermint: relieves indecision
Rose: eases anger, anxiety, jealousy, shock, shyness and sadness
Sandalwood: alleviates stress, tension and anxiety
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