Aromatherapy Relaxation Nurture

Deciding to incorporate essential oils into your life is a wise choice, providing a variety of health benefits and a more natural way of living. Essential oils are a great substitute for chemically-based cleaning products, over-the-counter medications, and expensive store-bought products.

The challenge is starting an essential oils collection without overwhelming your senses or your wallet. Choosing the right oils can seem daunting and you may find yourself confused and frustrated. Instead of trying to create a complex library of oils right away, build your collection slowly. This allows you to understand the oils you use and incorporate them into your life without spending too much.

Not sure where to start? This is a common challenge. If you are new to essential oils, there are a few must-have purchases for your collection. Once you own and know how to use these oils, you can expand your collection to include selections that are more specialized.

Your first oil purchase should be tea tree oil. The oil is a popular component for many “folk remedies” and is used by people who otherwise have no interest in essential oils. It is an oil with hardly any side effects and it is safe for adults and children. Tea tree oil is an excellent fungicide, antiseptic, and bactericide, and it helps the body rid itself of toxins. A few of the ailments it is useful in treating include acne, athlete’s food, common colds and flu, head lice, insect bites, mouth ulcers, sore throats, and abrasions.

Peppermint oil is another great starter oil. It is good for a variety of uses and is a pleasant smelling, easy to use oil. It is ideal for treating headaches and nausea, as well as a variety of other intestinal disorders. Its bright, fresh smell makes it great for mental stimulation and just a few quick sniffs of it can wake you up and revive your mood. It makes a great travel oiland can be used to freshen breath, ease jetlag, and revive stamina following a long flight.

Your third choice for rounding out a brand new oil collection is lavender. Lavender oil helps skin heal by promoting growth of new skin cells, making it an excellent oil for treating burns and other skin conditions. Its calming effects provide relief from high blood pressure and other stress-related conditions. It also promotes rest and sleep by calming and relieving tension. Women may also benefit from using lavender oil to ease menstrual cramps and premenstrual tension.

While it may be tempting to purchase every essential oil you can find, begin with just a few oils, learn how to use them, and gradually build your collection. This will save you money, while allowing you to use each of your oils safely and effectively.

{ 0 comments }

If you are pregnant and thinking about using essential oils to treat medical ailments or for household issues, it is important to speak with your doctor about safety concerns. There are a number of oils that are dangerous if exposure occurs during pregnancy. Many health professionals recommend all essential oils be avoided during pregnancy, but others believe there are still common oils that can be used for treatment. It is important to speak with your doctor during your pregnancy to determine whether essential oil treatments are right for you.

Some popular oils can be used to treatment common pregnancy problems. During pregnancy, women often experience nagging aches and pains due to the changing shape of their bodies, and the fact they are supporting a growing life. While oral painkillers should be avoided, natural pain relief like massage, stretching, and the use of essential oils may sooth the pain.

Even if you have used essential oils in the past without incident, it is important to consult your doctor when pregnant. Some oils have a toxic effect if used when pregnant, and others, while not toxic, interfere with hormones and affect menstrual flow. It is important to avoid all of the oils that play a role in the functioning of the reproductive system and hormones when pregnant.

A few oils that can be toxic when pregnant include bitter almond, camphor, horseradish, mustard, and wormwood. Oils that should be avoided due to their interference with the reproductive system during pregnancy include chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, jasmine, juniper, lemon, and peppermint. Common oils used on women who are expecting include lavender, neroli, tea tree, and ylang ylang.

Again, it is important to speak with your doctor about the use of essential oils during your pregnancy. Just as individuals react differently during other periods of their lives, pregnancy may cause your body to react negatively to a variety of things, even if there are no fatal effects. Using the oils under a doctor’s supervision will provide you with peace of mind. When used with care and medical supervision, essential oils can ease discomfort and provide soothing relief for a changing body and developing baby.

{ 0 comments }

Many people know that essential oils can be used around the home or in perfumes and baths, but fewer realize how helpful the oils can be in alleviating the unpleasant side effects of cancer treatment. If you or someone you care about is battling cancer, consider dealing with some of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation with natural methods that utilize pure essential oils. Some oils can interfere with the effectiveness of treatment, so before you do anything, speak with your doctor about what options will work best for you.

Aromatherapy is one of the safest natural methods for helping patients deal with cancer. While there are no essential oils that will eliminate or prevent cancer, there are options for using oils to reduce the stress, restless feelings, anxiety, pain, and discomfort associated with radiation and chemotherapy. Many cancer patients experience sleeplessness and anxiety, two conditions that are often eased by the use of certain oils. Sleep and rest are essential to the healing process, so if a patient is able to utilize oils like lavender or chamomile, both known for their relaxation benefits, it will help them feel better and recover faster.Credit: Free pictures from acobox.com

It is important to remember that exposure to essential oils can interfere with chemotherapy, so you will want to speak with your doctor about its use. Most aromatherapists recommend avoiding the use of essential oils in the couple of days prior to a chemotherapy treatment and up to 10 days following a treatment. Even if you have no adverse reaction to the use of the oils around the time of treatment, the oils can interfere with your cells’ response to chemo. You do not want to do anything that causes your treatments to be less effective. With only a few exceptions, peppermint oil can be inhaled following chemotherapy treatment to help with the nausea. It is an effective way to quell the sense of sickness, but speak with your doctor even though it is generally considered safe.

If you are undergoing radiation therapy, remember that your skin may be sensitive, burned, or irritated. It is important to be cautious when applying even diluted oils to irritated skin. A few oils you may want to avoid when undergoing radiation treatments include lemon, lime, orange,  peppermint, ylang ylang, and bergamont. All other oils that are permitted by your doctor during radiation should be used in an extremely low concentration of two drops per ounce of base oil.

Essential oils can be beneficial for patients undergoing cancer treatment, but it is important they understand how the oils can effect treatment. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of essential oil when battling cancer, consult a trained aromatherapist and speak with your doctor before using oils.

{ 0 comments }

Those first starting their essential oil collections may be tempted to purchase one of every oil available to them. Within no time at all, their wallets are empty and they have no idea what to do with the gallons of oil they now own. The best way to begin an essential oil collection is to pick one of two versatile oils and then supplement the collection with several of the oils that are value priced. This way you will have plenty of oils at your disposal and you can learn how to put them to a variety of uses. Remember, just because an oil is inexpensive does not mean it is any less useful than the pricier oil options.

Tea Tree Oil is often considered the most versatile of all essential oils. It is an antiseptic, fungicide, and bactericide. It is the perfect oil to keep in your first aid kit to help heal abrasions, abscesses, cold sores, insect bites and stings, and to treat cuts and scrapes. It is also an excellent oil to treat skin conditions like acne, warts, corns, cold sores, and boils. It can be mixed with a base oil and applied directly to the affected area, or it can be used in a bath, or an oil burner. The oil can be purchased for 9.00 for a 12ML container.

Citronella Oil is a great warm weather oil that keeps insects away, and it can be used safely on dogs and cats to rid their coats of fleas. Citronella can be mixed with a base oil for the pet or skin application, or it can be bathed in or burned to keep an area insect free. It also works great as a deterrent for moths if dropped on a piece of cotton and kept in a closet or drawer. The oil can be purchased for 9.50 for a 12 ML container.

A lesser known oil that is very affordable is Cajuput Oil. It can be purchased for 8.00 for a 12 ML container and is great for relieving respiratory problems such as asthma, laryngitis, bronchitis and colds. It is also a good antiseptic and it relieves infections. It offers effective pain relief for headaches, rheumatism, muscle stiffness and general aches and pains.

A great smelling oil that also works for easing colds, flu, throat infections, and sinusitis is Eucalyptus-Blue Gum Oil. It can be added to a base oil for skin applications and massage. It also works great in a bath, shower, or burner because the scent is bold and creates a feeling of alertness and clarity. This oil also works great for combating head lice in a natural way.

Finally, to complete an affordable collection of essential oils, try adding Clove Oil. It can be purchased for 9.50 for a 12 ML container and it works great for pain relief. It is the perfect oil for treating toothaches, mouth ulcers, gum infections, and gingivitis. It also works great as an insect repellent when combined with lemon and orange oil. In addition to oral treatments, Clove Oil is effective in treating arthritis, diarrhea, and hoarseness.

Over time, you can create an essential oil collection that includes an oil for every condition or ailment. However, if you have just begun using essential oils as a natural option, start your collection with useful, affordable oils.

{ 0 comments }