Essential oils are commonly used in different cultures for boosting health. Benefits of essential oils, according to scientific research, have been positively linked to improving conditions such as insomnia and IBS. This is due to their antimicrobial properties which can strengthen your body’s immunity keeping destructive viruses and bacteria at bay. Some of these essential oils are also strong antioxidants that either neutralize or stop free radicals in a human body caused by different environmental factors such as chemical toxins, radiation, and pollution. This helps the body to resist the oxidative stress that can cause diseases in many situations.
Essential oils can be used to relieve headaches, depression, anxiety, and stress. It also boosts your energy while improving concentration levels, mental health, and sleep. And all it takes is to diffuse the required essential oil in an ultrasonic diffuser. Or apply a carrier oil with few drops of the essential oil, massage it into your skin or you can even inhale its scent directly from the bottle.
Before we discuss the magical health benefits of essential oils and their healing properties, let’s first understand what essential oils are.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oil is a thick liquid extract of plants, mostly from herbs, leaves, and barks of specific plants. According to the study of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, essential oils are composed of different naturally occurring chemicals that have a unique effect on your body when it comes into contact with them through the nose or skin. The reason they are called essential is that you need to maintain a plant’s essence to extract its flavour and odour through distillation or mechanical pressing. For instance, about 220 lavender flowers produce a pound of lavender oil.
Want to know more about the powerful healing properties of essential oil? Here are 10 common health issues that you can manage with the use of essential oils:
Essential oils are a great stress reliever. Stress occurs due to over-thinking and incapacity to calm your mind. A lot of people find essential oils as a natural remedy to relieve stress and calm their mind.
Popular Essential Oils for Stress Relief include Bergamot, Lavender, Jasmine, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, and Clary Sage.
A lot of essential oils have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties which act as a catalyst to heal wounds and different illnesses. You can diffuse these essential oils to clean your environment from bacteria and germs.
The following essential oils have healing properties, including Rosehip, Sandalwood, Oregano, Clove, Thyme, and Lavender. They are known for the quick healing of wounds. Eucalyptus and Tea Tree Oil are known for their antibacterial and antiseptic effect which is great for cleaning wounds.
I typically use tea tree witch hazel witch in my homemade toner, it’s been the best addition to my routine for my oily skin!
Several essential oils have a sedative and calming nature which helps to fall asleep quickly. It improves sleeping patterns to give you a refreshed feeling in the morning. I often advise my patients with insomnia to utilize aromatherapy as a natural alternative and its potential to aid with regulating one’s Circadian rhythms.
So the next time, you face sleeping difficulty or are unable to calm your mind in bed, why not try out these essential oils: Lavender, Jasmine, Chamomile, Marjoram, Ylang Ylang, and Frankincense. They will not only help with sleep but will also help you to wake up with a refreshing feeling.
Essential Oils boosts your mood and spirit to fight against anxiety and depression. Aromatherapy is commonly used for combating negative feelings and a depressive mindset.
The key essential oils to use against anxiety and depression include Chamomile, Lemon, Frankincense, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Peppermint, and Lemon. They all have a calming and uplifting effect on your mind to reinstate confidence
Many essential oils are used for improving mental health issues such as memory loss and lack of concentration. According to studies, oils that are rich in sesquiterpenes such as sandalwood and frankincense pass through the blood-brain barrier and could potentially play a role in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
Clove and Clary sage strengthen memory whereas Lavender helps with the brain’s cognitive ability. Peppermint and Lemon improve mental alertness and concentration. So essential oils are a good natural option if you wish to improve your cognition or keep it agile.
Many people suffer from low energy levels. Most of the time, feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day is due to an emotional or nervous system imbalance. Essential oils can help restore your balance in either case.
The scent of lemon, orange, and peppermint offers an instant boost in energy. You can also try rosemary or thyme when feeling mentally tired. Aromatherapy with Bergamot or Cinnamon works just great if you are physically fatigued.
Often it can be hard to relax due to the nature of life or having a stressful or hectic job. Essential oils particularly used in a diffuser can help with relaxation. You can use it during meditation, combined with breathing exercises can do the trick in helping you unwind.
Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Sandalwood, Geranium, and Roman Chamomile are all excellent for bringing a sense of calmness and tranquility. They help soothe your mind, calm the body, and relax your senses.
Nausea is mostly caused by pregnancy and motion sickness. Aromatherapy is a great therapy against feeling nauseous.
Diffuse lemon, peppermint, and ginger for morning sickness. Peppermint and Ginger are also perfect against motion sickness. Fennel, Rose, Peppermint, and Ginger are good alternatives.
Headaches are one of the most common ailments. Luckily, there are several essential oils to use against migraine headaches, tension headaches, and general stress-related headaches.
Popular essential oils to combat headaches include Lavender, Basil, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Wintergreen, and Ylang Ylang.
Nasal congestion is caused due to increased mucus in the nasal passage and sinuses. This causes inflammation and breathing issues. Aromatherapy with essential oils is a great way to treat all such respiratory and congestion-related problems.
Just try some drops of juniper berry, eucalyptus, peppermint, or tea tree oil in your steam inhalation therapy to help clear that congestion. Marjoram, Eucalyptus, and Frankincense can also help break up mucus
Now that you know the benefits of essential oils, it is important for you to also know how to use them.
Essential oils are best used through aromatherapy and are not for consumption. It directly affects the limbic system – that helps the brain to process emotions. It communicates with the rest of the brain mainly the brainstem which is in charge of your vital functions. This is why there is a change in your heart rate, blood pressure, etc when you get upset for instance.
Pour a few drops of essential oils on your skin to avail of their benefits. You can also add them to your lotion or use it through a diffuser to spread their fragrance in your surroundings. When starting your use limit it to a few different essential oils; I love eucalyptus, jasmine, and lavender of course! Simply use a few drops of essential oils when applying it directly to the skin or diffusing it in the air to check for any possible allergic reactions.
Essential Oils combined with aromatherapy are safe and reliable for treating common ailments. They are known for their healing properties in the entire health and wellness community. It’s a good place to start particularly if you wish to avoid medications and it empowers you to take initiative in your health for the management of common ailments.
As always if you’re concerned about any health issues or they are not improving with self-management options, then make sure to contact your Family Physician. Otherwise, I would love to hear from you about which essential oils you are currently using and the reasons behind your selection.
Being assertive is critical to healthy relationships and living a stress-free life. I have said that assertiveness lies in the healthy middle between passivity and aggression. So, it is possible to be assertive without being aggressive.
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