ESSENTIAL OILS USED FOR A COLD AND FLU

ESSENTIAL OILS USED FOR A COLD AND FLU:

• Essential oils can be excellent tools for helping us in wintertime cold symptoms. Essential oils are the volatile oils produced by certain aromatic plants, flowers and trees. They are the most concentrated form of herbal medicine, with one drop of essential oil being roughly equivalent to one ounce of plant material. While essential oils are widely used for their fragrances in cosmetic products and aromatic candles, their medicinal value should not be overlooked. Essential oils contain powerful chemical compounds that can have therapeutic effects on our physical and mental and emotion well-being.

• Many of the essential oils that is good for treating discomforts of colds and minor illnesses. Commonly used oil is lemon and eucalyptus. The active chemical compounds in eucalyptus have always been used in chest balms and vaporizers for treating congestion of the respiratory system. It is excellent for bronchial,  nasal mucous, and for respiratory disease.

• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) oil and Lemon (Citrus limon) juice has proven   effective to loosen mucus and soothe the throat

 Tea tree oil is widely used for viral and bacterial infections because it contains both anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities. It is a safe and gentle essential oil that is safe for even small children.

 Fir (Abies siberica) has anti-infectious and antiviral properties and is used to alleviate cold and flu symptoms.

Both fir & Eucalyptus can alleviate aches and pains associated with colds and the flu.

•  Pine oil is used in respiratory disease, cough, cold and chills. Oil gives strengthening and energized body.

•  Rosemary oil is used in colds, bronchitis, burn, headaches and it relaxes mood and body.

• Lavender oil is used in skin care, burns, cuts, stress, insomnia, colds and flu. It helps to stimulate the immune system, as well as soothe aches and chills and general blahs. 

All these essential oils can be used in simple, pleasant home remedies. One good way to treat respiratory congestion is to take some steaming water, add 2-5 drops of oil, put a big towel or cloth and cover head and the bowl, and inhale the vapors for at least 5 minutes.

Another option is to add 10-12 drops of essential oil per ounce of massage oil or lotion and massage into the skin. The essential oils will be absorbed through your skin and into your body. If you're doing this to relieve chest congestion, rub it mainly on the chest and back. Never use essential oils undiluted on the skin as they are very concentrated and could be irritating.

Baths are another enjoyable way to receive the benefits of essential oils. Simply add   about 10 drops to a hot bath and relax for at least 15 minutes. Sometimes the simple act of taking some time out for ourselves is what it takes to get rid of those miserable colds.

Take 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of water. Hold in palm in cupped position and sniff it up your nostrils. In a few seconds your mouth will fill up with mucus. Spit it till it stops coming out.

AROMATHERAPY BLENDS FOR INSOMNIA (DIFFUSER)

AROMATHERAPY BLENDS FOR INSOMNIA (DIFFUSER):

 Blending Method 1:

• Take 2 medium size  empty bottle (60ml) with spritzer fitting
• 60 ml distilled water
• 15 drops of Lavender essential oil   (Lavandula angustifolia).
• 10 drops of Chamomile oil (Chamaemelum nobile).

Mix all of the ingredients together in the bottle and spray a about 5-10ml on your pillow before sleep at night!

 Blending Method 2:

• Take 60 ml  empty bottle with spritzer fitting
• 60 ml  distilled water
• 20 drops of Lavender oil.(Lavandula angustifolia) .
• 10 drops of Benzoin resinoid (Styrax benzoin) .

Mix all of the ingredients together in the bottle and spray a little amout  on pillow before  sleep at night.

Note-  benzoin is a sticky substance, thick resinoid, so be careful it doesn’t clog up your spritzer fitting.

 Blending Method 3:

• Take an aromatherapy diffuser
• 10 ml empty bottle with dropper fitting at mouth.
• 80 drops of  Marjoram  essential oil (Origanum marjorana). 
• 120 drops of Lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia) .

Mix the Lavender and marjoram essential oils together in the empty i.es; 10 ml bottle. Add a few drops of this blend to an aromatherapy diffuser and burn it for about 15- 20 minutes before going to sleep.

10 ESSENTIAL OILS USED FOR INSOMNIA IN AROMATHERAPY

10 ESSENTIAL OILS  USED FOR INSOMNIA IN AROMATHERAPY :

Many essential oils have been proven to be relaxing and conducive to sleep. There are many recipes as well as professional blends, but you can just use a single ingredient. Choose an essential oil for its aromatherapy qualities depending on what issues are causing your lack of sleep.

1. Lavender (Lavendula) - This herb can be grown in your own garden. It’s a bushy plant with pale violet leaves that bloom all summer long. Among its varied uses, it’s good for digestion or as an anti-depressant, it has been found to be especially good at calming the nervous system, relaxing the body and enabling blissful sleep.  This essential oil is one of the more popular aromas to induce sleep. It is typically one of the less expensive varieties, since the whole plant is processed for its essences. There are many varieties of lavender with different properties, and some smell more medicinal whereas others have a sweeter aroma.

2. Neroli (Citrus aurantium amara) - It is used for insomnia, stress, and grief. Neroli is extracted from the blossoms of sweet orange or bitter orange trees.

3. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) - Patchouli has been prized for hundreds of years for its sweet, musky aroma, and its ability to bring about a meditative and serene state of mind.

4. Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)-   It is used  for its sedative qualities for insomnia, tension, nervousness, and general well-being. It’s somewhat floral, musky, or the aroma is often mixed with other essential oils.

5. Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) - It has a calming and grounding effect. It has a sweet and balsamic aroma this often mixed with other oils, especially lavender, thyme, and rosemary. 

6. Valerian Root (Valeriana fauriei) – It has been used for sleep, relaxation, and calming effects.  It has a musky, woody, balsamic aroma that is often blended with lavender, cedarwood, pine, and patchouli.

7. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomile) - Plant only the flowers are used to make this excellent therapeutic essential oil. As a tea it is know to calm upset stomachs. Used in aromatherapy, it is at its best helping with those who suffer from insomnia. It has a fruity slightly sweet fragrance. Both the German and Roman chamomiles are good for this purpose.

8. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)- It is a citrus fruit rind.  It does its job by relieving stress and enabling the subject to relax. It has a lovely citrus scent that will make you feel refreshed and give you that sense of well-being. Interestingly bergamot is the main ingredient in earl grey tea. 

9. Sandalwood (Santalum album) - It is wood. To get the right intensity of oil from the trees they must be at least forty years old, but the older the better and a tree eighty years old will produce better oils. Sandalwood is a calming agent; it relieves nervous tension and helps you relax.

10.  Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) – It has two different types of oil, one green and the other red. It has several advantages one of which is that it is gentle enough that you can use it with children as well as adults. Interesting the scent is closer to that of a bergamot oil and less like the tangerine it’s expected to smell like. Mandarin oil is a very successful treatment for sleep difficulties almost rivaling lavender. 

Sometimes using a combination of these wonderful scents can help you to feel more relaxed and ready to have a good night’s sleep. So, take lavender, chamomile and bergamot, mix them together using jojoba as your carrier oil (a carrier oil is what you use to mix the other oils into) and then you have a wonderful aromatherapy concoction ready to relax you. You can use these either in a diffuser or on your pillow, or even in an eye pillow. 

There are other mixtures you can make that use similar combinations but are made for different purposes, though the outcome of helping you to relax is still the purpose of the mix. Try a calming perfume, it’ll smell lovely while helping keep you relaxed.

AROMATHERAPY FOR INSOMNIA

AROMATHERAPY FOR INSOMNIA

• Insomnia is a common problem amongst many people. Most people will experience insomnia at some point in their life and will either have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for any length of time. Although the cause of insomnia varies, there are a few simple aromatherapy recipes that might help in your search for a more restful night’s sleep.

• Your body will probably get used to the scent and will not necessarily respond to it in the same way as it originally did. It’s easy to switch out one essential oil for another (or vary the quantities) because there are several essential oils that can be used for insomnia.

• Even though essential oils have been used for centuries in other cultures, they have only become popular in the states and the last few years. Essential oils for sleep are a powerful ally that can help you go to sleep without dependence on prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids, which often come with negative side effects such as addiction.

• While essential oils are safe, there is a potential for an allergic or unwanted reaction, so if you are sensitive to many substances, add only one or a few types to your regimen at a time. If you are trying to get pregnant, or are pregnant or lactating, many essential oils have contraindications for use. Nearly all the essential oils must be diluted before using them on your skin, but there are some exceptions  (carrier oil).

• A good book written by a knowledgeable author on essential oils can help you achieve the greatest benefits by advising you about how a particular essential oil affects most people. With some experimentation, you can learn how the various aromas and properties of essential oils affect you. The best way to learn quickly is to pay attention to your body, and be ready to take a break, even from aromatherapy blends that are very effective for you.

STRESS RELIEF BY AROMA AT HOME

                                       STRESS RELIEF BY AROMA AT HOME 

Aromatherapy can be used  anywhere - in your home, your office, in your car etc.  It's simple to use. All you have to do is smell the aroma of essential oils.

How does it work? Our brains can register aromas twice as quickly as it can pain. Smell is the only sense that can bypass everything and go straight to our nervous system. That means that essential oil molecules have direct access to the part of our brains that controls emotions and memory. That is what makes aromatherapy so powerful and effective.

Aromatherapy means "treatment using scents". Stress can lower your defenses and make you more susceptible to illness. Next time you feel stressed try aromatherapy. Purchase a bottle of lavender, geranium, basil, or rose essential oils from a local health food store. 

You can put a few drops (7 drops is what is recommended) in your bathing water to help you unwind. It's best to add the drops after you're done running the water. For children and the elderly just (4 drops of essential oil are recommended). 

You can also make a hot compress by soaking a hand towel or wash cloth in warm water that has a few drops of your preferred essential oil. Apply the compress to the back of the neck and shoulder. If you're in public you can put a few drops on a cotton ball and inhale deeply. This is an easy way to use  aromatherapy  in the work place.

If you are in  stress  condition that is depressions  try using sweet orange, lemon, peppermint or cinnamon essential oils. You can make a cold compress using these essential  oils by soaking a cloth in ice cold water that has essential oils already added according  to doses.. Wring out the cloth and apply it to your neck. 

You can also add these oils to a vaporizer to help release the oils into the air. You can usually purchase a vaporizer that is specifically for the oils where ever essential oils are sold. You can also add the oils to a diffuser. The next time you feel tense and stressed out stop and smell the roses, or the lavender.