The Powerful Health Benefits Of Essential Oils

The Powerful Health Benefits Of Essential Oils

Essential oils are extracted from therapeutic plants, which are exceptionally strong, resilient, adaptive, protective, and rejuvenating.

Where plants are harvested, when they are harvested and the methods used to harvest play a pivotal role in their chemical constituents and will greatly affect the quality of your experience and consistency of your results.

Using essential oils allows us to rediscover the ancient wellness practices, cultural rituals, and cuisine of many powerful and prolific ancient cultures across the globe. It literally takes a ton of plant material to make essential oils, many companies may add various additives, synthetics, and chemicals during their distillation process to either speed the process or stretch the oil. This is why it is important to be mindful of where you purchase your oils

Which essential oils have medicinal properties?

Here are some common essential oils and their benefits:

Lavender oil

Lavender is the preferred go-to oil by many consumers. It’s gentle and has a lot of benefits. You can use it in a variety of ways.

Try adding it to a bath or diffuser as aromatherapy, adding to water to make a room spray or body spritzer, or combining with a base oil to make body oil.

Lavender can help with stress, pain and sleep. Before the discovery of antiseptics, lavender was also used as a cleaning agent in hospitals.

Tea tree oil

Most people use tea tree oil as an antiseptic or anti-fungal. You can also use it to help with:

  • Acne- Take a cotton swab and dip it into tea tree essential oil. Then, apply it directly on the acne — this is one exception where you don’t have to dilute it.
  • Athlete’s foot and ring worms. Dilute it with a carrier oil (a base or vegetable oil like coconut or jojoba oil that helps dilute essential oils) and put the blend on the affected skin.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil is known to:

  • anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.
  • Ease headaches.
  • Fight fatigue.
  • Lift mood.
  • Reduce gut spasms.
  • Support digestion.
  • Support memory.

When using the oil topically, make sure you dilute it. Do not use peppermint oil around pets.

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus is a great essential oil to have on hand during cold season. It soothes a stuffed-up nose by opening your nasal passages so you can breathe easier. (Peppermint oil can also help with this.)

It can also relieve pain and fight against herpes simplex virus due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Take precautions when using eucalyptus oil, making sure to dilute it before applying topically. It should not be ingested and can have dangerous side effects on children and pets.

Lemon oil

Extracted from the peel of lemons, lemon oil can be diffused into the air or applied topically to your skin with a carrier oil.

Lemon oil is known to:

  • Reduce anxiety and depression.
  • Reduce pain.
  • Ease nausea.
  • Kill bacteria.

Lemongrass oil

Lemongrass oil has a strong citrus scent and is known to help relieve stress , anxiety and depression.

Its antibacterial properties make it a good natural remedy to heal wounds and kill bacteria. It has been shown to prevent the growth of fungus found in athlete’s foot, ringworm and jock itch. 

Be sure to use a carrier oil before applying to your skin.

Orange oil

Orange oil is made from the rinds of the citrus fruit. It can be diffused into the air, topically on the skin (with a carrier oil) or even used as a natural cleaner in your home.

Orange oil is known to:

  • Kill bacteria.
  • Reduce anxiety.
  • Reduce pain.

Orange oil has the potential to make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so be careful about using it on your skin and then going outside.

Rosemary oil

You’ve probably reached for rosemary to add flavour to some of your recipes. But using rosemary oil also has some additional benefits like improving brain function, promoting hair growth, reducing pain and stress, lifting your mood and reducing joint inflammation.

Rosemary oil is safe to use in aromatherapy and topically on the skin with a carrier oil. If you’re pregnant or have epilepsy or high blood pressure, it’s advised to avoid using rosemary oil.

Bergamot oil

What is bergamot? If you’re a fan of Earl Grey tea, then you have had bergamot. The oil, which has a fruity and floral aroma, can be diffused or applied topically with a carrier oil (but it can make your skin sensitive to the sun).

Bergamot oil is known to:

  • Reduce anxiety.
  • Lift mood.
  • Lower blood pressure.

Cedarwood oil

Cedarwood oil, which has antioxidant and antibacterial properties, is a popular ingredient in insect repellent, shampoo and deodorant with its woodsy scent. But you can also use cedarwood oil to help with sleep and anxiety.

You can use cedarwood oil as aromatherapy, as well as a topical treatment mixed with a carrier oil.

How to use essential oils

Because essential oils are so strong being mindful about why and how you’re using them. Only small amounts — typically just a few drops — are used.

It’s also a good idea not to use them routinely, as your body can get used to them, lowering their effectiveness.

Diffuse them

You can diffuse essential oils, which is a type of aromatherapy.

It’s a great way to change your mood quickly. As you breathe in, the oil’s aroma immediately stimulates your central nervous system, triggering an emotional response, It can reduce anxiety and stress response quickly.

Mix essential oils and water in an essential oil diffuser and turn on the magic. A diffuser is a device that disperses tiny oil particles around the room so you can breathe them in. Follow your diffuser’s directions for the right oil-to-water ratio.

There are several other aromatherapy methods. Whichever method you choose, avoid direct contact with the essential oil and dilute it first. Other aromatherapy methods include:

  • The old-fashioned way. Take deep breaths of the aroma after opening the bottle.
  • Dry evaporation. Put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and smell the aroma as it disperses.
  • Steam inhalation. Put a few drops of essential oil in a bowl of hot water. Put your head over the bowl, a towel over your head and breathe in the steam.

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