Little Known Ways Essential Oils Can Improve Your Life.

Deal with headaches, tension, the shingles and depression naturally. There are a few essential oils you should always have in your home: clove, lavender, peppermint, & citrus oils.  Essential oils are Mother Nature’s natural remedies & the practice of using essential oils has been around for thousands of years.

You may be wondering how essential oils work….. It’s magic! No not really. Until modern medicine was available people used to manufacture their cures and treatments from plants. Essential oils have been used for centuries in all different cultures. They are even mentioned in the bible. Some of the most healing and most powerful agents are essential oils. These are aromatic compounds that are found in leaves roots, flowers and bark can be applied topically, diffused for aromatherapy and some can even be ingested.

 

TOPICALLY

Applying an essential oil to your skin offers you the benefit of the plant immediately. They quickly permeate the cell walls of your skin to deliver nutrition and remove waste. As they do this, they help to clean the receptor sites of your cells. These are the receptors that are easily disrupted by heavy metals and chemicals (see posts on 12 ways to remove toxins).

 

OUR LIMBIC SYSTEM

Aromatherapy is a little different. It can be explained as the controlled use of these oils to maintain, trigger and/or promote physical, spiritual and psychological well-being.  Because smells are carried directly to the brain, they serve as emotional triggers.  Our limbic system receives the sensory stimuli (smell) & registers it accordingly. Much like apple pie can trigger good feelings of grandma or home sweet home, essential oils (or any smells) can trigger pleasure, safety or other emotions. This directs our emotional response which can include feelings of contentment happiness and security etc. with the right essential oil for you.

So, multiple ways to use these oils…let’s dive in….

 

SHINGLES:

Shingles happen when the chickenpox virus reactivates itself. The shingle virus symptoms can include sensitivity to light, headaches flu like symptoms, itching, and a painful rash that forms blisters before scabbing over. Essential oils (specifically clove) can often bring comfort to a mild case of shingles. Severe cases really require medical treatment. Always talk to your doctor about any natural remedy use over synthetic chemicals (although good luck with their knowing about essential oils. It’s not taught in med school.)

Drug companies spend money to send reps to doctor’s offices to teach them about their drug. The lavender plant growing in the field or farm doesn’t have the same sales force going in to see doctors. Anyway, back to clove & shingles.

Use of clove oil can numb the itching and pain experienced during an outbreak. You can apply a small amount of clove essential oil to the affected areas, and repeat as needed for relief. Nothing really takes the discomfort of shingles away but clove oil goes a long way.

Clove an essential oil that stops viruses. Clove bud oil (& allspice) is derived from the clove tree, a member of the Myrtaceae family. From this nonnative American evergreen, you can get three types of clove essential oils: clove bud oil, clove leaf oil, and clove stem oil.

Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory & Skin conditions– Clove oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits.  When applied topically, clove oil can help address skin problems like shingles, acne, fungal infections, wounds, & cuts. It is also a common treatment for athlete’s foot.

Digestive aid – Cloves help relax the smooth muscle lining in our gastrointestinal tract. It can aid with digestive problems (like nausea and/or vomiting).

Insect repellent – When used with citrus essential oils, cinnamon or peppermint this plant oil can help ward insects away.

Expectorant – Clove bud oil is also used to help ease respiratory problems, such as cough, colds, sinusitis, asthma, and tuberculosis. They say chewing on a clove bud helps with sore throats. I have sore throats infrequently so I never remember to try this but I will!

 

HEADACHES & TENSION

Tension headaches are usually brought on by stress. Sometimes, however, there are other triggers like depression, muscle strain, hunger or even mother n law visits. If you or your partner suffers in this way, essential oils can help soothe the pain and stress. Obviously, consult your doctor if you suffer from chronic headaches or you think there’s another underlying illness causing your headache. But, if it’s just your mother-in-law try one of these remedies!

Peppermint essential oil stops pain and creates a warming and cooling sensation. For mild headaches rub it on your temples. Be careful of your eyes though. You only need to get a tiny bit in your eyeball to know you never want to do that again! You can also apply it to the back of your neck. People around you will say “what smells so fresh and Minty?” Better than them saying “who stinks!?” It works pretty well.

Compress: You can also create a compress by using frankincense lavender peppermint essential oil’s. Recipe/ how to:

• 3 drops of frankincense essential oil
• 3 drops of lavender
• 3drops peppermint
• 2 cups of cold water (or enough to cover your wash cloth)

 

Soak your washcloth in the essential oils and cold water. Ring it out, and apply the compress to your four head taking care to prevent the essential oils from dripping into your eyes. Leave the compress on your four head until it warms up. Relax and lie down as you use the compress.

Diffusing: The third thing I would do is diffuse lavender, peppermint, and orange in a diffuser. Start with 3 drops of lavender & 3 drops of orange with 1 drop of peppermint oil. See how you like that. You can always add more of the flavor of essential oil you like the best.

Sometimes I add Bergamot. It’s a happy oil. It has a delightful citrusy fresh fragrance about it. My only caution on Bergamot is that it’s a phototoxic essential oil. All that means is that I avoid exposing the area of skin to the sun for a day.

Bergamot has been used for:

• Acne
• Antibacterial
• Anxiety
• Cold sores,
• Depression
• Reduce stress

Back to Peppermint…

ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTI-FUNGAL AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Peppermint is also antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It’s been used to fight:

• Depression
• Fatigue fever, headaches, indigestion,
• Halitosis
• Mental alertness,
• Muscle pain and stiffness

 

In the Shower

It has a clean crisp fragrance and can freshen breath naturally. Peppermint is one of those essential oils that I keep around the house. It’s multipurpose. It makes a valuable addition to my natural medicine collection. Sometimes I use it in the shower for aromatherapy benefits. I’ve massaged it on the sore muscles, stomach aches, backaches you name it. I love to diffuse spearmint and peppermint with a hint of orange and or lemon. It’s such a clean happy smell.

My cautionary advice for you is that peppermint essential oil can be strong and acts as a dermal irritant for some people.  Do a patch test before you use it for the first time. I can use peppermint oil straight on my body – but not everybody can.

Those with epilepsy or pregnant folks might want to consult their doctor or avoid peppermint essential oil. It’s not really intended for children under six …..although; I have to admit I have used it with success. My son was VERY colicky as a baby. I’d put one drop in a quart of water and filled his bottle with the peppermint water. I may have added an extra drop on bad days? It worked. So did a chiropractic adjustment but that’s a story for another blog post!

INSECT REPELLENT: I’ve also used peppermint with cinnamon and clove on my window ledges as a insect repellent. It works really well and as the breeze flows over the essential oil’s it brings a nice aroma into the house.

 

DEPRESSION: 

In clinical trials, essential oils have elevated mood & increased your “happy”.

Bergamot is a great antidepressant & natural remedy for anxiety. It induces feeling of joy & freshness. You can use bergamot oil by rubbing two to three drops into your hands and cupping your hands over your mouth and nose. Breathe in the oil slowly. You can also diffuse it or rub it on the bottoms of your feet.

Lavender improves sleep, mood and tension. Put it in a diffuser by your bed and diffuse oils while you sleep. Spray it on your pillow. Diffuse while bathing. Rub it behind your ears. Cup it in your hands as mentioned and breath deeply.

Citrus oils – Citrus is a great “happy” stimulator. Diffuse with a tad of peppermint for a clean fresh awakening aroma!

OK I said you’d learn about 3 essential oils and yet I talked about 4 or more…. But the point is well made. There are natural ways to deal with ailments.  Use these in good health!

October 22, 2016

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