Day 32 of 365 - Aromatherapy - The Benefits of Essential Oils
On my bookshelf, I have a little book about aromatherapy, sort of a beginner's guide. It was printed in 1999. I don't remember exactly when I bought it but, we can assume sometime in the early 2000's. In it, there is a list of fifteen basic oils and basic directions for how to use them. I maybe bought a couple of those oils for a specific purpose. In books today, or on websites there are probably 10 times as many oils listed, if not more.
The different ways essential oils can be used include: diluted for massage or to simply roll on the skin; inhaled as a vapor through a diffuser; in a warm bath; in a cloth compress placed on the body; in balms, creams, lotions, shampoos, body wash or soap; as a component of mouthwash. Many products containing essential oils as an ingredient are available now. It is also relatively easy to make your own when you want a customized blend.
Probably the first way that I used them was in the bath. I tend to bathe more than shower, so it's convenient for me to add a few drops of oil to a bath for relaxation or for reducing muscle tension and pain. A store in my neighborhood, which is now closed, used to sell very reasonably priced mini vials of oil blends of different kinds. That was very convenient because I could just empty a vial into the bath. I still own some of those. I would also use those vials to just rub a little on my wrists or other points.
Over the years I was introduced to more oils during treatments from my chiropractor or my massage therapist. I would subsequently buy another oil or two to augment the benefits of those treatments.
Essential oils are distilled from the flowers, leaves, herbs, bark and roots of different plants or trees. They are mostly used diluted in a carrier oil or water. Some can be applied in very small amounts directly to the skin. They are used to improve physical, mental and emotional health. Oils can be balancing, sedating or stimulating, so it's important to have some kind of guidance in how to use them. There is no shortage of resources available nowadays, either from books or online.
My habits and purposes of their use, as well as the variety that I own, has increased quite a lot in recent years. I've incorporated them as part of some of my routines on a daily basis.
A few years ago, I was introduced to additional ways to use essential oils via an online class I had signed up for. The purpose of that class was to help reduce sugar intake and cravings. The tool the instructor used was essential oils. This was a four week program and two different oils per week were used. That meant I purchased eight specific essential oils to use. It was a really interesting process for me to use the scents of those oils as a means of having a different sensory experience which was satisfying versus just giving in to an impulse to eat something sweet. It was a behavioral retraining of sorts, though it was not really presented in that way. The eight oils chosen had enough contrast to give quite a variety of experiences. I found it quite fascinating.
Getting those new oils tweaked my interest further in other ways to use them in my daily routines. I decided to purchase a diffuser, which is primarily used in my bedroom to promote deeper sleep, but could be used with different oils in other rooms as well. I sometimes received gifts of natural soaps with essential oil too. Now, I know someone who makes their own soaps with oils and I buy them from her. I really enjoy using those soaps in my bath every day. In the past year I have also made my own sprays, antibacterial and insect repellant. I've also purchased carrier oil and vials with rollerballs to make my own scented oils to use as a perfume or cologne.
I know that essential oil marketing is a big business now. Personally, I am not brand loyal, and my oils come from various sources. I do read labels and choose oils and blends that are natural, not synthetic, and some of my oils are organic.
There are so many scented products in our modern environment from cleaners, to air fresheners, to fabric softeners and so on. Most of those scents are synthetic and I find I can react negatively to some. For example, once, just walking through the area of a store that held many highly scented laundry detergents gave me a headache. For that matter, the same thing has happened to me in a natural products store just because there was such an intense concentration of scents in a small area. So, it's good to be judicious with the concentration of scents in general.
I'm happy to have my little inventory of essential oils and have not yet exhausted the different ways to use them to contribute to my health and vitality. If you have never explored aromatherapy before, pick just one method and a couple of oils that appeal to you. Have fun experimenting. These gifts from nature are amazing!
The different ways essential oils can be used include: diluted for massage or to simply roll on the skin; inhaled as a vapor through a diffuser; in a warm bath; in a cloth compress placed on the body; in balms, creams, lotions, shampoos, body wash or soap; as a component of mouthwash. Many products containing essential oils as an ingredient are available now. It is also relatively easy to make your own when you want a customized blend.
Probably the first way that I used them was in the bath. I tend to bathe more than shower, so it's convenient for me to add a few drops of oil to a bath for relaxation or for reducing muscle tension and pain. A store in my neighborhood, which is now closed, used to sell very reasonably priced mini vials of oil blends of different kinds. That was very convenient because I could just empty a vial into the bath. I still own some of those. I would also use those vials to just rub a little on my wrists or other points.
Over the years I was introduced to more oils during treatments from my chiropractor or my massage therapist. I would subsequently buy another oil or two to augment the benefits of those treatments.
Essential oils are distilled from the flowers, leaves, herbs, bark and roots of different plants or trees. They are mostly used diluted in a carrier oil or water. Some can be applied in very small amounts directly to the skin. They are used to improve physical, mental and emotional health. Oils can be balancing, sedating or stimulating, so it's important to have some kind of guidance in how to use them. There is no shortage of resources available nowadays, either from books or online.
My habits and purposes of their use, as well as the variety that I own, has increased quite a lot in recent years. I've incorporated them as part of some of my routines on a daily basis.
A few years ago, I was introduced to additional ways to use essential oils via an online class I had signed up for. The purpose of that class was to help reduce sugar intake and cravings. The tool the instructor used was essential oils. This was a four week program and two different oils per week were used. That meant I purchased eight specific essential oils to use. It was a really interesting process for me to use the scents of those oils as a means of having a different sensory experience which was satisfying versus just giving in to an impulse to eat something sweet. It was a behavioral retraining of sorts, though it was not really presented in that way. The eight oils chosen had enough contrast to give quite a variety of experiences. I found it quite fascinating.
Getting those new oils tweaked my interest further in other ways to use them in my daily routines. I decided to purchase a diffuser, which is primarily used in my bedroom to promote deeper sleep, but could be used with different oils in other rooms as well. I sometimes received gifts of natural soaps with essential oil too. Now, I know someone who makes their own soaps with oils and I buy them from her. I really enjoy using those soaps in my bath every day. In the past year I have also made my own sprays, antibacterial and insect repellant. I've also purchased carrier oil and vials with rollerballs to make my own scented oils to use as a perfume or cologne.
I know that essential oil marketing is a big business now. Personally, I am not brand loyal, and my oils come from various sources. I do read labels and choose oils and blends that are natural, not synthetic, and some of my oils are organic.
There are so many scented products in our modern environment from cleaners, to air fresheners, to fabric softeners and so on. Most of those scents are synthetic and I find I can react negatively to some. For example, once, just walking through the area of a store that held many highly scented laundry detergents gave me a headache. For that matter, the same thing has happened to me in a natural products store just because there was such an intense concentration of scents in a small area. So, it's good to be judicious with the concentration of scents in general.
I'm happy to have my little inventory of essential oils and have not yet exhausted the different ways to use them to contribute to my health and vitality. If you have never explored aromatherapy before, pick just one method and a couple of oils that appeal to you. Have fun experimenting. These gifts from nature are amazing!
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