Aromatherapy - How to Use Essential Oils
- By:Richard Bean
Aromatherapy is the use of ft essential oils from plants to enhance general health and appearance. The term was coined by its originator, the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse.
Aromatherapy is used for a wide variety of problems, ranging from anxiety and insomnia to acne, cellulite (fatty deposits beneath the skin), and aging skin.
The Benefits of Aromatherapy
Each essential oil has its own characteristic aroma and profile of therapeutic properties. Some oils are soothing and relaxing, others are stimulating and invigorating. Certain fragrances have an effect on a user's mental state: jasmine and neroli may lift depression, marjoram soothes anxiety, and peppermint can enhance mental concentration. But an even greater number of essential oils are physically therapeutic and possess antibacterial, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory properties. These can be highly effective in relieving the symptoms of such common infections as colds and influenza.
How to Use Essential Oils
There are several ways to use essential oils to reap the full benefits of aromatherapy. Choose those oils with the properties that are most suited to the effect desired, and use them either singly or in combinations of no more than two or three at a time.
On the skin essential oils are highly concentrated: always mix an essential oil with, carrier oil before applying it to the skin. Add one to three drops of essential oil to a teaspoonful of a vegetable oil such as almond, soybean grapeseed, avocado, or whea germ oil. Store larger quantities of unused oil in a bottle made of tinted glass and keel in a cool place. Apply the mixture directly onto the skin, rubbing it in gently.
Alternatively, use the aromatherapy oil in place of an ordinary massage oil.
To benefit directly from the aroma of an essential oil, add, few drops to a bowl of steaming hot water and position the bowl near enough for you to be able to inhale the vapor. Inexpensive vaporizers are also available.
Alternatively, place a few drops of essential oil onto a ball of dampened absorbent cotton and put the ball on a hot radiator. Another option is to put a few drops of essential oil into an atomizer of the type used to spray indoor plants (five drops to 1 cup/250ml of water) and spray around the room. This will freshen up stuffy rooms, creating an atmosphere conducive to study or to relaxation at home, or potentially keeping minor infections at bay in an office.
In the bath add five to ten drops of essential oils as the hot water is running. The benefits come from inhaling their vapors as well as absorbing the oils themselves through the skin.
Special Note Essential oils are obviously highly concentrated: applied directly to the skin they may sting or cause irritation. Before using an essential oil for the first time - especially if there is a personal history of allergic reactivity - a skin test under the supervision of a clinical ecologist or other qualified practitioner is strongly recommended. You should never swallow essential oils except when directed to do so by a practitioner who is skilled in the internal medical use of oils. In some countries, essential oils that are to be taken internally in this way are available only on prescription from a physician. On the other hand, herbal decoctions and infusions (tisanes and teas) are readily and generally available.About the author:
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