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Aromatherapy – the Basics

Corinna Underwood | April 28, 2008

Essential oils have been used for healing and to promote wellness for centuries. In fact, it is possible to trace aromatherapy back to more than 3,000 year before the birth of Christ, to when aromatic medicine was combined with spirituality and mystical rituals.

Today aromatherapy is rapidly regaining popularity and its use of essential plant oils extends beyond just inhaling their scents, it also includes mixing the oils with carrier oils
and applying them to the skin where they can be absorbed.

Inhaling the aroma of essential oils can have a profound effect on your physical wellbeing. This is because our sense of smell is the most acute of our senses, even though we may not always realize it. As we breathe in the scents of essential oils, they stimulate olfactory nerves in the nasal cavity which transmit messages to the limbic system – the part of the brain responsible for the functioning of our memory and emotions. This is how aromatherapy oils are believed to affect our mood.

By massaging essential oils into the skin this enables the active ingredients in the oils to become absorbed into the body where they can work directly. Some oils take longer than others to penetrate the skin with a range of about four minutes to an hour. This is how essential are able to promote physical healing and also increase wellbeing by stimulating an immune, nervous system or circulatory response or pain or reducing inflammation.

Here are some common oils and oils blends that are recommended for healing physical ailments and improving your mood:

Relive seasonal allergies – mix one drop of hyssop with a drop of cypress oil on the back of your hand. With the tip of your finger dab the mix on the back of your tongue every 2-3 hours.

Soothing muscular pain – take 1/2oz of your preferred carrier oil and add 4 drops of lavender oil, 4 drops of ginger oil, 4 drops of rosemary oil. Massage this into your muscles for quick pain relief. This will work much quicker after a hot bath.

Relief from insomnia – You can either add 2-4 drops of ylang-ylang or lavender to a hot bath before bedtime. Alternatively you can add 2 drops of lavender, chamomile or marjoram essential oils onto your pillow to aid restful sleep.

Ease sinus pain – Blend together 2 drops of neroli, 1 drop of rosemary, 1 drop of lemon, one drop of lavender and 1 drop of sage. Add to a bowl of steam in water, place a towel over your head, bend over the bowl and inhale.

Curing travel sickness – Place a couple of drops of ginger or spearmint on a tissue. You can begin inhaling these 30 -60 minutes before you set out on your journey to prevent nausea and continue to do so during your trip if symptoms arise. If you prefer, you may drink a cup or two of peppermint or ginger tea before your trip, this will help to sooth your gastric muscles and prevent feelings of nausea.