Aromatherapy and Essential Oils for Healing

There is no doubt that our senses guide us.  We see and hear and taste and touch and we're affected.  But I don't think there is a sense quite as powerful as that of smell.

Our moods shift based on what we inhale.  Apple pie baking in the oven?  Comforting.  Those stinky diapers in the pail?  Unsettling.

Scents also take us back in time.  That perfume takes you back to your school days where the boys were just stacking it on a little too strong.  That coconut-y scent reminds you of family vacations when you didn't know how good you had it  And that smell of gas might remind you of visits to your uncle's cottage when he filled his motorbike's tank right before you rode in the backseat.

Clearly, scents have a profound effect on us.

Aromatherapy actually goes back to the ancient Chinese and Egyptians who infused oils for psychological and physical well-being. 

Today, there is an entire profession surrounding the study and use of essential oils for healing.  We can not only read about aromatherapy, but we can actually sit and visit with an aromatherapist who can help select the best combinations of scents to heal our ailments.

Benefits of Essential Oils

Essential oils are oil extracts from plants or trees.

• They have been proven to have an effect on heart rate, our emotions, our breathing, and even our blood pressure.  
• They are often used in natural beauty products to add natural scents  - such as in soap bars and creams.  
• Essential oils have healing properties. If applied topically to the skin (which absorbs it directly), the oil can help with certain physical ailments faster and more effectively than ingesting medication.  (See my list below for some ideas on using essential oils topically.)
• When burned in a diffuser (or if beeswax candles contain essential oils), they help to purify the air in your home.

Words of warning: Be sure to buy pure essential oils - not the artificially scented blends.  Do not use internally unless directed by a professional. Also, never use undiluted (with a carrier oil) on the skin. 

Here are some of the essential oils I have on hand and what I personally use them for.

Essential Oils For Your Household Healing

• Lavender: I talk about this EO so often on this blog, but it's because it's so darned versatile! It's an antidepressant, antirheumatic, antseptic, antiviral, bactericide, decongestant, and deodorant among many other things. In my home, I use it when we need to relax or to help heal minor skin issues, like scratches and cuts.  I like to mix it with olive oil before applying to the skin.  Sometimes, I sniff it right out of the bottle, when I need to relax quickly, but I can also be diffused in a diffuser so the whole house benefits.  
• Tea Tree: This is another EO that I mention often on this blog.  Again, quite versatile.  It's a great immune stimulant so it can help with colds, sinusitis and viral infections when used in a vaporizer.  It can also be used to combat acne, oily skin, head lice and dandruff.  I use it as an insect repellent by dabbing a little on skin or clothing in the summer months.  But, I also use it as a disinfectant on the skin if cut or scraped.  And, if my garbage pail or even my drain is not smelling too nice, I put in a drop or two of tea tree oil.
• Sweet Orange: This is such an uplifting EO.  It's an antidepressant, antiseptic, and deodorant.   It has also been used to fight colds, constipation, flatulence, the flu, and stress.  I use this in a diffuser to uplift the mood in the home, or to mask some yucky scents.  I also add a drop to my Shaklee Basic H2 bottle to add a little extra boost to the morale while cleaning - also adding the antiseptic properties.
• Lemon: Another uplifting EO.  It's an antiseptic, but also a mood enhancer.  Can be used like the sweet orange above in the Basic H2 or in a diffuser to rid of unwanted food smells like fish.
• Peppermint: This is a great EO for fatigue.  Smells like candycane, but brings your mood right up when you need it.  It's refreshing, a mental stimulant and amazingly energizing.  I use it in a diffuser or by sniffing it straight out of the bottle!
• Bergamot: This is just so different, but so soothing. It's used by aromatherapists to help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety.  It smells a little like the sweet orange, but a little more earthy, so it's a welcomed change in my home.  I use it in a diffuser, but there has been some success with this oil when blended with a carrier oil to treat eczema and psoriasis.
• Palmarosa: Here is a great one to have on hand during flu season because just diffusing it helps to disinfect the air in the home!  It's antiseptic and bactericidal and blends so nicely with lavender.  
• Clary Sage: Ladies, this one is for us!  This EO helps with PMS and menstrual cramps.  A difficult scent to get used to, but does uplift the mood during that specific time of the month.  Also helps with cramping if a few drops are applied directly to the skin - on the lower abdomen.
• Cedarwood: This EO is an antiseptic, fungicidal, and a nervous sedative.  Nice in a diffuser as a calming, spiritual healer.  
• Eucalyptus: This is a must in every household come cold/flu season.  This EO is used to combat colds and flus- and really helps with breathing when stuffed up!  In our home, we use it in a vaporizer, but it can also be used on all sorts of skin ailments such as burns,vblisters, wounds, insect bites, lice, and skin infections.

What are your favorite essential oils?  How do you use them in your home?


Resources for you:

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy (affiliate link to my book shop)
The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils (affiliate link to my book shop)


Related articles on this blog:

Oh, Those Summer Nights (Swat!)
How to Prevent and Treat Head Lice Naturally
Fragrances in Cleaning Products