The Harnessing Power Of Essential Oils. Here Is How They Work
Essential oils smell beautiful, but they have so much more untapped potential and are rife with healing properties too. They could be used as antiseptic for wound care. As massage oils to help relieve muscle pains. Essential oils are also used in aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine that employs extracts to support well-being and health. In this post, you will learn about the harnessing power of essential oils. The aim is to help you get a better understanding of the amazing benefits of essential oils.
What are essential oils?
They are compounds extracted from plants and capture the plant’s scent and flavor. Essential oils are usually obtained through distillation or mechanical methods.
How do essential oils work?
It is thought that certain application methods can improve absorption, such as applying with heat or to different external areas of the body. Inhaling these aromas can stimulate areas of your limbic system. Which is part of your brain that plays a role in emotions, senses of smell, long-term memory, and behaviors. The limbic system can also control several unconscious physiological functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
Popular types of Essential Oils
There are more than 80 types of essential oils and each of them has its own unique smell and health benefits.
- Ylang-Ylang: used to treat headaches, skin conditions, and nausea.
- Chamomile: used to improve relaxation and mood.
- Bergamot: used to reduce stress and improve skin problems such as eczema.
- Lavender: relieves stress and improves unstable sleeping patterns.
- Peppermint: boosts energy and aid digestion.
- Sandalwood: it helps with calming of nerves as well focusing and concentration
- Jasmine: used to help with depression and childbirth.
- Tea tree: used to fight infections and boost immunity.
How to choose the right Essential Oils?
Given that there are products of an unregulated industry, the quality and composition of oils can vary greatly. There are a few tips that you need to keep in mind before you purchase your oils.
Tips to keep in mind when choosing only high-quality oils:
- Quality
Choose a chemical-free essential oil that has been extracted through mechanical cold pressing or distillation.
- Purity
Pure oils usually list the plant’s botanical name (e.g Lavandula officinalis) rather than “essential oil of Lavender”.
- Reputation
When making the decision to purchase essential oils. Consider brands with a reputation because they may be of good quality.
If you’re in South Africa, you can check out Clicks or Dischem
Health benefits of Essential Oils
Common health problems that essential oils and aromatherapy have been used to treat are as follows:
- Stress and Anxiety
The smell of some essential oils can work alongside traditional therapy to treat stress and anxiety. The scents of the compounds are hard to conduct blinded studies and rule out biases. Using essential oils during a massage help relieve stress, although the effects may only last for a while.
- Migraines and Headaches
Applying Sesame oil and Chamomile oil to the body temples will significantly alleviate headaches and migraines. It is a traditional Persian headache remedy.
- Sleep and Insomnia
Smelling Lavender oil can improve the sleep quality of women after giving birth, as well as patients with heart diseases
The bottom line is that essential oils are generally considered safe. You can inhale or apply it to your skin. They have overall benefits on your well-being.
In this video learn how to apply essential oils to your temples
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