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After you have learned about the essential oils you want to use for different ailments and conditions, you will then need to decide exactly how to use them. The following information provides some of the more common ways to use these oils. Use Them in the Bath The...
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You may have heard about essential oils, especially if you look up natural remedies for physical and mental ailments, but are not sure exactly what they are. This article is going to provide a brief summary of essential oils, how they are made, and what they can do...
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There are many different ways to use essential oils, depending on the purpose behind using them. If you are going to try aromatherapy, one excellent way to do it is by using a diffuser. Here is some helpful information on diffusers and how they are used.
Types of Essential Oil Diffusers
You should first know that there are actually a few different types of diffusers to be used with essential oils. The newer types of diffusers are cool air nebulizer diffusers, but these are definitely not the only ones available. Here is a rundown of the three most common types of essential oil diffusers:
Cool Air Nebulizer – With this type of diffuser, there is a high amount of cold air pressure that helps to vaporize the essential oils. There is a glass bulb inside that works like a condenser, so that the oils and their benefits can be released into the air supply. This is only done in small quantities, so it provides some cool air and the scent of the oils, but it doesn’t damage anyone’s lungs. While cool air nebulizers are quality diffusers that work well for a wide range of benefits, they can’t handle the stronger essential oils like sandalwood.
Electric Heat – You might also find an electric diffuser that is a little smaller and has a slightly simpler system than the nebulizer diffuser. With the electric heat diffusers, they have a chamber with absorbent pads on the inside. The oils are placed on the pads and heat after plugging it in will help the oils get into the air. These are really easy to use and do work good on the stronger oils, like ylang ylang and sandalwood.
Candle – There are also candle diffusers, which look similar to a tart warmer. There is a glass container that holds a small candle on the bottom and you place the oils on the tray on the top. The heat works similar to the electric heat diffuser to release the scent of the oils.
Tips For Using the Diffuser
Make sure you read the instructions manual for the type of diffuser you are using. These instructions are going to be for a nebulizer essential oil s diffuser. For this type of diffuser, you will first need to assemble it, then plug it in. You will need to put about 15-20 total drops into the chamber, but this is total for all oils. If you are using more than one type of oil, only put about 5 drops of each one.
You may have heard about essential oils, especially if you look up natural remedies for physical and mental ailments, but are not sure exactly what they are. This article is going to provide a brief summary of essential oils, how they are made, and what they can do for you.
What is an essential oil?
Knowing the basics of essential oils can help you understand more about how they are able to help you and encourage you to use them more often as a natural remedy. Essential oils are oils that are extracted from parts of flowers, plants, and trees. The oils come from the flower petals, bark, leaves, seeds, roots, and fruits. Even a single drop of oil from these parts of a plant or tree can have drastic positive impacts on mental and physical ailments. The way they are extracted is usually by steaming the plant to separate the oil from water, which is a type of distillation process. They are highly concentrated and too strong for direct contact on your skin.
Why are essential oils used?
Essential oils are used as a natural or holistic remedy for various ailments. There is a long list of things they can help with. While they are not meant to replace medical treatment, they can help complement and help with everything from migraines to skin conditions. Here is a short list of the many ways essential oils can help you:
You have a few different options for using your essential oils. A common way is through aromatherapy, where you get the benefits from having the scent in the air, such as with a diffuser or by placing it in your bathtub. You can ingest oils if they are diluted properly, which is often done when you make rose water or have it in your tea. Then you can use it topically on your skin when you want to get rid of acne, treat a bug or insect bite, or get a natural glow on your skin.
With essential oils, you have the option of using just one for its main benefit, such as lavender to relieve stress, chamomile for insomnia, or Frankincense for allergy symptoms. You can also make blends to have a different scent and help with more ailments at one time.
When the fall season arrives, it is a great time to get out your essential oils and put them in your diffuser. It really creates the ambiance of fall and is easy to add a wonderful aromatherapy environment to your home. Try out some of these different seasonal essential oil blends.
Candy Blend– The first essential oil blend that is good for the fall season is a candy blend. This really smells like you have just gone trick-or-treating and can smell all the different delicious and tantalizing oil scents. For a candy-inspired blend, try combining sandalwood, vanilla, and cinnamon essential oils together. You can also add in a little clove to further create a nice seasonal scent.
Ultimate Fall Blend-If all you want to smell is pure fall in your essential oil diffuser, there are some different oils that you can blend together. This doesn’t include a single blend, but a list of oils you can try adding with different combinations. Remember the more drops of a certain oil, and the stronger that particular scent will be. If you want to try patchouli but not have it strong in the blend, just a few drops should be fine. Some fall-inspired essential oils to try adding include:
Ginger
Patchouli
Sweet Orange
Nutmeg
Clove
Cinnamon
Lime
Sage
Vanilla
Cardamom
Chai Tea Blend– If you are a fan of spicy chai tea, you will love making an essential oil blend that smells just like your favorite tea. Think about the ingredients you will normally put into your tea to spice it up, and you can probably guess what essential oils might be used for a chai essential oil blend for the fall. Some ideas are vanilla, ginger, clove, cardamom, and cassia essential oils. Make sure that even when using an oil diffuser, you combine the oils with water for your blends.
Fall Citrus Blend– In the fall, many seasonal blends will also have some citrus in them. This allows you to smell the sweet scent of your favorite citrus fruits that are in season in the fall, while also enjoying the aromatherapy in your home with a diffuser. Some oils to include in a fall seasonal citrus blend include sweet orange, lemon, cinnamon, clove, and ginger.
Add your oils to some water before putting them in the diffuser. You can also try these blends in your bath for an interesting seasonal experience.
Essential oils have a lot of excellent uses, and among them, are some uses particularly for women. They can help with anything from your emotional state during pregnancy, to body changes each month during menstruation all the way through menopause.
Clary Sage– Clary sage is an essential oil that contains phytoestrogens. These are really important for all things concerning women’s health, but primarily when it comes to menstruation and menopause. Clary sage has a soothing scent that isn’t overpowering, but does relax you with some aromatherapy properties. You might even find that clary sage essential oil can help to uplift your mood when dealing with irritability or depression during different parts of your menstrual cycle. However, if you have fibroids, you should reconsider using clary sage.
Lemon– Lemon essential oil has a crisp, fresh scent, that is hard not to love. Lemon essential oil still has some of the vitamin C that lemons themselves have, which provide antioxidants for your body. These can help you to feel refreshed even on a day when you have menopause or are on your period and really don’t feel your best. Try adding some essential oil to a glass of warm water or tea, or making a face cream that has lemon essential oil in it.
Lavender– Lavender essential oil is often used for many different purposes, from emotional and mental health, to insomnia, and body aches and pains. It can also be great for balancing your hormones and reducing pain from menstrual cramps and other health disorders having to do with your reproductive system. If you often have headaches or stress during your period or menopause, essential oil can help you. It is also good for relieving other symptoms of PMS if you want to go the natural route. Take a nice hot bath when you have menstrual cramps and add in some drops of lavender, or add them to a diffuser when lying down.
Peppermint– If you don’t mind the minty scent of peppermint, it can be really useful for women’s health. It is great when you have menstrual cramps, but mostly for your headaches or migraines. Many women experience some nasty headaches when they are on their period or going through menopause, and peppermint essential oil added to a diffuser while you lay down with all the lights off is a good way to find relief.
The oil from various plants and herbs isn’t just good for your overall health, but can help with your skin and beauty as well. Take a look at some of these essential oils that will help to protect your skin from UV rays, get rid of acne and breakouts, and moisturize your skin naturally.
Ylang Ylang– When you are making your own skin or beauty products, a lot of recipes will call for Ylang Yland. This is an essential oil that is great for reducing the signs of aging. It is often found in face and hand creams, and elixirs that are supposed to help to naturally remove fine lines and wrinkles. It is also great if you have acne or oily skin. It should be added to almond oil as a carrier if you are applying the essential oil directly to your skin.
Lemongrass– Another essential oil that is really good for your skin is lemongrass oil. All essential oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil if you are going to apply it to your skin, so try it with some jojoba, coconut, or grape seed oil. Lemongrass is best for skin conditions like acne and large pores, as well as for using as a skin toner. Most store-bought skin toner products are much too harsh for your skin, but this is light and natural, so it helps with the natural skin glow that doesn’t cause irritation.
Lavender– If you have skin irritation, bug bites, or burns and scrapes, try using essential oil on your skin. Make sure you don’t just use straight essential oil on your skin since it can irritate it. You should either use it with a carrier oil and apply only a small amount or make your own lavender body spray that is soothing and cooling. There are a lot of recipes for making your own spritzes and sprays that use lavender to help soothe your skin and reduce the itching and soreness of burns, cuts, and scrapes.
Geranium– An essential oil not often recommended, but highly underrated, is geranium essential oil. This is good for all skin types, is soothing, and is very moisturizing. It is good for skin that is sensitive or already irritated and won’t add to the irritation. If the oil balance in your skin is keeping from a good glow and proper hydration, then geranium essential oil will be great. You can also create a face mist by adding a few drops to a spray bottle with mineral water inside.
If you have been struggling with a lack of proper mental focus and concentration, you might be looking for ways to improve it.
Natural remedies are highly recommended and can be very beneficial, such as using certain types of essential oils. Take a look at these different oils that are perfect for improving mental focus and clarity.
Rosemary– Rosemary is an excellent essential oil for many mental and emotional conditions, from high amounts of stress to anxiety and depression. So it should come as no surprise that it is also recommended for proper mental focus. If you have issues with your memory, concentration, or focusing for long periods of time, rosemary essential oil added to your oil diffuser is a great place to start. The scent makes you concentrate better and can help get rid of your emotional stress that might be taking away from your focus.
Basil– Believe it or not, basil essential oil is often used for mental disorders and can work very well when you want bettermental focus and concentration. It has a refreshing scent that can eliminate distraction and really help with your overall memory. Whether you need it to study, get your work done, or simply have a better mental focus for various projects,basil essential oil is a perfect one to start with.
Cyprus– You might not hear about Cyprus essential oil much, but you should try using it for your mental focus. This oil isn’t often used for physical conditions, but it can be very effective when you are experiencing problems with your concentration or focus. If you are trying to get through college, it can help you focus when studying for exams. If you are falling asleep at work or having trouble starting a new business, this will help with your concentration and overall memory.
Peppermint– A lot of the essential oils that work well with mental focus have earthy or minty flavors because they don’t relax you like lavender and chamomile, but instead wake up your mind. You are more alert, and it works similar to caffeine in the morning. There is a spicy and minty scent to peppermint that is really great when you are waking up early and don’t want to keep fueling your mind and body with caffeine from coffee or soft drinks. It can also help with headaches, so that is another good bonus.
Whileessential oilsare usually reserved for adults, there are some instances where kids can also use them. You just need to be extra careful with the type you use and how you administer them to your children.
Essential Oils for Babies
First of all, you need to be really careful about what essential oils you use with your baby. You need to make sure they are diluted and that the proper carrier oil is used. If you fail to do this, your baby could become ill. There are also only certain essential oils that are good to use on babies. The oils include dill, lavender, chamomile, and blue yarrow. Make sure with chamomile, you only use German or Roman chamomile, not any other varieties.
Oils That Need to be Diluted For Topical Use
There are another category of essential oils that need to be diluted in order to use as a topical application for younger children two years of age and younger. These are safe to use as long as they are diluted with a carrier oil or with plenty of water. You should still discuss using the oils with your doctor before applying it to your baby’s skin. However, some of the safer oils for topical use in younger children are:
Bergamot
Blue tansy
Catnip
Cinnamon leaf
German chamomile
Citronella
Geranium
Eucalyptus
Lavender
Frankincense
Tea Tree
Grapefruit
Lemon
Introduce One at a Time
If you plan to start using essential oils on your kids, regardless of the method of administration, make sure you are only introducing one of them at a time. These can often be much too harsh for children, especially younger toddlers and babies. You never know what your child is going to be allergic to, so use the gentlest oils that are diluted properly, and just one of them at a time. Don’t take any chances with your child’s welfare, even though they are natural.In addition to choosing the right oils and diluting or adding carrier oils, be careful how you administer the oils. On the skin can causeirritation if you don’t do it correctly. When your child is very young, you might not yet know their allergies, so introduce them slowly. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about using essential oils in your home or directly on your child’s skin.
There are few things in life more frustrating than having trouble sleeping. Sleeping is important for both your mental and physical health, and insomnia tends to get worse over time. Instead of relying on harsh medications, try some of these essential oils.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is frequently recommended for insomnia, but not because of some magic elixir, but because of the chamomile herb. This is really effective at calming both your body and mind, relieving stress, and reducing tension. This is why the tea is so wonderful for insomnia. The same can be said for chamomile essential oil. If you can find it, try to get the Roman chamomile oil, which has some additional soothing properties to really create a relaxing environment that is conducive to good sleep.
Ylang Ylang
If you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you might also want to try ylang ylang essential oil. This is often used to relax your mind and body, with a fruity and floral scent that is very soothing and relaxing. When using it for insomnia, ylang ylang is best added to a blend with other relaxing scents, either to a diffuser placed in your bedroom or with a relaxing bath before you get ready for sleep.
Lavender
It should come as no surprise that lavender essential oil is helpful for insomnia. When you have trouble sleeping, it is often due to not being able to relax. This might be from certain body pains, a lot of stress and anxiety, or even depression. With lavender essential oil, it is really calming and can relax your mind and your body. As with other essential oils being used for insomnia, it is recommended in a bath, in your tea before bed, or when using a diffuser in your bedroom. Add the oil to your regular bedtime routine and you should start sleeping a little better.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is not an essential oil often used alone, but you can easily add it to your blends when trying to improve insomnia. This is a rich, earthy scent that is frequently used in seasonal blends because of the woodsy aroma it provides. It is a little more expensive than other essential oils, but it is great to try out when you are havingtrouble sleepingand other oils don’t seem to be making much of an impact for you. Go ahead and give it a try and see how well it works for you.
When you get a bug bite, it can cause stinging and burning, itching, and redness around the area where you were bit. If you use essential oils on the bite, it can help relieve many of these symptoms and speed up the healing process. Try out some of these oils for your insect or bug bites.
Lavender– You already know that lavender essential oil is ideal for insect and bug bites, but did you know it can be really effective with bug and insect bites as well? If you have a spot on your body that is extremely itchy and starts to burn after scratching it, it is very likely a bug bite of some kind. Keep in mind not all insect bites will make themselves known right away. When you have an itch, try mixing lavender oil with a carrier oil, such as jojoba or coconut oil, then apply it to the bite. Do this for all bites and itchy spots, and you should find some relief within a few days.
Eucalyptus– an essential oil that many [people are surprised by. It has benefits for your physical and mental state, helping with things like anxiety and skin conditions. It also happens to be an excellent choice when you have burns, cuts and scrapes, or various types of bug bites. It will soothe the bite so that the itching and burning isn’t quite as severe, which is really all you can ask for when you have a bug bite that is bothering you. You might also be able to apply it to your skin with a carrier oil before going outside to repel certain insects.
Tea Tree– One of the best essential oils for your skin is tea tree oil. Many people use this oil for extra moisture and to help get rid of scars. It also happens to work very well when you have a bug or insect bite. Tea tree oil is good for boosting your immune system, which can help reduce the overall effect of being bitten by certain types of bugs. In fact, it is often given to people with bites from countries like Guatemala, China, Florida, and Australia. You want to make sure you use a carrier oil or dilute it with water, but it is good to bring with you on hiking or camping trips just in case you get a bite.
Basil and Thyme– Herbal essential oils like basil and thyme are both great for insect and bug bites. Basil essential oil is an anti-inflammatory oil, so it can help reduce the irritation and swelling around your bug bites. This further helps to help soothe the bite. You might also want to try using thyme essential oil, which reduces infection of your bug bite if the skin opens.
If you have arthritis, you know how frustrating it can be when the pain keeps you from completing normal activities. In addition to seeing your doctor for medical treatments, it is also good to try some natural remedies at home, such as with essential oils. Plants like peppermint and rosemary work very well for reducing the inflammation and swelling brought on by arthritis.
Rosemary
Rosemary oil is a soothing oil with a light floral scent that can also be used for arthritis. This is one of the top essential oils to be used for promoting better circulation. It also has anti-inflammatory benefits, so the inflammation and swelling in your joints can be remedied with some rosemary oil. It also has anti-pain properties, which is another great reason to use it for arthritis. For arthritis, use therosemary oilwith a carrier oil like jojoba oil, then rub it directly onto your joints.
Peppermint
Peppermint is an essential oilthat works for so many ailments, but primarily body pain and inflammation issues. Peppermint oil, like rosemary oil, has anti-inflammatory properties. This means it is going to be tremendously helpful when reducing the inflammation that is leading to your joint pain. You might not be able to cure your arthritis, but you can bet this oil will help. You also want to use it with a carrier oil before applying to the painful joints you have. Coconut oil is a great carrier oil to use with peppermint oil.
Turmeric
You might not hear about turmericmuch, but this is an herb that is really great for arthritis. Turmeric is another anti-inflammatory herb that helps especially with rheumatoid arthritis. The herb itself is often given to people either as a supplement or to put in their food if they have arthritis. However, you can get it as an essential oil if you prefer to use it in this manner. You may also want to try a turmeric tea to help with your arthritis pain.
Frankincense
Frankincense essential oil is also good for helping with ailments that are worsened by irritation and inflammation, such as with arthritis. Frankincense oil not only reduces overall inflammation, but it can also help with the breakdown of cartilage issue, reducing the severity of it.
When you are using essential oil for arthritis, applying it directly to the skin is usually the better option. As with other oils on your skin, just make sure it includes a carrier oil. However, if adding it to a bath, it is okay to skip the carrier oil.