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Essential Oils and your Health: A Guide

The health benefits of essential oils are numerous, but where does a beginner start? Essential oils can be ingested, used for aromatherapy and cooking, and are ingredients in tasty drink recipes. Their uses are almost endless. The list below will help you learn about essential oils and their many benefits.


For Your Mood

Essential oils are known for their ability to affect mood. Here are some quick tips:

  1. Just a few drops of Lavender essential oil can help you relax and unwind.
  1. Cinnamon oil can help the user feel more secure and balanced. According to Sustainable Baby Steps, Cinnamon oil is linked to increased self-acceptance and self-confidence and Cinnamon oil can improve the immune system.
  1. An entrepreneur.com article says that aromatherapy can be used to not only relax us, but also increase productivity. Lemon in particular can promote concentration and calm a busy or stressed mind.

  2. The same entreprenuer.com article recommends using Jasmine for its calming properties. The article also says that Jasmine can be used as an antidepressant because of its uplifting capabilities.

  3. Rosemary is “the perfect Monday-morning pick-me-up.” Rosemary is stimulating and when used for aromatherapy, it can help you get going on a difficult or slow morning. It also improves memory and fights physical exhaustion and mental fatigue. Add some Rosemary to your life if you’re experiencing frequent headaches, because its stimulating properties will aid in fighting those, too.

  4. Using a Peppermint scent while brainstorming is known to invigorate the mind. It will stimulate clear thinking to help you develop fresh ideas.

  5. You can also try blending a mixture of oils with your favorite lotion or hair product for lasting results throughout the day. Aromatherapy.com recommends a blend of Bergamot, Cypress, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Orange, and Rosemary to increase self-esteem. Using the combination of these oils while meditating or doing yoga will especially increase the benefits your body and mind feel.

  6. All of us feel some amount of agitation at particularly stressful or overwhelming points in our lives. Aromatherpy.com directs us to combine Chamomile, Lavender, Mandarin, and Sandalwood to combat this inconvenient mood.

  7. Feeling withdrawn and isolated from the world? You can try an essential oil boost to help your mind feel motivated again. Aromatherapy.com tells us to combine Chamomile, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, and Rose. This combination has uplifting properties that can help you get out of bed in the morning and accomplish your to-do list.

  8. Inessence.com provides a number of recipes for essential oil beginners and the experienced alike. The website provides essential oil blends for use as aromatherapy, massage, diffusers, inhalation, and vaporization. They suggest Basil, Frankincense, Rosewood, Orange, and Peppermint to fight boredom due to the reinvigorating properties of these oils. According to the website, you should take a brisk walk and spritz six drops of the oil blend for maximum benefit.

  9. Is life feeling out of balance? Inessence.com has a recipe for that, too. The website says to massage one cup of Lavender body oil on skin before enjoying a warm bath.

 

Around the House
Essential oils can assist with housework and cleaning. Best of all, they’re natural alternatives to harsh chemicals and can leave your house smelling fresh and unique. Here are some recipes for at-home essential oil solutions:

  1. Dr. Josh Axe advises mixing three drops each of lemon essential oil with tea tree oil and adding a few ounces of warm water. This all-purpose cleaner can be used as a natural disinfectant and is safe to spray on countertops.

  2. If you have kids that play sports, chances are high that you’re doing a lot of laundry. You can eliminate odors from the sports equipment your children use by blending two drops each of tea tree oil and lemon essential oil to one quart of warm water. Next, add four tablespoons of baking soda to the mix and you’re set.

  3. Instead of spending money on expensive air fresheners, create your own. Add cinnamon essential oil to a diffuser to freshen up your space. As an added bonus, cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, according to Dr. Axe.

  4. Dr. Axe also recommends adding 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil scent to each load of laundry to keep things smelling fresh.

  5. Make your carpets smell decadent by adding 5-10 drops of your favorite scent to your vacuum bag or dust container. 

  6. Looking for a solution to the burnt food pan problem? Dr. Axe says to mix a few drops of lemon oil with boiling water to help remove the burnt food from your pans and make them good as new.

  7. According to Dr. Axe, mix 20 drops of tea tree oil with Borax to create your own homemade carpet powder.

  8. Freshen up your trash can by putting a cotton ball with two drops each of lemon oil and tea tree oil at the bottom of the can to detoxify and eliminate odors.

  9. Put a cotton ball soaked in lemon or lime essential oil behind the toilet to keep the bathroom fresh, Dr. Axe recommends.

 

Body Care
Essential oils make great additions to body lotions and can even be blended to create your own DIY products.

  1. Eden’s Garden provides this wonderful recipe for a floral and spice body oil that’s sure to make an impression. Combine two drops Bergamot, five drops Cardamom, two drops Vetiver, and three drops Ylang Ylang and massage into skin after a warm shower.

  2. Soothe a sunburn with three tsp Avocado oil and 2 tbsp aloe vera gel and mix into a two oz squeeze bottle. You can also add 15 drops of Lavender essential oil and eight drops of Chamomile for their calming effects.

  3. Your hands likely suffer a lot of neglect and abuse from being used daily. How about your nails? If you suffer from weak nails, consider combining three drops Frankincense, three drops Myrrh and one oz Argan oil to a roller bottle. Massage the mixture into your nail cuticles twice a week, says Eden’s Garden.

  4. Repair split ends by combining seven drops Rosewood, seven drops Sandalwood, and five tsp Meadowfoam. Apply a small amount to the ends of your hair between shampoos. The oils are non-greasy, according to Eden’s Garden, so use daily and on any hair type.

  5. Eden’s Garden has this clever skin toner recipe. Add 4 drops each of Lavender, Palmarosa, and Rosewood to a spray bottle. Fill the remaining portion of the bottle with witch hazel. After cleansing your skin, apply the blend with a cotton ball and be sure to shake the mixture before each use.