Essential (or aromatherapy) oils offer fast and easy solutions for day-to-day ailments. Aromatherapy serves double duty by calming you with an assortment of mostly pleasant scents. Used for millennia by numerous cultures, aromatherapeutic plant oils foster health and balance. In the last half century, research has begun to validate some of these oils' healing properties.
Aromatherapy enters the body in several ways. When inhaled, essential oils pass directly from the lungs into the bloodstream. When absorbed through the skin in dilutions or natural beauty products, aromatherapy oils enter the circulatory system. If you carefully follow the guidelines for diluting and suggested uses, you'll be amazed at what these plant-based remedies can do for you.
Top 10 Oils for First Aid
| Essential Oil | Scientific Name | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Cypress | Cupressus sempervirens | varicose veins, sore throat, excessive menstruation |
| German chamomile | Matricaria chamomilla | bruises, inflammation, pain, sprains, tension |
| Eucalyptus | E. globulus | congestion, inflammation, colds, flu, chickenpox, shingles, herpes |
| Lavender | L. angustifolia | acne, bee stings, bruises, headaches, insect bites, rash, sprains, sunburn |
| Lemon | Citrus limonum | digestive tonic, sore throat, detoxification, lymphatic congestion |
| Marjoram | Oreganum majorana | insomnia, menstrual cramps, sore muscles |
| Rose | Rosa damascena | liver and digestive tonic, vascular tonic, menstrual aid, grief |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | headaches, fatigue, hangover, constipation, muscle aches, circulation |
| Spearmint | Mentha spicata | indigestion, nausea, headaches, fatigue, fever, sinusitis, poison ivy |
| Tea tree | Melaleuca alternifolia | athlete's foot, burns, warts, acne, cold sores, flu, insect bites |
Formulating with Essential Oils
Many of the following massage formulas combine 20 drops total essential oils with 2 ounces of carrier oil (such as vegetable or olive oil). All these combinations are given in drops, and these formulas are suggested for external application only.
| Condition | Formula |
|---|---|
| Anxiety | 7 geranium, 5 lavender, 4 lemon, 1 rose |
| Constipation | 7 marjoram, 13 rosemary (massage abdomen) |
| Fatigue | 15 rosemary, 5 lemon |
| Hangover | 5 carrot seed, 5 rosemary, 3 peppermint, 2 rose, 5 helichrysum (massage over liver) |
| Insomnia | 15 lavender, 5 lemon, 5 marjoram (add 8 drops of the blend to a full bath or use as massage oil along spine) |
| Menstrual Cramps | 5 clary sage, 5 marjoram, 5 geranium, 2 rose, 5 lavender (massage abdomen, hips and lower back) |
| Stress | 5 chamomile, 10 lavender, 5 marjoram |
| Muscle Strain | 5 rosemary, 3 eucalyptus, 5 marjoram, 7 lavender |
Further Reading
To learn more visit naha.org and holisticmed.com.