The Benefits of Essential Oils
Essential oils are made from plants that carry a scent. In other words, they are the essence of a plant. Essential oils are often used in perfumes, but are also used in foods as well. Aromatherapy uses essential oils and has gained in popularity in recent years. The concept behind aromatherapy is that the use of essential oils may be useful in treating a variety of medical conditions.
It is not uncommon to see aromatherapy employ essential oils in such a fashion as to produce relaxation and other desired effects. To this end, essential oils are often used in massage. There is some belief that their calming effect might help with a variety of medical conditions, such as migraines, anxiety and pain management.
Many essential oils have been found to elevate mood and produce a general sense of relaxation. One study found that nurses who used lavender, for example, had lower levels of stress.
Another benefit to essential oils is that they can be used to boost the immune system. It may come as a surprise that essential oils can "spike" the immune system - several studies seem to indicate that from aromatherapy increase good mood and also white cell blood count which in turn boosts the immune system.
Since essential oils have so many potential benefits, it may even be worth considering how to make essential oils yourself. People have been working with essential oils for thousands of years, and as a result, it should come as no surprise that there are a great many essential oils recipes to be found.
Working with essential oils can make a great hobby that is not only fun, but healthful at the same time. If you are interested in learning more about making essential oils, there are classes and books on the subject. Some of the more popular essential oils are peppermint, eucalyptus, clove and spearmint.
The basic process is to buy or build a still, which is a device used for distilling. Then harvest and select your plants. These plants should be in whole form ideally. Once you have dried your plants, you can distill them by boiling water and adding your plants into the still. The oil that is left in the still should be drained and placed into a container immediately for storage. And Voila! That is the basic process for making an essential oil at home.
There is indeed an entire science built up around using essential oils. There are several essential oils that are believed to help fight off infections, such as eucalyptus, oregano and cinnamon. There are many people who believe that essential oils can be used to help fight off colds before they even start. Peppermint, like eucalyptus, has been proven effective in clearing the respiratory system. The strong vapor produced the peppermint and eucalyptus is so effective that it is not uncommon to see these two scents together in cold season remedies. Aromatherapists often opt for organically produced essential oils, due to the fact that non-organic essential oils can often have concentrations of pesticides.
Essential oils are also often used to treat problems such as migraines. Obviously migraines are a form of pain; in particular, it is believed that migraines may be caused as blood vessels expand in the head. Thus anything that can reduce inflammation is a valuable tool in fighting migraines. Many migraine drugs are actually designed to reduce inflammation. There are many essential oils that are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects, such as lavender, ginger and chamomile.
Many of us also overlook our sense of smell. However, our sense of smell has been proven to have a powerful effect on our mood and psychology. Considering the fact that there are many diseases and physical problems that have an emotional and mental component, it makes a great deal of sense to count essential oils amount treatment options. The human immune system has been proven to respond when people are in better moods. There is growing evidence that our mood can affect our health and that there is a mind body connection. Essential oils used through aromatherapy seek to address those issues by boosting the immune system, and in the process maybe even preventing serious illness.
This article was written exclusively for Organic Facts by Healthy New Age holistic healing website and blog.
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