Aromatherapy, part two

Tags

aromatherapy, essential oils

With aromatherapy one of the first uses that often comes to mind for me is skin care. Probably because that is one of the first ways I used essential oils. And who doesn’t love a great feeling and smelling body lotion or a relaxing aromatherapy facial!

Yet there are many other uses for aromatherapy and essential oils.

Aromatherapy can help stimulate your circulation and the healing process for various areas of your body. Helping to release tension and aid with relaxation is a great way to use essential oils.

There are several ways that essential oils can be used so that they enter your body to help the healing process. Inhalation is a very easy way to work with essential oils. You can smell them straight from the bottle, make up a small inhaler to carry with you, or use a diffuser in your home or car. Another way to get essentials oils into your body is through your skin. Massaging in oils or lotions that have EOs added to them is not only an effective delivery system, it also feels good!

Remember to always consult a qualified aromatherapist before using any essential oil. They are powerful substances and should be treated as such. Keep them away from children and pets.

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Yarrow

Tags

essential oil, essential oils, skin care, Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) EO is one that I have been using in my thesis treatment preparations and I’m really liking it. It is steam distilled from the flowers of the plant. It is a lovely blue colour when it is extracted. Yarrow is a perennial herb with fern like leaves. It is part of the Compositea botanical family which also includes Roman and German Chamomile.

The EO has cicatrisant properties which means it helps heal wounds. Yarrow EO is good for helping skin care when you are dealing with any kind of inflamed condition, rashes, or burns. It helps tone the skin in general. It is also known to help lower blood pressure, help improve circulation and aid with digestive issues.

I’ve enjoyed working with it for my thesis and and starting to see some results from the treatments I’m doing. Looking forward to expanding my work with this EO!

Juniper Essential Oil

Tags

essential oil, essential oils, Juniper, skin care

Juniper (Juniperus communis) has many beneficial properties that have been used for decades. It’s antiseptic properties have made it an important part of healing during the wars. Branches were burnt at hospitals to help disinfect the air.

The EO is steam distilled from the berries of the juniper shrub. It belongs to the Cupressaceae botanical family. This family includes plants like Cedarwood and Cypress.

One of the properties of juniper EO is that it is astringent. It helps tighten the skin and, along with promoting blood circulation, helps give your skin a younger look and feel. I am getting ready to launch some facial care products and juniper is an ingredient in my toner for oily skin.

Aside from skin care, there are a few other applications I look forward to exploring down the road such as helping treat rheumatism. Sure to be another EO that I’ll use in Aromatherapy practice!

Frankincense Essential Oil

Tags

Astringent, Burseraceae, Cytophylactic, essential oil, essential oils, facials, frankincense, Qi Drop Therapy, skin care

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) essential oil quickly became another favourite of mine when I started using it. The EO is distilled from the resin of the tree and belongs to the Burseraceae botanical family, which includes Myrrh.

Frankincense has many good qualities which is one of the reasons it is the second oil used in Qi Drop. At the moment, I’ll just focus on two qualities that relate to skin care. It is both astringent and cytophylactic. Astringent means that it tightens tissue. Cytophylactic refers to cell regeneration when looking at skin care. In general it is about increasing the cells that help fight infection and inflammation in the body making it another useful EO when looking at full treatments down the road.

In terms of skin care, this is an EO that is well suited for more mature skin or prematurely aged skin (from sun exposure or heavy smoking, for example). It helps tighten the existing skin tissue (helping banish those fine wrinkles) and stimulates new cell growth to help give you a healthy complexion. I use it frequently on my clients with the holistic skin care facials!

Rosemary Essential Oil

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essential oil, essential oils, hair care, health, memory, Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) essential oil is one that I use frequently in my personal hair care products. Distilled from the leaves of the plant, it has a lovely earthy smelly. It is part of the Labiatae family which includes thyme, peppermint, and marjoram to name a few.

Rosemary has several documented medical uses. There are several studies looking at links between rosemary and memory. Indications are that rosemary can help improve your memory. It has been used in schools and by students individually to help with studying for and writing exams as it seems to help keep the mind focused. Currently there are studies happening to see if it is helpful in treating patients with Alzheimers.

As I mentioned above, I am using it in my hair care products. It helps strengthen your hair. It is also thought to help slow hair loss. And it is useful for treating dandruff.

There are numerous other documented uses for rosemary – respiratory issues, rheumatism, skin care. It will definitely be a staple in my supplies when I look at doing aromatherapy treatments!

Oregano Essential Oil

Tags

essential oils, health, Oregano, Qi Drop Therapy

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is another very powerful EO! It is also one of the oils used in Qi Drop. Like marjoram, it is part of the Labiatae botanical family. It is distilled from the leaves of the plant.

Oregano EO is antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic. It helps fight free radicals in the body. One of its key properties is the phenol, carvacrol. It inhibits the growth of several bacteria like staphylococcus (staph infections), streptococcus (strep throat), and pneumococcus (which can result in pneumonia).

I have used it in an oral solution for the past couple of years – helping to ward off or lessen the impact of colds and flus. This year I didn’t buy any of the oral mix as I’ve been using it with the Qi Drop and have been getting lots of exposure to it that way. You can find it mixed and ready to use in most health food stores. It is very spicy (peppery) and hot so be warned! You definitely only want to start with a drop – usually placed under the tongue. And if you don’t like peppery hot spice have some milk or bread handy just in case.

Helichrysum Essential Oil

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essential oil, essential oils, Everlasting, facials, Helichrysum, Immortelle, skin care

Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is commonly known as Everlasting or Immortelle. The EO is steam distilled from the flower of the plant. It comes from the botanical family Asterceae, which includes many, many flowers and things like Echinacea.

I am using Helichrysum EO with some of the facials. It works well for acne and rosacea. It has great regenerative powers and is good for healing the skin. Aside from being great for skin care, Helichrysum is good for healing bruising and swelling. It is said to help speed the healing of broken bones but I haven’t had a reason to try that yet.

This is one of those oils that as you research it, you find it has a wide variety of healing and helpful properties. It has anti-inflammatory properties to help with muscle pain. It is said to help with liver detox and nerve regeneration – again, neither of which I have had the chance to test myself yet!

I’m looking forward to working with Helichrysum more!

Marjoram Essential Oil

Tags

calming, essential oil, essential oils, Marjoram, Qi Drop Therapy, relaxation

Essential oils from herbs play a large role in Qi Drop Therapy. One of those is Marjoram (Origanum majorana). The EO is distilled from the leaves and flowers of this herb. It comes from the botanical family Labiatae, which includes other herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and basil. Many of the plants connected to the Labiatae family are useful in treating muscle aches and pains.

Marjoram aids in muscle relaxation, helping reduce muscle spasms. It is soothing for muscle aches, arthritis, and sprains. Being antispasmodic, marjoram is helpful with calming spasms caused by asthma, bronchitis, or a dry cough. It also inhibits your sex drive so it may not be something you want to use in a large quantity or frequently. Marjoram EO is calming and grounding and can help treat insomnia, or tension and stress related to nerves.

Remember EOs should generally be used with a carrier oil or lotion and not straight from the bottle. Consult an aromatherapist or naturopath for the best way any EO can help you.

Wintergreen Essential Oil

Tags

anti-inflammatory, essential oil, essential oils, Qi Drop Therapy, wintergreen

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) EO is quickly becoming a favourite of mine and a few of my regular testers!  It is part of the Ericacaea botanical family along with blueberries and heather plants!  It is distilled from the leaves and bark of the plant and has a very strong but pleasing minty scent.  It is used during Qi Drop treatments both on the back and on the shins.  

A main component of Wintergreen EO is methyl salicylate. Salicylate is the primary component of aspirin.  Care must be used when using Wintergreen EO – 30 ml is the equivalent of 171 adult aspirin!  Generally we are using only a few drops per treatment (and it takes about 20 drops to equal 1 ml) but care must be used if storing it in your home as you don’t want any pets or children to get into it by accident.  That is true for all EOs really – safe and proper storage is always important.  

Wintergreen EO has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that make it great for pain relief.  It is also anti-rheumatic and I’m looking forward to exploring that property further.  I have noticed a big difference with my hands this year after giving a Qi a Drop treatment.  I do hand sewing on a fairly regular basis and normally my knuckles will hurt or ache the next day if I have done too much at one time.  However, if I am doing a Qi Drop treatment the next day, I can feel the tingling in my joints and the relief is quick and amazing!

It should be avoided by anyone who is pregnant and it is not recommended for use on children.  This is one of the more powerful EOs that I am currently working with and while I have experienced the benefits first hand, I also know it is one to be treated carefully.

Ravensara Essential Oil

Tags

calming, essential oil, essential oils, Lauraceae, Qi Drop Therapy, ravensara, respiratory

Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) is the first essential oil that we apply for Qi Drop therapy. It has a light, fresh smell. It comes from the Lauraceae botanical family which includes Cinnamon, Bay laurel, and Camphor to name a few. Generally the EO is steam distilled from the leaves of the broad leaved evergreen trees that are found in Madagascar.

Ravensara EO is a good immune system supporter, making it a great EO to help with many conditions. It is known as the “oil that heals” in Madagascar. It is antiseptic and antibacterial and can help with muscle aches and pains. Being an expectorant as well, it is especially useful for helping the respiratory system – helping relieve coughs, bronchitis, and asthma. There has also been success using it to treat viral infections like shingles.

With a calming nature, it is a great EO to have starting off a treatment session. As the treatment giver, I certainly have enjoyed the feeling of relaxation when I open the bottle and get ready for another session!