Natural Body Guru

There are several types of chamomile essential oils but chamomile Roman is especially good when used for the treatment of insomnia and nervous conditions. Chamomile is another essential oil that is antibacterial, antiseptic, and disinfectant but it is most useful for its internal and external anti-inflammatory properties.

Chamomile can be used when children have teething problems and can be added to the bath to ease nerves and tetchiness. It can also be used to treat burns, sunburn, psoriasis, eczema, asthma, hay fever, diarrhea, sprains and strains, nausea, fever, and nervous or depressed states. Chamomile’s analgesic, diuretic, sedative and calming properties make it absolutely essential to have in your basic care kit.

Tea tree oil is another oil for your basic essential oil kit. It comes from the Australian Melaleuca tree and the Aborigines there have used it in their medications for thousands of years. Although its antiseptic action is stronger than carbolic acid, it is non-poisonous to humans. Naturalists and others concerned with alternative health and alternative first aid use tea tree oil in the treatment of all kinds of infections; for ringworm, sunburn, acne, athlete’s foot, toothache, and many other things that require antiviral, antibacterial, or antifungal medication.

At work, a colleague and I were discussing the band aid on her finger one morning and she told me she had gone to the doctor because her finger was infected at the site of a hang-nail and he suggested she purchase some tea tree oil. We had discussed tea tree oil before because of its medicinal properties and I thought it could possibly take the place of some of the prescriptions she used so often.

Later in the day I smelled the strong camphoraceous scent of tea tree oil and I kept hearing the question, “What’s that smell?” My friend came into my office and we had a good laugh because she had spilled half the bottle of tea tree oil when she was changing her band aid but she didn’t want anyone to know that the strong smell was coming from her cubicle. She also said that her finger was feeling a lot better.

If you are new to the world of aromatherapy, you may be astonished to learn there are over 300 essential oils from which to choose. Wouldn’t that be mind-boggling to have to check through that many essential oils and their properties to find one to help your symptoms? Well, you won’t need to do that because I am giving you information on the top ten essential oils as compiled by NAHA or the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy as well as some ways to use them to good advantage.

Today’s basic essential care oil is lavender. Lavender is relaxing, and also useful in skin care and for treating wounds and burns. It helps to balance hormones in women and is good for balancing the skin. Lavender can be both relaxing and uplifting, as well as antidepressant. If you have only one essential oil in your home, this is the one I suggest you keep available.

Many people are now using essential oils in their home because they know that essential oils are the powerful medicines nature created to keep us healthy instead of the high priced chemically enhanced products we get from the drug store. If you want to start using natural essential oils in your home medicine cabinet as a natural alternative to chemicals, the ones I suggest for your basic essential care kit are lavender, tea tree, peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, rosemary, thyme, lemon, and clove. These essential oils are chosen for their medical properties first and second for their ability to take care of a broad range of health problems. For the next few days, I will discuss particular essential oils that everyone should have in their home’s essential care kit.

Peppermint has been used by different cultures (Egyptians, Chinese, and American Indians) for thousands of years because of its healthful properties. It is a superb digestive, it helps the respiratory system and promotes circulation, it is an anti-inflammatory and it is an antiseptic. These qualities make peppermint oil an excellent choice to use in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence, bad breath, headaches and migraines, skin irritations, toothache, and fatigue. Peppermint oil is very strong so if you’re going to rub it on your skin, always use a carrier oil and do not ingest it.

I have put one drop of peppermint oil in my green tea when I didn’t have any peppermint tea bags and I liked it just as well as the tea bag but it might be something you have to work up to. I’ve used it many times for upset stomach too but I never take it neat, always mixed in water or tea. Lastly, if you put 5 drops of peppermint oil on a cottonball and put it in strategic places in your home, it can help to keep pests like mice, fleas, and ants away. Talk about a versatile essential oil!

Sebaceous glands are microscopic glands in the skin that secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the skin and hair of mammals. Sebaceous glands in humans are found mainly on the face and scalp but  you will also find them in other areas of the body as well,  except for the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet.

When sebum gets blocked in a duct that has no surface opening, a hard white lump (milia) appears. Milia, commonly called whiteheads, are usually found on dry skin but they can also appear after some type of damage has been done to the skin. If you have had whiteheads for some time, they will need to be removed by a beautician or a dermatologist. However, you can break up recently formed milia by massage.

Use the following essential oils:

• Bergamot- 5 drops
• Thyme - 5 drops
• Almond oil or jojoba oil  – 1 tablespoon

Use a very small amount of the above essential oil mixture to massage the whiteheads twice a day, in the morning and at night. This will help the milia to be reabsorbed by the body.

When used on the body, peppermint essential oil has a dual action: cooling when hot and warming when cold. As a remedy for colds, it curbs mucous production, fevers and encourages perspiration. It is extremely important for its effect on the digestive system (1 drop on a sugar cube or on a teaspoon of honey will treat indigestion).

Peppermint oil helps people become clear headed, refreshes the spirit, is good for concentration and mental fatigue. It is also known  to relieve states of anger, hysteria and nervous trembling and is excellent for depression. Peppermint oil has a slightly anesthetic effect on stomach muscles. Use it for travel sickness, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, colic, nausea and to keep drivers alert while on the road.

Its cooling and pain relieving action seems to ease headaches, migraines and toothaches. Use it in liniments for the relief of muscle pain, lumbago, bruises, joint pain and insect bites. It can be used to relieve any kind of skin irritation or itching but should be used in a dilution of 1% or less or the irritation could be made worse. It is not much liked by insects and vermin and it is great for getting rid of ants and rodents. Peppermint oil blends well with cedar wood, cypress, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus and pine. Peppermint essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from the whole plant. The oil is colorless or pale yellow and has an invigorating minty smell.

Peppermint is one of the more popular herb teas and is widely available in tea bags.  A small amount of peppermint may be added to most herb teas for flavor. Peppermint essential oil is a must for your essential oil first aid kit and to use while traveling. Peppermint has been known for its medicinal properties for centuries.

Properties

• Anti-Infectious
• Antiseptic
• Anticatarrhal
• Expectorant
• Antiviral
• Fungicide
• Affects the digestive system

I read an article in a health magazine by Elizabeth Agnvall today and she confirmed something I’ve been saying all along. Agnvall’s article listed seven medical procedures you don’t need. I won’t go into all seven, but the third procedure on her list is the prescription of antibiotics for mild to moderate sinus infections. I know several people who run to the doctor at the slightest sign of a cold or the sniffles and demand a prescription for antibiotics. I told one friend that when she really got a bad sinus infection the antibiotics are not going to work for her because her body has gotten too accustomed to them.

Most sinus infections are caused by viruses and the drugs only work against bacterial infections. Using them too often will make you susceptible to more virulent types of drug resistant bacteria. My recommendation is to use natures’s own medicines, essential oils. The next time you have sinusitis, use essential oils in any of the following ways.

To really open your sinuses, use 3 drops of rosemary, 1 drop of thyme and 1 drop of peppermint in the steam inhalation method. If you have to go to work, make a blend of 2 drops rosemary, 1 drop of geranium and 1 drop of eucalyptus and put 1 drop of this blend on a tissue and inhale the aroma throughout the day. Lastly, blend together 5 drops of rosemary, 5 drops of geranium,  2 drops of eucalyptus and 3 drops of peppermint. Then use 5 drops of the blend per 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil and massage around your neck, in front of and behind your ears, over the cheekbone, the nose and the forehead. I do this before going to bed and it makes for a very restful sleep.

We are continuing our discussion of  using massage as a valuable method of applying essential oils to aid in the aromatherapy healing process. In previous blogs, we have discussed which essential oils to use for sore or fatigued muscles (see Essential Oil Muscle Relief). You can always look at the archived blogs if you have any questions. Now, let’s look at what kind of aromatherapy massage (aromassage) to use for different parts of the body.

• Shoulders – aromassage into the shoulder muscles with both effleurage and petrissage movements. Make firm strokes from the shoulder to the neck and back again using thumbs and palms.
• Arms – aromassage up towards the armpit, using effleurage or petrissage on the fatty or muscular areas only.
• Back – Use firm or gentle effleurage or petrissage but do not massage over the vertebrae. Start from the lower part of the back and with both hands stroke all the way to the shoulders. Slide your hands over the shoulders and then return down the sides of the back. Repeat these strokes as many times as you like, the longer you aromassage, the more relaxing it is.
• Abdomen – only use circular movements on the abdomen and move in a clockwise direction. Effleurage is the best method to use on the abdomen.
• Legs – use effleurage to aromassage the legs and always move upwards. You can use petrissage on the fatty or muscular areas only but not over varicosed areas.
• Women’s reproductive problems- aromassage using effleurage movements beginning at the lower back and sliding over the hips. Then slide each hand over the abdomen separately and repeat the whole process.
• Feet – aromasssage from the toes to the heel with the thumbs under the foot and the fingers on top.

All massage should flow as the blood does, toward the heart. After an aerobic workout, aromassage is useful to release toxins and keep your muscles supple.

Using massage is an excellent way to apply aromatherapy essential oils to the body as part of an alternative healing process. It is not hard to do and anyone can do it for family, friends, even for yourself. There are several different methods you can use to massage aromatherapy essential oils into the body:

• Effleurage – this is a series of gentle, soothing strokes which allow essential oils to penetrate your body and help you to relax and become calm. For this method, use your whole hands in  either long or short strokes that can be either firm or gentle.
• Petrissage – is similar to gently kneading dough. Use the palm, finger tips and thumbs to slowly and gently knead the body. Petrissage is most helpful when used on fatty areas and on backs.
• Head massage – put the essential oils  on your fingertips to massage the scalp. Work the fingers all over the scalp.
• For migraine and headaches – massage around the base of the neck and work your way up to the base of the scalp. Massage in this manner for a few moments with firm effleurage strokes.
• For the neck – massage the neck using small, firm circular movements from the base of the neck, up either side of the vertebrae to the base of the scalp. Massage the sides of the neck and repeat these movements in a more gentle fashion and work your way down the neck. Repeat several times using appropriate essential oils.