Aromatherapy -- answer to a Question

I was recently asked if aromatherapy actually works.  Although I do not believe it will cure all that ails you, I do recognize that the scent of herbs in my home gives me more energy and does help my husband and I fight illnesses.  

What is aromatherapy?

Imagine if a whiff of a particular scent—from lemon to lavender—could shift your mood, reduce stress levels, or provide you a dose of much-needed zen. This is the fundamental belief behind aromatherapy, an ever-growing wellness trend. While this practice has become more mainstream in recent years, there are a few items to keep in mind if you want to partake.

In most cases, people diffuse essential oils, made by distilling the oil from botanicals, to create various scent profiles in their home. In their best form, essential oils are 100% plant oils, pure and not mixed with other oils.  So stay away from extracts which are alcohol extractions or perfume oils which are usually an essential oil mixed with a base oil.

Avid aromatherapy fans use their oils for a variety of purposes, but some popular wellness goals for the practice include:

• Improving mood

• Providing calmness 

• Clearing sinuses

• Reducing stress

• Setting a tone of a room (think: relaxing or energetic) 

• Scent diffusion alternative to candle-burning 

Plus, it's worth noting that The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate essential oils, so paying attention to ingredients is very necessary. Organic essential oils are distilled directly into an oil, but contamination from chemicals is widespread in non-organic products.

Why to use the scents

As The Mayo Clinic points out, some studies have suggested that aromatherapy can benefit our sleep patterns, help us cope with anxiety and depression, and improve the quality of life for those with chronic health conditions and pain. That said, if you have any worrisome symptoms, you should always discuss your concerns with a trained medical professional.

One big drawback of aromatherapy is the idea that it's a cure-all. Some ardent DIY-ers may be inclined to reach for oils when they should be reaching out to health professionals. So while aromatherapy shouldn't be considered your only resource when dealing with specific issues, proper use of aromatherapy does provide many meaningful benefits.

It can help you relax.

For nights when your mind is racing, consider diffusing or applying lavender essential oil. This can help calm your senses and cut down on distractions, Fowler explains. In fact, she calls lavender's ability to soothe legendary, and believe it or not, accidental.

It can help you sleep more soundly.

If you're having trouble catching Zzzs at night, you're not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults do not regularly get enough sleep. Choose a soothing, comforting aroma like lavender oil, which has been proven to decrease blood pressure and heart rate when inhaled. Add a few drops to your aroma diffuser about an hour before you're ready to go to sleep. Choose chamomile or peppermint oil

The soothing effects of chamomile oil and its benefits in bringing about sleep are more general than specific. When diffused in the air, the subtle floral aroma has a calming and relaxing effect on the mind. Roman chamomile in particular--with its fresh, apple-tinged fragrance--is ideal for staving off anxiety. Peppermint oil is great for promoting restfulness by clearing your head, both figuratively and literally. The pleasant aroma of peppermint oil can be relaxing, but more to the point, if you suffer from any seasonal allergies or dust sensitivity, nothing will ease your symptoms better or more quickly than diffusing some peppermint oil in the air of your bedroom. Once you finally find relief for those sore nasal passages, the move to relaxation and then sleep is sudden and satisfying.

 It can help you manage stress.

For those days when the meetings pile on and your to-do list never gets shorter, fighting stress is vital to make it to the end of the day. Certain oils are ideal to try, depending on what's causing your stress. If your personal stress has an element of anxiety, then you might be best suited toward citrus oils, which have been shown to help relieve anxiety. If your stress leaves you feeling off-centered or disconnected, oils from wood like frankincense and sandalwood may be best. If stress has an element of depression with it, you might want to choose something more uplifting in the mint family.

It can boost energy and focus.

Scent is such a powerful sense, it can stimulate surprisingly strong reactions in your body.  Just as lavender promotes calmness and relaxation, bright or spicy scents like citrus, peppermint, and ginger are energizing.  Diffusing these scents can help promote focus, alertness, and productivity, making them great for the morning or as a midday pick-me-up.

Making aromatherapy part of your daily routine by diffusing energizing oils like citrus, peppermint, ginger, eucalyptus, or lemongrass immediately after you wake up.

Ways to use the Scents

• So add your essential oils to reeds and place in a small vase to diffuse into the air.

• Add a few drops to a piece of terra cotta in a dish or a decorative piece of clay.

• Inhale them, either directly out of the bottle or by using a diffuser or humidifier. 

• Dilute essential oils with a carrier oil and apply it directly to your skin. 

• Get creative and add the mixture to a body wash, shampoo, or bath.

• Search essential oil in the blog search box for numerous recipes using essential oils for these things and more.

Bath Melts - Bath Blend of the Month

Enjoy these moisturizing cocoa butter bath melts in a wonderful bath and add some sweet luxury to your day, or make them for your friends for Gal Spa Day. They are made with ingredients so natural that you could eat them. The aroma of cocoa, coconut, and lemon is uplifting and can brighten a gray day in March. These bath wonders are perfect for a pick-me-up-bath, as the silky soft oils melt in the warm water and soak into your skin, leaving it moisturized and soft.

 

I got this recipe through Stephanie Rose at Garden Therapy and added my own twist to it.  Her version used lavender essential oil and flowers, but I like a lemon scent in my bath, so I swapped in my favorite lemon herbs.

 

The main ingredient, Cocoa butter, is hydrating and soothing for your skin. At room temperature it is solid but as you add it to a hot bath it melts and the oil disperses into the water and absorbs into your skin while you soak. An edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean, it smells and tastes like chocolate because it is the main ingredient in chocolate. High in antioxidants it is ideal to use in bath items.  As a moisturizer it is perfect when combined with lemon herbs because lemongrass is known to enhance overall skin texture by cleansing and detoxifying, eliminating excess oil from the skin making it more supple while lemon balm is known to be an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with antibacterial qualities. 

 

Coconut oil also becomes liquid at body temperature.  It is smooth and smells of coconut and is so moisturizing that it is often used to treat eczema.  It has the ability to reduce the inflammation caused by sun exposure and can fight bacteria without drying.

 

Lemon and Cocoa Butter Bath Melts (Makes 12 1-ounce bath melts)

·      2 Ounces cocoa butter (measure it by weight to get the best ratio or use 3 1/2 Tablespoons)

·      2 Tablespoons coconut oil

·      20 drops lemon or lemongrass essential oil

·      1/2 Tablespoon dried lemon balm

·      1/2 Tablespoon dried lemongrass

·      Silicone soap or ice cube mold to use as a mold

 

Melt the oils in a double boiler over hot water. Stir constantly and keep a watchful eye on the oils. You want them to just reach the melting point and not overheat.

 

Immediately pour into silicone molds. Sprinkle the dried herbs on top of the hot oil, dividing the tablespoon up evenly between the bath melts.

 

Move the silicone mold to the refrigerator to cool for two hours, and you’re done. Store the finished bath melts in the fridge or a cool place if your house is warm so that they don’t melt before you want to use them or gift them.

 

To Use: Pop one or two bath melts into a tub filled with hot water and soak for at least twenty minutes. Although designed for the bath, these melts can also be smoothed on the skin in the shower, just beware of a slippery floor when you rinse the oils off.