Disclaimer: This blog information is general in nature and for informational purposes. It is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. If you suspect you have a disease or health-related condition of any kind, you should contact your health care professional immediately. Please read all product packaging carefully and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, supplementation or medication program.
When you inhale an aroma from essential oils, herbs, flowers, and other scents directly or indirectly to improve your feeling of emotional and spiritual well-being, it is called aromatherapy. Most people use therapeutic-grade essential oils for aromatherapy.
“Aromatherapy is thought to work by stimulating smell receptors in the nose, which then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system — the part of the brain that controls emotions.” *
Due to the strong aroma of essential oils, people usually add them to a carrier oil like olive, coconut or jojoba oil before applying them to the skin or using them in some diffusers. Smelling the aromas from the bottle, on a cloth or added to bath water can be done without using a carrier oil.
The following are proven benefits of aromatherapy:
Promotes Relaxation:
Many different scents are known to help you relax, but most people think of lavender first. However, other aromas may help reduce stress like lemon, peppermint, ylang-ylang, clary sage, geranium, and bergamot.
Improves Sleep:
Several people drink chamomile tea or use lavender to help them sleep. Other scents to try – jasmine, rose, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, vetiver, and sweet marjoram.
Increases Energy/Uplifting:
Peppermint, cinnamon, clove, lemon, grapefruit, orange, lime, ginger, jasmine, rosemary and sage all may increase your blood circulation, raise energy levels and stimulate your body.
Decreases Respiratory Issues:
Some aromatherapy oils have antiseptic properties that cleanse fungus, mold, and bacteria from the air. Orange, lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, tea tree (melaleuca), black pepper and oregano can help reduce respiratory problems.
Speeds Healing:
Tea tree (melaleuca) oil’s antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties made it popular for treating dandruff and other skin problems. Other known healing aromas include lavender, calendula, lemon, orange, jasmine, frankincense, juniper berry, and clary sage.
Relieves Pain or Inflammation:
One of the best-known uses for aromatherapy, the scents that help reduce pain include frankincense, ginger, lavender, clary sage, rose and geranium. For inflammation, try rosemary, peppermint, frankincense, and spearmint.
Improves Libido:
By increasing the blood flow and improving hormonal balance, your libido improves. Try ylang-ylang, clary sage, sandalwood, rosemary and geranium aromas.
Improve Digestion:
Aromas can help with nausea, bloating, indigestion and constipation by speeding up your metabolism. This results in faster digestion of your food. The scents to try include lemon, ginger, peppermint, thyme, clove, turmeric, grapefruit, eucalyptus, and chamomile.
Boosts Memory and Focus:
Sage is known to increase memory capacity for a period of time in some people. Lavender, orange, frankincense, basil, peppermint, and rosemary may boost your mental focus and concentration.
Due to our uniqueness, aromas may or may not help us with a specific problem. Therefore, try different aromas to see which scents and applications work best for you. Also, it is not uncommon for people to have allergic reactions to some aromas especially if you are allergic to it in food.
Note: Aromatherapy use of essential oils is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, anyone can market a product as suitable for aromatherapy. If a product says “Made with Essential Oils” or “Made with Natural Ingredients”, it means the product contains a minute quantity of essential oils and the rest of the product may be chemicals representing the scent.
Learn more about essential oils and how they combat stress and anxiety by reading the article by Wellness Aromas.
Seeds of Wellness carries a variety of aromatherapy products – Sacred Path Candles, Pinch Me Therapy Dough, Wild Berry Incense, natural skin care products, and some essential oils. Stop in and see what products work best for you.
