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 professional. 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 enhance 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, they are usually added 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 the carrier oil.
The following are proven benefits of aromatherapy:
Promotes Relaxation: many different scents are know to be relaxants, but most people think of lavender first. However, other aromas may help with reducing stress like lemon, peppermint, ylang-ylang, clary sage, geranium, and bergamont.
Improves Sleep: several people drink chamomile tea or use lavender to help them sleep. Here are some other aromas 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 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 with respiratory problems.
Speeds Healing: Tea tree (melaleuca) oil’s antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties have 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, and the scents that can help reduce pain include frankincense, ginger, lavender, clary sage, rose and geranium. For inflammation, you can 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 which results in faster digestion of your food. The scents to try are lemon, ginger, peppermint, thyme, clove, turmeric, grapefruit, eucalyptus and chamomile.
Boosts Memory and Focus: Sage is know to increase memory capacity for a period of time in some people. Lavender, orange, frankincense, basil, peppermint and rosemary may boost your mental alertness and concentration.
Due to our uniqueness, aromas may or may not help us for a specific problem. Therefore, you will need to 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 it is “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 synthetic.
Sources:
* “What Are the Benefits of Aromatherapy?” written by Brent A. Bauer, M.D. on Mayo Clinic website
What is Aromatherapy? 9 Ways It Benefits Health” by Dr. Axe
“10 Amazing Benefits of Aromatherapy” by Organic Facts
“Emotional Benefits of Aromatherapy” by doTERRA