Aromatherapy

Archive for December, 2006

Some people hear the word childbirth and cringe. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Childbirth can be a treasured experience for you. After you’ve experienced it you may want to do it again and you may not. You may treasure it because it was an experience like no other or you may treasure it because you never have to go through it again. Whichever the case may be, aromatherapy can help you in more than one way during childbirth (not only during childbirth but during pregnancy, too). Don’t worry. Most people agree that using aromatherapy will make your labor painless and perfect. That is not true. But, it is known that aromatherapy can assist in helping you to relax, ease pain and discomfort and create a soothing atmosphere for everyone.

The drugs that are available for childbirth haven’t always been around. Historically, women had to deliver babies without any sort of medication. Some women did have the option to use herbal remedies and you can bet they were sure thankful for that. Childbirth is no picnic; it’s hard work. But with the right attitude and atmosphere, you can go into the delivery room a few steps ahead.

While on the subject of attitude and mind-set, be aware that this has a lot to do with the effectiveness of aromatherapy. If you go into the hospital expecting to have a horrible delivery and you’re all worked up in a frenzy, you may be setting yourself up for a bad experience. Once things get rolling during labor, nobody can control what’s going to happen. But, you can set yourself up for a comfortable delivery if you go into it with some tools to help you along the way.

Many women are choosing to use aromatherapy during childbirth. Many choose to go this route because of the risks associated with using other medications. Maybe you don’t want to take the risk of your baby being harmed by medications used in the hospital. Maybe you don’t like medication or needles. Or maybe you really want to experience every aspect of labor. Some of you may be planning on getting that epidural, as well as using some aromatherapy. Whatever your reason is for using aromatherapy during childbirth, you’ll be happy that you did.

Most hospitals will not allow you to have an open flame in the delivery room. You will probably have to use an essential oil diffuser or a blend of oils for massage. If you’ll be taking a bath or having a water birth, essential oils can be put into the tub.

Lavender, rose, frankincense and peppermint are the four essential oils that have been said to be the most effective during childbirth. Lavender helps to dull and ease uterine pain, increase the strength of contractions and calm the mother. Keeping calm is important during labor. It helps the whole birthing process move a lot smoother and it also helps keep your partner calm.

Rose essential oil helps to lift your spirits and this is important during childbirth. You need to be mentally alert and strong to push during those contractions. The pleasant fragrance will also help to keep you comfortable and focused.

Frankincense is a very calming essential oil that will slow and deepen your breathing. This is helpful because while you’re in labor your breathing needs to be controlled. Frankincense will help you to do just that.

Peppermint is the essential oil that women say helps them with nausea and vomiting. You definitely don’t want to feel ill in the middle of labor. This essential oil will help give you a balance and fight that nausea.

Some women like to be massaged during labor and others don’t. If it’s helpful or relaxing for you to be massaged while you’re in labor, your partner could massage the essential oils onto your temples or your abdomen. Massaging the oils into your back, especially your lower back can feel good also.

As mentioned before, you can always use a diffuser or if you’re in the tub put a few drops of your oils in there. Another clever way to benefit from essential oils is to put some in a spray bottle with water. In between contractions you can spray yourself or have somebody else do it. It will help keep you calm and cool.

Another important aspect of this is keeping your partner calm, as well. Don’t forget that anyone else that’ll be in the birthing room with you will also get some of the benefits from your essential oils. So it may be helping more than just you.

When you’re at home practicing your breathing or concentrating techniques (before the baby’s born) it would be a wonderful idea to incorporate your chosen essential oils into your practice. This would help get you into the routine of associating relaxation with that aroma. That way when you’re in labor and you smell those essential oils you’ll have that much more relaxation to help you out.

In today’s culture, pet owners are trying their best to improve the way beloved pets live. No more smelly chemicals that can irate skin and eyes. Pet owners have found a new outlet for their need to add comfort to the lives of their pets. These new products are the essential oils of aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is an alternative treatment philosophy that uses liquid plant material to affect either health or mood of the subject. These days the subject is often your pet.

No need to use smelly flea sprays ever again. No more harsh shampoos that wash their fur but don’t really help the luster or shine of their coats. Now there are shampoos made of essential oils that will clean them, pamper them and leave them looking like they just left your favorite spa, while at the same time smelling wonderful.

While we all know that grooming is a very important part of your dogs health aromatherapy can show you a different way to insure your pet is not only healthy and well groomed, but fresh smelling and itch free all done without chemicals. Nothing need ever touch their bodies again that isn’t one hundred percent natural. You can find everything from shampoos and conditioners to sprays that will improve the way your dog looks and feels.

There are many sprays that can naturally repel fleas and ticks without the chemical smells that your dog has had to deal with in the past. These old sprays have often been the cause of dry skin and irritation. No more. Your dog, with the help of eucalyptus, lavender or fir needle, to name but a few, will no longer suffer from fleas, will soothe irritated areas or hydrate dry skin. As well, some essential oils will calm the dog that suffers the fear of rainstorms or vet visits.

Cats are another matter and care must be taken when deciding on using aromatherapy on your feline companions. The essential oils that pamper your dog can kill your cat. This is because a cat’s body cannot metabolize the essential oils the way a dog or even human can. Their skin in thinner and so absorbs faster causing toxicity buildup. Their livers cannot handle this and so the very products that we hoped would offer them good health instead poison them.

Therefore, the plants must be handled differently to make the products that lavish comfort and fragrances for cats. They must be diluted more than the essential oils are and so become instead hydrosols. These are safe to use on cats. They offer the same benefits and are used as antiseptics, for skin care or as ear cleaners and soothers. For example lavender can be used for burns or calming. Rose is good for skin irritations and rashes. Remember that cats dislike strong smells. So that which entices your dog can be a major turn off to your cat. But mix a few together and you wind up with gentle scents even your cat will enjoy. Also, this milder form can be used not only for cats, but for puppies, kittens, rabbits and ferrets as well.

Horses can also benefit from the wonderful properties of aromatherapy. Many owners discover after bringing their new horse home that the animal has some odd behaviors. They may be head shy, trailer shy or just plain hard to deal with. This can often be a symptom of abuse at the hands of their last owner. Essential oils can go a long way to alleviating some of these issues and adding to the mental and emotional well being of the animal. Frankincense, Bergamot and Chamomile all contribute to a more relaxed and laid back horse. Sweet orange will give it the feeling of self-assurance. Others like basil or lemon contribute to the animal’s improved focus.

Usually nothing more than a few moments to inhale the calming scent will make a difference but if the horse needs more simply apply it to the animal’s chest or put it on a tissue that you wear in your pocket while working with your horse.

Aromatherapy used correctly can be a wonderful tool to making your pet a happier healthier creature.

Aromatherapy has been used for years for both enjoyment and medicinal purposes. You can count on a variety of essential oils to enhance your mood, ward off depression and heal the mind and body. Everyone can benefit from the use of a few essential oils. So, how about you man? Did you know that you could use these same oils as an aphrodisiac? Just mentioning the word aphrodisiac will probably turn most men’s heads. So if you want to introduce your man to the wonderful world of aromatherapy, your best bet is to start down this avenue.

Most men would not mind a little boost in the bedroom. There are a few essential oils that have been used as aphrodisiacs as well as to assist in getting or maintaining an erection. The difference between the two is that an aphrodisiac is something that heightens sexual drive or libido. An aphrodisiac will probably not give a man an erection, but it will certainly help him on his way. Getting or maintaining an erection is a different story. It is not that the man doesn’t have the sexual desire; it is that his penis is not doing what it’s supposed to do.

Agarwood is an essential oil that is said to be the most powerful of the herbal aphrodisiacs. In Indonesia ylang-ylang is known as the flower to be spread across the bed of newlywed couples. This is because the essential oil is said to have a euphoric, sedative and sensual effect on the nervous system. You can have this in the bedroom and burn the oil or use it in a massage.

If your guy is having trouble getting or maintaining an erection, try using some yohimbe essential oil. This drug is said to help blood flow to the penis and increase the strength of an erection. Do consult a physician about using this oil because it can cause problems in some men. In fact, this oil has been used for years, way before Viagra. It must work!

Now that you have got their attention by using a few essential oils in the bedroom, you can turn them onto other aspects of aromatherapy. Introduce them to tea tree oil, lemon oil, or lavender. Whether he likes flowery scents (it’s okay, he can admit it) or woody scents, light scents or heavy scents there is something out there that’ll appeal to him.

Now comes the fun part how will you two use the aromatherapy? You can use an essential oil diffuser or lamp to heat the oil and inhale the aroma. However you choose, you can be certain that the both of you will get the full benefits of these wonderful and useful oils.

A bath would be fun. Fill it up to the top with hot water and add his favorite essential oil. Besides getting the benefits of inhalation, the both of you will be soaking and softening your skin, as well. Then jump in and have fun.

One favorite that many men like and maybe yours too, would be to use your favorite essential oils to give each other massages. Make sure you dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil so that you do not irritate your skin. Essential oils are very potent and only need a little bit for each use. That’s why the bottles they come in are so small. Do not overdo the oils, as they can irritate the skin.

You could start by massaging his temples, and go to his shoulders and back. Use long, deep strokes down his arms and gentle light ones down to the tips of his fingers. You get the picture. Use this time to breathe in the relaxing aromas, give your guy a killer massage, and bond. You’ll enjoy it just as much as he does.

Or, how about washing the sheets and pillowcases in a few drops of the oil? This ensures that the scent will always will be where you need it! It is easy to add just a few drops in with your regular laundry. Just be sure that you are not adding too much. Once your man has experienced the benefits that aromatherapy offers, he will be hooked.

Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. It has been recorded that ancient Egyptians used this homeopathic practice for many purposes. They used sweet smelling oils during massage sessions for upper class individuals. They used them in the medical treatments. Cosmetics used botanical oils. They were even used in the practice of embalming dead bodies. Even Hippocrates talked of the use of aromatic oils. He suggested a massage with these oils was helpful not only mentally, but also physically. By the tenth century, Arabians began to distill aromatic oils, which made them far more efficient. The oils lost popularity for some time, but in the early 1900s, scientists in France and England tried to reintroduce them to modern medical practice. While they never caught on within the medical practices of the western world, many people are finally realizing the benefits. Today, many different aromatherapy oils have been shown to have lots of benefits in clinical trials.

One known benefit of aromatherapy is use in physical health ailments. Alzheimer’s and dementia have been shown to respond to aromatherapy treatments. Because aromatherapy has been shown to relax the body and lower anxiety levels, Alzheimer’s patients, as well as those who suffer from dementia, find an improved quality of life through the use of aromatherapy treatments. Clinical studies have shown that smell and memory has a strong connection in the brain, and aromatherapy can help to not only invoke memories of past times, it can also help to increase short term memory in these patients. In terms of physical health ailments, aromatherapy can help with hundreds of other conditions. Some essential oils have anti-fungal properties, which can help with conditions like athlete’s foot and acne. Arthritis responds quite well to aromatherapy treatments. Pulmonary function has also been shown to increase with strong aromatherapy treatments, which can assist with conditions like asthma.

Many digestive disorders have also responded quite well to aromatherapy treatments. Several studies have shown that irritable bowel syndrome symptoms have responded quite well to treatments involving peppermint. Problems like autism have been shown to respond quite well to various aromatherapy treatments. Other learning disorders have responded quite well to different kinds of aromatherapy treatments. Even serious degenerative diseases like cancer have responded to aromatherapy along with traditional treatment methods. It can not only help with the nausea many cancer patients suffer from traditional treatment methods, it can also help to promote relaxation, which is essential when suffering from a serious disease like cancer. Some essential oils have even shown promise in providing pain relief for cancer patients.

Treating physical ailments, though, is not the only benefit of using aromatherapy. It can also be quite effective in treating the mind. Studies have shown that children who have challenging behavior issues respond to aromatherapy treatments. It helps to create a method of communication that may not be possible during other treatments. Moreover, it can help to build a relationship between the practitioner and the child. It can even help to reduce the instances of challenging behavior. Aromatherapy can have mental benefits for those who don’t suffer from particular conditions though. For years people have used various kinds of aromatherapy treatments to help lower stress levels. Clinical trials have been extensively conducted to prove, through EEG results, that people are more relaxed or stimulated through the use of certain aromatherapy oils. This reduction in stress levels can promote physical well being. Studies have shown that people who are more relaxed through the use of regular aromatherapy treatments are healthier on a general basis, as good mental health seems to serve as a natural stimulant to the immune system according to most of the clinical studies that have been completed on the topic.

Aromatherapy can work on a preventative level as well. Many essential oils can help to stimulate the immune system, which helps the body to prevent serious illnesses as well as every day problems like the common cold. Aromatherapy can even provide you with a few unexpected benefits, like healthier skin and healthier hair. This can even help you to decrease signs of aging.

Aromatherapy has a number of different benefits. Try one of the essential oils today in your life and discover the benefits for yourself.

Aromatherapy is one of the most popular forms of alternative medicine in the world today. Part of the reason it seems to be catching on at such a rapid rate is that it can help with so many horrible problems. In the world of medicine, there are a number of different applications. Women use it to ease labor pains on a regular basis. It is often used by seriously ill patients, like those dealing with cancer to help ease the problems associated with the side effects of traditional treatments. It has even been used to help rehabilitate people with heart problems. You don’t have to be sick to benefit from aromatherapy, though. It can simply help you to focus your mind. It can improve your memory, improve your mood, it can even invigorate you after a long night. One great way to change your aromatherapy practices is to make your own infused oils. This means you can create your own combination of scents based on the plant essences that work best for you.

You can make infused oil by simply placing the plant material in oil and allowing it to steep over low heat for a specific period of time. This helps to concentrate the parts of the plant material that will be most useful during your standard aromatherapy practices. Historically, there have been hundreds of uses for infused oils. It has been recorded that ancient Egyptians used this homeopathic practice for many purposes. They used sweet smelling oils during massage sessions for upper class individuals. They used them in the medical treatments. Cosmetics used botanical oils. They were even used in the practice of embalming dead bodies. Even Hippocrates talked of the use of aromatic oils. He suggested a massage with these oils was helpful not only mentally, but also physically. Over time, they have been used for cosmetic, medical, and perfume style applications.

Dealing with infused oil in an aromatherapy procedure is a lot like dealing with your standard essential oils. Infused oils have many of the same attributes as an essential oil. Better than most essential oils, though, they can have multiple benefits that are simply not present in most essential oils. One reason that some use infused oil instead of essential oil is that some plants have a very low oil yield when trying to extract the essential oil. As a result, it simply wouldn’t be possible to use those plants in aromatherapy circles without procedures like infused oils. Moreover, though, infused oils can be made right in your own home, which means that they don’t require some of the expensive equipment the manufacturing of essential oils often does. Some essential oils have to be diluted. Infused oils, though, can be used exactly as they are without any form of dilution.

In order to make your own essential oils, you should first use only dried plant material. If you choose to use fresh plant material, you might end up with moldy oil, which is not the best thing for your aromatherapy procedures. Choose the plant material or the combination of plant materials that works best with your normal aromatherapy procedures. Start the process with a glass jar, like a mason jar. It should be heat resistant. It should also have an airtight seal. Add the dried plant material until the jar is half full. It should be crushed, but it should not be in powered form. Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Use one teaspoon for each cup of oil you plan to add. This should help to release all of the plant materials. Shake your jar well. Your next step is to actually fill your jar with oil that has a good shelf life. You want something that has been cold pressed. You have many options in this area. Jojoba makes a great oil for this purpose. Macadamia also makes a wonderful oil to work with during the infusion process. High-oleic sunflower oil can also be quite helpful. Now you are ready to place the lid on the jar. Keep the jar in a warm place, something that measures at least one hundred and thirteen degrees for no less than twenty-four hours. A sunny windowsill or an incubation box would work quite well. A crock-pot filled with water would also work for these purposes. Once your twenty-four hours is up, you need to filter the oil first through the use of a sieve, then through a cheesecloth to catch any extra particles. At this point, you have a single infused oil. Many, though, choose to make a double or triple infused oil by taking the infused oil, adding a new batch of plant matter, and sending it through the entire process again.