Using Essential Oils for Massage

Creating your own aromatic massage blends is simple to do, and can be highly rewarding. The power of touch and scent together can be a superior combination, with significant benefits over simple massage in general. If you are interested, then you might want to look at some different blends that can be useful in a variety of different contexts (for relaxing, stimulating, uplifting, etc).

Massage has been a healing technique for practically the entire history of mankind. There are many, many schools and techniques, from deep tissue, to gentle energy work, and everything in between. The use of essential oils in these practices is becoming more popular, as more therapists understand the both energetic and biochemical activities oils can add to the practice.

One of the key reasons people choose a treatment of this nature is to relax and relieve stress. There is a range of different blends you can use for this specific purpose. Use a base oil of apricot kernel and add frankincense, lavender and ylang ylang. The most common concentrations of essential oils in these formulas is about 1 to 3% of the overall volume. You can adjust the amount of each individual essential oil so their harmonious aromas suit your tastes.

When a balance of aromatic compounds in the base oil is achieved, the relaxation results can be profound. This is useful after you’ve experienced a hard day at work, or at one of those times when your mind refuses to switch off. The olfactory system gets triggered by scents and particular combinations, where actual changes in brain activity can be measured from inhalation of the oils’ relaxing aromas.

There are ways you can do the exact opposite, and utilize other oils in order to energize the body. This can be particularly useful to make the muscles more supple and increase blood flow — which is appreciated by athletes. You can blend rosemary, lemongrass and black pepper and this gives you an intoxicating mixture of spice and herb that helps stimulate energy in the body.

You can blend this with grape seed or hazelnut as your base. Invigorating massages can take one of two forms: simply a light rub-down to bring a little blood flow to the muscles (excellent for the pre-race massage for an athlete) — or deeper tissue work for after workouts and competition. This type of massage will still encourage blood flow, but will also aid in ridding the muscles of lactic acid and other metabolic wastes.

If you are a romantic person, then you will know the power of sensual touch. You can enhance a particular mood by utilizing scents that embrace the sweet smells of flowers. A carrier oil of sweet almond works well when mixing rose and jasmine. Make this more enticing by using something interesting such as clary sage or sandalwood. These aromas can create an atmosphere that is the perfect accompaniment to an evening of romance.

Aromatic massage oils have a great variety of applications. The trick is simply finding the essential oils to add that give the desired effect. If you have any doubts then try to experiment with them. You can mix small amounts in trial and error, and do further research as to what oils will create the sensations you’re attempting to achieve. Finding a blend that works for you, your partners or your clients can be especially rewarding, and is certainly worth your creative efforts.

The author is the co-owner of www.anandaapothecary.com – More aromatherapy resources are available on this site.

Aromatherapy For Men: Keep Your Skin Looking Youthful With These Formulas

Women seem to get all the attention when it comes to both skin care AND aromatherapy. Blends for “mature” skin care are often designed around floral notes, with hormone balancing constituents mostly designed for feminine skin. Well here’s a look at oils and recipes using oils actually proven to reduce wrinkle appearance, with mild and “earthy” aromas just for men.

Blends for helping the skin look younger are based on essential oils and carrier oils with regenerative, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. These are really the three main therapeutic requirements of anti-aging skin care. We’ll look at three groups of essential oils first, from which you can choose one oil from each type. We’ll then look at the “carrier oils” into which the essential oils are blended, which have therapeutic properties as well.

Two of the most important anti-aging oils, with historical use of perhaps thousands of years, are frankincense and myrrh. These oils are distilled from the resins (or sap) of very hearty desert trees and shrubs. They have very complex chemical make ups, having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties all in one oil. Frankincense has even been the subject of peer-reviewed research, showing the ability to reduce the appearance of fine lines and smooth skin texture overall. These oils are available in both steam distilled and carbon dioxide distillations, and it is the carbon dioxide distillations that are most desirable for this purpose.

The essential oils of helichryum and rosemary are popular ingredients in recipes designed to reduce the appearance of scars. This process is almost precisely akin to reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Helichrysum is nearly a “magic” oil in its healing properties for the skin; rosemary (specifically of the chemotype called “verbenone) enhances skin cell metabolism. Both these oils contain natural molecular constituents which stimulate the growth of new skin cells as well — VERY good stuff!

Then we come to the oils rich in nutrients that are both potent antioxidants and necessary for cellular regeneration. These are all found as carbon dioxide extracts: Carrot root, rosehip, and sea buckthorn. Each of these oils is a shade of reddish-orange, indicating its high level of antioxidants and carotenoids (vitamin-A compounds closely tied to skin health). Use any one, or all three — just know the more you use in your formula, the more red the formula will leave your skin for a little while application. With 1% or less concentration, this will be hardly noticed — if at all. You can even consider making a “daytime” and “nighttime” formula, using higher levels of these oils in the blend applied just before retiring for the evening.

And no “men’s” skin care formula would be complete without sandalwood essential oil. In addition to being a soft, relaxing aroma, it’s very balancing and protective at the same time. Sandalwood balances skin oils (helps both “too oily” and “too dry” become “normal”), and has even been shown to protect against skin cancers.

There are several carrier oils to choose from, with three that are highly regarded for their anti-aging properties: Rosehip seed oil (pressed from the seed, different than the rosehip CO2), tamanu nut oil and argan nut oil. Rosehip seed’s use is backed by research showing smoothing of skin texture, lines and wrinkles. Tamanu is a very therapeutic oil with a highly regenerative nature — it is though to almost triple the speed of new cell formation. Argan is high in antioxidants, and has recently made big waves in the natural beauty industry for its anti-aging action. You can use any of these oils singly as your base, or blend all three together in equal parts.

On to the mixing! This is really, really easy. And you can make several ounces at once, enough to last a couple of months (store everything over one ounce in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them). These essential oil quantities are given for each ounce, so increase according to your final volume. For normal-to-dry skin: eight drops frankincense OR myrrh “CO2″, six drops rosemary verbenone OR helichrsyum, six drops sandalwood and sixteen drops rosehip “CO2″. Yes, it sounds so simple, but this, in the three base oils, is a downright excellent formula for anti-aging skin care.

For variations of skin type, consider these: For those with acne-prone skin, DO NOT use rosehip seed oil carrier — either eliminate it or replace it with organic virgin coconut (which cures acne alone for some users). And use sea buckthorn “CO2″ instead of rosehip “CO2″ For those with sensitive skin, reduce each oil by two drops and add four drops of lavender (don’t worry, it won’t be enough to smell like a flower)!

That’s it — these formulations are as fine as any you’ll find in high-end boutiques at a fraction of the cost. Feel free too to adjust the recipes to your skin’s needs; this is easily done, and you can perfect your recipe to care for your “manly” skin for years to come.

The Ananda Apothecary is a fully-stocked source of therapeutic aromatherapy products, including cold processed carrier oils and a great selection of aromatherapy essential oil diffusers.

Why You Should Consider Diffusing Essential Oils

Essential oils are a curiosity to many folks — they smell nice, but they’re just not sure what to do with them, never mind how to get the most from aromatherapy’s science-proven benefits (like antiviral, antibacterial and stress-reducing actions). So where to start?! Inhale! Breathe them in! By using a diffuser to accelerate the evaporation of oils in the air around you, not only does your place smell great, but its the best way to use the most sought-after uses of aromatherapy: immune system and emotional support. We’ll start with a quick review of the potential benefits of diffusing essential oils for your family, with specific notes for children, then look at the best diffusers for each use.

Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Essential Oils

The body of research revealing the diverse therapeutic and medicinal actions of essential oils has grown exponentially in the last several years. Research abstracts (summaries of investigations) are freely available through the online database maintained by the National Institute of Health. Many essential oils have been shown to be antidepressants, stress-relieving, and sleep-improving. Other oils have been shown to be potent airborne antibacterial agents, while others have the ability to destroy live viruses. Some of these same oils actually improve the function of our immune system, and some can change our cells in such a way to make them more resistant to viral infection. ALL these benefits can be had by evaporating various concentrations of essential oils in your environment by using a diffuser. Essential oil diffusers do come in many styles, and some are better suited to certain applications than others. Here’s a review of the diffuser styles available to help you make the best choice for your needs.

Diffusers For Antiviral/Antimicrobial Action & Immune Support

In order to best disinfect the air in your surroundings, you can imagine you’d need a little bit more essential oil than what evaporates from an aromatherapy candle. To get this amount of output requires a “nebulizing” diffuser. To “nebulize” an essential oil means to make a very fine mist, which quickly and easily evaporates. Some diffuser manufacturers claim their diffusers make smaller droplets of mist than others, but the truth is they all will work. The droplets all “disappear” completely upon leaving the diffuser, without any residue around the machine. To best conserve your oils while still creating these therapeutic effects, you’ll want a timer system too — some come with them built-in, though the most versatile will be external, fully-programmable timers you can find online or in a hardware store.

The nebulizers come in two styles: “cold air” and “ultrasonic”. The cold air units use only air pressure to diffuse the oils, and output the highest concentration of any diffuser type. The ultrasonic is essentially a small water-humidification unit, where oils are mixed with water and then evaporated. Both styles typically have output controls, so you can turn up or down the amount of oil being diffused. They are also both exceptionally quiet.

Diffusers for “Aroma”therapy: Anti-Stress and Emotional Support

For simple aromatic use — where oils are used for uplifting your spirits, calming or helping your children sleep, or just making your environment smell fantastic, a “fan” or “warming” diffuser is totally appropriate. The fan diffusers work by blowing air from a small fan over a pad that has been saturated with essential oils — the warming diffusers work the same way, but with a little bit of heat (they don’t get so hot as to burn anyone, and are safe to use around kids). The fan units will emit a quiet hum when on, the warming units will be silent — and the fan units will generally emit aroma into a moderately-sized space, while the less-expensive warming units are suited for a single room.

Conserving Your Oil Supply: Use A Timer For Best Results

The best way to use the least amount of essential oil for your needs is to use a timer — either built-in to the diffuser or a readily-available appliance timer. For ANY application, whether simple aromatic use or medicinal needs, one need only be exposed to the diffused oils for a few minutes at a time. Aromatically, your “smell scent” will become quickly accustom to the aroma, and you’ll start to think the diffuser isn’t working anymore. Running the diffuser for only a few minutes every half an hour lets your nose “forget” the oils are in the air. The same principal works for disinfecting the air and immune-system support — there’s no need to over-saturate the air with essential oils. They are so potent that there’s no need to continually diffuse a high concentration for these results.

Choosing Oils For Your Purpose

All essential oils have naturally different chemical make-ups. That’s what gives them their individual aromas and their individual therapeutic actions. For an uplifting, pleasing atmosphere, the “evergreen” oils are very nice: Fir Needle, Spruce, and Juniper Berry. These are excellent antidepressant aromatics too, along with the citrus oils: Bergamot, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit and the like, plus Rose and other uplifting flower-scents. For calming and better rest, Lavender is the first choice; when folks aren’t a fan of this popular floral oil, Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang are great choices. For all the purposes, its important to use oils you or your family actually like the smell of! There are MANY oils to choose from, and by sampling a few, you’re sure to find something everyone enjoys.

For immune support and air-cleaning, there are many oils highly regarded for their antimicrobial actions. Bay laurel is very nice, and scientifically shown to be an effective anti-viral. “Plain” Lemon and Rosemary oils are excellent antibacterials, as is Lemon Tea Tree (very potent), Lemongrass, and Eucalyptus Radiata (shown specifically to help our white blood cells function better). Most oils that are sharper and brighter will be effective, but be careful as there are some herb-oils that are too strong to diffuse, like Oregano and Thyme, along with the spice oil Cinnamon. In any case, use your judgment with the aromas: if they seem to intense, they are — and either switch to a different oil or turn down the diffuser output. Also be aware that children are MUCH more sensitive to essential oils than adults — adjust your use as necessary, and consult a reputable guide to using essential oils with children.

Conclusion: Diffuse Your Oils for Best Results!

Essential oil diffusers are inexpensive and easily purchased at a local health food store and around the internet. Look for a unit specifically designed for use with pure essential oils, rather than “fragrance oils” (man-made replicates of natural scents — there is no “pumpkin pie” essential oil, for example!). If you’re not sure which oils to start with, there are many guides and great books available, and many aromatherapy companies will have support staff to help get you started. The world of aroma-medicine is available to you, and diffusing oils in your home is a great beginning in this realm of natural medicine.

The author is the co-owner of anandaapothecary.com – More aromatherapy resources are available on this site.

The Big Three Aromatherapy Oils For Stress Reduction

Scientific research backing the medicinal use of essential oils is being released almost daily. You’ll find these reports through sites such as “pubmed”, which compile all the latest biomedical research published in peer-reviewed journals. The total amount of data is largest in examination of antiseptic, antibacterial, and other physiological actions of oils, yet the body of research examining their “aroma-therapeutic” type effects is now of reasonable size. Some scientists have concluded that the psycho-emotional actions of aromatic oils are potent enough and consistent enough to warrant recommendation as “complementary therapies” as natural anxiolytics (anxiety-reducers) and/or anti-depressants.

Three essential oils stand out among the approximately 100 varieties in use today in popular aromatherapy. These are: lavender, the great soothing and healing oil which began the modern aromatherapy revolution; sandalwood, an aromatic with a history of over 1000 years; and bergamot, the flavoring added to Earl Grey tea, and aromatherapy’s number-one anti-depressant oil. The wonderful thing about having three “proven” anti-stress oils is that it’s likely one of them will work for you. Not everyone loves the brilliant floral aroma of lavender, but almost everyone will appreciate at least one of these important oils.

Lavender essential oil was first recognized medicinally as a wound healer. It’s potent anti-inflammatory and regenerative action quickly healed the burn resulting from a laboratory accident, and prompted the first aroma-medicine book to be written. This same soothing action occurs for our minds and emotions — the sweet smell of lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve sleep in a great many research studies.

In research, lavender’s actions result both from inhalation and ingestion. A recently published series of studies showed a slow-release capsule containing 80mg of lavender essential oil was proven as effective as benchmark sedative pharmaceutical drugs. Curiously, there’s not much in the way of data regarding topical application for psychological effects. But knowing the way essential oils work — apply them topically and you’ll both smell them and have them absorbed in to your bloodstream — it’s not a far stretch to assume topical application will produce similar results.

Sandalwood has similar, but not precisely the same, actions as lavender. Sandalwood is an excellent stress reducer without being sedative. Lavender actually slows response time, where sandalwood does not. One study’s participants inhaling sandalwood reported feeling greater clarity and relaxation — being more grounded and centered. Yet another study showed inhaled sandalwood to improve the sleep/wake cycle, resulting in deeper, more effective rest. Also interesting, in this study ti was determined the action of sandalwood was due to its presence in the bloodstream, not from the awareness of the aroma itself — an indication that topical application should have the same effects.

Bergamot is the most popular “anti-depressant” anti-depressant essential oil, also an anxiety reducer, being employed as an aromatic rather than being ingested or topically applied. One study of adolescents wearing aromatherapy amulets showed a statistically significant reduction of stress and depression relative to controls. Bergamot is also known to reduce one’s perceived level of pain. Its inhalation is known to alter the plasticity of neurons involved in our stress response. This means the sensory input isn’t reinforced when inhaling this lovely bitter-sweet citrus aroma (imagine hearing a jackhammer just for a moment, or continually — it’s hearing it continually that leads to stress, and bergamot actually alters the brain such that this “stress reinforcement” occurs less). Finally, it is not a sedative or sleep enhancer, but rather a stimulant, though it may secondarily support better rest through a healthier psycho-emotional state.

So when the question arises, “which essential oil should I use” for stress reduction, the answer is you should experiment a bit. If you’re unfamiliar with these three oils, try a sample of each and see how you respond. It’s helpful if you like the aromas, that way you’ll continue to use them.

The general methods for each of these oils: lavender — inhalation, topical, ingestion; sandalwood — inhalation, topical; bergamot — inhalation. Your actual method of use should also be experimented with. All of these can used in simple diffusers (sandalwood alone may or may not be too thick for some cold-air nebulizing diffusers). The can all be topically applied as a natural perfume, or massaged into the feet (a highly receptive area for essential oils). Care must be taken with bergamot only, as it can be a mild skin irritant for some, and will cause the skin where applied to be hyper-sensitive to sunlight. If you choose to ingest a couple drops of lavender per day, be aware that this isn’t recommended for all oils, that the quantity should remain low, and the effects may take some time to experience.

Discover more of the important healing properties of essential oils and aroma-medicine at www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html and www.synergyessentialoils.com.

Got Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria? Use Essential Oils!

If you’ve heard the news at all in the last five years, you’ve heard of MRSA, also called the “superbug”. The acronym refers to any strain of Staphyulococcus aureus bacteria that has become resistant to treatment with certain major classes of antibiotics. The point is that modern medicine isn’t able to handle this bacteria too well — you’ve also likely heard that because of this, several thousand people are dying annually of infections with this bacterium.

The search for an antidote to this deadly bacteria has been a prominent area of research in the last several years — and several essential oils have been found to be highly effective in eradicating the bug. Infections occur in the nasal passages and respiratory system, as well as in open wounds (including areas such as catheter insertions). Clearly an effective treatment should be available in both vapor phase (for inhalation) and in liquid for topical application. Essential oils meet both these requirements, and have been successfully tested in both conditions.

In a study performed by the Metropolitan University of Manchester, a vaporized essential oil blend containing lemongrass and geranium was tested against several strains of bacteria. The blend was found to reduce the spread of bacteria (including MRSA) on agar plates (with in a laboratory setting) as well as reduce the overall bacteria count in an office environment. The overall reduction of bacteria in the air was a staggering 89% with the diffuser running continually for 15 hours.

While a number of studies have evaluated the efficacy of tea tree essential oil, as it has historically been a highly effective and well-tolerated antiseptic, it is clear that tea tree is not the most effective oil for this purpose. For example, in a “dressing model” study (where preparations were made using wound dressings), the most effective formulas were either a blend of tea tree AND geranium, or of geranium and grapefruit seed extract. Several other studies have found blends of essential oils to be more effective than any single oil alone.

With this synergy of essential oils in mind, a company in the UK called “Benchmark Oils” has developed a new strain of thyme with unique chemical characteristics. In effect, this new strain of thyme produces an essential oil that chemically appears like a mixture of tea tree and thyme essential oils. This single oil alone was found to quickly eradicate MRSA, and at the same time its application at 100% strength did not cause skin irritation (as is possible with some “spice” essential oils such as cinnamon and clove). Maggie Tisserand, company director, noted: “What is interesting is that the thyme oil we use is food grade and, in preliminary company trials, shows no adverse effects on intact skin.”

In actual human subjects, an essential oil blend called Polytoxinol(tm) eradicated MRSA infections from traumatic injury sites. This blend is formulated with eucalyptus, tea tree, thyme, clove and lemongrass essential oils diluted in ethanol. The blend completely eradicated MRSA infections where no supplemental antibiotics were used. This same formula treated chronic MRSA osteomyelitis (bone infection) that was unresponsive to antibiotics for two years.

The possibility of using essential oils for treatment of serious infectious illness is real. The data supports the use of oils for both prevention (by diffusion in your living and working spaces) and treatment of MRSA infections — and it follows that the vast majority of common bacterial illnesses can be successfully prevented and treated with essential oils as well. The versatility, safety, and availability of essential oils should make them the choice for such treatment in the future, as their acceptance becomes more widespread.

The author has made available reports on specific anti-microbials such as eucalyptus essential oil, and using essential oils.

An Article About Aromatherapy And The Various Oils Best For It

It just seems to be getting dearer lately to be able to look after yourself. The spiraling cost of prescriptions and pharmaceutical drugs has given rise to many people looking at alternative ways of trying to heal themselves.

One way which has actually been around for a while, is the using of aromatherapy oils regularly to combat the ailments that people are suffering from.

Aromatherapy oils have many different healing properties and are a natural way to solve many ailments. The oils themselves can be extracted form the leaves or flowers of plants or even from the plants themselves.

There are various ways that aromatherapy oils can be used to heal people’s ailments. They can be ingested into the body by means of inhaling the aromatherapy fumes from exposing the oils to the air. Another means of using the oils is to rub the oils directly into the skin. This can either be with concentrated oil or by using additives such as lotion mixed with the oils.

There are so many different aromatherapy oils that can be used for different reasons that it would take forever to mention them all. With that in mind we will just concentrate on 3 popular oils for now. These oils are widely used and they are ylang-ylang oil, Lavender oil and Lemon oil.

The first of these oils is Lavender which appropriately comes from the flower of the same name. Lavender is mainly used as a calming influence. Many people like to drop a little Lavender on their pillows at night in order to help them sleep.

Lemon on the other hand is good for headaches and can be a great cleanser. This is why Lemon can be quite effective for acne problems. The Lemon is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the Lemon tree.

In India it is not uncommon for ylang-ylang to be spread on the bed of a newly wed couple. This is because of its aphrodisiac properties. This is why ylang-ylang is used for cases of impotence or even for cases of frigidity.

Aside from aromatherapy from flowers, this author also frequently blogs on rolling utility cart and wall mounted soap dispenser.

Sandalwood Oil’s Anti-Cancer, Sleep Enhancing, And Mood-Supportive Effects

Sandalwood is one of the most treasured aromatics by aromatherapy practitioners, and perhaps one of the most treasured by human civilization as well. Recorded use of the wood and its products date back over four millennium, more than any other aromatic plant. Yet while most practitioners make use of the oil for its unequaled scent, few are aware of some of its important science-proven medicinal effects.

The exotic oil comes from the heartwood of trees native to certain tropical regions of the world. Curiously, the sandalwood tree is only found growing on, or intertwined with, other trees; it’s considered, in fact, a parasite. Further, the trees are quite slow growing, and demand a certain amount of age before being mature enough to distill a significant volume of high-quality oil. This makes for a unique challenge in growing the wood and distilling the precious essential oil.

The very finest oil, certainly aromatically — and some people believe therapeutically as well — is distilled from the Santalum album species native to India. The essential oil has become so highly valued that over-harvesting of the trees has made a significant impact in deforestation in certain regions. So much so that the government of India made it a law that they now own all the sandalwood trees in the country! This, of course, is meant to prevent poaching of the trees, as clearly the offense is rather serious stealing the valuable resource from the government. Thankfully, there are plantations of this same species of tree underway, and other sources of very fine sandalwood oils that are now close in rivaling the quality of the Indian material.

It is clear that for the reasons of rarity alone, the essential oil is something to be cherished. However, the oil has some very impressive and important medicinal qualities that make it even more valuable. One application is a direct derivation of the use of the wood’s paste for skin care: The essential oil has been shown to prevent the occurrence of skin cancer if applied before exposure to UVB light as well as chemo-toxins.

Researchers have gone on to elucidate the ways the oil prevents cancers from forming on a microscopic level, noting the effect is a result of the primary natural chemical constituents of sandalwood essential oil. The important point is that this constituent is found in the essential oil from the three primary commercial sources: India, Australia and certain islands in the South Pacific. There are even sources where trees have been specifically selected for “high santalol content” which you can find from some aromatherapy companies. Including sandalwood essential oil in your skin care formulas is an excellent way to potentially make use of this wonderful benefit.

The aroma is highly regarded for its calming, centering qualities, without being sedating. Researchers in Vienna, Austria published research indicating study participants were positively affected in the areas of alertness, attentiveness, calmness, mood, relaxation and vigor. This correlates to its long-time use as the first choice aromatic in aiding meditation. It is reputed to quiet mental chatter, again while bringing the awareness to a singular focus.

While the aroma is stimulating in certain ways, calming in others, and never considered “sedating”, it has been shown in research to significantly improve sleep for those who may frequently have trouble falling or staying asleep. Sleep-disturbed subjects spent much less time awake, and much more time in dream-sleep when exposed to the oil’s vapor. However, researchers also concluded that the effect was not from the actual scent of the oil, but from action of the oil once in the bloodstream. If using sandalwood for sleep, it’s not necessary to smell it — the feet tend to be an area of the body very receptive to the actions of essential oils, and a gentle foot massage with a dilute sandalwood oil formula may help those who are having sleep difficulties.

These are only a few of the important health benefits available from sandalwood essential oil. It has a host of other wonderful skin-care properties, being used for nearly every skin care condition imaginable. It’s also an excellent fixative for natural perfumery, functioning as the base note in many fine colognes and perfumes. Because the chemical profile of the oil from the three primary sources on the globe are relatively close, you can generally use any of these for the therapeutic effects described here. For perfumery and other aromatic applications, try sampling oils from Australia and the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, in addition to an Indian oil if you can acquire it. This way you can become familiar with the range of aromas — investing in a quantity of the oil once you find your favorite is a great idea. The aroma gets even better as the oil ages, so both the price and your appreciation for your stock will increase over time.

More information on essential oil news and research is available through Ananda Aromatherapy – an online source for therapeutic grade essential oils.

Aromatherapy 101: Using Lemon Essential Oil

These days we can buy supercritical carbon dioxide extract of tropical Hibiscus seeds grown in Ecuador, or certified organic combined fractions of Ylang Ylang essential oil — so Lemon essential oil is just not that interesting anymore! But the practitioner interested in therapeutic activity should never forget how amazing Lemon really is. It has a very diverse set of effects, which comes down to it being a great “pick me up” any way you look at it. Here’s a review of these effects, and how you can very easily make use of them every day.

Many people are introduced to Lemon essential oil by someone suggesting putting a few drops in their water throughout the day. It may be to simply make tap water taste better, make the water “cleaner”, or a suggestion to enhance detoxification and even weight loss. Well, the reality is that Lemon will do all these things! While there’s a pervading miss-perception that essential oils should not be ingested, it’s clear that this is actually an oil directly from a food we might eat every day (ok, so we don’t eat the peels, but no one ever said they would kill you!)

In terms of making the water cleaner, Lemon essential oil is noted to kill Diphtheria bacteria at a 0.2% concentration. This converts to 10 drops in about 8 ounces of water. This is a little bit strong — a very lemony flavor — and 5 drops at any one time is a more common amount to consume (unless you feel your water is really in need of purification). The oil is also thought to be an excellent detoxifyer for the liver and the lymph system. For this, add 5 drops to a cup of water and drink on an empty stomach. This can be done first thing in the morning, an excellent time for purification of the body. So you can see, adding a little Lemon to your water is a great idea just for taste, for purification of the water itself, and for personal detoxification — easy to do and very worthwhile!

Lemon has a gentle yet effective antiseptic action, yet this effect for the skin is outweighed by the way it will make the skin more sensitive to UV light. It’s ok to use it on areas that will not be exposed to direct sunlight for the following forty-eight hours. The oil is noted in many aromatherapy texts for wart removal — here, because the areas affected are so small, there’s little chance of danger. Just use one drop on the wart, a few times per day. The best cleaning application for Lemon is not the skin, however — it’s actually the oil that’s most used in natural, home made cleaning recipes. A wonderful all-purpose cleaner can be made by mixing two cups each of pure water and white vinegar, then adding twenty to thirty drops of essential oil. Use this on every kitchen surface, and even your windows — you’ll have a clean fresh scent in the house like never before.

Some of the most impressive and unexpected therapeutic effects of Lemon essential oil are simply from its aroma. Battaglia in “The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy” notes the: “oil is reputed to have High Vibrations, which can lift the spirits and overcome mental fatigue…(it) clears the mind very effectively and is said to aid in the decision making process without over-stimulating”. The oil’s vapor, as one would experience with a diffuser has a scientifically-researched anti-depressant, anti-anxiety action. Interestingly, the aroma interacts with both our dopamine and serotonin systems to produce this effect.

It’s not just an emotional pick-me-up Lemon offers, but one to our calculating brains as well. Research in Japan showed office workers reducing their errors by nearly one-half when inhaling the aroma. The essential oil has been the focus of university research which clearly indicated chemical changes in our gray matter: Lemon essential oil reduces the rate at which acetylcholine is broken down, making more available for use. Acetylcholine is the primary information-processing neurotransmitter — so whether its from putting a smile on our faces or making more neurotransmitters available, simple lemon oil is a great choice for students when studying, the office environment, or anytime a little mental clarity is called for.

Just a quick look at Lemon oil reveals an amazing diversity of therapeutic actions that we may not have known it had. It’s a very worthwhile essential oil with so many uses, it can be the perfect start to those just getting into aromatherapy, or for the long-time practitioner interested in incorporating another oil into their already pleasant-smelling lives!

The author is a consultant for Ananda Aromatherapy. Find more resources are available on aromatherapy supplies & essential oil blends through the website.

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The Many Important Health Effects Of Frankincense Essential Oil

Oh the mysterious Frankincense — it really holds a special status in the world of natural medicine. What other plant extract has been valued as highly as gold, sought after by kings, and been one of the world’s most recognized birthday presents? There must be something to it too, as university’s around the world have found it important enough to spend significant sums investigating its medicinal effects. What follows is a summary of the great benefits of this nearly magical oil, and how you can make use of it.

“Frankincense” refers to the dried resin of the Olibanum tree or shrub. A great many varieties of the essential oil are available, from 3 different species and two distillation technologies. The resin is typically collected in the wild — no need to worry about finding a “certified organic source, as wild-crafting produces the purest, cleanest of all natural medicines. The most popular botanical variety is Boswellia carteri, the species also with the greatest amount of scientific research backing its medicinal use. The aroma is lovely, with fruity and woody notes combining to make a very uplifting scent. Boswellia seratta from India produces an oil with a deep and mysterious scent, treasured for its great aroma-therapeutic value.

Modern natural medicine and aromatherapy have taken to the use of the essential oil of Frankincense. The oil, having a warm, woody, sweet aroma with a hint of citrus, is steam or CO2 distilled from the resin. There are several species of Olibanum tree from which the resin is collected and the essential oil distilled, the most popular being Boswellia “carteri” and Boswellia “seratta”. Carteri has been the most widely researched for medical applications, and seratta is appreciated for its rich, exotic aroma. The new modern CO2 distillations are more likely to contain the same healthful compounds as the historically-used resin. One of America’s leading medical aromatherapist notes, regarding the production of essential oil from the resin, “It could be that the (health-related) substances in question are too polar and too large a molecular size to appear in steam distillates – their presence would be more likely in CO2 extracts.”

The very wide range of therapeutic applications is one of the most appealing features of Frankincense. First off, it is highly revered for its use in skin care, particularly for mature skin that may be prematurely aging due so sun exposure. The desert-source of the plant material makes this use almost obvious. Extracts of the resin have even been the subject of double-blind studies, where one have of each participant’s face received the preparation with the “active ingredient”. The result was a significant improvement in skin texture (a measurable decrease in roughness), as well as a reduction in the appearance of fine lines. To benefit from the oil this way, you could add 4 to 12 drops per ounce to a cream or lotion you’re already using, or if making up a new formula, use the essential oil at a concentration between .5% and 2%.

Boswellic-acid creams are becoming popular in over-the-counter topical pain relieving formulas. These are simple extracts of Frankincense resin, which are available to you in the form of the CO2 distillations. The extracts are highly anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and can be excellent ingredients in massage formulas for any sort of joint pain. The oil will blend in a synergistic manner with other pain relieving and anti-inflammatory essential oils such as Helichrysum, Ginger, Black Pepper and Marjoram. Simply mixing all these oils together, using a 1 to 2 percent concentration of each in any carrier oil, will make a fine arthritis care recipe.

Perhaps the most impressive therapeutic potential of Frankincense lay in its now extensively researched anti-cancer activity. The resin and its extracts have been shown to specifically target cancer cells in a number of different organs, causing apoptosis (normal cell death, which doesn’t “normally” occur in cancer cells) to the cancerous cells, leaving healthy ones unaffected. While treatment protocols are still a ways off, it is possible to include daily doses of Frankincense as a protective measure. The essential oil is rapidly absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream — small doses can also reasonably be ingested with the guide of a natural health professional.

Not to be overlooked, the aroma-therapy aspect of the essential oil is just as impressive as the rest of its uses. The aroma of the carteri species has uplifting citrus and woody notes, and is considered an excellent antidepressant. That of the seratta is grounding and calming, lending itself to meditative use and deep introspection. Leading therapists have discussed the ability of the aroma to slow the breath, actually deepening it so that more air transpires, and fewer breaths per minute are taken. This has interesting implications, noting that some physicians believe the human lifespan can be counted in the number of breaths taken, rather than the number of heartbeats. Either way, the stress-relieving effect of the oil is almost certain to lead one to better health!

With the incredible history Frankincense has as a natural healer, we are especially fortunate at this time to have it readily available to us in many forms. The new CO2 extracts make it especially easy to utilize for every one of is therapeutic actions. This form is a wonderful way to add a little of this highly revered medicine to your life, to the potential benefit of your mind, body and soul.

For more, visit The Ananda Apothecary and Organic Herb Medicinals.

What Makes A Great Essential Oil? It’s All In The Chemistry

Chemistry. Already getting nervous? The chemistry chapters of essential oil texts are the most frequently skipped, even by natural health professionals. But it can be fun and useful…really! Knowing what essential oils are made of, and how this affects their aroma and therapeutic value can have a big impact on the efficacy of your aromatherapy practice. Understanding the basics can help you make better choices in essential oils, and better choices in their application. Plus, this can give you the foundation for further understanding of true “medical aromatherapy”, as practiced in much of the rest of the world. So here’s a primer on the chemistry of essential oils, with some common examples and important tips to help you grow as a holistic medicine practitioner.

So what is it that makes an essential oil different than every other oil we’re familiar with? They don’t feel the same, they don’t act the same, and they certainly don’t smell the same. Essential oils and the so-called “fixed” oils (you may also know them as carrier or base oils – like Sweet Almond, Apricot Kernel, Evening Primrose, etc) are distinctly different in their molecular structure. While both essential and fixed oils share common basic atomic elements of Carbon and Hydrogen, that’s really where the similarity ends. Fixed oils are made of triglyceride structures – three long chains of carbon atoms, with hydrogens bonded at various places. The length of the chains and the position and number of hydrogens define the nature of the oil; if hydrogens are bonded to every available location, the oil is “saturated’, for example. One missing hydrogen is “mono-unsaturated’, more than one is “poly-unsaturated’. The long chains and relative consistency of the molecular structures makes fixed oils “oily’, and does not allow them to evaporate quickly.

Essential oils are “volatile” oils – oils that DO easily evaporate. Their chains of carbon atoms to which the hydrogens attach are not as long or heavy, and are much more complex. Many essential oil structures are not really chains, but ring, or multi-ringed shapes with diverse sub-units – called “functional groups” – sticking out in various directions. Like their fixed oil counterparts, essential oils are lipophillic – meaning “fat liking”. The fat-liking nature of both fixed and essential oils makes them easily absorbed by our bodies. Because of their typically smaller structures however, essential oils are absorbed more rapidly than fixed oils, and can easily penetrate deep into the body. Despite their plant origins, this lipophillic nature of essential oils makes their profound healing action on the human body possible.

The therapeutic action of an essential oil is primarily determined by the “functional groups” found in the molecules that make up that oil. An essential oil is actually made up of many individual molecular constituents. Each of these natural chemicals is formed of a carbon-hydrogen structure with a functional group attached. It is the combination of the base structure AND the attached functional group that makes a single, unique molecule. And MANY of these unique molecules combine to form ONE essential oil.

The extremely complex nature of essential oils becomes apparent from this description. There are an almost infinite number of molecular combinations that can be formed from the building blocks of chains, rings and functional groups. And any SINGLE essential oil is made of many, sometimes even hundreds of these molecular combinations. Yet while this may sound complex, you needn’t know ALL the chemical details to use oils therapeutically. It IS helpful to know that each oil is made of many molecular forms, that all the molecules within each oil exert some biologic effect, and that it is the SYNERGY of ALL these molecules together that create the sum total of an oil’s therapeutic action AND its aroma. Nearly every laboratory study comparing complete, pure essential oils to one singled-out molecule that was thought the “active ingredient” shows the essential oil to be more active.

The best natural, undiluted, properly distilled essential oils with all the major and minor chemical constituents will have the finest aromas AND the most potent therapeutic action. Many factors in an essential oil’s production affect the total number and relative amounts of individual chemicals found in the final product. These include where the plant was grown, soil and climate conditions, time of harvest, distillation equipment, plus the time, temperature and pressure of distillation. This can give you an idea as to why two varieties of the same oil can smell so different: The full, beautiful bouquet of a fine essential oil will contain a myriad of notes, telling you that all natural components are present and in balanced amounts.

As an example, let’s look at Lavender, the most commonly used of all essential oils. More than 50 individual molecules are present in a high-quality Lavender. As noted earlier, all of these chemicals work together to produce a therapeutic effect. For example, “linalool” is antiviral and antibacterial; “linalyl acetate” is also emotionally calming; other constituents including cineol, limonene, alpha-pinene and others are all noted for specific biologic and aromatic activity. It is the combined, balanced action of these chemicals that make lavender such a useful healing agent – no one chemical can be singled out and used to give the same profound results.

What does this mean to the lay-practitioner? That it’s important to find a nice smelling lavender oil! Each of the individual chemicals has a distinct smell, talked about in terms of “notes” within the overall lavender aroma. A precise amount of each will create a certain Lavender aroma. Some Lavenders are more sweet (and therefore more relaxing), others are more herbaceous (and more anti-microbial). There can be significantly different aromas from the same species of plant, even when the essential oils are of the highest quality. It is most often the essential oil that smells the most “true” to you that will be the most beneficial. Your senses can naturally detect what is good for you and what is not, if you’re willing to listen to them impartially.

For the most therapeutic benefit, it is always best to use true, carefully-made essential oils. To do this, find a source that is dedicated to supplying only the highest grades of oils. Examine their product’s aromatic quality and business practices and so that you are comfortable with their dedication to your health. Listen to your intuition and your own nose; they won’t lie to you! With experience, your ability to discern between subtly different grades of oils will become more astute. And you’ll understand what it is about the oil, chemically, that makes it unique.

The author is a natural health professional utilizing aromatherapy and essential oil blends.

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