Essential oils have been used for their health-boosting properties for many thousands of years. The ‘essential’ essence of plants and herbs is captured by a variety of methods, ranging from the distillation of the leaves through to mechanical cold pressing. As it can take considerable amounts of organic materials to produce just a small quantity of essence, it is then blended with a ‘carrier’ oil. What is important to understand is that essential oils are supposed to be entirely organic. Many lower grade products use chemical agents during the extraction process and even artificially boost their aromas. A true essential oil ought to be nothing besides the organic essence of the plant alongside a neutral carrier oil (olive/coconut/hemp are some of the most common).
Essential Oils & Health
Most essential oils are used in aromatherapy whereby they are either inhaled or absorbed via the skin. Thanks to having been used as an herbal treatment for so long, there are literally thousands of different oils out there which are believed to offer health-boosting properties. Some are very well known for helping to soothe the senses while others are prized for aiding focus and attention spans. It is thought that by inhaling these oils into the body, their chemicals are deposited within the limbic system that then directly influences the release of associated hormones.
In the vast majority of cases, this is a very subtle process that serves as much to stimulate the senses than it affects general bodily functions. For this reason alone very few essential oils intended for health-giving purposes carry any form of medical warning/precautionary advice. Medical science still firmly falls of the opinion that essential oils are at best supplementary with regard to any health-giving properties. While they can certainly help regulate/stimulate mood and emotion there is little in the way of measurable physical effect. Yet it is increasingly well known that mood and emotional health play an essential part in the overall physical wellbeing – so how do we measure how much essential oils can improve health?
Popular Uses Of Essential Oils
The best way to understand how some essential oils can help to boost aspects of our health is by using a few examples. It is worth noting that people will experience different levels of benefit. Some people are simply more receptive to aromatherapy than others, and we understand very little about how the practice actually works. Take a look at https://aromessential.com/ for a comprehensive resource that explains in detail the benefits that individual plants and herbs can offer.
1) Migraines & Headaches
Those unlucky enough to suffer from recurring severe headaches will understand all too well how frustrating they can be to medicate. Despite the huge variety of pharmaceutical products to choose between, some simply do not work for some people. Headaches are often caused by emotional pressures such as stress and mental exhaustion which is why the same family of plants is used in aromatherapy treatments for these pains.
Typical treatments tend to involve balms applied either to the skin or directly around the cranium. Peppermint blended with ethanol is a popular choice, as is chamomile and sesame oil. Lavender oils are also found to be especially useful. As with much aromatherapy treatment, the only way to establish how useful they may be is to try them out for yourself.
2) Anxiety, Depression & Stress
It is no coincidence that aromatherapy is so often used alongside meditation and mindfulness techniques. Many people – especially those new to such treatments/courses – find that being able to focus upon a single scent helps them to relax and calm down their mind. For this reason, aromatherapy used in this context is often regarded as being a complementary treatment.
How useful oils such as lavender and rose can be when used to address mental imbalances is very much open to the individual. A good proportion of people find that after a period of exposure to these scents while meditating or in relaxation treatments, applying a drop to their wrist over the course of a day can be a useful way of providing a sense of immediate calm. One of the best aspects of aromatherapy is that the mind can associate a scent with emotional peace and quietness. So while there may be little in the way of scientific proof that aromatherapy directly helps these conditions, it certainly can offer value alongside other treatments.
3) Lowering Inflammation
Early research has suggested that there may be some combination of essential oils that can be useful in reducing inflammation. Thyme and oregano are one example, which has shown some promise, especially in the treatment of colitis. It is also worth noting that many of the plants and herbs used in these oils also tend to be included in a variety of other herbal treatments designed for ingestion (tea is perhaps the most common).
Much research needs to be carried out to determine how viable essential oils are for helping cope with inflammation, but there is clearly no harm including it alongside other therapies.
4) Sleep Problems
Perhaps one of the best known – and widely used – methods of aromatherapy, lavender and other relaxation boosting oils have helped countless people cope with sleeping difficulties. These range from chronic insomniacs through to those with occasional restless nights. Quite how this actually works is still open for debate, but repeated studies have consistently found that these essential oils do provide clear cut benefits.
Quality Is Essential
Although much remains to be understood concerning quite how aromatherapy seems to work so well for so many people, one thing that everyone does agree on is that quality counts. During the aromatherapy ‘boom’ that has been taking place since the 1990s, the market has been flooded with products claiming to be ‘infused’ or ‘natural sources of’ extracts while containing barely a trace of the organic compounds. Aroma therapists only use oils that can be traced to their point of origin and contain no additives or synthetic ingredients. A true essential oil ought to be as close to the actual plant as possible – as this is the only way that they can deliver actual health improving results. Avoid diluted oils at all costs.
There is no question that essential oils can help people with a huge variety of health complaints. While we have only touched on a handful of the most common usages here, there is an ever-growing body of evidence that suggests we have only uncovered a tiny amount of the further potential that essential oils may have to offer. For instance, already there is plenty of interest being taken in how these oils may in the future work as a means of helping combat antibiotic resistance! Anyone interested in further exploring the potential that essential oils may hold for assisting with their own health worries should be sure to research extensively and only use ‘whole plant’ natural extracts.