A Scent for Health & Home.
Home is where everything is at the moment for many of us.
For essential workers home may be an oasis to retreat to.
We can use essential oils to enhance our mental health and change the mood in rooms around our home depending on our needs.
I have used essential oils for many years. I started out with the mainstream oils such as lavender, which I can’t smell without thinking of the birth of my children as it played a major part in healing afterwards, and tea tree which I always used on spots or a sore ear from fashion earrings.
As I became more interested in chemical free living I enjoyed reading and learning more about essential oils and now use them on a daily basis.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are compounds extracted from all parts of plants, the leaves, flowers, fruits, twigs, bark, roots and resins. Although called ‘essential oils’ they are not essential to plants life. The function of essential oils in plants is uncertain, some experts believe them to be waste products.
Essential oils are extracted through distillation or cold pressing, these oils are then combined with a carrier oil to create a product for use. Essential oils extracted through chemical processes are not considered true essential oils.
How do essential oils work?
Essential oils assist the bodies natural healing abilities. They are powerful as they tap into our limbic system (the part of the brain that deals with emotions, memories and stimulation) and can even influence hormonal responses. essential oils can bypass the blood-brain barrier (just as, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine do).
Essential oils are most commonly used in complementary therapies such as Aromatherapy which is used to improve both physical and mental health. With therapies such as these not being available to us at the moment, how can we benefit from Essential Oils at home?
Using essential oils can:
- Uplift your mood
- Increase energy
- Reduce heart rate and blood pressure
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Regulate hormones
Uses around the home:
We can use essential oils around our home to clean with less chemicals and make it smell nice without having to inhale nasty chemicals by putting drops on to:
- Cotton wool balls and placing them in discreet corners or smelly shoes!
- Dried flowers and Pot Pourri
- An old cloth and pop into your tumble dryer
- Oil burner/Diffuser to remove food odours
- Into a spray bottle with water, mix well and spray (ie Lavender spray on your pillow)
- (NB: Warning – you need to be careful of the surfaces the droplets come into contact with as they could damage them)
Personal use:
Essential oils have many benefits emotionally and physically. They can clear your head, lift your mood, relieve mental fatigue, balance emotional states and so much more!
If you are new to essential oils, I would recommend starting with a smell you like, here are a few ways to use them:
- Oil burner/Diffuser for inhalation
- Drops on a tissue to inhale
- Dab on temples, wrist or neck
- Mix 6 drops with 10ml of carrier oil or milk and mix into a bath
- Add drops into a lotion or oil to moisturise your body
- (NB: Warning – only Lavender and Tea Tree can be used directly on the skin, depending on your skin sensitivity take care applying any oils to your skin and take advice on dilution)
Depending on how you feel or want to feel, there is an oil for you
Here are a few to get you started:
- Uplifted – Lemon, Lemongrass, Orange
- Calm – Lavender, Ylang yang, Jamine, Chamomile
- To relieve Anxiety – Sandlewood, Patchouli, Clove
- To relieve Depression – Benzoin, Grapefruit, Geranium
- For Concentration – Basil, Coriander, Eucalyptus
- To treat bacteria – Tea Tree, Lavender, Lemon
I use essential oils with my clients when forming new habits. You can create a ritual around lighting a diffuser for instance, include it in your morning or evening routine to set the tone of the day or relax for a good nights sleep. Find an oil you love the smell of and spend some time reading, try meditating or however you want to carve out some YOU TIME.
Finding a reputable supplier is the best way to buy oils. I use a company local to me to source my oil, you can find them here, Natural By Nature Oils. Very kindly Natural By Nature Oils has given me a code for anyone placing an order after reading this post to receive a FREE GIFT, enter code FREEGSW in the shipping details 🙂
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If you would like to chat with me about your unique menopause transition, book a Wild Well-Being call and come away inspired and motivated to begin your journey to optimal health.