Health freaks are constantly looking for ways to become healthier and feel better. Some people swear by a vegan diet, others say that CrossFit is the key to success, and still, others prefer to hog-on-chocolate-while-you-binge-watch-Netflix (for mental and emotional health, of course). While all of these options have some benefits, there’s one that is often overlooked: essential oils.
Essential oils are concentrated versions of natural oils produced by plants. These oils have been used for centuries in various cultures for their therapeutic and medicinal properties. In India, for example, the practice of Ayurvedic medicine relies heavily on essential oils. Similarly, China has a long history of using essential oils in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
You might think essential oils are nothing more than a hippie fad. But the truth is, these oils offer a plethora of health benefits that are backed by science. Here are some ways essential oils can improve your health:
Essential Oils for Addiction Recovery:
Essential oils have been a critical part of holistic addiction treatment for centuries. Essential oils were used in the first rehabilitation center for alcoholics in the United States.
Essential oils possess anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. They can help reduce cravings, ease withdrawal symptoms, and promote feelings of calmness and relaxation. Using a blend of essential oils that includes lavender, frankincense, and peppermint for detoxification is incredibly beneficial. Several rehab centers have started to incorporate essential oils into their treatment programs. However, experts at the Palm Beach Institute recommend that you check with your doctor before using anything for your condition.
Reduce Anxiety and Depression:
If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, essential oils can help. These oils work to improve mood and promote feelings of well-being. They can also help to ease anxiety symptoms, such as racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness. It is why so many people are gravitating toward aromatherapy these days.
A few of the best essential oils for anxiety and depression are lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and ylang-ylang. You can dilute these oils with a carrier oil and apply them to the skin or simply use a diffuser.
One study found that a blend of lavender, bergamot, and neroli oils was effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study participants who used the essential oil blend also had a significant decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.
Offer Nausea Relief:
Nausea, especially chronic, caused during chemotherapy can be debilitating. Thankfully, essential oils can offer some relief. A study on cancer patients found that a blend of ginger, spearmint, and peppermint oils effectively reduced chemotherapy-induced nausea. Patients who took peppermint oil both before and after their operation had less nausea and vomiting, as published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing in September 2020.
Pregnant women can also use essential oils to alleviate nausea. According to a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that ginger oil effectively reduced pregnancy-related nausea. It encourages digestive processes, soothes the stomach, and relaxes the muscles.
Better Sleep Quality:
Do you keep switching sides at night and still don’t feel rested in the morning? Have you tried counting backward, putting the electronics away, and even drinking chamomile tea before bed, but nothing seems to work? You’re not alone.
According to Cleveland Clinic, roughly about 70 million Americans have some form of a sleep disorder.
You need to start diffusing lavender oil in your bedroom.
Lavender oil is a popular essential oil for sleep. It has a soothing and calming effect that aids in you falling and staying asleep. Lavender oil contains linalool and linalyl acetate, two compounds that have sedative properties.
Other essential oils that can improve sleep quality are chamomile, vetiver, ylang-ylang, and neroli.
Reducing Pain from Period Cramps:
The bane of every woman’s existence — muscle contractions cause menstrual cramps in the uterus. These contractions are a result of the release of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that cause inflammation.
There are a few essential oils that can help reduce the pain of menstrual cramps. Clary sage, ginger, lavender, and peppermint oil are all effective in reducing inflammation and muscle tension.
To use these oils, add a few drops to a diffuser or dilute with a carrier oil and apply topically to the abdomen. You can also drop some drops into your bathwater or inhale directly from the source.
Anti-Microbial Effects:
Our bodies are constantly under bacterial, viral, and fungal attacks. Whether it’s the common cold or a more severe infection, these microbes can make us feel awful.
Thankfully, essential oils can help fight off these. Essential oils can help to fight these invaders and keep our bodies healthy. Eucalyptus essential oil, for instance, is effective in battling oral microbes like Porphyromonas gingivalis, which cause gum disease. Eucalyptus oil’s integral component, 1,8-cineole, is an active ingredient in mouth wash and toothpaste.
Tea tree oil also comes with anti-microbial effects. This oil can help fight off Candida albicans, a fungus that can cause yeast infections. A study picked from the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy found that tea tree oil effectively inhibited this fungus’s growth.
Similarly, thyme essential oil is also effective in fighting oral bacteria and bacteria that cause food poisoning. This oil can also be used to fight the bacteria that cause acne.
Relax Your Muscles:
Did you work out a little too hard at the gym today? Or maybe you’ve been sitting at your desk all day, and your neck and shoulders are starting to feel a little tense.
There are a few essential oils that can help to relax your muscles and ease tension. For instance, Rosemary oil contains compounds like alpha-pinene and camphene, which have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. This oil can also help to improve circulation.
There isn’t yet evidence that these oil work in isolation to reduce muscle tension. But you can always combine these oils with other relaxation techniques like massage or stretching.
In most cases, essential oils are ingested as a supplement. Still, it’s not uncommon to find them in topical products like lotions and creams or as an ingredient in food or drink.
Conclusion:
Essential oils offer wide ranging benefits that can help promote physical and emotional health. Essential oils are easy to find and use. Most can be found at your local health food store or online.
Apart from health benefits, the scents of essential oils can also boost your mood, increase alertness, and promote relaxation.
So, don’t wait any longer; go out and get some essential oils! Your mind, body, and soul will thank you.
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