The summer holidays are here! Which means more than just hopefully sunny days (they’ll be back soon!) and time to relax a little. It’s also the time of exhausted teachers who have finished a long and hectic term. Equally exhausted parents who are juggling overtired and excited children with work and ways of keeping their familes entertained over the holidays. Not to mention depleted immune systems, low energy levels and managing stress levels as a result! Which is where the power of aromatherapy can play a really helpful role.
Most of us know what our favourite aromas are. We might even use some in a body spray, or a diffuser to scent the room. But there is so much more to them, and effective ways of using them.
Clinical Aromatherapy means that the oils are never pre-blended and each oil used is carefully chosen for its own therapeutic property that is ideally suited to how you are feeling. And how you would like to feel!
The essential oils come from a variety of plant sources – and plants are well known for their natural, medicinal and healing powers. Each plant has its own distinctive property, as do the oils that come from each one. Not only do they smell wonderful but they are actually able to penetrate into your bloodstream so that the chemical constituents of the oils can get to work on your physical and emotional body.
Did you know that:
- Mandarin is a real ‘lighten-up’, joyful, child-like oil that helps to lift your mood. Always helpful on a grey and damp August day too!
- Rosewood is excellent at helping to boost a weakened immune system, as well as relaxing without being sedative and helping to recharge energy. Possibly just what you need at the moment.
- Basil is great for helping to clear your head and sharpen your brain, great for when you’re feeling fuzzy-headed and struggling to focus.
- Need an energising immune boost? Lemon helps to boost the production of white blood cells in your body and gives you a lovely lift too.
- Geranium is a beautifully balancing oil. Both grounding and great for fatigue, giving you the best of both worlds!
Add many other properties and another 40+ oils and you’ve literally got thousands of combinations of the most amazing resources to help promote positive health and wellbeing, help you through the busy summer holidays and help you prepare for September.
So, how do they work?
Well, there are a couple of effective ways to do this – inhalation and applying them directly onto the skin or in a bath. The molecules that make up the oil are small enough to be able to be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream.
When you apply the oils directly onto your skin, use them in a bath or inhale them, they reach the Limbic System – the part of your brain that is the centre of your emotions and memories.
Scents have a powerful effect on memory. Who has caught the aroma of a certain scent and immediately been reminded of a specific memory, an important person or event? That is the effect of the aroma travelling through your nasal cavity and being carried through your nervous system to your limbic system in the brain. We are clever!
Top Tips:
- If you’re using any essential oils in your bath, always dilute them in a carrier oil (olive, sunflower, almond or grapeseed oils are fine. As is full-fat milk).
- Essential oil baths should be tepid and not too hot, as hot baths are exhausting for the body and the oils evaporate too quickly.
- If you are feeling anxious or fatigued then putting 1-2 drops of your favourite calming or energising oil onto a tissue or handkerchief and inhaling from it during the day can be a handy and easy way to stay calm/pep yourself up. Using Rosemary and Bergamot will sharpen your mind and relax you psychologically.
- If you use your favourite oils in a body oil blend, always dilute it in a carrier oil. 1 drop of oil in 5mls of carrier is usually recommended.
- If you or one of your children are having trouble sleeping, try popping a few drops of lavender and camomile in a diffuser in their room just before they go to bed for a calming environment and a better nights sleep. Many diffusers will simply cut out when they have run out of water so they are a lot safer to use than an oil burner.
Depending on the oil used, they can also then help kill bacteria, boost your body’s immune system and strengthen its resistance to viruses, help you to relax, calm your mind, give you an energy boost and encourages your body’s own healing response.
However, ALWAYS speak to a qualified aromatherapist to make sure the oil are safe and suitable for you to use. No two oils are the same and some must not be used if you are suffering from certain health concerns, are pregnant, have high blood pressure or are taking homeopathic remedies. Which is why consulting a fully-trained aromatherapist before using any oils is essential.
And if you need any help in discussing which essential oils might help you, and how you can use them, we’re always happy to help on 01242 227752.
