Tag: natural healing

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3 Essential Oils to Thwart Seasonal Allergies

It’s a beautiful scene all around us, lawns are turning green, bare trees are starting to fill in, flowers are blooming, it’s what we’ve been waiting for all winter. Brilliant color has finally returned to cheer us as the days grow longer and we enjoy warm evenings and fresh air. The only slight snag is the yellow film of pollen that dusts our outdoor furniture or the sounds of ah-ah-choo followed by the honking of someone blowing his nose.

Unfortunately, seasonal allergies often accompany the sights and sounds of spring. Don’t be discouraged, though, here are three essential oils to help you thwart nasty allergies and get back to basking in the glorious sun-filled spring day that awaits you.

1. Tea Tree Oil aka Melaleuca Oil
Tea Tree Oil is a magnificent essential oil that will boost your immunity while speeding up the healing process. It acts as an expectorant, providing relief for a cough and congestion. It is also antibacterial so it will kill mold and bacteria that live in your home. Tea Tree Oil blends well, so you can pair it with your favorite oils and diffuse it or use it during an at-home massage. It is known for treating skin irritations that develop from seasonal allergies. Using a cotton ball, you can gently rub the Tea Tree Oil on rashes or hives.

NOTE: Tea Tree Oil should NOT be ingested. This oil should only be used topically or when properly diffused.

2. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint Oil is a natural energizer that can be used to boost your immunity and energy level. Because it contains menthol, this essential oil is excellent for treating respiratory issues associated with asthma, congestion, coughing, scratchy throats, and blocked sinuses. It is an expectorant that can be applied to the chest through a cold rub. Additionally, the menthol in Peppermint Oil gives a cooling sensation to the skin relieving pain associated with rashes.

3. Lavender Oil
Lavender Oil is a household favorite because it is incredibly versatile. This powerhouse oil is antibacterial, antiviral, and a natural calming agent. While it is busy helping to boost your immunity and treat respiratory issues, it will also relax you and aid in your sleep disturbances. Allergy sufferers often complain of headaches and pressure. Lavender Oil helps to calm and relax you. It can be applied to your temples with gentle circular rubbing, diffused as you work or sleep, or dropped into a bath allowing you to breathe deeply.

Essential Oils are a natural alternative to medication. They are known to reduce pain and inflammation, boost immune systems, and block allergens that lurk in your home or office. If you would like more ideas on thwarting seasonal allergies or need help using essential oils, contact us!    

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Aromatherapy 101: What Is It and How to Use Essential Oils

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Many people are unclear on what exactly aromatherapy is and the healing powers it offers. Are you one of them? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Buckle up as we give you a quick overview of the benefits of aromatherapy and how to use essential oils.

Looking in the Rearview

Aromatherapy has been around for centuries. It was used for medicinal and religious practices among Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman people, among others. Essential oils were also used to treat American soldiers for wounds and burns during WWI. However, sometime in the 1980s aromatherapy became more widespread and popular in American society. Aromatherapy is linked with Aristotle’s belief that matter is made up of four elements: fire, earth, air, and water.

True essential oils are extracted from various parts of plants like leaves, flowers, stems, bark, seeds, and roots, and then distilled. These concentrated oils are used in a variety of ways to promote health, provide balance, and harmonize the mind, body, and spirit.

How Aromatherapy Works

Our sense of smell is powerful. It can trigger emotions and memories transporting us to another time or even reminding us of a special someone. As we inhale through our nose, we take in aromas that send messages to our nervous system and the part of our brains that control emotions. Knowing which essential oils to use, how to blend them, and how to use them properly is important so you can obtain the oil’s healing properties to the fullest.

Now that you know the history of aromatherapy and how it works, let’s chat about how to use the oils so you can stimulate the different parts of your body (physically, emotionally, and mentally) to improve your experience.

How to Use Essential Oils

  1. Mix with base oils and lotions. Once extracted, the oils are highly concentrated. You only need a few drops of essential oil to be mixed in with base oils, or an unscented lotion, before massaging into your skin. Applying the concentrated oils directly to the skin could cause skin irritation or reactions.
  2. Breathe in the oils. By adding a few drops in a diffuser or an oil warmer you can spread the scent of the oils around your home or office gently. You may also try dropping a little oil into the melted wax of an unscented candle for a similar outcome.
  3. Soak in a bath. Create a spa experience at home. Add a couple of oil drops to your bath water and be prepared to find yourself in a little oasis. When adding essential oil to your bath water, not only are you able to breathe in the fragrance, your body also absorbs the oil.

When pairing massage with aromatherapy, you can receive the therapeutic effects of the oils as well as the incredible benefits of the massage itself. It’s a magical combination that you will thank yourself for after each session.

Whether you massage your partner at home or schedule your appointment with us today, you absolutely must try it!

To learn more about essential oils, and the benefits of aromatherapy in massage, contact us!