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Aromatherapy for Common Ailments
By Liz Santher
Aromatherapy works in several
ways to combat common ailments. Essential oils contain molecules
that once applied or dispersed through the air trigger nasal
receptors to send healing messages to the brain. The brain then
experiences changes of chemistry that tell your body to feel
relaxed, cheered or numb to pain.
A common physical complaint today
is arthritis. A blend of a couple of drops each of clove, ginger
and peppermint oils dispersed in eight ounces of a carrier oil
such as almond, olive or jojoba can be worked manually into the
areas that feel sore. These oils have the effect of cooling hot
spots in the body and bringing oxygenated blood to the affected
areas. Tea tree oil can also be used along with geranium or lavender
oil to heal cold sores. Mixed with chamomile oil it is an effective
remedy for eczema.
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Essential oils are also very
effective when it comes to soothing the pain of muscle soreness.
You can mix a few drops any one of the following oils in 8 ounces
of a carrier oil and add them to a bath or rub them directly
into the skin: balsam fir, pine, juniper, ginger, cloves, peppermint
or rosemary.
Many aromatherapy oils are extremely
effective when it comes to diminishing the pain of headaches
or curing them all together. Basil, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus,
neroli (orange blossom) or linden blossom oil either diffused
through a room or rubbed on the temples and neck can greatly
relieve headache pain that seems to be caused by stress or tension.
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Headaches that are provoked by
sinus problems are effectively relieved by diffusions of basil,
clove, eucalyptus, frankincense, lemon, lavender, juniper, pine
or rosemary oils. If the headache is believed to have a hormonal
cause, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, jasmine or lavender may
relieve it.
Tea tree oil can be bought in
commercial preparations or made into an oil by yourself by diluting
two or three drops of the essential oil into eight ounces of
a carrier oil such as witch hazel or aloe vera. This oil can
then used to heal and disinfect small cuts, scrapes, bruises,
insect bites and bee stings. Tea tree oil can also be used along
with geranium or lavender oil to heal cold sores.
Aromatherapy can also be used
to treat nausea. This is effectively done simply by rubbing a
blend of peppermint and ginger oils in a circular motion on your
stomach and pulse points or by anointing a handkerchief with
a few drops so that you can sniff the aroma while on a road trip.
Did you know that aromatherapy
oils can also be used to relieve jet lag and hangovers too? Oils
that are very effective for warding off that feeling like you
overdid it are peppermint, orange, clary sage, geranium, eucalyptus,
ginger and basil. The optimum cure would be a preparation that
you would blend yourself in almond oil called "hangover
helper!"
(c) 2005 Liz Santher - All Rights
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Beauty Secrets of the World
