You may already know about the many benefits of essential oils for your health. Essential oils are used in aromatherapy, an alternative therapy that brings many beneficial wellbeing advantages, depending on the essential oil you use.
The perfect essential oil depends on the purpose for it. For example, do you want to feel energized or calm? Do you want to treat a headache or heal digestive problems? You can find many different essential oils that all work well for different purposes.
Once you have chosen an essential oil you also need to think about how you are going to use it. This method of use will again depend on the purpose of the essential oil, but also on safety considerations and practical considerations. Here is a short guide to safely and effectively using essential oils for your health.
Different Ways to Use Essential Oils for your Health
There are three main ways to use essential oils in aromatherapy. The first is to apply essential oils to the skin. You can also inhale essential oils, and ingest them. Within each broad category there are further different ways to use the oils. For example, by spray, massage, bath essence, compress, etc.
The application method you choose depends on how you want the oil to work and also on the essential oil itself. For example, there are some essential oils that irritate the skin if applied to the skin directly. For many purposes there are primary methods of use. Taking care of wounds requires topical application, while taking care of moods is usually carried out through inhalation. Consult an aromatherapy specialist if you are unsure which method to use.
Essential Oil Inhalation
Inhalation is one of the most popular ways to use essential oils. There are different methods within the category of inhalation. For example, you can use an essential oils diffuser. This is a method of combining the essential oil with a source of heat so that the oil evaporates but doesn’t burn. Dry evaporation is also an option. You can for example put drops of essential oil onto cotton balls and keep them in the open air in a bowl. Sniff the cotton ball if you want a more direct inhalation response.
Steaming is also an option. Here you add essential oils to a bowl of steaming hot water. You bend over the bowl with a towel over your head and the bowl, breathing in deeply. Make sure you only use a few drops and you keep your eyes closed during inhalation as this methods can be extremely powerful.
Spraying essential oils from a bottle is a gentler way to inhale essential oils.
Essential Oils: Topical Application
The most important thing to remember is that you should not apply most essential oils directly to the skin. You need to dilute the oils first. Dilute an essential oil in a carrier substance like water or vegetable oil. Other carrier oils include sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, and grapeseed oil. Then you can massage the solution over the body or rub it into a small part of the body. Keep the solution in the fridge before use. Check with an aromatherapist if you are unsure whether an oil can be used directly on the skin. Some are too potent for this purpose, whereas others like lavender can be applied neat without a carrier oil.
Techniques for Topical Application
Use essential oils in a dressing or compress an
d apply it directly to the skin. You can also add heat or cold if you need to. Or gargle with essential oils mixed into water. But remember – do not swallow. You need to rinse the solution around your mouth and then spit it out. Or use your essential oil in a larger amount of carrier solution – water in the bath. A bath essence is a good way to help disperse the oils and benefit your health.
And massage is one of the most popular ways to apply essential oils to the skin. Massage with essential oils can heal a range of health problems including skin problems and headaches. Add drops of essential oils to a carrier oil. Make sure you shake the mixture so that the essential oils are evenly dispersed. You should have around 1 percent essential oils in a solution for massage. This is the solution for adults. For children, do not exceed a solution of 0.25 percent for infants and 0.5 percent for young children aged up to two years. Use a 1 percent solution for children aged two years or older.
You should choose your essential oils for massage carefully so that you pick the right oils for your particular health concern. Using essential oils for your health is ideal. Essential oils provide healing as well as beneficial psychological effects that enhance mood and wellbeing.
