Aromatherapy Essential Oils: Quick Guide

Aromatherapy essential oils provide more than beautiful scents. Studies show our sense of smell is linked directly to an area of the brain that holds memories and emotions. Essential oils have been used for healing of emotions for centuries.

Aromatherapy essential oils are shown to reduce stress while taking tests and before surgery. Ancient Egyptians used them in sacred healing ceremonies that lasted for three days. Essential oils may be worn as perfume, added to bath water, room sprays, massage, candles and meditation.

Quick Guide

Bergamot: diffuse, perfume, or spray to uplift for depression
Chamomile: aromatherapy bath or diffuse for calming of anger, anxiety or insomnia
Eucalyptus: diffuse, massage or steam inhalation for penetrating of congestion, fever or headache
Lavender: inhalation, perfume or aromatherapy bath to soothe irritability and nervousness
Lemon: aromatherapy bath, diffuse or spray for energizing and refreshing for depression or indecision
Marjoram: aromatherapy bath, massage for relaxing, especially muscles and for anxiety
Patchouli: massage or perfume for uplift for anxiety or oversensitivity also good for skin cleansing
Peppermint: inhalation, massage and perfume to focus and stimulate for mental fog or shock
Rose: aromatherapy bath, diffuse or perfume for romance and uplift and use for envy, fear or heartache
Rosemary: diffuse, add a drop to perfume, massage to stimulate and warm for grief or nightmares
Tea Tree: diffuse, spray or rub to cleans or purify infections and inflammation

Pure Essential Oils

Not many pure, essential oils are available. Most oils are cut with chemicals so be careful of the brands you use. Always follow company directions. One company sells a cookbook because their oils are so pure, they can be ingested.

Peppermint and Lavender Essential Oils

Peppermint essential oil is shown, by tests from University of Cincinnati, that inhaling peppermint increased mental accuracy of students tested, up to 28%. Lavender essential oil healed a third-degree burn on the arm of a chemist studying essential oils.

Essential oils may be used on acupuncture points and chakras for healing. Interestingly, even though each oil has specific proprieties, all essential oils share 10 benefits. Empirical evidence shows just about any of them works for anything. The quality of the product seems to have the most impact with aromatherapy essential oils.

Related Articles:
*Make your own repellent with aromatherapy essential oils
*5 Benefits Found in All Aromatherapy Essential Oils

Sources:
Author's training and experience
Highley, Connie and Alan, 1998, Reference Guide for Essential Oils, Abundant Health, Olathe, KS

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Article for information only. Not intended for medical replacement.

Aromatherapy Essential Oils: Quick Guide copyright 2010