Uses of Eucalyptus Oil and the Uses of Lavender Oil

Soooo, I had a team training session with my lovely Team Leaders Susana and Laura on Thursday. LEARNED SO MUCH!!! (sorry Susana if I was asking soo many questions!!)

Anyway, next months it will be at my humble abode, and I can't wait!
 Susana left us all some homework though for next month's meeting, she wanted us to compile the Uses and Benefits of Eucalyptus and Lavender Oils, so here you go Susana!!!

 Eucalyptus:

Due to the medicinal uses of Eucalyptus Oil and the compound eucalyptol present in it, it is used in a variety of over the counter drugs including rubs, inhalers, liniments, rash creams, and mouthwashes. The health benefits of eucalyptus oil include the following:


Respiratory Problems: Eucalyptus essential oil is effective for treating a number of respiratory problems including cold, cough, running nose, sore throat, asthma, nasal congestion, bronchitis and sinusitis. Eucalyptus oil is antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti inflammatory and decongestant in nature which makes it a good ingredient for many medicines for treating respiratory problems. A study published in Laryngoscope in 2004 shows its usefulness in treating non-bacterial sinusitis. Patients suffering from non-bacterial sinusitis showed faster improvement when given medicines containing eucalyptus oil. Gargles of eucalyptus oil mixed with warm water are effective on treating sore throat.




Wounds: Eucalyptus essential oil is a good antiseptic owing to its germicidal properties. On its exposure to air, ozone is formed which is a well-known antiseptic. Hence eucalyptus oil is used for healing wounds, ulcers, burns, cuts, abrasions and sores. It is also effective on insect bites and stings.




Muscle Pain: During muscle and joint pains, massaging eucalyptus oil on the skin surface helps in getting relief from the pain. The volatile eucalyptus oil is analgesic and anti inflammatory in nature. Therefore it is often recommended to patients suffering from rheumatism, lumbago, sprained ligaments and tendons, stiff muscles, aches, fibrosis and even nerve pain. The oil is massage in circular motion on affected areas.


Mental Exhaustion: An important reason why people like using eucalyptus oil is that it provides a cooling and refreshing effect. Normally people suffering from any disorder are down. Eucalyptus oil, which is stimulating, removes exhaustion and mental sluggishness and rejuvenates the spirits of the sick. It is also effective in treating stress and mental disorders.


Dental Care: Eucalyptus essential oil is very effective against cavities, dental plaques, gingivitis and other dental infections due to its germicidal properties.


Skin Care: Eucalyptus oil is often applied topically to treat skin infections.


Diabetes: Eucalyptus oil when taken internally controls blood sugar.


Fever: It is also used for treating fever and reducing the body temperature. Therefore it is also called fever oil.

Intestinal Germs: Eucalyptus oil is a vermifuge and hence is used to remove germs in the intestine.


Other benefits of eucalyptus oil include the following:


Room Freshener: The antiseptic and deodorant nature of eucalyptus oil makes it a perfect room freshener for hospitals and sickbed atmosphere. It also kills bacteria and germs in the air and hence keeps the room environment clean.


Soaps: Eucalyptus oil has applications in soaps, detergents and household cleaners as well.


Mouth Wash: As mentioned above, the oil is a prime ingredient in many mouthwashes and toothpastes.


Sauna: Many people add eucalyptus oil to baths, spas and saunas due to its refreshing and antiseptic effect.


Usage of eucalyptus oil in aromatherapy is increasing gradually as it also blends well with many other essential oils including thyme essential oil, rosemary essential oil, marjoram essential oil, lavender essential oil, cedarwood essential oil, frankincense essential oil, etc.


One should take care while using eucalyptus oil. If taken in large quantities, eucalyptus oil is toxic. It may also interfere with homeopathic treatments.

 Lavender:

Lavender Oil Properties:

Antidepressant
Analgesic
Antiseptic
Cicatrizant
Expectorant
Nervine
Vulnerary


Especially beneficial to the respiratory tract in particular coughs, colds, influenza. Certainly eases breathing when lungs and sinuses are choked with phlegm.

Defends system against airborne viruses.


A refreshing note to a tired mind – lavender has been named as one of the most useful of the essences for the relief of anxiety and stress.


Good for aches and pains and muscle stiffness and may also help with rheumatic discomfort and joint
stiffness.


The cicatrizant properties of lavender oil are beneficial to healing of wounds including all types of burns and even treatment of eczema, dermatitis, scabies and psoriasis.

Avoid in pregnancy, epilepsy and fever.


Lavender - Remedy for many health problems


Aching Muscles


If you’ve spent a back-breaking afternoon in the garden, jump into a lavender bath to soothe aches & pains away. Apply Salts & a few drops of Lavender Oil to the bath and soak away the tension.


Acne

Lavender is one of the most valuable oils for the treatment of acne, according to aromatherapists. “It inhibits the bacteria that cause the skin infection, helps to rebalance the over-secretion of sebum, which the bacteria thrive on, and reduce scarring”. Add a few drops of lavender oil to a plain cream sold by chemists and use as a moisturizer or cleanser.


Bugs & Bacteria


French laboratory studies in the early 20th century showed that lavender is a powerful antibacterial in dilutions of 5 per cent or less it is lethal to bacteria that cause typhoid, TB & diphtheria. Combined with Lemon Balm, for its clinically tested anti-viral properties.


Burns (minor)


After you have cooled the area by immersing it in running cold water for 5 minutes, gently stroke on neat lavender oil. Pain relief is almost immediate, and burn usually heals without scarring.


Cuts & Wounds


Apply lavender oil to sooth pain, prevent bacterial infection and aid scar-free healing. Apply neat.


Earache

Warm a bottle of lavender oil in hot water for a minute or two, then gently massage a few drops into the skin around the ears and throat. For babies & small children, add 2-3 drops of the warmed oil to a little olive oil and massage in the same way.


Eczema


Stroke infused lavender oil (a few drops of lavender oil &carrier oil) into dry, itchy skin—small children will find this especially comforting or add a few drops of lavender oil to calamine lotion, shake before use.


Fatigue


Add 5 drops of lavender oil to a hot foot bath and relax while your feet soak in it. The soles of the feet are particularly porous, so lavender reaches your bloodstream very quickly, exerting its stimulating and soothing effects on various systems of your body.


Fevers

For babies or small children, sponge them down very gently with tepid water to which you have added a drop of lavender oil. Take care not to let them get chilled. This works for adults too.


Giddy Spells, Faintness or Pulpitations


Make your own smelling salts—sea salt , lavender oil, peppermint oil & basil oil.

Headache

Make a compress of a piece of cause or muslin soaked in icy cold water then sprinkled with a few drops of lavender oil and apply to the forehead, or massage a few drops into the forehead, temples and nape of the neck.


Insomnia

In a number of small studies, elderly psychiatric patients have been shown to sleep better and be more alert during the day when their sleep medication is replaced with lavender oil either dropped on their pillows, or placed in a diffuser on the ward. To help to induce sleep, put 3 or 4 drops of lavender oil on your pillow.


For babies, add 1 drop of lavender oil & geranium oil in carrier oil and massage into a babies back or a few drops in their bedtime bath.


Long-Haul Travel

Combine lavender, rosemary, Neroli, & sage, into your hand luggage and roll it over your pulse points to help you keep a clear head during those endless hours in the air.


Menstrual Cramps


Massage a few drops of lavender oil into your lower abdomen or apply a hot compress onto the area, which a little lavender oil has been sprinkled.


Moths,Midges & Mosquitos

These annoying little insects all hate the smell of lavender. To prevent bites, splash yourself with lavender before you go out at sunset or to bed, put 3-4 drops of oil on your pillow or soak cotton wool ball in the oil and leave it on a saucer in front of the window. Lavender oil is also a terrific remedy for insect bites, soothing itching & inflammation: dab it on to them neat as soon as possible. To keep moths off your clothes, hand lavender bags on you coat hangers or keep them among your sweaters and refresh them with a drop or two of lavender oil from time to time.


Scabies
This infestation by a tiny mite burrowing into your skin causes intense itching. Rub the whole body with neat lavender oil, then following every day until better with a mixture of lavender oil and alcohol. Change and wash bedding and clothes and sprinkle lavender oil on the mattress.


Shingles
Combine a mix of lavender oil with, analgesic, antiviral & scar preventing essential oils neat or on compresses on the agonizing lesions of shingles. It usually produces a cure within 5-8 days.


Sinusitis
Lavender is one of several essential oils that aromatherapists recommend for inhalations to relieve sinusitis, add two drops of lavender & thyme oil to a bowl of near-steaming water and inhale slowly and deeply, with a towel over your head & bowl.

Stress & Anxiety


Keep a spritzer of Lavender with water handy to spray on your face during the day, or apply lavender oil neat to your temples.

Sunburn


Add 8 drops of lavender oil and 4 drops of peppermint oil to a teaspoon of jojoba oil. Pour it into a cool-to-lukewarm bath and soak for 10 minutes


Wow, so much to take in, but so wonderful!!!! Mother Nature did it again!!!! Ok girls I hope I get an A on my assigment....haha JK!! :-)

Peace, Love & Aromatherapy
-K

peppa-peppa-peppamiiint!

Yesterday I was part of a great training call on Aromatherapy. The speaker had great stories and facts about different essential oils.

She even went to talk about how PURE the SwissJust essential oils are when you compare them to others out in the marketplace. She came across a lady who had bought "Pure Eucalyptus Oil" from Whole Foods and how dissatisfied she was with it, so she didn't care to buy any from her. She told her to bring her bottle so they could compare. 

So she did just that, the lady put a few drops on her hand and rubbed them together, and the speaker did the same with her SwissJust Eucalyptus oil. 

They waited a few minutes and checked their hands. The lady that had put on the Whole Foods oil, still had oily hands and her hand smelled like petrolium, while the Speakers hands were completely dry! She went on to say how her hand smelled like Eucalyptus all day. This proves how PURE these oils are and how your skin absorbs them in a matter of minutes. Others out there have a lot of synthetics even though they say they are Pure Essential Oils. 

  Another thing that specifically stuck in my mind was when she talked about Peppermint. I thought peppermint was just good for toothpaste and gum...no sireee, I was wrooong....

Here's the rundown:

Native to Asia and Europe, mint has a strong menthol scent typical of many daily use products such as toothpaste, chewing gum and sweets. It has dark green leaves and its flowers vary between white, pink and violet. Peppermint essential oil is obtained through steam distillation and one needs 500 kg of blossomed plants to extract 0.5 kg of essential peppermint oil.

It soothes pain, relieves muscular spasms and reduces inflammation. It fights infections, clears and opens the respiratory tract and reduces fever. Peppermint oil also helps with digestion, clears the mind and stimulates concentration.

hmmm.. and then I found this in the Fan Page:

We just found an interesting study from Wheeling Jesuit University that links Peppermint to weight loss and reduction in hunger.

 http://www.wju.edu/academics/psy/recentresearchs2007.asp


In the study, inhaling the scent of peppermint every couple of hours helped people eat less.
 By the end of the 2-week study, the people ...who had sniffed peppermint every couple of hours during the day had also consumed fewer calories and eaten less fat, less saturated fat, and less sugar than the
nonsniffers did.

Bonus: Peppermint also reduces feelings of hunger.

And in my post below I also found out how beneficial to the brain peppermint is, especially if you suffer for ADD!

WOW, and you thought you knew it all, I am fascinated by what I find each and every day.....
:-)

Essential Oils and the Brain

I found this really cool article about Essential Oils and the Brain..

Enjoy!

Essential Oils and the Brain

Improve Mental Clarity and Focus, Thinking, Learning and Test Scores

Mar 17, 2008 Victoria Anisman-Reiner

Essential oils can improve thinking by carrying oxygen to the brain and stimulating brain centers for learning - improving writing, work, and test marks.

Fragrances have the power to affect mood, emotions, and our impressions of the people and places around us. Scents can be comforting, enticing, exciting, or depressing and unpleasant. Is it any wonder, then, that the sense of smell has the ability to heal the brain and improve mental focus? Essential oils such as frankincense, peppermint, rosemary and vetiver have been shown to clear the mind and improve test scores, writing, and productivity.

How Essential Oils Feed the Brain

Essential oils nourish many of the body's systems by carrying oxygen and other nutrients to the cells. The cells of the brain are no different than others in this regard. Essential oils contain a mixture of both large and small compounds – molecules small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain itself.

Essential oils may be an invaluable tool for cleansing toxins and heavy metals, such as aluminum, that lodge in the brain and contribute to memory loss and Alzheimer's.

They also trigger areas in the brain (e.g. the amygdala) that relate to the emotions – the parts of the brain that store trauma and pleasure, as well as memory. This is why essential oils can be used in therapy to help release fears and change belief systems. It also explains why smelling the same oil while studying and writing a test helps with recall of information.

Essential Oils for Better Learning

Almost any essential oil can help with learning and studying skills, depending on your needs: most oils have either stimulating or sedative properties, either refreshing the mind or calming those who are worried about their performance. Be aware, however, that results will vary greatly with the quality of the essential oils used – adulterated oils (poorly pressed, or with junk chemicals added) can make people feel drowsy or distracted.

Several oils are known in particular for their ability to improve mental acuity and focus. These are:

• Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) – one of the most powerful healing oils, frankincense stimulates the limbic system of the brain as well as the hypothalamus, pineal and pituitary glands. It has been used against cancer and depression.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – the bright, sharp fragrance of rosemary is clarifying to the mind and emotions.
• Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – stimulating and refreshing, the sweet smell of peppermint oil is used to awaken the mind and heighten the senses. It is one of the best oils to boost energy, creativity and learning skills.
• Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) – dark, smoky and rich, vetiver is profoundly grounding and tonic to the mind. It is often used for depression or to help children with ADD and ADHD to focus and learn. It is stress-relieving and calming.

Any of these oils can be used by inhaling a drop or two from cupped hands or (with the exception of vetiver, which is too thick) by diffusing them through a room, apartment or house.

Typically, the back of the neck and the "brain stem" (at the base of the skull) are two of the most effective places to apply oils for clear thinking and learning.

Anti-Stress the wonderful magical potion

Ha! I just received a call from my mother in law...I gave her the "anti-stress" treatment on Sunday and she boasted on and on over the phone how great she felt the next day! Seeeeee I told you people this stuff works, I've been using it religiously for about a month now and couldn't feel any better. The reason this stuff works is because it penetrates into your skin and you are getting a total of 15 essential oils: Basil, Fennel, Geranium, Hops, Camomile, Lavender, Peppermint, Rose, Juniper Berry, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Mountain Pine, Rosemary, Balm Mint.

All these oils help relax and calm the stresses of everyday modern life including nervous tension.

Whenever I talk to people about it they think i'm crazy...but I say "try it" you'll see for yourself.