AROMATHERAPY

THE NAME

A WORD OF CAUTION

SOME PROPERTIES

ANTI-SEPTIC

Most essential oils are anti-septic to greater or lesser degrees. Good examples are tea tree, thyme and peppermint. This means that they destroy micro-organisms which invade the body or are present in the air.
This property makes them useful for treating many kinds of bacterial infections. For example tea tree is valuable in preventing cuts or wounds from becoming infected and peppermint is useful in treating mouth ulcers.
In many British hospitals, pine is vapourised in burns units. This oil disinfects the air and so reduces the possibility of patients' wounds becoming infected.

ANTI-VIRAL

Some oils possess antivrial properties, for example, basil, eucalytpus and lemon. These are useful in treating, herpes, colds, 'flus, warts and measles.

ANTI-FUNGAL

Other oils are anti-fungal, for example, clove bud, eucalyptus, geranium, neroli and tea tree. This means that they can be used to treat athlete's foot and candida. Tea tree has also been used with great success in treating fungal diseases of animals, fish and plants.

ANTI-PARASITIC

Lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree are used to deter fleas and lice. This makes these essential oils invualable when one has household pets and you don't want to use harsh chemicals. Lavender has been used for centuries to repel moths as well as mosquitoes

IMMUNO-STIMULANT

Frankincense, lavender, and rosemary help to increase the activity of the white blood cells, which help in our defence against infection. This is especially important if our body is already in a weakened condition due to stress, illness or use of anti-biotics or other drugs which have lowered the body's natural resistance. This makes certain essential oils useful for treating people with long standing debilitating illnesses such as glandular fever or hepatitis. Its possible application to AIDS is also being researched.

DETOXIFIERS

Angelica, fennel, juniper, lemon and rose otto are depuratives or detoxifying agents. This means that they help to combat impurities in the blood stream and the organs. This makes them useful for cellulite, conditions to do with poor circulation and poor lymphatic drainage among other things.

WOUND HEALERS

Many oils help to heal wounds and prevent scarring, for example cuts, animal bites and burns. Some essential oils have a very strong healing effect on wounds. For this reason it is important to clean the cut thoroughly before application of an essence in case the dirt is sealed into the wound.

There are many more properties to essential oils, including sedatives, anti-depressants, mental stimulants, antispasmodics, aid to repiratory problems, pain killers, hormone influencing, anti-rheumatic, ant-inflammatories.......

BATH

Add 6 - 10 drops into the bath AFTER you have run the water. For young children you should use between 2 and 5 drops of oil - depending on the age of the child. Agitate the water to disperse the oils. This method is suitable for relaxation, to help skin problems, to ease muscular and other aches and pains, or to subtly influence the mood.

FOOT AND HAND BATHS

Add 4 - 7 drops into a basin of warm/hot water. This method is very useful to ward off chills as well as rheumatic aches and pains, excessive perspiration, athlete's foot, and other skin disorders of the hands and feet.

MASSAGE

Usual dilution ratio - 2.5% - i.e. put 5 drops of essential oil into 10ml of carrier oil.

VAPORISER

Half fill the reservoir with water and put between 4 and 10 drops on the surface of the water. This method is very effective as an air purifier when infectious illness is around.
When used in offices, lecture theatres and other public places they can be used to prevent colds, 'flus and other air-bourne infections from affecting everyone in the area.
If you do not have a burner, you can put a few drops of essential oil onto a cotton ball and put on top of a radiator.

They can also be used to rid the air of cooking smells, repel insects or to subtly influence the mood.

When used in offices or factories, essential oils can influence ones ability to concentrate on the job in hand. They can stimulate you in the morning and give you a more positive attitude, and in the evening they can relax the mind, getting you ready to go home and unwind.

When used by students essential oils can enhance ones ability to remember information, and can keep you alert yet relaxed and calm.

DISINFECTANT/HOUSEHOLD USE

Most commercial disinfectants are harsh, caustic chemicals, which gradually pollute our waterways. Sprays are depleting ozone, and leaving harmful chemicals in the air we breathe. Essential oils provide a gentle alternative, which leave only pleasant aromas after they have done their work.

Essential oils make very effective household disinfectants and a few drops in a litre of water will be powerful enough to kill most germs in the kitchen and bathroom.

Essential can be added to a plant mister, water for washing floors, work tops and other surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and sitting room.

GARDEN AND FARM USE

Many studies are under way to discover how essential oils can be used on plants to deter animals, insects and fungal, bacterial and viral infections.
They can be easily used in spraying and watering equiment in very dilute quantities.

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If you would like to know how to find out more about aromatherapy e-mail us at

essentialoil@tinet.ie

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