Essential Oils

Recently Answered

• QHow can I make lemon essential oil?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Ms. Ashley Koff, RD , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered

  Lemons are a stress-reducing super citrus fruit. Create your own lemon essential oil using the lemon peel, which contains potent stress-reducing oils. Add a few drops of this essential oil to water and place in a spray bottle for a relaxing spritz.
  
  Ingredients:

  • 1 lemon
  • Cold-pressed olive oil

  Directions:
  1. Grate the outside of the lemon over a bowl.
  2. Fill a small glass bottle halfway with the grated lemon zest. Fill the rest of the bottle with olive oil.
  3. Set the bottle on a windowsill or somewhere else that gets a lot of sun. Leave it there for a few days, but shake the bottle a few times per day.
   
  Store lemon oil in an airtight container at room temperature.
• QWhat oils are most popular for medicinal purposes?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Michael T. Murray, ND , Naturopathic Medicine, answered

  For medicinal purposes, fish, flaxseed, evening primrose, borage, and black currant oils are the most popular. Black currant, borage, and evening primrose oil are used because they contain gamma-linolenic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that eventually acts as a precursor of the favorable prostaglandins of the 1 series. However, flaxseed oil is not only less expensive; it may provide greater benefit due to its high concentration of linolenic acid, an omega- 3 fatty acid. The linoleic acid in flaxseed is easily converted to gamma-linolenic acid by most people. Fish oils rich in eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and other omega-3 oils are also quite popular.

• QWhat is an essential oil?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Debra Fulghum Bruce PhD , Healthcare, answered

  Essential oils are highly concentrated substances extracted from a variety of different parts of a plant, including the flower, bark, roots, leaves, wood, resin, seeds, or the rind (in the case of citrus fruits). The oils contain healing vitamins, antibiotics, and antiseptics and represent the "life force” of the plant
  
  Scientists agree that essential oils may perform more than one function in living plants. In some cases they seem to be a part of the plant's immune system. In other cases they may simply be end products of metabolism. Essential oils are said to be healing because they contain hundreds of organic constituents, including hormones, vitamins, and other natural elements that work on many levels. For example, essential oils can be sedative or stimulating. Some are antispasmodic, and most are antibacterial.  Essential oils are 75 to 100 times more concentrated than the oils in dried herbs.
  
• QWhat are some popular aromatherapy oils?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Some popular aromatherapy oils include:

  • Lavender - A few dabs of lavender oil at the base of your thumb and
    neck, between the eyebrows, or along pressure points in the wrist can
    ease the stress of the day and is helpful during migraine attacks.
  
  • Eucalyptus – Use this oil to help clear nasal passages and airways if you 
    have a cold, flu, or allergies. Add a few drops while taking a hot shower
    or add it to the medicine well of a humidifier.
  
  • Lemongrass - Dilute this essential oil in a spray bottle and use it as a
    natural insect repellent.
  
  • Tea tree - This oil is a popular for its antimicrobial activities. Look for it
    in skin products soaps, and shampoos.
  
  
  [Note: Lavender and tea tree oils can behave like certain hormones such as estrogen and block the male hormone testosterone, so use them sparingly on children.]
  This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com

  See All 2 Answers
• QWhat are the benefits of a daily oil massage?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Daily Oil Massage (Abhyanga)
  We tend to think of only getting massages from a therapist on special occasions. But you can treat yourself as often as you want to a warm oil massage in your own bathroom. This daily oil massage has several benefits including reducing stress, keeping skin youthful, and improving immunity. You and your partner can also do this massage on each other on the weekends to create an easy, affordable, and health-promoting romantic experience.

  For the majority of people, the best oil to use is organic, cured sesame oil. But if you produce a lot of body heat, tend to get rashes easily, or are susceptible to inflammatory conditions, then organic coconut oil may be a better choice.

  To purify the oil, “cure it” by warming it over low heat to about 212°F (100°C), the boiling point of water. Add just 1 or 2 drops of water to the oil in the beginning. You will know when the proper temperature has been reached when the drops of water sputter and pop. You can cure about 1 quart or liter of oil at one time. This will provide enough oil for at least 15 applications. To save time during your daily massage, transfer a 3-4 day supply of oil into a small plastic flip-top bottle (available at most drug stores). Heat the bottle in the bathroom by placing it into a cup of hot water from the sink. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes to warm up while you brush your teeth, etc.

  Massage the head and neck first, then apply the oil to all parts of the body before you begin the rest of the massage. This will allow the oil to be on the body for the maximum amount of time before taking your bath or shower.

  The head and scalp are the most important areas to massage, so spend the most time there. Use long, back and forth strokes on the long bones in your arms and legs; use circular motions over your joints, heart and stomach. Finally, massage the bottoms of your feet. The feet are also considered important, so proportionally spend more time on them.

  The complete oil massage usually takes 10-20 minutes, but you can spend as little as 5 minutes a day doing abhyanga and still enjoy tremendous health benefits.

• QWhat essential oils in aromatherapy are mood enhancers?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Lisa Marie Rosati , Herbal Medicine, answered

  Essential Oils have the ability to shift your mood. I use essential oils in a diffuser to set different moods or create a desired atmosphere in the space where I am working. I change the essential oils to produce different effects. Here are some examples:

  • For Focus and Centering- Rosemary, Petitgrain, Lavender or Frankincense
  • To Sooth and Relax- Sandalwood, Orange, Rose or Cedar
  • To Become Energized- Pine, Peppermint, Lemon or Grapefruit
  • For Devotional or Meditation Practice- Neroli, Myrrh, Frankincense or Sandalwood

  See All 2 Answers
• QHow do I blend essential oils for aromatherapy?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Daphne Oz , Health Education, answered

  When you blend scents in aromatherapy, the essential oils combine and a new compound is formed that has slightly different properties than the individual oils. When combining oils, you want to act like a perfumer: you need to pay attention to top, middle, and base notes.
  
  Fresh scents, such as lemon, eucalyptus, or tea tree, are top notes, which are generally fresh, light, and immediately detectable because of their high evaporation rate.
  
  Floral oils and the softer herbs, including lavender, geranium, chamomile, and peppermint, make up most of the middle notes, the heart of the mixture, and are detectable after the top note, when smelling the scent for the first time.
  
  Wood oils such as frankincense and sandalwood form the base notes, which are rich, heavy odors that linger and emerge fully only after being exposed to the air for a prolonged time. Of course, there are a few exceptions. For instance, jasmine and rose are floral scents that fall into the base notes category.
  
  A good blend will combine one oil from each of these three categories, usually in this proportion: three drops top note, two drops of middle note, and two drops of the base note. You can, of course, go totally wild and crazy and have two middle notes and a base note, or a top note and a base note and no middle note. Go with what your inner Coco Chanel tells you, and let your nose be your guide.
• QHow do essential oils in aromatherapy work?

  2 Answers

  A

  

  A Lisa Marie Rosati , Herbal Medicine, answered

  Experts agree that aromatherapy works by connecting your sense of smell directly to the limbic system of the brain, which controls emotion.

  Nicole Becker, an Anusara Yoga Teacher and Holistic Aromatherapist says "When you inhale a beautiful aroma, you get direct access to this primal, governing part of yourself-and you can create a shift on the mental level almost instantaneously."

  Try adding a drop or two of Lavender Essential Oil to a tissue and place it under your pillow before bed. I'm sure your stress will melt away...

  For more information on Lisa Marie Rosati and her work, visit www.createauthenticrelationships.com

  See All 2 Answers
• QWhat is Helichrysum oil?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Dr. Devi E. Nampiaparampil, MD , Pain Medicine, answered

  

  Helichrysum oil is an essential oil from Africa that can help relieve muscle pain, says pain management expert Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil. Find out more about Helichrysum oil by watching this video.

  
  

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  What Is Helichrysum Oil?
  Buy DVD
• QHow should I use essential oils?

  1 Answer

  A

  

  A Angel O. Fidler, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  NOTE: Please make sure that your oils say they are safe for internal use or dietary supplement use before following suggestions below. This is not a substitute for your Primary Care Provider's advice.

  A couple drops of Lemon Essential Oil in glass of water in the morning is a refreshing way to start the morning. Lemon is known for its cleansing effects on the digestive system. You may substitute Grapefruit, Wild Orange or Lime. 

  A drop or two of Peppermint in water, under the tongue, in an empty gelatin capsule or on a sugar cube can quell nausea, upset stomach, and help with the IBS flares. Peppermint can be inhaled (either from the open bottle or place a drop on the palm of the hands, rub, then breathe deeply) first thing in the morning as a wake up.

  A drop or two of Lavender Essential Oil can be used at bedtime to calm and relax you for sleep. You can inhale from the bottle, place a drop or two on your pillow, on the inside of your wrists or palms and breath deeply, Place 4-5 drops in a diffuser. You may add a drop to hot water drink as a tea for sleep inducing properties. 

  For child who is having trouble settling the mind, a relaxing foot back massage may be in order. Have the child lay on their stomach with both bare feet and bare back accessible, preferably on their own bed. Apply 2 drops of Balance essential oil blend to the bottom of each foot (4 drops total for both feet). Then use Serenity Blend along the spine from sacrum bottom of the spine to the base of the skull. Finally, repeat with Fractionated Coconut oil.  This procedure maybe used for adults having trouble sleeping.

  By using Fractionated Coconut oil or other pure carrier oil as the final layer in any oil application, this keeps the majority of the essential oil from evaporating and allows its effects to be more readily used by the body.