Can Essential Oils Help With Self-Care?

With essential oils and aromatherapy
becoming more mainstream in recent years, the number of companies selling
essential oils has drastically increased. And with more essential oils of all
kinds of quality flooding the market, we are back to the old snake-oil
conundrum, with many trying to make the most profit by selling essential oils
as a miracle cure-all medicine. All the misinformation that this had led to
might make people sceptical about the real benefits that essential oils bring
for self-care, which is often what essential oils are advertised for.
So, can essential oils help with
self-care?
What Are Essential
Oils?
Essential oils are concentrated volatile
compounds extracted from plants or plant material. These oils can be extracted
in a number of different ways, but the most common methods are either through
distillation, or by mechanically pressing the plant materials, which could
range from the bark of trees to the flowers and fruits themselves. Furthermore,
there are dozens of different kinds of essential oils derived from various
different plants. Even though aromatherapy itself is seeing a mainstream
resurgence now, the use of essential oils date back centuries and can be found
in a lot of products, ranging from medicines to soaps and perfumes. Certain essential
oils also have antimicrobial, antibiotic, and pesticidal properties, and are
often used for those cases.
What Is Aromatherapy?
While essential oils are still commonly
used in soaps, perfumes, and in medicine manufacturing, a very prevalent use of
it is in aromatherapy. Often used synonymously, aromatherapy involves the use
of aromatic materials for therapeutic benefits. It’s not limited to essential
oils, but essential oils are certainly a major part of it, and the topic at
hand as well. In aromatherapy, essential oils are used in a number of ways,
such as massage or inhalation. Certain essential oils can also be combined for
compounded effects.
Do Essential Oils Help?
As work-life balance become harder in an
ever-increasing stressful world, people are seeking the use of alternate
medicines to ease some of that stress. Self-care remedies and solutions to
ailments that don’t necessarily require hard medicine are becoming more
prevalent and people are definitely starting to be more aware of both physical
and mental wellbeing. In such situations, essential oils can provide momentary
relief and comfort.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that essential
oils are a helpful tool in providing relief against ailments like stress,
anxiety, insomnia, depressive episodes, and nausea. Some essential oils have
proven to have pain-relief properties and is often used for pain relief. The
pleasant aromas of essential oils also create a sense of relief and an
atmosphere of relaxation and are, hence, often used in homes. Purity of
essential oils is also important when it comes to their effectiveness. The purer
the essential oil is, the more potent its effect.
Which Essential Oils
Should You Use?
This will depend on your needs. Whether
you’re looking for relief from anxiety and stress, or whether you’re looking
for something to lift the mood of your home, here are some of the most
popularly used essential oils.
·
Lavender – Probably
one of the most popular essential oils out there, lavender essential oil is a
versatile oil which has many proven benefits, including relief from stress,
anxiety, nausea, and even helps with insomnia.
·
Tea Tree – Tea
tree oils has several use cases as well, but is most commonly used for its
antiseptic, antibiotic, and antifungal properties and can be great for
skin-care.
·
Lemon –
Lemon essential oils also have stress relief properties, but are more commonly
used in skin-care products, and can help with nausea and morning-sickness.
·
Peppermint –
Very commonly used for stomach ailments, peppermint essential oils can be great
for relieving stomach aches, nausea, and can help improve digestion.
Here Are Our Concluding
Thoughts
Essential oils have many proven benefits
and it is pertinent that you research and buy based on your needs. It is also
important to keep in mind that essential oils are volatile chemicals and might
suit everyone. Many essential oils are especially toxic for pets, so do
research the harmful effects of essential oils, both for yourself and your
family, and if you have pets, then for your pets as well. Pure and high-quality
essential oils, sourced from the best quality materials are often the most
effective. If you had any concerns regarding essential oils and their use for
self-care, we hope that this post satisfies some of them.