Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing Naturally

Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing Naturally is the second hub and a continuation to revealing some “must have” essential oils that individuals should consider keeping on hand for family emergencies and day to day mishaps.  If you have not read my first hub, Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing, it will provide you with a historical background of essential oils and some of my favorite oils to use to assist in healing.  Within this hub you will find more essential oils and more information to assist you in making “informed” choices to make when choosing a therapeutic essential oil. 

What IS on Labels?

• Although most labels on essential oils will not tell you precisely concrete information; there should be at least a concentration warning, (i.e. “do not apply directly to skin” or “not for internal use”). Such warnings can be used to measure how adulterated (polluted) an essential oil may be.

• If you find “nutritional facts” similar to those on the label of any food or supplement then you can believe that it should be safe to take internally because this most likely is the purest form of oil a manufacturer can produce.

What’s NOT on Labels?

Essential oils are not considered under the Food and Drug Act in the United States. And this can have good and bad consequences. Hence, all therapeutic oils are not created equally. You would not want to purchase an oil labeled “100 % pure organic essential” only to learn later that 99% of the oil contains filler base oils, perfume, or synthetic esters. As discussed in my previous hub on essential oils, one must research and learn how to find the best therapeutic essential oils.

Only a few companies will display the actual scientific name of the herb on their labels. Most choose not to reveal their secret ingredient of their product. This you might say is the norm of most companies; however, you would not want to be purchasing substitute oil that possibly has a totally different medicinal property. A great example of this would be that the sale of Lavandin (Lavandula x hybrida ) being sold as Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ). It is true that lavandin can be made to mimic lavender however the medicinal qualities are way off. Real lavender helps to heal burns whereas lavandin will make a burn worse.

• Another example is Oregano (Origanum compactum ) being sold as Marjoram (Origanum majorana ). Although oregano oil is very healthy for you and offers many health benefits; again, the medicinal qualities are not the same. So unlike purchasing a car where one might settle for a ‘look-like’ version an individual seeking true healing from therapeutic oil would not want to do so. The best way to avoid this situation is to find a reputable herbalist, naturopathist, or a specialist in alternative medicines to provide information and guidance, and of course research, research for yourself.

In the first hub, I revealed that it was an annoying ear ache that caused me to begin researching essential oils for their healing qualities in addition to using them for aromatherapy. Almost annually in the past I have developed at least one bad ear ache that takes over a month to heal and results in my going to a doctor to get antibiotics. Each time I have followed routine doctor’s orders of taking over the counter remedies of antihistamines and decongestants to control sinusitis, and NASIDs for pain and swelling. And each time I’ve developed tinnitus (ringing in the ears) that made me miserable for another 2-3 months.

My research for the first hub revealed that the home remedy that the doctor recommended (over the counter antihistamines, decongestants, and NASIDs) caused the tinnitus. Well I’m happy to say that it has been ten days since I began using therapeutic essential oils for my ear ache and the pain and swelling is gone with only a small whisper of ringing in my ear presently. Probably had I not been on the doctor’s recommended remedy for ten days prior; I’m thinking that there would not have been a problem with the tinnitus in the first place. O.k. enough about me, now back by popular demand….

How to Administer

The above chart provided by the Young Living essential oils' website reveals the area on the body where therapeutic essential oils can be used. The most common ways therapeutic essential oils are administered are through the nose and the skin. There are numerous ways to inhale these oils into the body; i.e. a few drops in a hot bath, on a humidifier or light bulb, in melted wax from a burning candle, a handkerchief, or in a bowl of warm water.

As for the skin the essential oil products can be applied directly to the spot. Please remember that essential oils are highly concentrated, they should be diluted before being applied to the skin via oil-based mixtures, salves, creams or lotions, alcohol, or water-based tinctures.

Personally, prefer mixing with extra virgin olive oil, jojoba, a water-soaked cloth used as a compress, or a nice warm bath. I’ve discovered that by applying a tea tree oil compress directly to the back of my neck will eliminate the tension and swelling from an old neck and back injury caused by an accident. Whereas in the past, I would have to rely on a muscle relaxer to be ingested and wait for it to be systemically absorbed from my stomach (took at least 2 to 4 hours) to get relief. Now I’m receiving relief in about 10 to 15 minutes and within an hour all pain and swelling is gone.

There are numerous natural plants that can be manufactured into essential oils. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy has named what they consider to be the top 10 essential oil products. Three of NAHA’s top l0 list was discussed on my first hub, titled Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing. Please see that hub to learn more about peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil; in addition to learning about the ‘miracle oil’ from the neem tree.

But before you go there let me share with you the other 7 essential oils that this association views as the ‘must-have’ healing oils:

Ylang Ylang - Cananga odorata

The essential oil of ylang-ylang is extracted from the fresh flowers of the ylang-ylang tree through steam distillation. This tree is an inhabitant of the rain forests located in certain islands in the Asia-Pacific i.e. Comoro, Indonesia, Java, Philippines, and Polynesia.

Health benefits of the Ylang Ylang are associated to its properties being an anti-depressant to drive away sadness, anti-seborrhoeic by reducing skin peeling resulting from eczema, anti-septic to treat wounds, aphrodisiac that helps reduce stress, and sedative to assist in calming nerves. It helps one to relax, can reduce muscle tension, and provides an individual with a sense of well being.

Geranium - Pelargonium graveolens

The stems and leaves of the Geranium plant is extracted through steam distillation to produce this essential oil. This flower is indigenous to various parts of southern Africa particularly South Africa. Helps to balance hormones in women and good for balancing the skin; can be both relaxing and uplifting, as well as antidepressant. Note – Women that are pregnant should not use this oil since it influences certain hormone secretions.

Health benefits from the Geranium natural oil are realized from its properties of being an astringent take can make muscles contract; cicastrisant to assist with acne and keeps skin free from scarring; cytophylactic to regenerate new cells; diuretic which increases urination; deodorant in aiding to reduce body odor; and acts as a tonic to tone up health internally (i.e. digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems, etc).

Lavender - Lavandula angustifolia

The Latin name Lavare means “to wash” and lavender is known for giving the feeling of a clean aroma. Relaxing, and also useful in treating wounds, burns, and skin care. The steam distillation process is extracted mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant. This native plant ranges from across the Canary Islands, North and East Africa, Arabia, India, the Mediterranean, and Southern Europe.

There are numerous health benefits include: the ability to remove nervous tension of headaches, migraines by acting as a tonic for the nervous system; relieves pain caused by sore muscles, rheumatism, backaches and etc.; disinfect scalp and skin possessing antiseptic and antifungal qualities; enhance blood circulation and assists in lowering blood pressure; and treats respiratory problems, i.e. colds, flu, sinus congestion and even tonsillitis.

Be sure to check the scientific name on this one because Lavender (Lavandula vera) : Helps to balance hormones in women, good for balancing the skin, and can be both relaxing and uplifting, as well as antidepressant. However, may not provide all the other benefits listed above.

Lemon - Citrus limon

Lemon oil can be extracted by cold expression from the fresh fruit peel. The lemon tree can be looked upon as a small evergreen tree native to Asia that produces yellow fruit. This plant can be found in India, northern Burma, China, South and South East Asia, but also can be found in Europe near Italy in the first century AD.

Then health benefits of lemon essential oil attributes the qualities of anti-fungal, anti-infection, antiseptic, astringent, calming, carminative, detoxifying, disinfectant, and sleep inducing properties. Having these traits helps lemon oil to have the ability to treat stress disorders by removing mental fatigue and anxiety; fever, infections, and asthma by building the immune system through stimulation of white blood cells; overweight by reducing weight via reducing appetite to eat; insomnia through releasing nervous tension and negative emotions; skin disorders because it is astringent and detoxifying; stomach problems since it is carminative; and tiredness via the aroma being uplifting, stimulating and increases circulation.

Clary Sage - Salvia sclarea

The extraction process for Carly Sage is the steam distillation process of the buds and leaves of the plant.  This herb is a native of Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, and the northern Mediterranean.  This natural pain killer, helpful s in treating muscular aches and pains; very relaxing, can help with insomnia, assist libido, and also is very helpful in balancing hormones.

The health benefits of Clary Sage Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like anti depressant by reliving anxiety; anti convulsive by acting as a sedative for tense nerves; anti-bacterial curing infections in colon, intestines and urinary tract; aphrodisiac to increase sexual desires; carminative causing excessive gas to be eliminated; emenagogue easing painful menses and other irregular troubles; and euphoric by causing senses of immense joy, pleasure, and high spirits.

Roman Chamomile - Anthemus nobilis

Chamomile essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the chamomile flowering plant. This native flower can be found in Europe, North America, and Argentina. It is very relaxing, can help with sleeplessness and anxiety, also good for muscle aches and tension, and useful in treating wounds and infection.

Roman Chamomile properties are more calming, sedative, and a better emenagogue than German Chamomile that has the more powerful anti-inflammatory properties due to the compound Azulene.

Additional health benefits that are derived from the medicinal properties of this oil are: anti-biotic, anti-septic, disinfectant, bactericidal and vermifuge to fight off infections; emenagogue by helping to reducing menstrual problems; stomachic by promoting digestive juices; anti-rheumatic curing dysfunctions of the circulatory system; and tonic by nature thus toning up skink muscles, and internal organs.

Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis

The final natural oil that I will discuss on this hub is mostly extracted from the leaves of the plant that belongs to the mint family.  This native herb plant can be located in the Mediterranean region.  Very stimulating and uplifting, good to help mental stimulation, in addition to stimulating the immune and digestive system, very good for muscle aches and tension.

The health benefits of this plant are numerous just like all the others.  Rosemary therapeutic essential oil can be used for mouth care as a mouth wash; hair care to help hair grow longer and stronger while eliminating a flaky scalp; stimulates mental activity; assists in pain relief of arthritis, sore muscles, and headaches; assist indigestion, flatulence and stomach cramps; and treat respiratory allergies, colds, and flu. 

O.k. I apologize for the lengthiness of this hub, but again there are a lot of important things one should learn prior about the healing properties of therapeutic essential oils. Within this hub you have read about the importance of researching your essential oil company and knowing what to look for on the labels. Also, I’ve revealed to you how to apply these oils to the different locations on your body. In conclusion to Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing Naturally believe it or not I have enough additional info probably for another hub, if the interest remains popular for the last two articles. You can find the finally three (tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint) of the NAHA’s top ten list of essential oil products on my first hub titled Therapeutic Essential Oils and Healing.

Disclaimer: This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Before engaging in any complementary medical technique, including the use of natural or herbal remedies, you should do your own research, and then consult your present physician. If your doctor does not believe in alternative medicines and you would like to give them a try then find a reputable doctor, TCM specialist, certified herbalist or naturopathist familiar with alternative medicines that can assist you in deciding what treatments might meet your specific needs.