The Top Five Essential Oils in Aromatherapy: What They Are and How You Can Use Them

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So many people are interested in aromatherapy, but are just unsure where to start. What oils should they get? How should they use them? Here's a look at the five most popular oils in aromatherapy, and ways you can use them. This will help you incorporate essential oils into an overall natural health lifestyle for you and your family. The idea here is to be using essential oils in a way beyond their aromas -- to really begin to tap into their true medicinal values.

Lavender essential oil is the most widely used oil for several reasons. It works its magic aromatically, when topically applied, and even when ingested (in very small amounts -- not something to do with most oils). Generally, it can be considered aromatherapy's number one soothing oil. It's aroma reduces stress markers in laboratory research, and when topically applied it has a mild anesthetic effect. It was recently published that a capsule containing about 2 drops of the oil, when consume daily, was as effective as benzodiazepine drugs at reducing mild to moderate anxiety. It also has regenerative ketones that help the skin heal, and its main constituent is "linalool", which recently was discovered to have anticancer activity.

Far and away the most common use of lavender is for getting a better night's sleep, and reducing stress in general. The aroma itself does the trick for many people. Any way you can get the scent in the air can be effective. Some just apply a drop or two under their pillow, while others will use an aromatherapy diffuser set on low throughout the night. A little lavender on the feet is also very popular. A few drops of lavender essential oil does wonders for small burns, and soothes virtually every conceivable skin irritation -- either alone (one of the few oils you should do this with) or diluted a "carrier oil" (these are cold-pressed seed or nut oils in which essential oils are blended -- most essential oils are too potent for direct application to the skin).

Tea tree and lavender really vie for the number one spot. Tea tree's application is simple and familiar. We've used topical antiseptics all our lives, and tea tree is highly effective for this use. A little applied directly to minor cuts and scrapes will prevent infection. Blend with lavender for the young ones for a little added pain (and anxiety) relief. Tea tree's great for nearly every infection of the skin: a 5% concentration in hazelnut oil is excellent for acne (hazelnut oil is actually mildly astringent, and will not exacerbate the problem). The same can be used for athlete's foot and similar conditions. Inexpensive and readily available, you'll find yourself using tea tree oil fairly frequently.

You'll find a great many uses for lemon essential oil, too. Lemon's aroma is (like peppermint's, which we'll get to) an uplifting scent which clarifies the mind. It's been shown to reduce the breakdown of acetylcholine, our primary information-processing neurotransmitter. A study done in Japan showed the aroma significantly reduced the number of errors made by office workers. And its a great cleaning agent, for the body and your surroundings. A couple drops in a bottle of water cleans the water and might help clean your liver. You'll find many recipes online for homemade cleaning formulas including lemon, not only for its antibacterial activity but for its bright fresh scent.

Peppermint's primary uses are for helping your digestion and for bringing about alertness. When you're feeling drowsy or foggy, just inhale a little peppermint and you'll feel like you instantly got more oxygen to your brain. You can try a drop on your tongue as well (though some folks find this a little too "hot"). To stimulate digestion, a couple drops can be taken in a small cup of warm water. This can help with nausea too. Peppermint can even be found in enterically-coated capsules for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. The oil has been used for ages as a food flavoring agent, so if you want to make something a little minty, try a drop or two in your dish or drink -- remember that the pure oil is very potent, so you'll almost certainly need less than you expect.

The fifth most popular oil is difficult to choose, as there are several that are neck and neck for this spot. Eucalyptus essential oils are widely used to help breathing, in times of illness, or for those with allergies or asthma. Rosemary is also very popular for the same breath-supporting properties. These oils are sprinkled into a pot of steaming water, where one will put a towel over their head and inhale. The chamomile essential oils (there are 4 types) are well known for their calming actions, and can be used in a manner similar to lavender for this purpose. Finally, geranium has a fantastic aroma and broad anti-microbial action.

Now that you've got the scoop on the top five essential oils, you're ready to dip your toe into aromatherapy. You can even have a look at pubmed.gov, searching for "essential oils", and you'll find a great long list of scientific reports researching the health supportive effects of many of the oils used in aromatherapy. The practice is in fact a whole world of herbal medicine, and a little investigation will show you there's an oil for nearly everything that ails you.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

The author has made available much information about aromatherapy, such as using bergamot oil and other therapeutic essential oils.

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