Mar 11 2010

How Reed Diffuser Oils Can Help You

Category: Aromatherapy — Agnes Vernel @ 12:05 am

It shocks me to hear about the abundance of home owners who, instead of diffusing pleasant essence oils in the home, will diffuse odor-covering powder or sprays all over the place. It is such a faux pas. But, I will not act mightier than those who go the Febreze way.

There is such a relaxing mood that the fragrant oils bring. Knowing that the scent is dispersed at an equally relaxing rate, it is not too obvious or overbearing as the plug-in scent products are.

More is not necessarily better in these cases when you want to establish a nice and subtle balance of interior design, lighting, scent, and mood.

Aromatherapy is immediately what comes to mind, as it entails health as well as spiritual benefits when used at home. If you are unfamiliar with aromatherapy, you may understand that somehow your mood lightens with ease upon smelling a draft of rose petals. And when your mood is alleviated, so is your physical well being.

Delightfully enough, the sense of smell is one of my favorite senses of all because it is what triggers immediate fond memories from many moons ago when I first indulged in a particular scent. Scientifically speaking, it truly is the most tightly connected sense to our memory bank. So, you can surely help associate your guests’ memory of your loving and warm home with the scent of ylang-ylang.

While you can associate a pleasant and fragrant scent to your home, you can also divide the experience by having a different lovely aroma for each room. You can make your bathroom infused with lavender, your bedroom with rose petals, and your living room with vanilla. There are reed diffuser oils for many flowers and plants for you to choose from.

With this beneficial and holistic type of thinking, you can create a mood of optimism with your guests when they are relaxing in your living room, while creating a mood of ease for yourself when you are taking a nice hot bath.

Not only are reed diffusers affordable, but they are also cost-efficient for the benefit they give. The better quality the reed diffuser oil is, the less alcohol there is, and the slower the oil will be dispersed. This means that you could enjoy the wonderful benefits for a couple of months.

It would be my pleasure to know that you are turned onto reed diffusers and instilling them into your home. I hope you bask in the wonderful scents in the midst of your aromatherapy enlightenment!

An eagerly chronic user of reed diffuser oils in her home, Agnes Vernel explains what makes good quality home fragrance diffusers.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mar 10 2010

Using Coconut As A Profoundly Healthy Fat

Category: Aromatherapy — Rose Robertson @ 5:07 pm

Few plants offer the world as many benefits as the coconut. Its name, ‘kalpa vriksha’ in Sanskrit, translates to ‘the tree which provides all that is necessary for life.’ This tree is biologically related to grasses and has provided food and medicine for countless peoples across the earth. In India, Ayurvedic doctors have long utilized the coconut for health and healing, and much of the information we’ve gathered regarding this plant’s medicinal qualities have been used with great effect for centuries.

The coconut’s liquid filtration system is one of the reasons why this beloved plant is so nourishing. Every liter of water in its shell takes almost nine months to be drawn up and through the plant, where it is deposited in the nut. More electrolytes are found in coconut water than in most other plants, making it an ideal hydrating liquid. Drinking a mixture of 55% coconut and 45% green juice gives the body an immediate burst of natural energy.

In the inquiry on healthy versus unhealthy fats, coconut oil tips the scales in terms of its nutritional value. While it is a saturated fat, not all saturated fats are harmful for us. Coconut oil is cholesterol-free and does not change into a trans-fat, which means it can be used at high heat. It has also been shown that coconut oil is more powerful than olive oil in controlling cholesterol. Also, because it is a medium-chain fatty acid, it is easier for the body to digest, meaning the fat can be used more readily as fuel.

Coconut oil is one of nature’s most versatile and healthy fats. Studies show that coconut oil supports the health of the thyroid gland, which regulates thenecessary anti-aging steroids progesterone, DHEA and pregnenolone. These steroids are important to help prevent heart disease, senility, obesity, cancer and other degenerative diseases associated with aging. Coconut oil also contains capryllic acid as well as lauric acid, both of which are anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-microbial. It has long been known that caprilyc acid is the most potent yeast-fighting substance, making it an excellent choice for those working with candida and other inner ecology imbalances. Transitioning to coconut oil as one’s fat source also helps to normalize blood sugar levels while increasing energy, building a healthy immune and nervous system and reducing the overall stress on one’s system. It is helpful to note that a ‘therapeutic dose’ of coconut oil consists of daily doses of two to three (or more) tablespoons for an adult.

Cooking with coconut oil is a fun way to introduce this supplement into your life. Try using it instead of margarine, butter or other vegetable oils. Also, consider using fresh coconuts that are not too old (i.e., forgo the shaved coconut and opt for a whole coconut instead).The meat is primarily fat, and it can be chopped and eaten with fruit for a delectable treat. Coconut oil is also great as an oil for veggies, tossed into your morning smoothie or buttered on bread with spices or preserves. If you’re looking for a way to enliven oats or rice, coconut oil adds a special note to a normally humble dish.

Repairing and nourishing to the skin, coconut oil has been used for thousands of years as a skin moisturizer because it is ideal for all skins types, including dry, rough and wrinkled skin. Aromatherapy uses two types of coconut oil: fractionated and virgin. Virgin coconut oil is solid at room temperature and blends well with essential oils for a thick, nourishing body oil, which does not leave a greasy feel. The same oil that is used in cooking can be used in body care products. Fractionated coconut is a liquid oil that is made when the coconut molecule is cut to a smaller size. This process does not deplete the oil’s healthy qualities, but instead allows us to use coconut oil in a liquid state – an excellent quality in massage applications. Also, fractionated coconut absorbs quickly, does not have a coconut odor and has an extremely long shelf life, all pluses in many situations. Coconut is also blended with other carrier oils, such as jojoba, to create a luscious cream base. Creating your own body care items with coconut oil and essential oils is a lovely, and easy, way to enhance your personal health.

One more thing about the fabulous coconut: this oil is great for use in sexual play. Both the taste and smell of coconut add to the delights of intercourse. A great way to experience coconut is by mixing it with vanilla and cacao oils. Smooth this concoction over your lover’s skin and enjoy.

Coconut is truly an ideal oil to experiment with. Its applications extend from the dinner table to the massage table, and when used with essential oils, its natural splendor is completely enhanced. Try it in its virgin or fractionated state and bring more of coconut’s life-enhancing gifts into your world.

Many essential oil blends have already been created that combine these wonderful botanicals. For more on all sorts of therapeutic actions of essential oils, see this list here.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Mar 02 2010

The World Of Reed Diffuser Oils

Category: Aromatherapy — Agnes Vernel @ 8:29 pm

A preceding question would be on what a reed diffuser is. While this type of reed is in no relation to the ones used in woodwind instruments, it does equally bring a lovely melody in the home (an aromatic melody, to be exact).

So, before we understand what reed diffuser oils are, we must understand what reed diffusers themselves are. As porous stemmed plants that could resemble tiny bamboo sticks, they are structured so naturally to carry up fragrant oils and out into the air to smell great.

So, one wonders about the origination of these reeds.

These existences of mother nature are found growing together in multitudes by water.

As they are not a part a tree, they are essentially their very own plant structure, and they are naturally functional so the scented oils can diffuse into the air at a natural rate.

It is the large amount of pores in these reed stems that essentially act as a grouping of straws, straws that suction the scented oils up and out into the air.

You will usually see the packaged contents at aromatherapy shops or home interior design stores. Usually, they will include a nice little clear open-topped jar, a set of the reeds themselves, and the contents of the scented reed diffuser oil.

These oils usually are extracted from plants and may or may not have artificial scents added to them. The better the extraction, the better the oil retains the essence of the plant/flower itself (and the better the scent will be).

The package is so decorative that it can be placed in just about any room of the house. The scent will just liven up that living space just nicely.

Without dealing with soot and flames, you can enjoy the comfort of knowing that you will not need to monitor your reed diffusers for fire that may get out of hand. You also won\’t have to worry if you own an ionic cleaner, for those won\’t get clogged so fast with frequent candle usage.

The moment that you are left with not even a drop of reed diffuser oil, you are faced with the decision to go out to the store to purchase a completely new bundle altogether, or to be smart and purchase a refill of that fragrance oil.

Indeed, the frugal option to take is to pick up a refill at the interior design shop, so you can keep the lovely votive jar, the original reeds, and maintain feng shui in your room.

If you like aromatherapy just as much as Agnes Vernel does, then you will enjoy her blog on fragrance reed diffusers.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Jul 03 2009

Aromatic Oil Sprays

Category: Aromatherapy — Melissa Sage @ 2:59 pm
by Norah Charles

Discovering the bounty of aromatherapy is a wonderful treat, but if you aren’t used to working with essential oils, it is easy to become confused about how these powerful medicines should be applied. We’ve all been intoxicated by an essential oil and then found ourselves thinking, “Now what?” A delightful way to incorporate essential oils in your daily life is to make your own room sprays. The process is not complex, it offers you many opportunities for mixing and matching scents and exposes your whole family to the healing potential of aromatherapy.

How many times have you encountered a commercial room spray that made your head spin? Often, the fragrances used in these products are synthetic and leave us feeling overwhelmed rather than refreshed. Therapeutic-grade essential oils are all plant-derived, and if we find oils we like, our experience of a room spray changes dramatically. Instead of simply acting as a mask for unpleasant odors, an aromatherapy spray changes the atmosphere of a room, providing us with immediate physical and psychological benefits.

Aromatherapy sprays are a combination of pure essential oil and water, and in some instances, witch hazel. For supplies all you’ll need are spray bottles, spring water and essential oils. Because essential oils don’t like to be exposed to too much light, it’s best to pick cobalt blue, amber or some other dark-colored glass bottle for storage. When filling with water, try to use purified water to reduce the possibility of chemical contaminants, which might taint the scent of your spray or diminish the medicinal qualities of the oils. Finally, if you intend to keep your sprays for longer than two months, consider putting a small amount of witch hazel in the mix. Witch hazel is an extract from the North American shrub Hamamelis virginiana, and it is an excellent natural preservative when used with essential oils. Finally, you’re on to the fun part – the essential oils!

With so many aromatic oils to choose from, you can create an endless variety of sprays for your home, office or car. When considering which oils to buy, always seek the highest quality you can find. You will need to use less oil, and the healing benefits of the oil will increase exponentially if you choose a superior oil. Therapeutic-grade oils satisfy our senses in ways inferior oils simply cannot. Excellent oils make the mind feel bright and provide instantaneous changes in the body. This is because the body/mind connection is immediately felt with aromatic oils. That’s why we want to make the most of the oils we have and choose the best we can afford.

Aromatherapy sprays can be made from any essential oil, but there are a number of tried-and-true combinations. Citruses, including lemon, grapefruit, lime, tangerine and mandarin, make delightful sprays. These oils provide uplifting energy to a lethargic environment and brighten our senses instantaneously. They can also be blended with small amounts of other oils, such as rosemary, myrtle, eucalyptus or peppermint for a balance of fruit and the fresh, green scents we associate with these oils. When blending citruses, remember that these oils should not be used on the skin if you are going outside, as they are photosensitive and may cause irritation.

Another popular group of oils for room sprays is the coniferous plants and trees. Juniper berry, balsam fir, spruce, black spruce, cedar and sandalwood are perfect choices for infusing a space with grounding aromas. These essential oils are simultaneously calming and uplifting, and they are particularly pleasant during the winter months, when access to the outdoors is limited. Unlike fruit and flower scents, pines and woods imbue our environments with a subtle scent that, like incense, warms the space without overpowering our senses.

Next, blending. First, fill your bottle most of the way with water. If witch hazel is needed, blend it in a 4 to 1 ratio. For one ounce of liquid, put in 4 to 16 drops of oil. Since the water and oil won’t naturally blend, you must shake the mixture whenever you use it. All essential oils can be made into misters, yet some oils are denser that others (like vetiver) and need to be shaken vigorously prior to spraying.

When blending your own scents, start with a few drops and increase in number to make sure you enjoy the mix. Just remember that strong oils, like peppermint, black pepper or cinnamon, are intense once atomized. Only use a few drops of oil, and you should run no risk of irritating your nose, eyes or throat. Also, it’s usually a good idea to avoid essential oils that have been mixed with carrier oils. These mixtures may clog your spray bottle, as carrier oils do not evaporate the way essential oils do.

Children often love creating sprays. This simple activity can be a fun way of teaching children about natural health while providing exposure to scents they love. When creating spray blends for children, less essential oil is always best. Oils like lavender, Roman chamomile, rose and sandalwood are gentle enough for use with children, as are lemon tea tree and rosalina, oils with qualities similar to tea tree but having less sharp-smelling aromas. Children also respond well to vanilla’s calming scent. Finally, a delightful sleep aid for children and adults alike is 2 drops of lavender and 2 drops of Roman chamomile in one ounce of liquid. Spraying the oil in the corners of a room greatly aids sleep and relaxation. Just remember, NEVER spray a child’s face directly with essential oil products.

Don’t forget that these sprays can also be adapted for use as natural perfume or deodorant. Simply choose oils that are non-irritating to the skin and mix in the same way you would a room spray. A few delectable oils to consider: jasmine, rose, sandalwood, vetiver or neroli all make wonderful personal sprays. Just avoid spraying near the eyes or face. Also, any oil you’re using for therapeutic purposes can be diluted in a water/witch hazel mixture and applied as needed throughout the day. If you want your scents on the go, pocket- and purse-size misters are a great way to freshen up, calm down or revive in the middle of a long day.

Learning about essential oils is a fascinating and rewarding journey. With so many oils to choose from, you are bound to find a dozen oils and blends that work well as sprays, enabling you to change your environment in minutes. Atomizing essential oils in misters does not require much work, and the investment is low. If your blend is not what you’d hoped, you only expended a small amount. With an imagination and a few ingredients, you can begin to change your space immediately. Start your journey with sprays, and aromatherapy will become a part of daily nourishment.

About the Author:
The author is proponent of the varied and potent healing actions of aromatherapy essential oils. For more, see http://www.anandaapothecary.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jul 02 2009

Everyday Uses For Aromatherapy

Category: Aromatherapy — Ted Johnson @ 3:04 pm
by Ted Johnson

Are you are an aromatherapy fan who loves to buy candles, sachets, and essential oils? You may find it hard to resist rest and relaxing inducing formulas. It is time to expand your aromatherapy horizons. There is much more to aromatherapy than you may have imagined. There is a plethora of vibrant, life enhancing vital experiences awaiting your discovery. You can make aromatherapy a constant part of your day.

One easy way to carry the vivid smells of aromatherapy with you throughout your day is to spritz a few pages of your day planner with your favorite essential oil. You will need to dilute the oil to protect the paper in your planner. Every time you open your daily planner instead of stressing over your schedule, you will be met with a wave of relaxing aromatherapy. Try the same method with notepads and even memos. You will likely find yourself emboldened and inspired.

For many women, it is a part of their daily routine to include a spray of their favorite fragrance on their wrists or behind their ears. You can also spritz the fragrance behind your knees and your favorite aroma will be released during those high pressure times when your body temperature begins to heat up. You can also comb a light spray of your favorite fragrance through your hair. It will make you feel empowered and emboldened even when you have to make your most challenging presentations.

Work aromatherapy into your laundry by adding lemon and chamomile to the final rinse of your washer. You can also make your very own dryer sheets by adding a few drops of oil to strips of old diapers or old socks. Lavender and chamomile will make linens and towels smell fresh.

It is also a good idea to invest in a diffuser for your bathroom. Diffusers come in a variety of styles, sizes, and colors. You can also find fountain style diffusers. Large diffusers can be used as a focal point for a room and smaller diffusers can be used in the bedroom or on your desk.

Another great idea for using aromatherapy allows you to abandon wet wipes and gnarly old gym towels. You can make your own towels to take on any of life’s events using the hydrosols of essential oils. When you extractor distill your own oil save the hydrosol, and then soak terrycloth towels in the hydrosols. They can be frozen to use later.

The ideas for implementing aromatherapy into your daily life are endless. The possibilities extend as far as your imagination and willingness to experiment with aromatherapy.

About the Author:
Looking for a complete guide to aromatherapy? Visit yourcompleteguidetoaromatherapy.info for more information and resources on essential oil recipes. Also, visit to learn about aromatherapy and health.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Jul 02 2009

Essential Tips To How Essential Oils In Aromatherapy

Category: Aromatherapy — Marie Wood @ 12:34 pm
by Marie Wood

When you are looking to learn and use aromatherapy, you will find that it is a good way to relax, unwind and rejuvenate your own well being. You will also find that it can be a good and interesting way to start a romantic evening with a special person. You are most probably a beginner to aromatherapy and this short guide will provide you with a snippet of what you can uncover; you will read through a basic, introductory article of the practice of aromatherapy.

You should first learn the guidelines to consider when looking to buy some quality essential oils. You should avoid confusion of true aromatherapy essential oils with the many different perfumed and fragrance oils which are sold. You see that the latter are often what a store will attempt to pass off as aromatherapy oils, but the true fact is that they won’t do you much good. Pure essential oils come from the essence of a plant and provide individuals with therapeutic benefits. You will also see that fragrance oils do indeed smell nice but will not provide you with any psychological or physical benefits.

When you are first getting started with aromatherapy it is a good idea to look for a good comprehensive aromatherapy book or even take an aromatherapy course as a way of learning as much as you can.

It isn’t difficult to get started with learning the different parts of aromatherapy or indeed understanding the different essential oils which are available to and their combinations to make maximum impact. When you read an aromatherapy guide you will learn to appreciate the different guidelines in the use of essential oils and how you can combine these for the most benefit.

Some of the best essential oils to get started with include lavender and chamomile; which can help you to relax, unwind and get a good night’s sleep. If you’re looking for something to uplift and energize you consider essential oils such as orange and grapefruit.

Be cautious though, as you should not use essential oils that are undiluted for any physical application. An essential oil that is undiluted for inhalation will be fine, as well as freshening a room, but intending to use your oils for an aromatherapy bath or massage must be accompanied with a carrier oil such as almond.

Finally, it will be important for you to learn how essential oils should be properly kept and stored. A good aromatherapy guide will advise you to store any oils in dark glass bottle such as cobalt blue or amber. You will find that these bottles will then keep the contents cool and you should store them in a dark area. You will also find that a wooden box is a good location and can also be portable if you decide to go away and take your oils.

About the Author:
As a long term aromatherapy teacher, Marie acknowledges what what is required in a guide to aromatherapy. She teaches a number of different classes to new people who are interested in oils and candles and provides them with a complete guide to aromatherapy which they can take with them.

Tags: , , , , ,

Jul 01 2009

Make Your Own Organic Mosquito Repellent

Category: Aromatherapy — Nancy Herring @ 3:59 pm
by Gloria Thornton

We’ve waited months for winter to pass, and now summer is finally upon us! Perhaps you’re looking forward to lounging by the pool and sipping neon-colored beverages. Or maybe your summer itinerary includes mountain biking and hiking the mountains out west. No matter what our summer dreams contain, we cannot forget that other creatures love these warm, easy-going months as well. And what would summer be without our insect friends butting in during the most inopportune moments? Sure, they are critical for every biosphere on Earth, but must they disrupt our 4th of July picnics? Fortunately, aromatherapy comes to the rescue with a wide variety of oils expert at dissuading even the most obnoxious pests.

It used to be in years past that our only saving grace in the battle against insects was a DEET-based repellent. This chemically-dubious product has earned a mixed reputation; it is not recommended for young children and pregnant women, yet it is still widely used by adults because it is highly effective in warding off bugs over long periods of time. Our understanding of pest management through essential oils, however, may give us the opportunity to chuck the DEET, and its overbearing scent and mysterious side-effects, completely.

Let’s look at a few of the heavy-hitting essential oils in the insect repelling world of aromatherapy. First and foremost, citronella. We all know its reputation as a bug repellent. This bright green grass grows in warm climates and emits a strong bug-repelling aroma. It has a lemon-like scent that has come to remind us of summers past with a single whiff.

Citronella is not actually the best oil to use alone, however. Its power is magnified when it is combined with other essential oils, such as lemongrass, which it is related to, cedar wood, peppermint or geranium. Cedar wood, long-known for its ability to keep moths away from your wool sweaters, has a warm, pleasant scent that balances citronella’s astringent qualities. If you like the scent of peppermint, this affordable oil will also work beautifully with citronella and leave your environment smelling crisp and clean.

If you ask a gardener the number one plant to put in the garden to ward off flying insects, especially mosquitoes, the winner will most likely be the geranium. The geranium is tough, pretty and it smells great, but insects happen to dislike it. If you like the floral note of geranium, mix that with citronella. They are such perfect companions that a special species of plant, the citronella geranium, exists. Put that in your garden, and you can smell it from feet away!

Essential oils can be applied as a bug-control mechanism in one of two ways: atmospherically or topically. A diffuser or nebulizer is the most effective way to get these oils circulating in the air, ensuring insects don’t come near. One or more of the oils listed above can be atomized, providing you and your family the uplifting benefits of aromatherapy while simultaneously protecting you in a no-fly zone. Additionally, if you do not have a diffuser, simply take twenty drops of essential oil in a small bottle, fill the rest with water, and manually mist the area.

Topical insect repellents are sometimes necessary, and with a few oils, you can create your own. We recommend using the following recipe as a base, then using the essential oil blend in your own lotion, sunscreen or spray bottle: 3 milliliters citronella, 1 milliliter peppermint, 0.75 milliliters cedar wood and 0.5 milliliters each of lemongrass and geranium. This recipe can be changed for pre-teens by cutting the essential oil concentration down by half before blending with a carrier product. For toddlers, cut in half again and do not use peppermint. Finally, for infants, a 1% concentration of citronella and/or lemongrass alone is sufficient. Test the skin first and be aware of any negative or questionable reactions. Then, use the oil as needed. When creating sprays, consider using a bit of witch hazel, a plant-based preservative, in with the water as well.

Studies in pest management with essential oils are yielding a lot of exciting and surprising new information. While we may already be familiar with the more common insect-controlling oils, such as citronella and lemongrass, other oils are being investigated for their efficacy as well. A study conducted at Seoul National University suggested fennel essential oil might also be useful in deterring mosquitoes. This pleasant oil is not as harsh smelling as citronella or lemongrass and is easy to find. Another oil that does not readily come to mind as a mosquito repellent, but definitely shows promise, is clove. A group of researchers at Mahidol University in Thailand found that clove oil, when rubbed full-strength on the skin, provided 100% effectiveness against mosquito bites over a 2-4 hour time span. This same study found patchouli oil was a great repellent as well, giving two hours of protection when used undiluted.

The newest research has revealed an interesting winner in the fight against insect bites with essential oils. Catnip, also called catmint, is apparently a powerful insect deterrent, according to a 2008 study conducted by the DuPont Company. A 15% concentration of catnip oil in a lotion or alcohol base provided anywhere from 4 to 8 hours of protection, depending on geographic location, against black flies and mosquitoes. Previous research has shown that catnip is actually more powerful than DEET. Because the oil is relatively expensive, it might be safe to work with small doses to make sure your insects respond more like those in these studies and less like your tabby cat.

Your chances of skating through the summer months without a single mosquito bite are slim, even if you are diligently using your preventative blends. Should you find yourself with an insatiably itchy bite, don’t fret. Lavender and blue tansy oils are well-known anti-itch medicines. Lavender can be applied directly to the skin and provides instant relief. Blue tansy should be diluted to a 2% concentration in a lotion or carrier oil and then massaged into the skin. Both of these oils smell good to many people, providing a nice change from the pink calamine lotion many of us endured as children.

Your days of smelling like citronella, or DEET for that matter, are numbered. There are many complementary oils that work well when combined with the tried-and-true citronellas and lemongrasses, so don’t be afraid to blend. Scent certainly both arouses and deters almost every person, animal or bug on the planet, but research in pest management shows that aromatherapy has the tools to help us attract the things we love and repel those we don’t. With the number of applications available, such as diffusers, misters and carrier oils, we are better equipped to deal with summer’s woes. Why not try a different approach this year? And let your nose thank you.

About the Author:
The author is a regular contributor to natural ezines on essential oils and aromatherapy . She may be contacted through www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,