Tag: Vegetable Oil

Methods of Using Essential Oils

You can have all kinds of recipes for mixtures of essential oils. You may know just what these blends are meant to do for you. Yet, if you don’t know the methods for using them, they won’t do you much good.

Possibly the most popular method of using essential oils in the US today is inhalation. This method is favored in parts of Europe, and is called the German method. You can breathe in the aroma of the oils by putting a few drops of them on a tissue and inhaling. Or, you could just hold the bottle under your nose for awhile.

Breathing in the vapors of essential oils is very effective in most cases. It stimulates the olfactory system which has a great affect on the brain. This can help in cases of mood disturbances, for example. It can help with any ailment that is primarily associated with the brain.

Another method used in the US is massage. The essential oils are dropped into a carrier oil and massaged onto various parts of the body. This is called the English method. It is especially helpful for muscle pain, but can be useful for other ailments as well.

The French method of using essential oils is to ingest them. This should only be done with the purest, therapeutic grade essential oils that have been approved to be taken orally. A tiny amount of certain oils can be used to treat ailments like indigestion, for instance.

Sometimes, essential oils can be applied directly to the affected area. This is often the case with skin disorders. Usually a single drop of an essential oil will do the trick. If you use essential oils this way on children, be very careful. Make sure essential oils are well diluted with oil or water before applying to the skin.

You can do a patch test to determine if you are allergic to a particular essential oil. Mix a drop of the oil with a drop of carrier oil such as vegetable oil. Put it on an inconspicuous area, like under the arm. Cover it with a bandage for twenty four hours. If you have no reaction, you should be safe to use the essential oil on your skin.

Countless different problems can be aided by using essential oils in a bath water solution. Just add a few drops to your bath and soak for at least fifteen minutes. This will allow the essential oils to enter through your olfactory sense. It will also absorb into your skin, and finally into your bloodstream.

One way to use essential oils is to make a compress to put on an affected area. Put up to three drops of the essential oils on the affected area. Once the essential oils are in place, cover them with a hot, moist towel and then a dry towel. This increases the intensity of the vapors.

No matter how you use essential oils, you will find that they are very helpful for a variety of complaints. Of course, you still need to know exactly which oils to use. Once you know that, you can use the many methods of applying essential oils.

How to Use Essential Oils During Pregnancy

Those who have used essential oils before becoming pregnant will probably want to use them during their pregnancy. Some people will want to try them for the first time while expecting. However, it’s important to know how to use essential oils safely during pregnancy.

There are many essential oils and blends of oils that just aren’t safe to use during pregnancy. Some herbs that are used in cooking should be avoided in their essential oils forms during all nine months of pregnancy. These include basil, bay leaves, sage, thyme, and oregano. Others are clove, marjoram, and wintergreen. Some of the essential oils are safe for use after the first trimester. There are remedies for many of the discomforts of pregnancy. For example, women often have morning sickness that lasts beyond the first trimester. If so, they can breathe in oil of peppermint, spearmint, or lemon.

It is easy to end up feeling tense and full of muscle pain when you are pregnant. If this happens, a massage could be just the thing you need. With the essential oils of lavender and chamomile mixed with vegetable oil, your partner can help ease away that tension.

Commonly, women suffer from swollen ankles and feet during pregnancy. If lavender, cypress, and juniper oils are mixed with vegetable oil, they can used for massage oil. This blend of essential oils can cause the swelling to decrease.

Pregnant women also have muscle cramps in their legs at times. For this, massage oil can be made from the essential oils of lavender and chamomile, just as for any muscle pain. However, with this pain and any pain of the feet and legs, it is important to be careful when doing the massage. Activating pressure points in these areas can induce labor.

Carrying around all that extra weight can make a woman feel quite fatigued. She may have given up coffee and caffeinated soft drinks for the health of her baby. To energize herself, she can mix essential oils of lavender, grapefruit, and orange with vegetable oil. This can be inhaled or rubbed on the solar plexus. Skin eruptions are common during pregnancies. They are uncomfortable and distressing to many women. Several different conditions can be helped by putting a mixture of essential oils and vegetable oil on the affected areas.

The essential oils you should use for dry skin are geranium, lavender, and rose. For inflamed skin, use chamomile. For itchy skin, use a combination of chamomile and lavender. These remedies should soothe the skin and make it smoother. There’s just no getting around stretch marks. If you are getting them, though, you might like to have a way to soothe them and keep them from itching. Just put lavender, geranium, and rosewood essential oils in your vegetable oil for massaging.

Do your homework if you are pregnant and wanting to use essential oils to relieve some of the discomforts associated with pregnancy. After the first trimester, there are certain essential oils that are safe to use. If in doubt, consult an expert. It’s important to take the safety of you and your baby into account.