Monthly Archives: February 2026

Aromatherapy Facts, Cure For Diseases, Uses of Essential Oils

The healing power of smell: Ayurveda and aromatherapy

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Aromatherapy existed centuries ago, right from the day people started using herbs and oils to treat diseases. Though this did not happen in the Western system of medicine, it happened way back in the science of life or what is called Ayurveda. Ayurvedic system of medicine used the power of smell for a lot of cures and treatments. Ayurvedic physicians understood that smell can have a huge impact on the brain and thereby, the other functions of the body. They used aromatherapy as a supplementary form of ayurvedic treatment. This article will explore more on the connection between modern aromatherapy and ayurveda.

The power of smell: It is said that about 80 percent of us sense the flavor of an item only through smell. The sense of smell is so powerful that it can arouse our appetite, warn us in case of danger (like fire), kindle our sexual self and elicit a surge of deep-seated memories in our mind. Smell gains power from the fact that it is connected with emotion-generating areas of the brain or the limbic system. It works like this: when you inhale an aroma, you stimulate the tiny membranes of your nose which in turn trigger electric signals to the hypothalamus of your brain. The hypothalamus is the seat of various activities of the body and controls and integrates parts of the nervous system, endocrine system, heartbeat, respiration, sexual arousal and blood sugar levels. The limbic system also wields power over the most basic emotions in your body like anger, pleasure, sadness, fear etc. So, when an aroma hits your nose membranes, it immediately makes an impact on your brain and thereby, the other parts of the body. This happens instantly, unlike the medications and drugs (which take time to dissolve into the blood stream) and hence, plays a great role in relieving people of pain and diseases.


Ayurveda and aromatherapy: As mentioned earlier, the ancient science of ayurveda has an age-old history of use of essential oils. It can be said that ayurvedic physicians used a lot of herbs and oils that it became the base on which the medicinal system was built. Ayurveda is based on the notion that the entire universe is composed of five elements and that three of these elements – Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Earth & Water) control the body. These elements have to be in right balance for the body to function well and in case of any imbalance, there is disease or what is otherwise called ‘dosha’.

Ayurvedic essential oils: Ayurveda uses aromatherapy to treat the Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas. This can be done by inhaling or massaging specific essential oils or oils that would balance the particular dosha. This is a quick way to heal trauma and disease as the aroma instantly starts working along with the brain. Remedies for Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas.

1. Essential oils for Vata dosha: Basil, Orange, Geranium, Rose and Clove oils work well in treating Vata dosha. They cultivate positive emotions and joy to keep fear and sorrow at bay.

2. Essential oils for Pitta dosha: Sandalwood, Rose, Mint, Cinnamon, Jasmine oils are good cures for Pitta dosha. These oils work by inducing creativity and enthusiasm as a replacement to irritability and anger.

3. Essential oils for Kapha dosha: Pungent aromatic oils like Eucalyptus, Juniper, Camphor, Clove and Marjoram can stimulate sociability and happiness and cure Kapha dosha.



Emotional Well-being, Uses of Essential Oils

Mind, moods and aromas: A glimpse at the mood properties of essential oils

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Have your ever noticed why things happen the way they happen during an aromatherapy session? Ever wondered why we are drawn to things that are smelly (in a positive or negative way) rather than things that are bland in scent? Mind can be influenced by the smell or scent of something as the olfactory nerves have a close relationship with the limbic system of the brain. Hippocampus, fornic, singulate cyrus, thalamus, mamillary bodies, amygdala and olfactory bulb are parts of the limbic system which influence the brain and controls various important parts/functions of the body.

The smell brain: Before the limbic system was discovered, this part of the brain was referred to us the “the smell brain” It is this smell brain which brings about mood changes in a person. When inhaling an essential oil, olfactory sensations immediately work on the brain and cause it to set off a series of changes in the emotional plane. Let’s take a look at the mood properties of popular essential oils and which oil can be used for changing or bringing about a particular mood:


1. Alertness: To become alert, you can inhale blends with Basil, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Peppermint and Rosemary. These oils invigorate the brain and make even a dullard hyperactive and mentally agile.

2. Concentration: The power of focus is extremely necessary for success and to achieve this, use the following oils – Lemon, Basil, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Frankincense, Chamomile Roman etc.

3. Confidence: Some children can lack confidence due to peer pressure or parental pressure. To help such children with low self-esteem and self-confidence, add Cypress, Fennel, Ginger, Grapefruit, Orange, Jasmine and Pine to your bath water or essential oil blends.

4. Creativity: Creativity is a will o’ the wisp and cannot be easily achieved. To improve your creativity or usher in creative thoughts, use Bergamot, Lemon, Frankincense, Neroli, Jasmine, Cloves and Rose oils.

5. Peace: To lead a peaceful life or to calm yourself during stressful situations, use Chamomile Roman, Neroli, Juniper, Melissa, Yarrow and Frankincense oil blends in your bath water or inhalations.

6. Happiness: Happiness is the most elusive thing in the world. One moment you have it, another moment, it is not there. To bring about happiness into your life, use Orange, Rose, Jasmine, Ginger, Cinnamon, Geranium and Cloves.

7. Rest and relaxation: To rejuvenate yourself and bring about complete sense of relaxation after a long tiresome routine or hard day at office, use Lavender, Geranium, Clary Sage, Neroli and Sandalwood oils.

8. Self-esteem: To build your self-esteem and face the world with confidence, use Jasmine, Geranium, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and other oils. You can also work on your self-image with Orange, Lavender, Melissa, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Bay, Pine and Nutmeg oils.



Uses of Essential Oils, Women's Health

Labor of love: 7 ways to use aromatherapy for pregnant women

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Labor pain is said to be the most severe pain in the world and every woman who passes through labor, wants to make it as pleasant and less-stressful as possible. Pregnant women love to surround  themselves with comfy things and pampering items that relax and soothe their labor and evoke a sense of familiarity in the birthing place or hospital in which they go through childbirth. Aromatherapy can do wonders to a pregnant mother as it can calm and rest the body and mind with its variety of aromas and herbs.

Aromatherapy for pregnant women – Things to note: Though aromatherapy can be replace drugs or act as relaxants during childbirth, they can be harmful sometimes. This is because some essential oils have strong scents which affect the senses of women and cause stressful conditions like menstruation, painful labor, contractions of uterus, miscarriage etc. To avoid such troubles, stay away from strong scents that you do not like before labor. Even the aromas that you like before labor can turn resentful during labor. So, consult with your doctor or an expert aromatherapist before inhaling or using any essential oil during childbirth. Especially, you need to stay away from a few essential oils like Basil, Clary Sage, Cedarwood, Cypress, Fennel, Jasmine, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Origanum, Peppermint, Rosemary and Thyme. Similarly avoid herbs like rue, golden seal, mistletoe, poke root, wormwood, sage, calendula, cotton root, male fern etc. NEVER ingest any of the essential oils.


Essential oils to choose from: You can choose essential oils that are mild in aroma and yet have a therapeutic effect on your mind and body. You can choose essential oils that are pain relievers, anxiety-relievers, anti-depressants, fear-eliminators, relaxants, oils with calming effects and body soothing properties. Below are some oils to choose from for use during labor:

1. For pain relief: Pain can be very stressful during labor. A woman’s blood pressure and stress levels increase when the pain intensifies. To alleviate painful and depressing labor, you can use Geranium, Rosemary, Chamomile or Lavender. These oils have pain-relaxing properties that can reduce pain and relax the body.

2. For depression: Pregnancy and postpartum depression can be treated with oils like Geranium and Neroli. Both the oils have anti-depressant properties which helps with anxiety, fear and apprehension tension during labor. Geranium also helps with breathing by improving circulation.

3. For feminine health: Uterus contractions can be very painful and depressing during labor. Rose oil can be used as an uterine tonic to support labor and alleviate the traumas women undergo during it.

4. For relaxation: There are several essential oils to achieve relaxation and mental balance. Some of them are Lavender, Bergamot, Rosemary, Geranium and Chamomile.

5. For emotional upliftment: Women can become really depressed during labor. To steer clear of labor blues, use a strong scented oil like Ylang Ylang. Since this is a strong scent, you need to try and check if you are comfortable with it several months before labor. It is a great option for lowering blood pressure and hence can help with labor. You can also use Jasmine for its uplifting properties.

How to use oils? Ok, let’s assume you have chosen your oils and are ready to use them. Now the question is, how would you use an essential oil? Below are two ways:

6. Spritzer method: Make a spritzer by combining two drops of your essential oil/s with four ounces of water. Pour the mixture into a small spray bottle and shake well. Then, store the container in the refrigerator until labor day and use it in the following ways:

  • Spritz into your bath water and soak in it on your labor day
  • Spritz on your handkerchief and keep it with yourself all the day
  • Spray a little bit into the birthing room to freshen the air around you during labor
  • Make your feet clean and fresh by spritzing on it. You will feel good about it during labor

7. Bowl method: Fill a small bowl with hot water and add your essential oils into it. Place it somewhere in your birthing room or other place where you can both inhale it and from where it can be easily removed.



Cure For Diseases, Uses of Essential Oils

Killer or carcinogen? The truth about essential oils as anti-cancer agents

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With aroma medicine being accepted more than ever, research is on to explore the various healing benefits of essential oils. Though it has been tested and proved that essential oils have significant effects as antivirals, antibacterials, anti-fungals and anti-depressants, recent research shows that they have specific anti-cancer properties too. This article will explore the truth about essential oils as anti-cancer agents for future.

Essential oils as carcinogens: Before we analyze the role of essential oils as anti-cancer agents, we need to first understand that not all essential oils are good for health and as in every other case, there are a few exceptions too. Some essential oils are said to be carcinogens, or stimulators of cancerous growths. This is basically because of one or two carcinogenic components present in such oils. Hence prolonged use of such oils can mean increased possibility of cancer. There are a few carcinogenic oils and there are other oils to be avoided if you have a particular type of cancer or so. Calamus oil and Sassafras oil, because of their high content of asorone and safrole, are highly carcinogenic. The methyl chavicol in Basil oil can be carcinogenic if used in large amounts. It is best to select  a Basil oil with the highest Linalool content and of course, lowest methyl chavicol content.


You need to avoid a few essential oils if you have cancer. These include Aniseed, Basil, Bay, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Nutmeg, Star anise, Ho leaf, Laurel, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Verbena. If you have skin cancer, avoid using Bergamot and other sun-sensitive oils.

Essential oils as anti-cancer agents: Research has revealed that many useful essential oils have an annihilating effect on cancer cell line. Some of these oils are:

Frankincense oil: A study in the journal of BioMed Central Journal of Complementary Alternative Medicine in March 2009 revealed, “Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability.” The study opined that the oil can be used to induce bladder cancer death and is an inexpensive way to eradicate cancer without harming the healthy cells in the same organ. Since Frankincense is a natural compound, there will no side effects like in chemotherapy.

Lemongrass oil: Lemongrass oil has been extensively researched for its anti-cancer properties. A study published in Chemico-Biological Interactions identifies that Colon cancer and Neuron cancer lines can be reduced with Lemongrass oil. The study indicated that Lemongrass oil induces natural cancer cell death through a process called the apoptotic process.

Sweet Linalool: Linalool is a sweet, relaxing aromatic found in many essential oils. It has been found out that Linalool can completely eradicate the HepG2 line of liver cancer cells when used in very low concentrations. Apart from its anti-cancer effects, Linalool also has anxiety-alleviating and sleep-inducing properties.

Sandalwood oil: Sandalwood oil is a great agent for preventing skin cancer tumor development. The alpha-santalol in Sandalwood oil is a remarkable for reducing skin tumor formations. This has been proved in a study published in the Journal of Anticancer Research  in January 2008.

Spice oils: Spice oils like Thyme and Oregano are also effective in preventing cancer. They do this by protecting the breakage of human DNA strands when exposed to highly oxidative stress. Some oils, instead of being direct anti-cancer agents, prevent tumor growth by supporting the immune system.



Skin Care, Uses of Essential Oils

Stop acne outbreaks: 3 remedies to treat pimples with essential oils

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Acne is not hazardous but embarrassing. You may not develop any sort of physical illness from acne, but you will definitely look awkward with it. Acne breakouts can make life hell for teenagers, adults and all those who are victims to it. Though there are many cures to acne, not all of them are perfect. Fortunately, there are quite a lot of essential oils to help you deal with acne.

What causes acne? Before we proceed to look into the remedies, we need to understand what causes acne outbreaks. The problem is basically to do with clogged skin pores. When your skin pores and follicles are blocked by dust or other facts, oil secretion fails and this leads to formation of blemishes, skin eruptions and pimples on the skin. Many people with oily skin are more liable to frequent acne outbreaks as they have excess oil on their skin surface. Teenagers and menstruating women are victims to acne on account of hormonal changes.


Essential oils for acne treatment: Essential oils treat acne by working on the problems underlying acne eruptions. Essential oils treat stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalance and other physiological disruptions that cause acne. When the oils soothe the body and keep it at a relaxed state, pimples disappear or are alleviated. De-stressing is also an important function of these essential oils remedies. Commercial acne treatments understand the role of essential oils in hormonal balance, elimination of wastes etc. This is why most of the commercial therapies have eucalyptus oil as the primary ingredient in them. Such an ingredient not just reduces oil secretion but also kills the bacteria that induce acne formation.

To prepare your own homemade acne remedy, you need to have a little knowledge in the use of essential oils. Compress a salt and essential oil and use it as a remedy. If you have intense oil problems, use the blemish treatment given below:

1. For oily skin: Oily skin should be handled with care as the skin tends to be provoked easily. Meaning, any unusual or harmful ingredients can spoil your skin and aggravate your skin eruptions. To avoid this, use skin-drying and antiseptic essential oils like Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Geranium, Juniper Berry, Lavender, Lemongrass, Sandalwood and Tea Tree oil. Use any of these oils and dilute in a base of witch-hazel and aloe vera gel. Since witch hazel contains alcohol, it has a drying effect on your body. On the other hand, aloe vera is a great gel for healing and hence can cleanse your pores and heal the eruptions in your skin.

2. Facial Toner: You can use your essential oils and prepare your own skincare concoctions. To make a facial toner for your oily skin, combine all the following ingredients in a glass bottle: 12 drops of Lemongrass oil, 6 drops of Juniper Berry oil, 2 drops of Ylang Ylang oil, 1 oz of witch hazel lotion and 1 oz of aloe vera gel. Mix the ingredients and blend with vinegar (if you think witch hazel is too drying). You can use the mixture as a paste at least once a day to retain the overall natural acid balance.

3. Intensive Blemish: You may need an intensive blemish treatment if your skin is too oily. You can prepare such a thing at your home with the following ingredients – 12 drops of Tea Tree oil, ½ tbsp of Oregon grape root and Vitamin E. Make a paste with the herb powder and essential oils. Add water for easy paste formation and apply on the blemished or affected area. After 20 minutes of drying, rinse of the paste with clear water. Dry with towel completely to remove any remaining paste. If you cannot find Vitamin E anywhere, cut open a tablet and squeeze out the oil. Vitamin E rejuvenates your skin and heals any kind of scar or sores.