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Types of Essential Oils

Antiviral oils: Immune-supportive properties of essential oils

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The medical world has gradually warmed up to the functions of essential oils as antibiotics. Though essential oils have been in practice for ages, it is but recently the scientific, especially the antibiotic properties of essential oils have been recognized and recommended for use in treating viral diseases and acting as disinfectants. These essential oils do not just cure viral or bacterial infections, but rev-up the immune system also.

Essential Oils as Antiviral Oils: You may wonder how can an oily substance that is but a plant extract be effective in treatment of several ailments. Essential oils are not just ordinary plant extracts. They are the life-blood of plants. They support a plant’s immune system and prevent it from infections and viral attacks. Since essential oils are basically concentric absolutes, they are highly effective plant extracts. With oxygen, carbon dioxide and so many common nutrients between plants and essential oils, these plant extracts act as antibiotics in the human body. There are several essential oils with antiviral properties. These oils prevent and cure viral infections when massaged or applied topically or when used in aromatherapy.


How do antiviral essential oils work? Many essential oils work by the following ways: They stop virus replication; they improve efficiency of white blood cells; they change the electrical potential of cell walls and make them immune-supportive. Some essential oils are highly antimicrobial, owing to their bactericidal and antiseptic properties.

Antiviral essential oils: There are a few essential oils which have the reputation of treating viral infections like herpes, skin disorders, influenza etc. Below are a list of such oils:

1. Strong antiviral oils: Melissa, Ravensara, Clove, Cinnamon, Oregano and Thyme are some of the well-known essential oils with antiviral properties and immune-supportive characteristics. Of all of them, Melissa and Ravensara have strong abilities to combat viral infections. If you have to deal with virus or pathogen, you can rely on Clove, Cinnamon, Oregano as they are high on phenol and reduce inflammation or infectious conditions. However, these oils can cause skin irritations if used without carrier oils. So, dilute them with appropriate, therapeutic base oils before aromatherapy.

2. Cold sores treatment: Melissa oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil and bergamot oil are effective in fighting cold sores. They reduce the inflammation and pain drastically when applied immediately after outbreaks.

3. Immune-supportive oils: Some essential oils help generate more white blood cells. They stimulate the body to produce more immunity resistance. Such essential oils are lavender oil, bergamot oil, lemon oil, niaouli, rosemary, tea tree, and ravensara.

4. Influenza and respiratory infections: Eucalyptus, Radiata, Rosemary and Ravensara can be used as complements to regular medical care. These oils do not just relieve the patient of infection, but also speed up the recovery process and protect from further damage. These oils can also be applied regularly to lymph nodes for better results.

While using essential oils as antiviral oils, it should be understood that different plant families exhibit varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the virus strain. Healing depends on the molecular structures of the oils, the extent to which they penetrate the human body and structure of the virus strain. So, cure is possible only when appropriate, therapeutic grade oils are used in the right measures.



History of Essential Oils

Homemade Essential Oils: 5 essential materials and how-to-do tips

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If you are an avid user of essential oils and know all about various carrier oils, absolutes, including their therapeutic properties and aromas, you can start making them at your home. By making homemade essential oils, you could save a lot of money and have loads of fun in knowing more about healing oils. Joys apart, essential oil making demands great patience and care. As a novice, you may have to have a few materials and know about the right measure of herbs, spices and oils you need to use.

Below are a few essential tips you need to know with regard to making essential oils at your home:


1. Learn about essential oils: You maybe an expert with regard to essential oil usage. But you can suck when you venture to make a preparation on your own. As a basic rule, get to know everything you can about essential oils. Know about the home preparation methods suggested and choose the best that you can afford. Instead of starting on a large scale, start with a small experiment. Try making small ounces of oil and test it to verify the results. You can even take it to a local aromatherapy apothecary to check the quality of your preparation.

2. Possible sources of essential oils: You need to know from where you can extract which oil. A general information search on the Internet or a trip to a local, alternative medicine library would help a lot. Since plant materials are the basic substances from which essential oils are made, parts of plants form the possible sources. Depending on the nature of your oil, you can extract from flowers, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, kernels, stem, bark etc. Possible flowers are rose, lavender, jasmine, neroli, marigold, lotus, vetiver, orange blossom etc. Possible sources of herbs are thyme, peppermint, basil, marjoram, rosemary, lemon balm etc. Coriander, cloves, cinnamon and cumin form the best kind of oil sources in the spices category. Even the zest of citrus fruits can be used in essential oil preparation.

Materials you may need: Essential oil preparation is easy if you have the right materials. Here is a list of materials you may require:

3. Measuring Devices: Must for any kind of preparation, more so for essential oils. Since essential oils are highly concentrated, you need to use the right measure of oils when mixing or in combination with carrier oils. If your measure exceeds the right dose, you may feel skin irritation or the oil may go rancid quickly. You may get a different aroma too.

4. Containers, jars, Vitamin E caps: This is required to hold the oil once extracted from plants. You will also need a tinted bottle with a tight lid to store the prepared oils. Vitamin E gel caps can be used as a natural preservative to prevent oils from getting spoilt.

5. Enfleurage: Enfleurage and maceration are the processes by which oils can be prepared at home easily. Enfleurage is a method which involves steeping of essential oils in cool olive oil. The extracted oil is purified or heated to get the desired quality. Sometimes the enfleurage container is kept in hot water to speed up the extraction process. This is called maceration. Since enfleurage may involve repetition and take about 24 to 48 hours time, better to get the detailed measurements of the carrier oils and plant extracts you need to add.



Types of Essential Oils

The quintessentials of essentials: 4 common types of essential oils

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Essential oils are highly beneficial health care products. What distinguishes them from other medicinal products are their drug-free, side effects-free, safety properties. When you use an essential oil for a particular ailment, you can be sure of getting cured without hiccups. Essential oils do not interact with other oral medications too. On the whole, they are 100% safe irrespective of the person on whom they are administered.

Types of essential oils: Essential oils are differentiated or grouped by their extraction methods. Nowadays different methods are used in extraction, but the most common and prevalent methods are: Steam Distillation, Cold Pressing and Solvent Extraction. Based on these methods, essential oils can be classified into four different types: 1.Steam-distilled, 2. Expressed, 3. Solvent-extracted and 4. Absolutes or concretes.


1. Steam-distilled oils: Steam distillation is the oldest and traditional method of oil extraction. Pure aromatherapy oils are extracted through this process as it yields pristine oil, free from impurities. The process works like this: Plant material is placed in a container and steam is passed through it. Heat from the steam opens pockets of plant containing aromatic molecules and oils. When released, these molecules rise with the steam and pass through a closed system. After this, the aromatic steam is passed through a cooling process and is distilled with cold water. During this process, the essential plant oils condense and transform into liquid state. The liquid mixture is separated later into two – essential oils and aromatic water or hydrosol.

Steam distillation takes into account a variety of things, including the pressure of steam passed through plant material, the coolant used, the temperature of the closed system during production of oil etc. An oil’s quality and purity is based on all these factors and the skill of the distiller. Reputed distillers’ oils are rated high owing to the quality and purity of their extracts.

2. Cold-pressed or Expressed oils: This is a method used to extract oils from the citrus family of fruits. Oils are produced from the rind of fruits like tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, oranges and others. Though they should be known only as expressed oils, they are classified under essential oils due to their high therapeutic value. Using mechanical pressure, oils are forced out of the fruits in juice form. Since the juicy form of oils contain a lot of water, a separation process is carried out to separate oils from water. One downside to this method is, cold-pressed oils get spoilt quickly than other oils. So it is recommended that these oils are bought in small quantities and refilled whenever required.

3. Solvent Extracted Oils: Some plant material cannot tolerate heat (in steam form) or be subjected to cold-pressing. When they are subjected to any such method, the oil thus produced may be contaminated or impure in quality. To avoid this, some plants like Jasmine, Rose, Orange Blossom (Neroli), Tuberose and Oak are extracted through solvents. Solvents such as ethanol, ether, methanol, hexane, alcohol, and petroleum are used to extract essential oils.

The process works like this: Plant material is first passed on through hydrocarbon solvents. Then, the solvent mixture is filtered and distilled in low pressure to produce essential oils. A downside to this method is that, sometimes, solvent residues remain in the oils. This can cause allergic reactions in certain individuals.

4. Absolutes or concretes: Absolute oils are essences that are obtained by extraction of a concrete with alcohol. A concrete is generally the solid waxy residue that remains after extraction of oils by solvents (especially hexane).



History of Essential Oils

Facts, Fiction and Limitations: Is Aromatherapy worth all the hype?

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Aromatherapy is the practice of using volatile, aromatic and absolute plant oils in the physical and psychological well-being of people. Though aromatherapy has been prevalent for centuries, it has received great attention in the recent times. Only in the 20th century, the very term aromatherapy was coined by a French chemist. However, in this short time span, aromatherapy has gained enormous reputation as an alternative medicinal system. It has been proven that essential oils benefit people in numerous ways without any disturbing side effects. All popularity apart, the question remains the same: Is aromatherapy worth all the hype it is being given? What is so special about aromatherapy that it gets a lot of press these days? This article is an answer to these questions.

Aromatherapy – Fact, fiction and Limitations: Like with every other system of medicine, there are a lot of myths about aromatherapy. People tend to be carried away by the cures promised by aromatherapists and believe that treatment with essential oils can cure every other disease in the world. This is not true. Aromatherapy is not a cure for every other disease. It can treat only certain ailments and is not a complete alternative to the existing system of medicine.


Below are a list of myths, facts and limitations of aromatherapy as a system of medicine:

1. What is it and what is it not: Aromatherapy is the use of volatile, aromatic essential oils (plant extracts) in the treatment of physical conditions. Owing to the aromatic and healing effects of the oils, aromatherapy helps in the psychological and physiological well being of individuals. Some media reporters, marketing people and vendors claim aromatherapy as a new system of medicine and thus give it a false hype. It is not a complete system of medicine and neither it is new as it has been prevalent right from the times of Egyptian civilization and Ayurvedic medicine.

2. Fragrance oils are not essential oils: Fragrance oils or oils used in perfumes and air fresheners are different from essential oils. Any unnatural product is not part of holistic aromatherapy. But unfortunately several vendors project their medicines as aromatherapeutic cure. Beware of such medicines.

3. Aromatherapy is not a cure for major illnesses: Aromatherapy cannot definitely cure major illnesses like cancer or AIDS. It can neither relieve one from depression or stress completely. However, it can help in alleviating the symptoms of such disorders and help in the treatment process. It can enhance a cancer patient’s quality of life by changing his mood, calming fear and giving temporary pain relief. Similarly, essential oils can improve an AIDS patient’s immune system and thereby, reduce the symptoms. But aromatherapy cannot treat major diseases.

4. Aromatherapy is complementary: Aromatherapy is what is called a complementary, alternative health modality. It cannot replace standard medical care but can only complement it. It can offer alternative choices and help you avoid prescription or over the counter drugs, but it cannot replace standard medical system. It can offer practical cure to a variety of ailments like cuts, wounds, PMS symptoms, bruises, inflammation, insomnia, anxiety, fear, depression, pain, rheumatism, hair loss, acne, skincare, menstrual problems, and so on.

5. Labels on medications: Some marketers use the label “Made with essential oils” even if the medication has other ingredients in it. Since the U.S. does not regulate the use of the word aromatherapy on product labels, many marketers use it to create a false hype. As a buyer, you should know to sieve fact from fiction when it comes to aromatherapy.



Types of Essential Oils

Understanding Essential Oils: 3 major ways of healing you should know

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Essential oils are efficient in treating several ailments in the human body. They are very different from vegetable or fatty oils and are non-greasy, anti-microbial, transport oxygen, and do not clog the skin pores. Essential oils work in a specific way to cure illnesses. This is because they are highly complex substances which are mosaics of hundreds of natural chemicals.

Essential oils and the human body: Any average essential oil may contain about 80 to 400 known chemical constituents that combine together to have a therapeutic effect on the body. These are natural chemicals that are useful in protecting plants from several environmental attacks. By supplying essential oils to the body, you can protect it from bacterial and viral infections, and deliver proper oxygen and nutrients to cells.  Since carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are common to both plants and humans, these plant oils also digest toxic waste in the body. They also have a lipid-soluble structure that makes them compatible with human body.

Historical methods of healing through Essential Oils: Essential oils were historically used in three different methods called the French, the German and the English methods. The English method dilutes drops of essential oils in vegetable oil and uses the mixture in massages, body relaxation techniques etc. The French follow the oral method of healing. They swallow therapeutic essential oils internally for quick healing effects. Many French practitioners believed that essential oils were extremely useful when  taken orally. The Germans recommended the inhalation of oils and engaged in aromatherapy. This has been scientifically proved to be a good method as the aromatic compounds of the oils have a strong effect on the brain, especially the hormone center of the body (hypothalamus) and the seat of emotions or the limbic region.

Major ways of healing: Three major healing methods are practiced in aromatherapy to  bring about the therapeutic effects of essential oils. Though there are several other methods to bring cure, these are the most common methods that are known to every aromatherapy practitioner.

1. Pharmacological: In the pharmacological method, essential oils enter the blood stream through lungs. Candles, air fresheners, inhalers and room sprays are used in this treatment.  By controlling or reacting with different hormones and enzymes, the essential oils produce chemical changes in the body.

2. Physiological: In the physiological method, essential oils are made to enter the body through skin. With products such as lotions or massage oils, essential oils are absorbed through the skin in order to treat ailments. When applied to the affected area, they cause human body systems to become sedated, energized and stimulated. This method works especially well with physical ailments related to muscles, body pain, headaches, injuries and wounds.

3. Psychological: Psychological way is through the brain. Like the German method, this way is  through  inhalation. By inhaling an essential oil, you can have a strong impact on the brain and the hormonal system of the body. This method is often said to bring peace, happiness and feelings of sedation into an anxious and otherwise-restless body. By inhaling, you can also avoid oral intake and cure your conditions in a safe, natural and drug-free way.

Since aromatherapy does not interfere with any of the medications, its benefits are numerous. All the major ways of healing work to bring a calm and relaxing effect on the body. When the body is relaxed, the oils act on the enzymes and hormones, curing the ailment for which they are used.



History of Essential Oils

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: A historic overview

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The history of Essential Oils is as old as the history of civilization. Essential Oils have been in practice in almost every ancient civilization known to the human race. Before we proceed to chart a historic timeline about the usage of essential oils, we need to know what exactly does the term “essential oil” means.

What are Essential Oils? Essential Oils are basically extracts from flowers, plants, seeds, leaves, stem, bark, roots of herbs, bushes, shrubs and trees. They are volatile and aromatic liquids which are used in various treatments as healing oils. An essential oil is the soul or blood of a plant. It takes a whole plant to create a single drop of an essential oil. Highly concentrated, they protect plants from diseases and cankerous attacks and are expected to do the same in humans. Essential oils are indeed the oldest form of medication known to man and were considered more valuable than gold or gems by the ancients.

Historic Timeline of Essential Oils: The history of essential oils dates back to 4000 B.C., though the term ‘Essential Oils’ and ‘Aromatherapy’ are pretty modern (coined only during the 20th century). The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Chinese and Indians were known to have practiced aromatherapy using essential oils in their medicines for centuries.


Egyptians: Ancient Egyptians were one of the first practitioners of essential oils. They used plant extracts in cosmetics, for relaxation, for embalming their bodies and for their mummies. The Egyptians kept a gradually-melting cone in their headdresses that released oils into the head and also kept the fragrance of people alive. The Egyptians used distillation methods to extract plant oils.

Greeks: The Greeks learned about healing oils from the Egyptians. They used herbs and therapeutic oils for healing, relaxation and even in surgery. Asclepius in 1200 BC and Hippocrates in 400 BC were the famous physicians to have used plant oils in aromatic baths, remedies and healing therapies.

Indians and Chinese: Ancient Indians used aromatherapy in surgeries, for healing diseases, wounds and other injuries. Essential oils are an integral part of the age-old Indian medicinal system called Ayurveda. The Chinese too, on their part, is believed to have used healing oils in their medicinal practices.

Romans: After the Greeks, it was the Romans who took up the practice of healing oils in medicine. They borrowed medication practices using essential oils from Egyptians and Greeks and then, developed techniques to extract and distillate plant oils. Claudius Galen (150 AD) is said to have treated hundreds of wounded gladiators using healing oils and botanical remedies. He was also the personal physician of Emperor Marcus Aurelius to whom he advocated essential oil treatments.

Persians: Though the Persians borrowed essential oil practices from Romans and Egyptians, Persian physician Avicenna (1000 AD) is the first world physician to have discovered a steam pipe to distillate plants and produce essential oils instead of floral waters.

Dark Ages: During the dark ages, the Catholic Crusaders brought healing oil practices to Europe. However, there was no significant progress as the Church ruled out disease as a punishment of God and those who were diseased as sinners. Owing to this, essential oil practice did not see any growth during this time. When Black Death wiped out half the population of Europe, botanical remedies were used but without much success.

Later periods: After Europe started exploring the East, they once again started practicing aromatherapy. Many wealthy people in Europe used aromatic handkerchiefs to ward off unpleasant smells and for microbial protection. Sometimes essential oils were used to fumigate hospitals and keep germs at bay. Apothecaries and herbalists engaged in formulation of pharmaceutical remedies, essential oils, fragrances and herbs. These remedies treated people of several ailments from headaches to injuries.

Aromatherapy: French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse was the first person to coin the term ‘Aromatherapy’ in 1928. Following him, French army doctor Jean Valet used essential oils to treat wounded soldiers in the Second World War.  An Austrian biochemist named Marguerite Mary used essential oils for cosmetic benefits whose research results are still considered the basis of aromatherapy all over the world.

First book: The first book in aromatherapy and essential oils was written by Robert B. Tisserand in 1977. Titled ‘The Art of Aromatherapy’, the book details on the basics of aromatherapy and the therapeutic value of several herbs. From then on, aromatherapy and essential oils have become popular worldwide as an alternative medicinal treatment.



Personal Care, Uses of Essential Oils

Aromatherapy gift ideas: 6 essential oil recipes for personal grooming

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With aromatherapy, you can try almost anything. Apart form self and family use, essential oil recipes can be made into personal gifts and gifted to near and dear ones. Friends and family members who have not had a taste of aromatherapy can be given gifts made from essential oils like shaving cream, scrubber, bath salt, mouth freshener, soap etc. and introduced to the benefits of aromatherapy. This article will provide a few essential oil recipes that can be used to make personal care products.

Aromatherapy gift ideas –  Personal Care: Before trying out each and every recipe, make sure that you know about each and every essential oil you use, their aroma profiles, notes, chemical and physical properties and the healing benefits they offer when diffused, massaged or used as bath water. Similarly, while choosing oils for blends, try with a small amount of the oils to avoid waste of money or time if your oils turn out bad. Work with oils that lend a beautiful aroma and also have a soothing effect on your body.


1. Skin soother: If you are one who thinks salt scrubs are too hard or rough for you, try this skin soother blend. You will avoid the salt scratches and will also get rid of dead skin. To make the skin soother, mix a generous scoop of brown sugar with two drops of Sandalwood oil. The aroma will be smooth and relaxing. Gently rub the scrub on the skin and wipe out dull winter or dead skin cells.

2. Shaving soap: All your male friends would love this. You can try different blends and make a shaving soap gel that is aromatic and at the same time, antiviral and antimicrobial. Try this shaving soap recipe: ½ cup of grated soap, 2/3 cups of distilled water (boiled), 2 tbsp of melted coconut oil, 3 tbsp of Almond oil, and 1 tbsp of borax. Dissolve the soap in water and put in blender. Add all the remaining ingredients and whip till you get a fluffy consistency. Add scent and start using. If you are making shaving soap using a homemade soap, add more soap for better lather.

3. Shaving cream: This would come with excellent lather and do a good cleansing job. To make the cream, add ¼ oz of stearic acid with 2 tbsp of Olive or Almond oil and melt both together. Then, combine with the mixture, 1 cup of hot water, 1 tsp of borax, and 2 tbsp of grated soap. Beat the ingredients in stearic acid and whip till you get a creamy consistency.

4. Hand lotion: This hand lotion is the simplest you can ever make. Maybe you can surprise your guests by gifting them a bottle of this lotion while they visit your place. You will make them happy and as well as earn the name of a good aromatherapist. To make a hand lotion, blend Vegetable Glycerine and Rose Hydrosol in a pretty jar. See to it both are blended well and start using the lotion.

5. Lip balm: Ingredients you will need – 1 oz of Beeswax Beads, 1 oz of Shea Butter, Mango Butter or Virgin Coconut and 1 oz of liquid coconut carrier oil like Jojoba, Kukui, Avocado etc. Use herbal infused oils like Chamomile for skin soothing and add essential oils for Peppermint, Lime etc. If you want to clean your baby’s diaper rash, add Lavender and German Chamomile. For a softer balm, use less beeswax or less liquid oil.

6. Body Powder: To make body powder, mix 15 to 20 drops of your essential oil blend per one ounce of cornstarch and unscented talc.



For Family, Uses of Essential Oils

Perfumed airs and lively rooms: 4 essential oil air freshener blends

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Aromatherapy was initially considered as an aromatic use of essential oils and people bought essential oils to aromate their self, their living spaces and their work spots. Aromatherapy has been in practice right from the time of the ancient Egyptians. Greeks, Romans and Egyptians used essential oils for refreshing their personal spaces and anointing themselves with good scents. Only later, the use of essential oils as a healing massage oil or bath water came to be known. Basically aromatic oils were made to make incense, air fresheners and massage oils. This article will throw light on how to make essential oil air freshener blends.

Essential oil air fresheners recipes: To make an aromatic air freshener, you can try out a simple recipe as the below one. Take a 4 oz of spray bottle with a  fine mist setting and use it for spraying. Do not use bottles that have been previously used for cleaning products or hair products such as shampoo, hair spray etc. Add 30 to 40 drops of your favorite essential oil blend with 1.5 oz of distilled water and 1.5 oz of high-proof alcohol. If you are allergic to alcohol, you can increase the amount of distilled water to 3 oz. But understand that only the alcohol can make the aroma linger for a longer time.


Below are a few essential oil recipes that can be used to make air fresheners:

1. Air Freshener Blend 1: To make this blend, add 20 drops of Lime to 14 drops of Bergamot, 4 drops of Ylang Ylang and 2 drops of Rose. Mix well and use in your air freshener or diffuse the oil through the room.

2. Air Freshener Blend 2: This would make a sweet aromatic blend as Lemon and Lavender are involved. Add 15 drops of Clary Sage to 9 drops of Lemon and 6 drops of Lavender. Mix the ingredients well and use them in an air freshener. If you want to add some other oil for more aroma, do so.

3. Air Freshener Blend 3: This is for the fresh and peppy spirited. Add 15 drops of Bergamot to 15 drops of Spearmint and mix well. You can increase the amount of spearmint if you like its aroma.

4. Air Freshener Blend 4: A complete Rosemary blend. Everyone will love it and you can use it anywhere – in your living room, bedroom or even toilet. As Rosemary is both uplifting and aromatic, you can use it with any oil. To make this blend, use 20 drops of Rosemary, 8 drops of Grapefruit , 4 drops of Peppermint and 2 drops Spearmint. Blend well and use with air freshener.



For Pets, Uses of Essential Oils

Safety first, therapy next: 5 rules to stick to in pet aromatherapy

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Pet aromatherapy is becoming popular these days. With awareness about essential oils growing day after day, people have started administering aromatherapy for animals, the results of which have been successful so far. But aromatherapy for pets is not an easy joke as the metabolism and biology of an animal – be it a horse or a cat or a dog – is different from that of human beings. Though essential oils can be used to remove fleas, ticks, treat arthritic pain, throat infection etc. in animals, you need to be very careful in their application. Sickness due to wrong application of oils can be unbearable and troublesome. So avoid using oils that are not recommended for animals. This article will throw light upon the safety guidelines you need to follow while using aromatherapy for pets.

Safety guidelines for pet aromatherapy: Animals are very different from human beings when it comes to medicating themselves. They have an innate ability to self-medicate themselves through herbs, plants and other naturally occurring substances. Pets like cats heal wounds just by licking. Dogs too have a separate mechanism for curing their sickness. So, you need to be watchful on whether a particular therapy is to your pet’s liking or not.


Below are a few tips on how to do this:

1. Seek permission from your pet: No this is not a silly advice. We mean what we say. Seek permission from your pets before applying any essential oil on its body. You can easily find out if your dog or cat likes the particular oil or not. If you keep an array of oils, chances are, your pet will choose the oil of its liking and guide you through the application process. Do not force any essential oil on your pet. It can turn to be very annoying to your pet and to you. Your pet may either respond with sickness or react vehemently. Understand that forcing an animal into an scent is like forcing you into something extremely unpleasant or hateful to you.

2. Beware of cat aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is generally not recommended for cats. This is because of their liver’s inability to metabolize essential oils and eliminate them. This leads to toxic buildup of essential oils in the cat’s body, leading to adverse health conditions. However, hydrosols are said to be non-toxic on cats. To avoid trouble, check with a holistic veterinarian or aromatherapist before using hydrosols on cats.

3. Allow your pet to guide you: If you allow your pet to guide you in the application of oils, you will do good to both your pet and yourself. However, if such an application brings forth hives, breathing problems, skin rashes etc. in pets, discontinue it immediately and consult a professional therapist for advice.

4. Don’t keep oils within reach: Horses are said to eat whole bottles of essential oils. So NEVER keep your oils within the reach of your animals. A drop of a strong oil can cause serious problems in animals. It can even turn fatal to your pet.

5. Use sparingly, with professional advice: Do not use essential oils for more than 2 weeks without professional advice. Even if your animal shows interest in the use of aromatherapy, avoid using oils for a long time. Use for about a week or so and check the results of your therapy and then, decide on whether to continue or not. Also, use only therapeutic grade oils that have been tested and proven to be useful. If your animal becomes ill on account of the therapy, consult a holistic veterinarian.



Emotional Well-being, Personal Care, Uses of Essential Oils

Beat the dread of winter: 4 ways to combat winter blues with essential oils

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Winter can be frigid and downright bleak sometimes. This is possible especially in the United States where winters are becoming colder than ever. But winter is not an all-bleak season. It is actually the season of holidays and festivities. A season where we get together with friends and family to celebrate life and love. But this also is the season where people can fight with depression, mood changes or blues. Devoid of the natural light of the sun, people can lack the pep and energy to do things or be as active as they are in summer time. No wonder Shakespeare asked his lover, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” With so much scope for seasonal stress, it is better to be prepared to beat the winter blues. This article will elaborate on how to use essential oil blends to combat depression that strikes during winter.

Essential oils for winter blues: Winter blues do not strike all and sundry. It is mostly caused due to heavy stress, jam-packed schedules, overeating of unhealthy food, lack of exercise, reduced sleeping hours or too much of traveling. People who are away from families (during Christmas) or those who have lost their loved ones, or ones who have painful memories of the past, stressful health issues or financial stress etc. may also go through winter blues. In brief, the cause can be overdoing the holiday season or not being able to be enjoy well or physiological changes on account of bleak weather and dropping temperatures. The shorter daylight hours can too have a huge impact on your psyche and body.
Beating the winter blues is possible with aromatherapy. By aromatherapy, we do not mean the fragrance oils that are shelfed neatly in stores, we mean the essential oils that are pure extracts from plants, herbs, barks, flowers and other plant parts. Why is aromatherapy useful? There are several reasons. Aromatherapy gives instant relief from body pain or any other problem in the physiology due its close communion with the limbic system of the brain. Essential oils for stress or fatigue, relax you, uplift you and energize you with liveliness. Aromatherapy can warm up your spirits and fight out any blues syndrome you may have. Above all, they are natural, pure and do not have any side effects, whatsoever.

Blends for beating winter blues: When you live in a gray-skied, bleak winter world, you can naturally become subject of blues. Blues do not mean depression, but lack of energy, activity or vivacity in life. You feel moody, unwilling to do tasks and unhappy or down in the dumps. To fight the sadness, your first respite should be Citrus oils. Essential oils like Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit are ideal to rejuvenate you with enthusiasm and life. You can use such oils in diffusers or add them in bath water or  as massage oil.

1. Winter Blues Blend 1: Add 3 drops of Orange to 2 drops of Grapefruit and combine well. Mix with carrier oil if you want to massage on to body. A total of 10 drops of the blend will do for massaging, while you will need about 20 drops for diffuser use.

2. Winter Blues Blend 2: Orange is the prime ingredient here. Combine 4 drops of Orange with 1 drop of Ylang Ylang. You will be refreshed and ebullient on using this blend.

3. Winter Blues Blend 3: This is a Bergamot special. Use 3 drops of Bergamot oil with 1 drop of Neroli and 1 drop of Jasmine. Add to a carrier oil for use as massage oil. Or, pour into diffuser and perfume your living space.

4. Winter Blues Blend 4: Add 3 drops of Grapefruit to 2 drops of Cypress. Combine well and add the blend in your diffuser for your advantage.