The Power of Aromatherapy
Essential oils are very concentrated extracts of plants. They have more uses than just smelling nice, they can be used as a complementary treatment for a multitude of complaints from digestive issues to easing congestion. You can use essential oils in diffusers, as steam treatments, in carrier oils and lotions and in toners to name just a few ways these versatile oils can be used.
You can find out more in our guides below, you can look up a particular oil or search for a particular illness and see what essential oil is best for those symptoms. Essential oils can be used alone or a few drops of a couple of different oils can be used together.
Aromatherapy
I love using essential oils and always have some essentials such as lavender, tea tree oil and eucalyptus in my complementary therapy toolkit. The power of aromatherapy on our minds as well as our bodies is evident to anyone who has used lavender to help get a good night’s sleep or who finds the smell of clove or pine needles instantly brings them a sense of calm and happiness. We often forget that our sense of smell is one of our 5 senses. A certain scent can instantly affect how we feel. Essential oils can literally change our mood, uplift our flagging energy levels (and spirits) bring a sense of calm and peace, soothe headaches and ease our aching bodies depending on which ones you choose.
Essential oils have become very popular in recent times, partly because they are so easy to use and partly because they are affordable and don’t need any special equipment to use them If you don’t have a diffuser, for example, you can simply drop a few drops of your chosen oil in a bowl of hot water to let the oils disperse into the air or adding a few drops to your body lotion or hand cream can be just as effective.
Whilst the rise in popularity is amazing to see, it does open the door to lots of fake or at best low-quality essential oils that have little to no medicinal benefit. When choosing essential oils, you want to make sure you buy from a reputable retailer. Good quality oils are worth the money but needn’t cost the earth either. There are of course some oils that are expensive, but these oils are from plants that are either rare or have a low concentration of essential oils so take large quantities of the plant to extract a small amount of essential oil. In our guides, you may come across an oil that is expensive but there will always be a less expensive oil that has the same healing properties that can be used instead.
As a certified Aromatherapist, I always advise my clients to seek I seek medical advice for any illnesses they have, particularly if these go on for a period of time and don’t improve after a few days of using alternative medicine. I also feel a responsibility, to be honest about the healing potential of complementary therapies such as aromatherapy. Whilst I love and am passionate about natural remedies, it would be foolish and irresponsible to make false claims about their healing powers. I would not advise any client to abandon conventional treatments, nor disregard the advice of your medical team in favour of alternative healthcare such as aromatherapy. Essential oils can be used alongside these more conventional treatments and can be extremely beneficial.
Hopefully, the information you find on these pages can help you on your way and feel more confident in using essential oils for both yourself and your family.