Plants and their essences were man's first
medicine. These essences-essential oils- are potent compounds that are distilled from various parts of plants that
contain them. They can be found in the flowers, leaves, bark, roots or seeds.
Carefully prepared natural remedies lost
favour when medicines such as antibiotics were developed. They worked and were fast.They also had side-effects, but
we didn't know that at first.
In time, the "active ingredients" in plants
were isolated and then produced syntheically. From there, patents could be registered and huge profits
made.
This resulted in even more side
effects-some of them worse than the original condition.
In the 1930 Dr Gattefosse of France suffered
serious burns to his arm during a laboratory explosion. He plunged his arm into a container of what he thought was
water. It was pure lavender oil (Lavendula
angustifolia). The burn healed quickly, without complications or scarring.
The term aromatherapy was coined.
From here, a resurgence of interest in
essential oils as natural, viable health remedies, began.
The many uses of peppermint and wintergreen
I have been having some deep soreness in my knees lately, especially when I am hiking
down hills. This has grown bothersome, so I have started to work on it with my oils.
When it is really sore, I take 4-5 drops of wintergreen, 4-5 drops of peppermint and
rub it all over my knee. The pain relief kicks in within several minutes, and lasts for
hours and hours.
Wintergreen is amazing for sore joints and muscles. Along with its analgesic effects,
Wintergreen also has anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, antitussive, astringent,
carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactagogue and stimulant properties. Wintergreen
is often included in formulas to open the breating passages; deep inhalation of its
bright aroma can clear the sinuses and stimulate the mind. Wintergreen blends nicely
with Ravensara and/or Eucalyptus for this effect.
The health benefits of peppermint oil include the following:
Indigestion: Peppermint oil is very helpful in digestion. Often people put a few drops
of peppermint oil in a glass of water and drink it after their meal due to its
digestive properties. It is carminative and therefore helps in removing gas. Peppermint
oil is a good tonic for those who have a low appetite. It also helps during motion
sickness and upset stomach. Preliminary research has proved that peppermint oil in the
combination of caraway oil can be used for treating heartburns.
Dental Care: Peppermint oil, due to its antiseptic properties, is useful for dental
care. It removes bad breath and helps teeth and gums deal with germs. No wonder, it is
added in numerous toothpastes. It is also useful for treating toothaches.
Respiratory Problems: Menthol, which is present in abundance in peppermint oil, helps
in clearing the respiratory tract. It is an effective expectorant and therefore
provides instantaneous, though temporary, relief in numerous respiratory problems
including nasal congestion, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, cold and cough. As a result,
it is used in numerous cold rubs. When these cold rubs are rubbed on the chest, they
remove nasal and respiratory congestion immediately.
Nausea and Headache: Peppermint oil is a good home remedy for nausea and headache.
Applying peppermint oil in diluted form on the forehead is known to remove
headache.
Stress: Like most other essential oils, peppermint is able to provide relief from
stress, depression and mental exhaustion due to its refreshing nature. It is also
effective against anxiety and restlessness.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The muscle relaxing property of peppermint oil has been found
to ease irritable bowel syndrome. This has been validated through preliminary
scientific research though the exact mechanism is still unknown.
Antispasmodic: Peppermint oil is very effective for gastroscopy, colonoscopy and during
double-contrast barium enema. It is applied intraluminally. Further benefits of
peppermint oil due to its antispasmodic properties are being studied.
Urinary Tract Infection: Peppermint oil can be used for treating urinary tract
infection (UTI). However, thorough scientific studies are yet to be conducted to
confirm this.
Pain Relief: Peppermint oil can be used externally for providing relief from pain. It
is believed that the presence of calcium antagonism in peppermint oil aids in removing
pain. It is cooling in nature and therefore helps reduce fever.
Immune System: Peppermint oil increases your immunity to diseases and therefore helps
you in preventing a number of diseases.
Blood Circulation: It also improves blood circulation.
Hair Care: Peppermint oil is very useful for hair care as it gives a cooling effect to
the head, and removes dandruff and lice.
Skin Care: Peppermint oil contains Menthol, which is good for skin. It gives a cooling
effect. Further it nourishes dull skin and improves oily skin.
It is further believed that peppermint oil is useful for treating cancer and
tuberculosis. I am SO thankful for Young Living oils!
Nate Stevens.
MN. USA.
"The appearance of a disease is as swift as an arrow; its disappearance slow, like a
thread."
-Chinese
proverb
What exactly are essential oils?
Essential oils are natural plant extracts which have a smell and readily turn into a gas. They are fat soluble and
contain hundreds of compounds.
Essential oils molecules are small enough to pass through cell membranes. Some are so small they can pass through
the so-called blood brain barrier, providing both oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
Because essential oils are concentrated parts of the plant they are more powerful than the herb or plant from which
they were distilled.
Most essential oils are produced by steam distillation. Some oils are produced by pressure alone (eg citrus oils
that store their oils in the rind).
Does it matter how essential oils are produced?
It depends what you want it for.
There are
3 grades of essential oil
:
* perfume grade-these are used in our perfumes, soaps etc,
* food grade-used in lollies, toothpaste etc
* therapeutic-grade essential oils.
To produce a therapeutic grade essential oil, the distillation process must be over longer time frames and lower
temperatures.
Those molecules which produce the wonderful fragrance that is desired by a perfumery are usually obtained early in
the distillation process. This is the objective of the perfume makers. Once obtained, there is no need to go
further. The same concept applies to the producers of food additives.
Some of the health-giving benefits of essential oils are, however, contained in the lightest of the plant's
molecules and sometimes that plant doesn't give them up until the final stages of the distillation process,
which can be as long as 24 hours.
In short, the gentler the distillation process, the greater health benefits will be derived from the resulting oil.
This means, of course, that a therapeutic essential oil costs more to produce and price is usually a good indicator
of quality.
To cap this section,synthetic aromatherapy oils need a mention. These oils are produced entirely in the laboratory.
Although they have a fragrance, they have absolutely no health-giving benefits at all and should
never be used as a food additive or flavouring.
Facebook
Digg
Google Bookmarks
Technorati
Yahoo My Web