Health Benefits of Aromatherapy & Essential Oils

Take a whiff of the air around you. What do you smell? Are you immediately put in a good mood with the smell of fresh cut flowers? Suddenly craving pie with the smell of baked apples and cinnamon wafting through the halls? Or feel like gagging after being blasted with exhaust from the bus?

It’s easy to see how our sense of smell impacts our feelings. The sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Your body can distinguish about 10,000 different scents. But, aromatherapy isn’t just about appealing smells; it also offers many health benefits including the following:

• Relaxation and stress relief
• Mood enhancement, balance and well being
• Relief of minor discomforts
• Boosting the immune, respiratory and circulatory systems

Aromatherapy can be a great, natural, complementary health treatment in a variety of situations. It’s certainly not a replacement for traditional medical treatments or prescription medications because it doesn’t cure major illnesses, but it is effective at alleviating many of the discomforts associated with them.

What Are The Benefits of Different Essential Oils?

Essential oils—the fragrant, concentrated liquids extracted from the flowers, leaves, roots, bark, and fruit of an aromatic plant—are the main ingredients in aromatherapy treatments. There are many, many essential oils ranging from spices and herbs to fruit extracts and florals. Each oil has a unique scent and properties that can be applied to many different conditions. Here are some popular essential oils and the common uses and benefits for them:

• Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus is purifying and invigorating and is often used in topical preparations.
• Ginger: Ginger can be used to stimulate the appetite and relieve headaches.
• Juniper Berry: The restoring and supporting benefits come from the berry of the juniper tree.
• Lavender: Used in baths, sprays, lotions, oils and more, lavender promotes a calm and relaxed feeling.
• Lemon: Lemon is a refreshing and cheering oil that should be heavily diluted if you plan on applying to the skin.
• Peppermint: Refreshing and cooling peppermint can invigorate you with its powerful minty aroma.
• Rosemary: This clarifying scent is often used in household sprays, soaps and shampoos.
• Sage: Just one drop is all you need to enjoy the warming effects of the camphor scent.
• Spearmint: This refreshing and cooling essential oil can help tighten pores if you add a few drops to your bathwater.
• Tea Tree: Tea tree oil can treat bacteria, fungi, viruses and stimulate the immune system.
• Ylang Ylang: The ylang ylang plant was originally cultivated in the Philippines, but it soon made its way around the world because of its distinctive scent and beautiful appearance. This essential oil is used to relax both the mind and body.

Article adapted Swanson Vitamins Blog – Essential Oils Aromatherapy Oils