Have Fun Bringing Health and Happiness for the Holidays Using Essential Oils

The Season is once again upon us. So much to do, and so many people to take care of. Through all the chaos, we’d like to always to a little something special to bring extra cheer to our gatherings of friends and family...but how? Ever tried ‘real’ aromatherapy? Not just a potpourri in the bathroom, or lemon-scented detergent. Real aromatherapy with pure essential oils. It can make a difference, creating a warm, friendly, familial atmosphere inspiring a smile on everyone’s faces. There may even be some health supporting side effects as well, just from smelling something good...

Folks have used essential oils and natural aromatics to brighten their surroundings and lift their moods for many, many years. And over the last decade, scientific studies have shown the simple inhalation of essential oils to have measurable positive effects on our health. Like you’d expect from the happy and calm feelings they can bring about, essential oils have been noted to lower blood pressure, decrease stress hormone levels and improve the quality of rest. The use of essential oils as anti-depressants is on the rise, as more people are using nature’s pure perfumes to bring smiles to their faces. What better time of year to surround yourself and your family with theses natural wonders.

Getting started with aromatherapy is a very simple process - you’ll need just a bottle of essential oil (single or blended - we’ll get to some suggestions in a moment) and a means to diffuse the aroma into your living space. Many great ‘seasonal’ essential oils are available at local health food stores or over the internet. Essential oil diffusers are often found at the same stores, with a wide selection of prices and style to suit your needs.

A warmer simply plugs into an outlet and slowly evaporates the oils from a pad - there are also styles which evaporate the oil floating in a small bowl of water using a tea candle - both are effective. A fan diffuser evaporates the oils from a replaceable pad using cool air; in some cases, cool air will result in a more ‘pure’ aroma, though this is not likely a concern for this application. Then there are nebulizing diffusers - these high end units make a very fine mist of a pure essential oil or blend - excellent for larger spaces, and useful for other therapeutic uses of essential oils in the future. Finally, ultrasonic nebulizers are really small humidifiers designed to make a mist of essential oil and water together - nice if you live in a dry region or have forced air heat. Don’t worry too much about which style you start with - all will do the job for this season nicely; you can always ‘upgrade’ if your needs change down the road.

As for the essential oils - it’s especially delightful that the scents of the season have several timely qualities. Perhaps the most popular are the ‘evergreen’ oils like Balsam Fir, Spruce and Juniper Berry. These are all uplifting, bright aromatics that also have grounding, calming properties. Balsam Fir may be the favorite, with its complex, sweet, balsamic and woody scent; Black Spruce follows a close second, and Juniper Berry, when of fine quality, is also very well-loved. Pine needle is also a wonderful aroma, coming in the more common Scots Pine, with its simple ‘piney’ brilliance, and the more complex and exotic Pinus kessia. A fantastic feature of the evergreen oils is that they blend together so nicely. You may chose any two or more of the above, and blend them at almost any ratio and come out with something smelling really good.

Even somewhat more traditional for the season can be the more resinous oils of Frankincense, Sandalwood and Myrrh. These tend to be more earthy and grounding than the evergreen oils, perhaps a little more calming - exactly what many homes are in need of right about now. Each has unique characteristics: nice Frankincense will have both bright citrus notes and deeper woody notes. Sandalwood is a little softer, and is well known for its calming effects. Myrrh can be slightly sharper (look for a good quality one for the smoothest aroma) with a special scent and calming quality of its own. These three oils can successfully be blended together quite easily (try 2 parts Frankincense, 2 parts Sandalwood, 1 part Myrrh) or blend any one of them in small amounts with the evergreen oil of your choice.

There are of course over a hundred common essential oils to choose from. French Lavender or Roman Chamomile can be useful to calming the little ones - and maybe help you sleep better. Cedarwood, spice oils like Clove, Cinnamon (in small amounts) and Cardamom, or the brightening citrus oils of Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Bergamot and Petitigrain are popular, wonderful choices. Many blends can be found with these oils, or, if you prefer creating your own aroma, buy a little of each and mix up some small test batches. Start slowly, as pure oils seem to have their best effect when their aromas are just pleasantly noticed, rather than overwhelming. With a little practice and intuition, you’ll be able to create your home’s personal flavor for the season.

You really only need a small amount of pure essential oil to make your home a happy, healthy and comfortable space. One small bottle and a diffuser will do wonders. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can mix and match as your olfactory sense desires, seeing how you and your family respond to the tried-and-true effects of pure essential oils. Almost certainly, they’re bound to have a positive effect on your holiday season.

Article Source: http://myarticlezine.com

The author is a consultant for Ananda Aromatherapy, found at www.anandaapothecary.com. More resources are available on aromatherapy and www.anandaapothecary.com”>essential oil blends through the website.

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