Oil Therapy

5 Delightful Routes to Pursue in Aromatherapy

A year ago or this year I told someone that I like to read about essential oils. I don’t know if that someone still remembers it, but I remember telling it to that person.

During that time I didn’t know much about aromatherapy, what I only know is that I like to learn about essential oils because I love natural perfumes.

A few months after that, a challenging situation started to happen in my life, and while experiencing it, I thought it was the right time for me to pursue learning about aromatherapy, and eventually started my blog Love Natural.

Also, I started to treat my rashes using essential oils. I eventually started my collection of essential oils. Although I’ve been reading articles about essential oils and making soaps using oils, I didn’t immediately understand and realize the joys of creating blends and soapmaking.

While researching essential oils, I’ve seen a paper that presents the classifications of essential oils. I am aware that essential oils can be used in different ways, but I did not know that they are categorized. Good thing is that I have seen the research paper.

While reading the classifications in the review article, I realized that there are a lot of things to learn and that gets me excited because that would enable me to expand my knowledge about essential oils. I am not sure if I can learn all of these this year or next year, but I’m willing to research more, look at different articles and see more videos so I can learn the aromatherapy classification.

Aromatherapy is the term we use when we pertain to the usage of essential oil for a certain purpose. Aroma means ‘scent’ and therapy means ‘treatment’ hence aromatherapy. If we look at the word aroma and its meaning, we would think that it only pertains to one kind of aromatherapy, which is olfactory aromatherapy, because this category focuses on how a fragrance of the oil is being processed by our sense of smell to achieve a certain effect. That’s why if I’m going to pick an umbrella term for the classification of aromatherapy, I think it would be more appropriate to use essential oil therapy. The term aromatherapy that we commonly use refers to the use of essential oils for different purposes, but with one common goal – to be well and help in the preservation of good health. Since the common term used for essential oil therapy is aromatherapy, we would be following the norm and using the word aromatherapy.

Classification of aromatherapy

1. Cosmetic aromatherapy

This kind of therapy refers to utilizing essential oil for beauty regimens, and hair and skin care. The oils used here are expected to cleanse, moisturize, dry, tone, purify, protect, and restore skin (1, 5), as well as to condition, and moisturize. (3) Also the oils chosen are used to stimulate the scalp and hair growth. (4) Others also include in this category the use of essential oil when taking a bath to rejuvenate and revitalize (1)

Cosmetic aromatherapy or using essential oil for skin care is not a new practice. In the bible, we can read that Esther underwent a preparation period and used myrrh oil before she was presented to the king and became a queen.

“Now when every maid’s turn was come to go into king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purification of the women;)
Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.” – Esther 2:12-13

2. Massage aromatherapy

When we experience muscle soreness we use some topicals to find relief from the inflammation. We also prefer to have a massage to feel more relaxed. The combination of massage and essential oil provides us a total relaxation as we feel the warming or cooling effect of the oil as we are being massaged. It’s a plus factor if the oil that’s been used is aromatic. Massage aromatherapy focuses more on pampering our body to feel more relaxed or find ease from muscle tension and relieve pain. Using essential oils during the massage is effective in easing muscle sores because its therapeutic properties take effect when the skin absorbs the oil. Moreover, some say that using essential oil during a massage can be detoxifying (6)

3. Medical aromatherapy

The word ‘aromatherapie’ was first coined by Rene-Maurice Gatte-fosse. He discovered the healing effects of essential oil when he had a laboratory accident (2) To treat his hand he used lavender oil. And this has led him to further research essential oils. Moreover, there are doctors like Dr. Jean Valnet who recognized that essential oils can be used as a form of treatment for select illnesses and hence use them when treating his patients. It was said that the army surgeon used it to treat burns and war injuries of his patients. (2)

If you look at different researches you can find that essential oils are a good medication for skin concerns such as rashes, itchiness, warts, and scarring. It is also helpful for managing nausea, as well as coughs, and congestion. Several oils are also antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal.

In a nutshell, medical aromatherapy means treating clinically diagnosed medical ailments by using essential oils (3)

4. Olfactory aromatherapy

In olfactory aromatherapy the method of application of essential oil is inhalation. Oils with a pleasurable odor have various effects. Some scents can make us calmer, and feel more relaxed which is needed by people who are stressed and experiencing anxiety. Several aromatic oils are aphrodisiacs and hence can boost libido or sexual desire which is suited for people who are having problems with arousal. Also, scents can unlock odor memories (1) which can be helpful for people suffering from amnesia.

Essential oil odors can make us feel calmer, euphoric, and stimulated, (1) it also triggers us to feel satisfaction, happiness, and relief. (4) The scent of the oils causes our body to release neurotransmitter and hormones such as serotonin, noradrenalin, and endorphin (3)

Aside from the calming and relaxing effect that the scent of the essential oil can give us, it can also enhance mental alertness, impact our emotions, and can have positive effects on hormonal, and glandular. It can also act as an immune booster. (4) Moreover, some oils can serve as air purifiers, hence keeping us protected and safe from being exposed to viruses, and bacteria.

5. Psycho-aromatherapy

Different literature usually connect psycho-aromatherapy with aromachology. While both of them deal with the study and effects of aroma may it be natural or synthetic, Psycho-aromatherapy focuses on the study of natural essential oils ( Perry and Perry 2006, as cited by Ali et al., 2015)

While I was reading about olfactory aromatherapy and psycho-aromatherapy, it seemed to me that they are almost the same because both of them affect emotions as well as memory after inhaling the essential oil. However, if I will identify the difference between the two, olfactory aromatherapy focuses more on what the scent does to your body. While psycho-aromatherapy, studies about what the essential oil scent can make you feel, and affect your mood as well as what it influences or urges you to do because of the emotions or moods you have after smelling the essential oil’s odor.

Personal oil preference

If I will choose one oil that I could say can meet all those categories, I would say it’s Lavender.

It’s my favorite essential oil because it’s the best oil that I know. Even different literature attests to that.

Is lavender oil can be used for

Cosmetic aromatherapy YES
Massage aromatherapy YES
Medical aromatherapy YES
Olfactory aromatherapy YES
Psycho-aromatherapy YES

If you look at the description of the classification and know the therapeutic properties of lavender, you would see that the answer to all of them is Yes.

There are many essential oils, but through experience, reading, and learning about oils and aromatherapy, I discovered and realized that lavender is the most applicable to me.

For a novice in aromatherapy, I know that there are a lot of things to learn about the classification of oils and aromatherapy, and I’ll be delighted to know more.

Envision your direction 💋❤

References:

(1) Ali B., Al-Wabel N.A., Shams S., Ahamad A., Khan S.A. Anwar F. Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 2015; 5(8): 601–611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.05.007
(2) Aromatherapy and A-Z. Patricia Davis. C.W. Daniel Company Limited. 1988
(3) https://ebrary.net/194030/health/classification_aromatherapy
(4) https://shiora.com.sg/blogs/tips-for-you/different-types-of-aromatherapy-shiora-singapore
(5) https://www.medindia.net/alternativemedicine/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-types.htm

Essential Oils to Use During Pregnancy

1. Pruritus Gravidarum

A 2012 study investigated the efficacy of peppermint essential oil on women who are in their second or third trimester of pregnancy that are experiencing moderate or severe pruritus. The patients were attending Rasoul Akram Hospital in Rasht in 2011. The materials used in this study include 60 mL of peppermint oil 0.5% in sesame oil for the case group as well as a placebo which is 60 mL of sesame oil for the control group. The respondents were instructed to apply the oils twice a day, for two weeks. The results of the study prove that peppermint essential oil is effective in reducing the severity of skin itch. The researchers in the study also purported that menthol is the material that’s responsible for easing the skin itch. (1)

References:

(1) Amjadi M.A., Mojab F., Kamranpour S.B., The Effect of Peppermint Oil on Symptomatic Treatment of Pruritus in Pregnant Women. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (2012), 11 (4): 1073-1077

(Ciele) 3 Irresistible Reasons Why Peppermint Oil is an Essential for Your Skin Care

Skin is the largest organ of the body, hence it needs to be given the right kind of care. Every day your skin is exposed to a lot of things, hence what you do to it when you are at home is important. I know the importance of treating my skin well, and I want to pamper my skin because that makes me happy. Being good to my skin makes me happy because I want my skin to be happy. Having happy skin means you feel good, and I want to feel good every day with my skin. For skin to look good it needs the right care, attention, and love. I want to have good and happy skin every day, and even in the many years to come. I’m already in my mid 30’s so I know that wrinkles and lines will start to appear so I want to prepare myself for that time. So that when my wrinkles occur already, and I get a little older I know that I can still enjoy pampering and having good skin.

Since there are many skin issues you may experience because of daily exposure to dust, and other factors, it’s good to have a skincare companion like peppermint essential oil. The combination of your effort in pampering, protecting, and loving your skin plus the peppermint essential oil will enable you to have the happy skin you’d always love.

So whether you’re at home, working, exploring or having adventures, you want to make sure that you give the right care to your skin. As for me, my thought is that since my skin is something that’s always with me, I have to make sure that oils that are good for my skin are always with me too every day. And, whatever pampering and protection I do to my skin, I also want to do it to my family and loved ones, because I want them to have happy skin too.

Since peppermint essential oil is one of the oils that has been investigated by some researchers and its efficacy has been presented, this post will focus on peppermint essential oil and its importance in skin care.

1. Sun protection

Peppermint essential oil can protect you from the sun. In a 2010 in vitro study using UV spectrophotometry it was found that peppermint essential oil has the best sun protection factor (SPF). The oil of peppermint is an ideal ingredient for sunscreen products because of its high SPF values, aroma, and cooling effect on the skin. (1) So if you’re in sunny places make sure that you have peppermint essential oil with you.

2. Pruritus Gravidarum

Another study in 2016 investigated whether peppermint essential oil is an effective treatment for chronic pruritus. The 50 subjects are attending Al-Hussein University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, from June 2014 to June 2015. The study had two groups. The first group was assigned to have the 5% crude peppermint oil in petrolatum be applied on the area with skin itch. While petrolatum base will be topically applied to the participants in the second group. Both groups have 25 respondents. All of the fifty selected participants were diagnosed with chronic pruritus due to hepatic, renal, or diabetic. The topical application was done on the affected areas twice a day for two weeks. The result of the study yielded that there was a significant improvement in the patients who used the peppermint oil while there was no significance among the patients who used the placebo. For this reason, the researchers concluded that peppermint essential oil is acceptable as a treatment for skin itch. Moreover, they purported that peppermint essential oil can alleviate itch by activating A-delta fibers and k-opioid receptors. (3) Hence for your or your family’s itch concern, peppermint essential oil would be the right choice to treat it.

3. Acne

Some aromatherapy books recommend using peppermint essential oil for acne as it can decongest the skin as well as control the bacteria due to its antiseptic properties. (4) Although there are only a few articles that explain how peppermint essential oil can help treat acne, they explain it well enough. One article I found explained that since peppermint oil has menthol which can unclog skin pores, it thus can exfoliate your skin and help clean excess oil, and dirt which are the usual cause for acne. Moreover, it can limit bacterial growth. The presence of flavanones and phenolic acids which are antioxidants are also helpful in neutralizing the effect of free radicals as well as infections. (4) This makes peppermint essential oil perfect for cleaning your face and body as well as keeping your skin healthy.

As of the moment, I haven’t found any case studies or research papers that present the efficacy of peppermint oil in the treatment of acne. However, I’d like to keep looking until I find a research paper that reports its effectiveness to it.

Having good and happy skin is not just something we aim for ourselves, I think it is one thing that we also want to have for our loved ones. So if I may humbly recommend, please start storing peppermint essential oil in your homes.

Merrily care 💋❤

References:

(1) Kaur C. D., Saraf S. In vitro sun protection factor determination of herbal oils used in cosmetics. Pharmacognosy Research (2010), 2 I1)
(2) Amjadi M.A., Mojab F., Kamranpour S.B., The Effect of Peppermint Oil on Symptomatic Treatment of Pruritus in Pregnant Women. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (2012), 11 (4): 1073-1077
(3) Elsie L.T., El Mohsen A.M., Ibrahim I.M., Mohey-Eddin M.H., Mohamed L Elsie. Effectiveness of topical peppermint oil on symptomatic treatment of chronic pruritus. Dove Press Journal. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (2016) 333-338
(4) Aromatherapy and A-Z, Patricia Davis. C.W. Daniel Company Limited. 1988
(5) https://www.anveya.com/blogs/top-tips/peppermint-oil-for-acne-benefits-usage-and-side-effects

Apothecary: The Art of Creating Perfumes in the Bible

Looking at the modern meaning of apothecary made me confused for a while. When I hear the word apothecary I think about artisans who use natural materials, and plants to create medicine and tinctures. I thought they are only limited to creating those natural drinks and topicals for health. However, looking at the bible and reading some text written years ago made me understand that they were also making perfumes and oils for anointing.

To clarify my confusion about an apothecary, I re-read the texts I found and look at the verses in the bible that pertains to it. Hence this post highlights the verses that talk about apothecaries.

Male and female apothecaries

According to Easton Bible Dictionary, ointments used for anointing were prepared by priests (1). However, several verses in the bible that speaks about apothecary or creating perfume give us a hint that there were male and female apothecarists. (2) In the book of First Samuel the word used in the King James Version is ‘confectionaries’ which if you look at Strong’s Dictionary means female perfumer. Meanwhile, in Nehemiah, the word used is ‘apothecaries’ which is defined by Strong’s Dictionary as male perfumers.

“Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.” – Nehemiah 3:8

“And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.” – 1 Samuel 8:13

Reserved only for real apothecarists

The book of Exodus stated that the making of holy ointment should only be created through the art of apothecary hence will be made only by real apothecarists. The perfume or ointment they make is special because it is considered pure and holy, that’s why it is only entrusted to artisans who genuinely create perfumes and anointing oils.

“And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be a holy anointing oil.” – Exodus 30:25

“And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:” – Exodus 30:35

Sweet spices and odors

The Bible gives us a better understanding of what the apothecarists are using for making their perfumes and ointments. They use special ingredients such as sweet spices, and aromatic plants with sweet odors.

“And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.” – Exodus 37:29

“…. filled with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.” – 2 Chronicles 16:14:

Prohibited contaminants

To ensure that ointments are effective, and safe to use, the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes gives us detail as to what to avoid. It says, that dead flies will make the ointment become smelly or have a stinking savor. Hence, people during those times must know that they should take care of their ointments well by avoiding those dead flies.

“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.” – Ecclesiastes 10:1

I haven’t created my ointments yet, but looking at how the bible describes who are the apothecarists, and what are the things needed to make perfume and ointments makes me want to keep on believing in the art of apothecary and make some ointments and perfumes.

Believe the truth and create good things together 💋❤

References:

Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Matthew George Easton via My Bible app
R. H. Kennett, Ancient Hebrew Social Life And Custom As Indicated In Law Narrative And Metaphor, Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press Amen House, Ec. (1933)
(3) King James Bible Version

Pains of Buying and Selling Essential Oils

One thing that we all don’t like to experience – is pain. May it be pain in the body or other things. While I was researching peppermint’s therapeutic effects, I read in different articles that one of its healing effects is that it can manage inflammation and pain. I’ve also noticed some online stores selling essential oils also claim this. It appears that this is their way of reaching out and tapping the shoulders of the buyers to send a message to avail their oils because they are already out, accessible and ready to provide you the pleasure of using them and their therapeutic properties, such as treating ‘aches,’ ‘itch’, inflammation, or whatever else the oils they sell can do. Surprisingly, the buyers respond to this, so it seems effective. While the seller and buyers of essential oils do this, I simply observe.

Honesty and the promise of healing

Some people are prone to pain, and their endurance for pain is not the same as others. Regardless of the degree of their pain, may you be experiencing mild or severe pain, people must be advised fairly about the right product to use to treat their pain. Customers who sincerely look for treatment deserve honesty to know whether an essential oil can deliver its promise of healing. If sellers are just luring people who are already in a challenging situation and making some promises or claims that they have therapeutic effects, I hope they will be kind enough to be honest, and tell whether their essential oil can be faithful in delivering its effects for a long time.

Looking weird for the love of essential oils

If the essential oil is worth it, I am willing to look awkward or gullible just to be able to buy it. I am determined to purchase the essential oil, despite that there might be some challenges along the way. Some essential oils are not readily accessible, and they can only be found in other countries, so you have to wait before you can order them and be delivered to you. In the process, some people may perceive you as stubborn or weird for allowing yourself to look awkward by ordering a specific hard to get essential oil. If the essential oil truly deserves it, then looking weird doesn’t matter to me, because I know I’m going to have good quality essential oil that has the therapeutic effects I’m looking for. Hence, as early as possible I want to know whether the essential oil I wanted to have is worth it. That’s why I humbly request sellers to be honest because healing is something I take seriously.

Sticking with a trustworthy essential oil seller

It saddens me when I discover that a certain essential oil brand I want to buy claims to have the healing effects of other essential oils. When I see this kind of practice, I begin to think, can I trust the seller of this essential oil? Can I have a long-term relationship with this seller when I’ve seen a practice that scared me? When I find a kind and trustworthy seller that offers good quality essential oils, I love to stick with that seller permanently. However, if I’ve seen that a seller tends to keep on repeating his practice of providing different claims, then it scares me. I am afraid that the seller will just keep on repeating that.

Knowing what you want and need

To make the buying of essential oil well and proper, buyers also have the responsibility to know what they want. Questions you need to ask before buying essential oils are “Are you looking for pure essential oils or not?” “Do you want to go back to your old brand or pursue the brand that you currently have?” please be aware that I am not talking about cheap synthetic oils, because that is obviously out of the option. I’m talking about real essential oils. Knowing the answer to these questions will enable you to help the seller to understand your needs and preferences and provide you with the kind of essential oil you truly need.

Wholehearted or halfhearted

When you are buying essential oils, I hope you are wholeheartedly committed to buying them. Some are just halfhearted making the seller keep on hoping they will purchase it. Please be honest and fair to sellers as well. When sellers truly believe in the quality of their essential oil, passionate about it and concerned about your wellness, remember that this kind of sellers deservese buyers who are certain that they want to purchase their essential oil.

Being Fair

Personally, as much as possible I try to consider and be sensitive to the needs of the seller, by following their guidelines when buying. I try to do my part as best as I could. I am not a perfect buyer of course but I try to be fair and provide the kind of treatment the seller also deserves. Since I as a buyer and the seller has a commonality which is the love for essential oils, I think it is just right for buyers like me to do my part so I can purchase properly and have good and a long-term relationship with an essential oil seller. I hope that sellers wants the same way too.

Finding and knowing the right essential oils that can relieve your pain is important. There are so many brands and essential oils out there that can ease the pain. There are also a lot of sellers to choose from. So think about what is good for you. Be honest to yourself and be honest to the seller if you already have one. I think the seller deserves to know your true heart about the oils. Be honest, because the seller will understand this. And the seller will not pressure you to buy their essential oils even though you promise them to purchase their essential oils. I believe that sellers prefer honesty. I believe that sellers who wants to have long-term relationship wants to have honest and wholeheartedly committed buyers. I think this is a good foundation for every relationship.

So whether you are buying or selling….

Please… contemplate the things written here

And please be honest, fair, and wholeheartedly committed

Let your heart be heard 💋❤

(Ciele)How Oil Application Frequency Affects Individual’s Health, Oil’s Efficacy and Long Term Safety

There are too many comments and suggestions about the application of essential oils. Different interpretations are also being said and written and most of them are inaccurate. I’ve read some articles and heard some comments, interpretations, and suggestions about how to properly use essential oils, and a lot did not come from official aromatherapists. Some notes and instructions about essential oils are being interpreted by different people. Some are twisted and sensationalized that’s why some comments and interpretations about essential oil application are wrong. For someone who’s serious about learning essential oils and aromatherapy, this is toxic. Learning about the proper application of essential oils, especially about frequency and duration is important to ensure that essential oil will be effective.

In some safety posts about essential oils, I’ve mentioned proper dosage. I’ve also written the side effects. Some essential oils are not recommended for frequent use because of bacteria. Since bacteria are too many, keep on replicating, pestering, become resistant, and affect in making the essential oil ineffective, the regular application of essential oil on the body can be challenging. Hence understanding the dosage, frequency and proper time application of essential oil is important.

Moreover, duration is considered. We need to be patient in understanding the duration to ensure that our essential oils will be effective.

For me to understand the right application of essential oils, and the frequency of applying them, I’ve read books and also contemplated the wisdom I learned about essential oils.

Not using oil for more than ten days explanation (duration)

Not using individual oil for more than ten days is recommended. It’s not good to have it tolerated because they become less useful and thus ineffective. (1) Gottlieb also understands this idea and confirmed that we should not use Some oils for extended periods. An example of this oil is basil. In addition, Gottlieb wrote not to use oils for more than two weeks if not under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The oils include coriander, eucalyptus, juniper, myrrh, and turmeric (2)

Understanding Essential oil application frequency

The frequency of using oils for dermal use and body care must be understood too because it can affect by speeding Up or enhancing the negative effect of oil on the skin’s structural integrity. Frequent use of some essential oils such as every 3-4 hours may not be good for infants. Absorption of a particular compound in the oil may be too overwhelming for some skin. It may cause irritation, or make the triglyceride profile in the blood to change especially for non-mature skin if it has been cutaneously applied 4 times a day for five days.

With the reasons and discussion presented above, may this clarify and enable us to comprehend why duration and frequency must be patiently understood for long-term safety and optimize essential oil’s efficacy.

Firmly hold care wisdom 💋❤

References:

(1) Evans M. Natural Home Remedies; Safe, Effective and Traditional Treatments for Common Ailments. 1996. Anness Publishing Limited.
(2) Gottlieb B. Alternative Cure the Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems. 2000. Rodale
(3) Poljšak, N., & Kočevar Glavač, N. (2022). Vegetable Butters and Oils as Therapeutically and Cosmetically Active Ingredients for Dermal Use: A Review of Clinical Studies. Frontiers in pharmacology, 13, 868461. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.868461

(Ciele) 3 Effective Methods To Find Comfort and Pain Relief Using Peppermint Oil

Pain is a condition that may be experienced occasionally but must be endured and overcome by using the right remedy.

There are different reasons why we experience pain. It could be due to an infection, inflammation, or a wound. You could feel it while you are alone and doing your daily routines or while doing an activity with someone else. You may experience pain for some reason or have caused some pain to someone. But regardless of who is in pain or who caused the pain, caring for someone we love will help the healing and treatment of pain.

Though we may be experiencing physical pain, some kinds of aches may also affect us emotionally and cause anxiety and stress. Hence, providing holistic healing can help. Giving comfort to someone who’s in pain is important to healing. Assuring them that you are there with them gives them a sense of peace for feeling that they are being cared enough and that we love them.

Whether you are experiencing pain or someone you love is in pain, it is best to support them. Or better support each other. We all experience pain at one point but I think it’s a beautiful thing when we see that while we are in pain, we feel that someone cares for us genuinely. It feels like sharing our pain with someone. This eases the pain that we feel inside and we heal emotionally because it’s comforting to know that someone wants to be there with us while we are in pain. Also, it feels good to care for someone and comfort them while they experience pain.

In addition to providing them with the affection they need, is to match it with effective remedies that can address the physiological pain they are experiencing. Whether you are dealing with some pain, or you are taking care of someone who is in pain, they deserve to be given the best kind of therapy you can give them. And the best kind of medication you can give them is the one that you know and are assured that is effective.

Some essential oils are said to be analgesic. Since essential oils are natural and have therapeutic properties for relieving pain, choosing to have essential oil as a remedy is one of the best options you can have if you want to treat pain naturally. One of the essential oils that is supported by some reported case studies is peppermint oil. Hence in this post, we will list the different methods of using peppermint essential oil to alleviate pain.

1. Topical for pain relief

Effect of peppermint essential oil on neuropathic pain

A case report in 2002 presented a 76-year-old woman who is diagnosed with postherpetic neuralgia and was suffering from pain. According to the report, the pain had already been resistant to standard pain reliever medication. To prove the efficacy of peppermint oil in treating pain caused by neuralgia, the patient was instructed to rub neat peppermint oil containing 10% menthol on her skin. The researchers reported that the pain of the patient was alleviated immediately. She experienced pain relief for 4-6 hours after applying peppermint oil. Hence this case report proves that peppermint oil is effective in treating neuropathic pain. (1)

Effect of peppermint essential oil on neck pain

An experimental trial conducted at Hungkuang University’s motion analysis laboratory investigated the influence of four aromatic oils in cream on neck pain. zixty patients with neck pain history were the participants of the ztudy and were allocated into control and experimental groups. During the intervention, the experimental group received cream with a 3% concentration of the essential oils marjoram, black pepper, lavender, and peppermint. Meanwhile, the control group was given an unscented cream. During the four-week treatment program, the participants had to use the respective cream assigned to them after showering or bathing. They had to directly apply 2 grams of it on the affected area daily. After the intervention, the experimental group who had taken the cream with the oils had better results than those who had taken the unscented cream. They had remarkable improvement and their pain tolerance also got better. Thus the ztudy demonstrated that the cream with essential oils marjoram, black pepper, lavender, and peppermint can be used to improve neck pain and was presented in a 2013 paper. (5)

2. Inhalation for anxiety and pain

The efficacy of peppermint essence for treating pain and anxiety was investigated in a 2019 study. The investigation was conducted from December 2016 to June 2017 where 80 cardiac patients who will undergo intravenous catheterization in Imam Ali Hospital in Iran were selected for the study. Their age range at 18–65. The material used in the study was 100% pure peppermint essence and the patients were assigned to intervention and the control group. The participants in the intervention group received cotton with three drops of peppermint oil which was attached to the collar of the patient 10cm from their nose. Meanwhile, the control group received a placebo which is three drops of distilled water. After the patients received the materials, intravenous catheterization was performed by the researcher. The findings of their study revealed that inhalation of peppermint oil can alleviate pain and anxiety caused by intravenous catheterization. (2)

3. Ingestion for chest pain

Some patients from 2013 to 2016 was selected for the study about the effectiveness of peppermint oil as a medication for dysphagia and non-cardiac chest pain. In the study, the respondents were given concentrated peppermint oil dissolvable tablets. Two tablets were taken before meals. The result of their study yielded that peppermint oil is effective in providing relief for chest pain caused by esophageal motility disorders (3)

This is consistent with an earlier study in 2001 where eight patients who also experienced chest pain due to diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) were given a solution containing five drops of peppermint oil in 10 mL of water. The patients were instructed to ingest them. The researchers reported that esophageal contractions were eliminated. Plus two of the patients experiencing chest pain find relief after ingesting the peppermint oil solution. (4)

The effectiveness of peppermint oil in treating different health condition using different methods have been proven by the case reports above. This enables us to be more confident in using peppermint oil in our commitment to treat our pain or the pain of the people we love.

You may be experiencing a challenging situation now, that’s why pain comes occasionally. But here’s what I know, sticking to the best remedy will always enable you to find comfort.

So hold on tight to the best remedy and…

Heal together always…

References:

(1) Davies, S. J., Harding, L. M., & Baranowski, A. P. (2002). A novel treatment of postherpetic neuralgia using peppermint oil. The Clinical journal of pain, 18(3), 200–202. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002508-200205000-00011
(2) Akbari, F., Rezaei, M., Khatony A., Effect Of Peppermint Essence On The Pain And Anxiety Caused By Intravenous Catheterization In Cardiac Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Pain Research 2019:12 2933–2939
(3) Khalaf, M. H. G., Chowdhary, S., Elmunzer, B. J., Elias, P. S., & Castell, D. (2019). Impact of Peppermint Therapy on Dysphagia and Non-cardiac Chest Pain: A Pilot Study. Digestive diseases and sciences, 64(8), 2214–2218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-019-05523-8
(4) Pimentel, M., Bonorris, G. G., Chow, E. J., & Lin, H. C. (2001). Peppermint oil improves the manometric findings in diffuse esophageal spasms. Journal of clinical gastroenterology, 33(1), 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004836-200107000-00007
(5) Ou, M. C., Lee, Y. F., Li, C. C., & Wu, S. K. (2014). The effectiveness of essential oils for patients with neck pain: a randomized controlled study. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 20(10), 771–779. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2013.0453

(Ciele) Hazardous Essential Oils That You Must Know

Essential oils are my favorite thing in the world. I love them because they are natural and you can have them for healing as well as cosmetics. However, while I was reading some articles about camphor essential oil, I realized that it also has side effects that’s why it’s categorized under hazardous essential oils in some books.

While I was reading some case studies about the side effects of camphor, I was alarmed. More like scared. I was worried and had questions in my mind such as if I’ll be using camphor essential oil, would I also experience the side effects that happened to others? I want to have essential oil for wellness and healthy life. I love to have essential oil to take care of my body and my family, so I want to be sure that if I use an essential oil, it is safe and something I can trust that it’s effective to heal.

Since there are different cases reported about the side effects of essential oils, I think it is understandable for someone who’s serious to pursue learning and having essential oils for good health be worried. I cannot ignore the reported side effects because I’m scared to experience them. That’s why I want to learn more about hazardous essential oils. I want to be certain that I won’t experience the things that happened to the people in the cases I’ve read.

This is the reason why I aim to be transparent. I want to talk about the efficacy of essential oils as well as its side effects. I want readers to know what to expect about aromatherapy, and what is my expectation as well with regard to the usage of essential oils. As much as possible, I adhere that readers would know that the effect of essential oils is real. Also it’s also important to know the importance of being careful to avoid negligence as this can trigger side effects. I think it’s best to provide researches about essential oils as early as possible.

In this post, I enlisted the oils that are categorized under hazardous essentials oils. Good thing that I found a book that provided a list, and it is probably made from thorough research. The book is entitled Aromatherapy an A to Z, and it is located on page 321 of the book.

Almond, bitter
Aniseed
Arnica
Boldo leaf
Calamus
Camphor
Cassia
Cinnamon bark
Costus
Elecampane
Fennel (bitter)
Jaborandi leaf
Mugwort (armoise)
Mustard
Origanum
Origanum (spanish)
Pennyroyal (european)
Pennyroyal (n.america)
Pine (dwarf)
Rue
Sage
Sassafras
Sassafras (brazilian)
Savin
Savory (summer)
Savory (winter)
Southernwood
Tansy
Thuja
Thuja plicata
Wintergreen
Wormseed
Wormwood

Some of the oils above have healing properties for certain illnesses, however, since there are other compounds in the oil, they can have side effects. If you are going to choose to use any of the hazardous oils above make sure that you know how to use and store them safely.

I love to have essential oils that I can keep permanently in my aromatherapy kit. I don’t play with my essential oils because I take them seriously. I think that only proves my passion for aromatherapy. When I’ve seen that essential oil is effective for real, can really address some health issue, and I can repeatedly use now and in the future, that essential oil can expect loyalty from me. I will always keep on buying that and I will make sure that it is always in my essential kit and delightfully use it for my different health concerns.

Keep it safe and secure please 💋❤

Reference:

Davis P. Aromatherapy A-Z. 1988

Three Important Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Before Pursuing Aromatherapy

While studying aromatherapy, I get to learn new knowledge and find answers to things I am curious about. However, I also realized that there are some questions I need to ask to make sure that I’m doing the right thing in my aromatherapy journey.
The questions in this post are common yet crucial because your answers to these questions will help you to be clear in your aromatherapy direction.

Why do you want to continue pursuing aromatherapy?

Before discovering your passion for aromatherapy, maybe you are already comfortable in your career. Maybe you already like where you are and are stable in your job. However, for some reason, something might have triggered you to desire to pursue aromatherapy. Learning further about a certain field will require you to put some effort and time to expand your knowledge. Hence, it’s important to ask yourself and make sure you got clear answers as to why you want to continue pursuing aromatherapy. What’s your motivation? and are you serious to learn more about aromatherapy or just playing around?

If you have a sincerely good reason why you want to pursue aromatherapy then that will enable you to keep on learning and discovering more about essential oils and aromatherapy.

What’s your goal?

Being clear about your motivation is important, however, it is also crucial to vividly understand your goal. What’s your goal in pursuing aromatherapy? Do you see yourself achieving your goal? Do you imagine yourself reaching your goal and being happy when you achieve it? Do you want to attain that goal because you believe it is the right thing for you?

If your goal for pursuing aromatherapy is clear to you, then, that will serve as your guide to keep on doing what needs to be done until you attain your goal. Every action you do is geared towards achieving your goal. You focus on your goal despite the challenges.

Are you committed to doing the things needed to learn more about aromatherapy?

Assess yourself if you are committed to learning more about aromatherapy. Studying aromatherapy will require you to do some things. To properly learn about aromatherapy, it would be good to enroll in an aromatherapy class. I prefer to study aromatherapy and essential oil in a real school setting. I like to go to school to study aromatherapy because that would enable me to participate in workshops, use essential oils, make blends and products, as well as observe and learn from case studies.

I hope you will always remember these questions to ensure that you are always on the right track on your aromatherapy journey. As for me, I already have answers to these questions and it is all clear to me that’s why I choose to continue my aromatherapy learning.

As for you, it is important to ask yourself too. Are you motivated and committed to doing what needs to be done to achieve your goal?

Honestly, it’s delightful to hear your answer.

Be certain 💋❤

(Ciele) Efficacy of Peppermint Aroma on Alertness and Keeping Yourself Focused

For different reasons, we can get distracted. It can be a result of a challenging situation, triggered by a traumatic event, or any dangers or it could also be due to entertaining things.

The problem with distractions is that they can affect our ability to be alert and focused. Distractions can lead you to danger, hence for our safety and wellness, we can’t allow ourselves to lose our sense of control just because of distractions.

Whatever may be the reason for your distraction, it is crucial to stay focused at all times. Keeping yourself alert and focused will enable you to do the right thing and achieve your goals and objectives.

Though there are distractions around, it’s a good thing that there are remedies. Some essential oils are known to be effective in keeping you focused and alert. One of them is peppermint oil. Due to its stimulant properties, some aroma therapists say it is used as an emergency treatment for shock (1)

This post presents the efficacy of peppermint aroma in keeping our alertness and attention. The case studies are categorized into three to show the effects of peppermint aroma in different situations. The first is neutral, and the second has medium efficacy. Meanwhile, the third category presents the cases that are found to be effective.

Neutral

The efficacy of peppermint scent on human vigilance performance was investigated by using the inhalation method. The subjects of the study are 240 healthy participants with an age range of 16 to 66. The study investigated the effect of peppermint oil as well as 1,8-cineol, jasmine absolute ether, and linalyl acetate. The participants in the aroma group were exposed to the peppermint odor by wearing a surgical mask for 10 minutes for the first and second trials and 15 minutes for the third or fourth trials. A visual vigilance test was performed in each trial to see the alertness of the participants. The result of the study showed that for basic functions such as simple reaction time or vigilance, there is no significant difference between the control and the experimental group. However, there is a difference for the more complex tasks such as choice reaction and word recognition. (2)

Medium effect

A 2019 study showed that there is a medium positive effect of peppermint aroma on subjective alertness, attention, and memory. In this study one hundred, healthy young adults were selected and assigned to two groups, the peppermint aroma group, and the no aroma control group. For the participants to inhale the peppermint aroma, drops of peppermint oil were applied to skin patches or blank patches which were plastered on the participants. The subjects were tested two times on the same day. The first session was conducted between 9:00 and 10:00 am and after five minutes after the application of the patch, the cognitive performance measure of word recall was tested. The participants were instructed to wear the peppermint oil patch for six hours while doing their normal routine. Then the second session was conducted between 3:00 and 4:00 pm which is six hours after the first morning session. The participants for this study were tested for their cognitive performance measures which include word recall, prospective memory, verbal fluency, and letter cancellation, as well as subjective mood. (3)

Effective

Researchers of a 2015 study purported that peppermint oil can help in maintaining drivers’ alertness. . Their study investigated the impact of peppermint as an in-vehicle fragrance. The participants in this study were assigned to two groups, the peppermint exposure group and the placebo where participants will have the non-fragrance situation. The participants in the aroma group, inhaled the peppermint scent continuously for 30 minutes using an electronic aroma vaporizer while they are driving. Although the difference between the two groups was not significant, the researchers reported that the aroma of peppermint is effective in maintaining the alertness of the driver since their investigation has demonstrated that its odor can keep the driver’s alertness level high. (4)

A comparative study on the effect of peppermint and ylang-ylang on cognition and mood among healthy individuals revealed that peppermint can enhance memory and increase subjective mood alertness. The participants of the study are one hundred and forty-four volunteers and were assigned to three groups. The groups are the ylang-ylang aroma group, peppermint aroma, group, or no aroma control group. The cognitive performance and mood of the participants were assessed during the study. (5)

Distractions might be there, but a focused individual knows how to control them. With the help of peppermint oil and your eagerness to stay focused, you can achieve your objectives for the day and goals for the future.

Stay focused 💋❤

References:

(1) Aromatherapy and A-Z, Patricia Davis, C.W. Daniel Company Limited (1988)
(2) Heuberger E., Ilmbergerb J. The Influence of Essential Oils on Human Vigilance. Natural Product Communications Vol. 5 (9) 2010. 1441 – 1446
(3) Hoult, L., Longstaff, L. and Moss, M. (2019) Prolonged Low-Level Exposure to the Aroma of Peppermint Essential Oil Enhances Aspects of Cognition and Mood in Healthy Adults. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 10, 1002-1012. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2019.106072
(4) Mahachandraa M., Yassierlib, Garnabyc E.D. . The effectiveness of in-vehicle peppermint fragrance to maintain car driver’s alertness. Procedia Manufacturing 4 ( 2015 ) 471 – 477
(5) Moss M., Hewitt S., Moss L., Wesnes K. (2008) Modulation Of Cognitive Performance And Mood By Aromas Of Peppermint And Ylang-Ylang, International Journal of Neuroscience, 118:1, 59-77, DOI: 10.1080/00207450601042094. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207450601042094