The different types of oils produced from eucalyptus tree are medicinal oils, many different industrial oils and oils that can be used in perfumes. Oil is produced from the leaves of this tree and not from the bark. Normally people keep eucalyptus oil in their home first aid kit because of its medicinal properties.

Eucalyptus is best for the treatment of many different diseases. Among these trees eucalyptus radiate essential oils are very useful and have different medicinal properties. You will find different chemistry in different oils.

Eucalyptus radiate has the most common properties and is widely used for its medicinal properties. It is richest in 1, 8 cineole. It is the best antibacterial, antiviral and is also great oil for getting relief from sinus. It helps in removing all type of infections. It is best for healing any type of problem in respiratory system and improves its condition a lot. It is lowest in aldehydes and hence is a lot effective.

Another tree used is eucalyptus globules. It is also known for its medicinal properties. The other name for this tree is blue gum tree. It is known for healing the infections of the respiratory tract and is best for the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis and wounds. It purifies the air around it and also helps in the production of ozone and thickens the ozone layer. Just have a look at the chemical component of this tree. You will find that it is high in oxides and in 1, 8 cineole.

Another useful tree in the family of eucalyptus is Eucalyptus Citriodora. It is recognized by its lemony fragrance and gives a cooling effect in the body and on the skin. The key constituent of this tree is citonellal which is an aldehyde. It helps in reducing heat in the body and makes it cool. It is used as an insect repellent like cockroaches, silverfish and many other different insects that reside in your home. You can use its oil for message and is very good for children because of its cool lemon fragrance.

There is another common tree is E.Dives. It is also known as peppermint eucalyptus. Its fragrance matches methanol. The main ingredient of this tree is piperitone which is a ketone. It is good for healing infections of sinus, ear, kidney and vaginitis. E.Dives is also majorly used for its medicinal properties. Its oil is also good in healing infections and other diseases.

Last but not the least in the list is Eucalyptus polybractea. You can also call it as Blue Mallee. It is a good antimicrobial and acts gently on the skin as compared to other oils. It is richest source of 1, 8 cineole.

You may want to apply home remedies like Eucalyptus radiata essential oilthat are medicinal in nature and helps you keep on the go. In this fast-paced world, you need something to relieve you from feelings of stress and fatigue. Or you may want to try bergamot essential oil.

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Why Keep Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil In Your First Aid Kit?

Body Massage oil acts as a lubricant for smoother movement of hands on the skin. This lubricate does not aid just this purpose. A good number body massage oils are developed from extracts of herbs and flowers and therefore have proven beneficial when the personal property are combined with body massage.

Essential oil has better absorbency than any lotion, a body massage helps it soak in further into the skin. Oils are known to contain lots of nourishment, depending on which one you prefer. This nourishment can restock lost nutrition from the skin. After a massage your skin will become more soft and flexible.

Oils also reduce dryness and increases elasticity. You can use essential oils which can in fact relax your mind as well as body muscles, in so doing granting you complete overall optimistic wellbeing effect. These are also beneficial to skin and relieve aches and pains along with aforementioned positive effects.

You need not go to a body massage parlour regularly, a number of of these massages can take place at your house. Especially the ones involving face, limbs, hair, etc. However, a body massage parlour would be the best if you would like to include an all body massage that includes body massage.

There are several qualities that body massage oils contain, these are antifungal, aromatic, rich in Vitamin E and proteins, are absorbed better by the skin and increase softness. These also have curative qualities. You may find some of the injuries being resolved after a good body massage. However, these injuries are small injuries like scratches, etc. Large injuries should be taken care of medically.

Body Massage followed with a sauna will provide you a confident wellbeing effect. Sauna’s heat environment will help the skin to absorb Essential oil more effectively. This would mean better effects of massage and sauna as well. It is not a must to use oil prior to sauna. When the oil has been absorbed by the skin, its work has been completed and needs to be removed from the skin. This can be done effortlessly by steam inside sauna. Also ensure you take a lovely bath after massage and sauna.

Body Massage after a sauna will ensure complete relaxation and skin care. I hope you enjoyed reading my article, if you would like to read more about oil massage please click on oil massage now.

Want to find out more about Oil Massage, then visit Marc Carson’s site on how to choose the best Oil Massage for your needs.

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How Body Massage Oils Affect The Body

Public interest in the healing properties of essential oils was revived in the early twentieth century in France when a French chemist accidentally discovered the soothing properties of lavender oil while working in his laboratory.

In India the traditional use of essential oils was in the form of massage oils and medicinal concoctions while Egyptians used essential oils for bathing and in ancient Greece records one can even read about the use of aromatherapy incense.

Essential oils are usually sold in wholesale quantities to retailers, industries and large institutions such as cosmetic houses, aroma therapists and various other wholesalers and related subordinated services.

Essential oils purchased wholesale are a great choice if you want the best at the most affordable prices. Many companies that provide wholesale essential oils are now advertising over the Internet and purchasing wholesale essential oils will save you a good deal of money.

Wholesale essential oils are used for many different reasons and purposes.

Wholesale Essential oils are used extensively in various traditional medicinal systems and aromatherapy.

Due to the numerous health benefits of essential oils, the scientific community is exploring the treatment of a variety of deseases, afflictions and ailments with essential oils.

Wholesale essential oils are also used to add a distinctive smell to personal care products such as shower gels, bath soaps and other bath products as well as many perfumes,colognes and cosmetics. They ensure that their products are high quality by using 100% pure, natural and undiluted essential oils that are laboratory tested for purity and therapeutic values.

Essential oils recipes along with rose water, almond oil and other ingredients are useful in skin care and other treatments. If you own a salon or spa, finding the right wholesale skin care products for your store are essential to the health of your business.

Essential oils provide excellent scents for soy candles and many people make their own perfumes with the help of essential oil recipes.

Chefs around the world are using essential oils to add a distinctive flavor to food.

The purest aromatherapy essential oils come from carefully cultivated and wild grown plants from climatic and geographic regions throughout the world. Thanks to the internet wholesale Essential oils are now readily available to you and your business.

Click on http://auroma.com to view our wholesale program for wholesale essential oils. We insure purity, authenticity, and quality, by analyzing each oil using the latest state-of-the-art GC/MS technology which can detect impurities to one part per billion.

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Wholesale Essential Oils Make Your Business More Profitable

A Superior Pain Reliever

The pure essential oil steam distilled from the flowers of the Helicrhysum italicum plant is really an absolutely remarkable healing agent. Not just compared to natural medicines, but compared to ALL pain relieving medicines available today. It is safe, effective, has no addiction potential and very easy-to-use. Pain relief reported by most users happens nearly instantly — certainly within minutes of application. The oil is listed in ‘Essential Oil Safety’ as non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing. It is regularly prescribed for undiluted application to the skin (where very few other essential oils are). Most conservatively, the oil is sometimes said to be avoided during pregnancy, and by young children — but this warning is not found in today’s most advanced aromatherapy texts. The only other concern is of the oils helpful anticoagulant properties, and is sometimes contraindicated if one is taking blood thinning medication. The amounts absorbed for pain relief are exceptionally small. However, if your situation is questionable, check with a health professional before use, but know that the essential oil is considered to be exceptionally safe for the vast majority of the population.

A Look at the Chemistry: Why Helichrysum Works

An essential oil is simply a natural volatile (easily evaporated) liquid extracted from plant matter. Essential oils are actually very complex, often made up of many, many natural chemicals — all in each single oil. Science clearly backs-up the claims of Helichrysum through an investigation into its chemistry. Within the essential oil from Helichrysum italicum (the therapeutic species of this essential oil) chemists have found compounds that are anti-inflammatory and prevent bruising (the curcumenes, similar to the anti-inflammatory compounds found in the spice ‘turmeric’); others that are muscle relaxants (the anti-spasmodic ‘esters’) which loosen tightly-knotted muscles; regenerative agents (the di-ketones, which are unique to this essential oil), and axiolytics (linalool, for example, shown in many studies to significantly calm stress). These compounds ’synergize’ — meaning together they do more than the single components are expected to — for a profound pain relieving action (in addition to the anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and axiolytic activity).

What Kind of Pain Can it Help?

Nearly everyone with pain originating in their muscles, joints or connective tissue may find relief with this oil. Helichrysum is applied topically to the area where symptoms are noted, where it readily absorbs through the skin. The greatest effects are found where the painful spots are relatively close to the surface — like the neck, back, and most joints. Folks with arthritis may benefit, and can even use another essential oil like Ginger to add a warming effect. Sports enthusiasts and hard-core athletes are some of Helichrysum’s greatest proponents. It works on virtually any impact and trauma-related injury. Over-use injuries are more challenging, but even here the oil has been found effective if used in the early stages, when the pain first appears. Anyone can benefit anytime they hurt themselves: bang into the furniture in the middle of the night? Burn yourself in the kitchen? Twist an ankle on the stairs? Give Helichrysum a try! The sooner its applied, the more effective it will be, as one of the most wonderful actions is the way it prevents bruises from forming, which not only reduces pain but significantly speeds the healing process. Beyond these common uses, many individuals have found relief from nerve pain, and other conditions which painfully affect the skin, muscles, connective tissue and nervous system.

How to Use Helichrysum Essential Oil for the Greatest Benefit

There are essentially two unique conditions which determine the way the essential oil is used: whether the injury or pain is Acute (just occurred) or Chronic (has been present for some time, and is not obviously healing). For acute cases, like one has JUST twisted an ankle, banged a knee, or burned themselves, Helichrysum is applied ‘neat’, or directly from the bottle at 100% strength. This gets the most amount of oil delivered to the area as quickly as possible. Once an injury is not getting worse, or the condition or pain has been present for some time, Helichrysum is often diluted to about 20% in an oil that acts as a ‘massage’ base. Helichrysum and this ‘carrier’ oil (Jojoba is commonly used) are then frequently massaged-in.

In most cases of chronic pain, diluting in another ‘carrier’ oil — like Sweet Almond, Jojoba, or even Olive oil — will ‘extend’ the Helichrysum, and can help improve its effects over a larger area. If using for the entire mid-back area for example, one can dilute one part Helichrysum into 5 or even 10 parts Jojoba oil and massage-in as frequently as necessary. Making our own formulation is very easy to do. It is recommended to start of with lower dilutions and work your way up only if necessary; this helps you conserve the precious oil by only using as much as required for the desired results. Forty drops of Helicrysum in each ounce of carrier oil will create an approximate 5 percent dilution; eighty drops for a 10 percent dilution; etc.

Making A Custom Recipe

Helichrysum essential oil can be blended with other essential oils in your formula to make a ‘custom’ recipe. Tea tree can be added to provide antiseptic / antibactieral action. Lavender is an excellent choice if you would like to add a little ‘anti-stress’ effect. To further enhance the anti-inflammation of the essential oil, Blue Chamomile is an excellent choice (which is most effective used at a low dilution of only 1-2% of the total formula). For a warming effect, Ginger or Black Pepper can be used; these oils will increase circulation and are often included in blends for arthritis support. For even more effective pain relief, Wintergreen essential oil can be used cautiously — it is actually liquid aspirin, with a potential for overdose. The two oils together can synergize for an extra-strength pain formula for occasional use. Finally, Helichrysum is used in wound and scar healing formulas (again, once the wound is sealed) mixed with Sea Buckthorn Berry, in a base of Rosehip Seed oil (there are many versions of this recipe — a little searching will help you find the right one for you).

There Are Many Kinds of Helichrysum — Which One to Use?

When using Helichrysum essential oil, it is essential to find a very specific type: Helichrysum ‘italicum’. There are other species of this oil available, but this is the one that offers the great pain relief discussed here. It is one of nature’s most profound pain relievers, helping a great many people with a wide variety of conditions. It works for a great many symptoms of pain, safely and effectively. (It is, of course, imperative one discusses the use of the oil if being treated for any condition by a doctor to be sure in your individual condition.) Helichrysum essential oil is simple to use and readily available through Internet sources — it is, as of yet, difficult to find in local health food stores in the United States, though this may be changing soon). So whatever your needs for this type of therapy, Helichrysum essential oil can really be worth investigating.

The author utilizes essential oils for aromatherapy in addition to making wonderful infusions. More information is available through The Ananda Apothecary at www.anandaapothecary.com.

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Topical Aromatherapy for Pain Relief: Yes It Works!

The health gains of organic lavender necessary oil include its capability to take off stress, decrease pain, clean scalp and skin, heighten blood movement and treat breathing difficulties. Lavender has the Latin name Lavare, which means to clean, due to its perfume which fills in a room disperse with lavender oil with a clear odor. Lavender oil is drawn out from the flowers of the plant, fundamentally through steam distillation. The flowers of lavender are aromatic in nature and have been utilized for producing potpourris since years.

Organic Lavender essential oil has been traditionally employed in manufacturing perfumes due to its fragrance. The oil is really utilizable in aromatherapy and many redolent making are done using lavender oil. Organic Lavender necessary oil mixes well with all other concentrated oils including cedar wood,pine, clary sage, geranium, and nutmeg. Nowadays, organic lavender essential oil is utilized in several kinds including aromatherapy oil, gels, infusion, lotion, and soaps.

The chemical ingredients and scent of essential oils can give valuable psychological and physical curative benefits. These gains are routinely got thru strategies including breathing in and application of the water down oil to the skin. For Detailed Profiles on Over a hundred oils, check the Essential Oil Profiles on the Net.

Essential oils are often exploited by watering down them with carrier oil ( sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and grape seed oil ) and then using this blending to the skin for soaking in. Check about the carrier oil section in the net for more detailed data about carrier oils. Careful inhaling of the oils can also give curative benefit as the oil molecules come in the lungs and are engrossed into the bloodstream. Of all oils lavender necessary oil is more popular.

These Oils are normally sold for the people use in little bottles. Check the easy way to store the bottles on the net for more data on the simplest way to store the oils and to view images of essential oil bottles. These oils can terribly seriously in quality and cost. Various elements that can bear on the quality and price of the oil have the infrequency of the plant, country and circumstances that the plant was arisen, quality standards of the producer, and how much oil is made by the plant.

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Lavender Essential Oils

Now that summer is officially here, our home gardens are in their heyday. Spring’s greens have already sprouted and given us the first gifts of the season, like bitter dandelion leaves, soft lettuces and nutrient-rich spinach. Now it’s peas and squash, strawberries and raspberries. Last season you risked it and planted watermelon (and oh, what a harvest you had!). This summer you’re branching out to cooking herbs and thinking of buying a backyard composting bin for all of your fertile scraps. No matter what you’re growing in your garden or on your deck, the abundance of summer makes us want to eat healthy and pay attention to the earth, the real root of our nourishment.

For much of the year, our produce is trucked in from far-flung farmlands. Once summer arrives, though, everyone gets the opportunity to claim their birthright as gardeners and cultivators of their own food. What’s best, local summer harvests allow us to experiment with simple, nutritious meals. With very little effort, a meal of fresh vegetables and summer fruits can become a decadent feast. And if your simple cuisine asks for a hint of the exotic, you can harvest a bouquet of flavors from the most unlikely of places: your aromatherapy medicine chest.

When buying aromatic oils, you should always strive to use medicinal-grade oils. These oils come from huge amounts of plant material, so it?s wise to use high-quality oils from reliable sources. Of course we already consider this when we buy aromatherapy products for external use. However, committing to therapeutic-grade oils has a secret bonus: you can use these oils in food as well. If you?ve never seen your aromatherapy collection this way, just remember that smell has more control over our sense of flavor than even our taste buds do. Keeping that little fact in focus, here are some fun ways to use essential oils in your summer cuisine.

First and foremost, let?s address the issue of food safety. Essential oils are, obviously, plant-derived substances. While you may not want to eat a hunk of frankincense resin straight from the tree, frankincense is still a naturally occurring substance. It is not poisonous in small quantities, but it may make you want to brush your teeth immediately. Many essential oils are expressly dangerous for internal consumption, such as wintergreen and birch, but other oils can be used in small quantities for internal health as well as for cooking. In fact, the FDA has qualified many of the common essential oils as GRAS, Generally Recognized as Safe, substances. This means that, although they are not labeled as food additives, they can be internalized without apparent side-effects. When considering which oils to cook with, this is a good rule of thumb: essential oils of citruses, spices and other commonly-eaten foods are probably going to make good additions to your cuisine. Just be cautious when using essential oils that are known to irritate mucous membranes, such as cinnamon, oregano and peppermint.

How can essential oils improve your summer harvest? Let?s first consider one of the gifts of the Mediterranean region: the citruses. Oils like grapefruit and lemon blend nicely with olive oil for simple, tangy dressings. All it takes is one drop of oil per tablespoon of oil, and your salad will be transformed. Love guacamole? Try a few drops of lime oil mixed with ripe avocado and serve it with chips or jicama slices. Still munching on this spring?s spinach? Mandarin orange essential oil, which smells outrageous, is refreshing drizzled on greens. How about beverages? Oils add dimension to juices and fizzy waters, too. By mixing grapefruit, mandarin and lime in equal parts, seltzer water is transformed into a healthy citrus soda without the sweeteners found in commercial brands. As with all aromatic oils, though, don?t overdo it. Thankfully, a little bit of oil goes a long way.

What about the group of essential oils derived from well-known cooking spices? Sweet marjoram, basil, ginger, thyme, oregano and bay can all be used to enhance food. Try blending sweet basil oil in with a tomato-mozzarella-Italian parsley pasta, or put a drop of ginger oil in your summer cabbage and mushroom stir fry. Like your coffee with cardamom, Arabian-style? One drop of this oil transforms regular coffee into a delicious treat (hint: try this drink iced!). Cooking spice essential oils tend to be surprisingly strong, so again, don?t be liberal with them. Too much oregano or thyme oil will definitely ruin an otherwise balanced dish, so be careful. It?s also usually a good idea to wait to throw the oils in until the food is nearly done cooking, thereby reducing the chance of evaporation before you?re able to enjoy your creation.

Not surprisingly, essential oils also enhance desserts. Two of the most well-loved dessert flavorings come as essential oils: vanilla bean and cacao. The aromatic oils, however, do not come laden with sugar, nor are they soaking in alcohol, the process used to create extracts. If you find yourself craving a sweet vanilla, try blending your essential oil with honey instead of sugar and see if your craving is curbed. The same can be said for cacao. This bitter, dark essential oil is not a candy bar, but it signals the brain the same way chocolate does. A decadent way of indulging your sweet tooth without jeopardizing your diet is to drip two drops of cacao or vanilla into yogurt and eat like ice cream.

Summer food has a way of reminding us of life?s simple pleasures. From a basic family barbeque to a neighborhood feast, the fruits of the season enable us to take care of ourselves while taking care of the earth, too. Essential oils bring new dimension and ease to already simple fare, and often the addition of an oil adds nuance to a dish without the need for an extra trip to the grocery. So remember: if you find yourself the sudden hostess of an impromptu summer get-together and you?re down to soy milk, just toss water, ice and essential oil of lime in a glass and call it a spritzer. This is summer, after all!

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Summertime Cooking with Essential Oils

Aromatherapy candles are a beautiful and easy way to add ambiance and get the therapeutic benefits of the essential oil.

All Natural

Aromatherapy candles must be made from pure, natural plant-based products. This is different from the common commercial candle.

From Nature

They are available in different sizes, shapes and styles. They can be made of vegetable waxes, soy or beeswax – not plant, but very good quality natural.

Power to Transform

You can make positive changes in your surroundings with a simple candle. It gives a room atmosphere and the aroma sets the mood. Choosing our moods may be as easy as choosing an essential oil. Select your candle based on the mood you want to experience.

Mood Work

Candles provide a dual benefit. They glow releasing a warm light to mesmerize the soul and the warmth releases specific vapors that work their magic on us.

Aroma Attitude

If you want to relax, a lavender candle is perfect. Peacefulness by vanilla. Citrus scents pick up your spirits and brighten the home. Herbals energize like rosemary and pine.

The Color of Aromatherapy

Most aromatherapy candles are colorless. Color can affect mood too, just make sure your candle has not artificial additives to create that color.

Conclusion

You can make aromatherapy a part of your life and make your life more enjoyable any time of day or night with an aromatherapy candle. So don’t wait for the perfect time. Make things perfect by using aromatherapy candles every day.

Copyright Native Enterprises, LLC 2009. All rights reserved.

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Aromatherapy Candles for Wellbeing

Essential oils are made from herbs, various parts of the plants, sometimes leaves or stems or roots. So it is safe to say that herbs are the basic source of essential oils. Every plant has its own miniscule quantity and quality of essential oils. Large quantities of herbs are needed to produce small amounts of essential oil. Most remarkable is the understanding that the entire quality of the essential oil cannot exceed the quality of the herbs from which it is made. No wonder it is important to seek excellent sources for therapeutic grade essential oil.

The quality of the herbs will suffer if the growing conditions are not ideal and that will affect the quality of the essential oil. If the herbs do not have the quality grown into them from the environmental and geographical conditions it will be impossible to obtain therapeutic grade essential oil from the plants at that location. People will return to the same grower year after year for trusted quality and purity of herbs.

The therapeutic value of essential oils has been known for a long long time. The healing powers of these oils and herbs were used by people long before we had fancy hospitals and trained physicians to provide health services. The herbs were distilled and the best ones produced therapeutic grade essential oils.

Years ago. French scientists identified a need for uniformity and created standards for comparing therapeutic grade essential oils.The International Standards they developed are still in use today.

The analysis of quality goes beyond the normal sensory evaluation for color and clarity. Science supplies technology to grade essential oils. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are two lab tests used to assess the quality and purity of essential oils to determine if they are pure enough to be certified therapeutic grade essential oils.

You can use therapeutic grade essential oils in many ways. You never want to use synthetic or lower grade impure essential oils for therapeutic applications with your clients. They are not likely to have the same results and can have negative complications for your clients. This is true if you are using aromatherapy or massage that includes essential oils.

You will be wise to find and stay with a reputable dealer who works with growers who can provide you with fine quality therapeutic grade essential oils. Dont go wasting your time and money on cheap imitations or diluted lower grade oils. Or your results will be disappointing or worse.

Buying therapeutic grade essential oils online requires more diligence and care. Pay attention to pricing. Work with someone who has prompt delivery and a good reputation. If you have the essential oil and a piece of blotting paper handy. Put a drop on it. When it evaporates, the fine quality essential oil leaves no stain. The lesser grade may have been blended with other carrier oils with impurities and will leave a stain.

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Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil – Assessing the Quality of Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil

Even before modern times, aromatherapy was being used because of its aromatic and therapeutic effect. Oils that have been extracted from flowers and herbs are used because of its known effectives to heal. During Ancient times, aromatherapy methods were used for offerings and sacrifices to Gods and Goddesses to make sure they will have a good harvest and more.

During the old times aromatherapy was mainly used for the sole purpose of offering gifts to God. The smoke or the aroma of the oil is believed to be attractive to Gods and Goddesses which in turn was intended to make the offering or gifts pleasurable to them.

There are appropriate scents to use for certain rituals, purifications and awareness of psychic ability. Once people practicing a ritual smelled the aroma, it would strengthen and utilize their energy level. These processes have been practiced by people all over the world from centuries ago until now.

Unlike the normal aromatherapy, where the oils are used for massage and inhalation to help with a physiological or psychological problem, ritual oils are intended for purposes that are much larger. Some religious and ethnic group also practices aromatherapy for their rituals, prayers and more.

Another type of aromatherapy is the ritual aromatherapy. It is used for much extensive use such as to attract money, bring love and prosperity. It is believed that once inhaled, it pulls conscious and psychic energy and somehow create an internal change.

In practice the practitioner becomes more receptive to the conscious mind as the fragrance instils the bioelectrical energies to calm the central nervous system, weakening muscular tension so psychic awareness will be stronger. When the scent is aligned with the energy and coupled with the bioelectrical action it is projected into the atmosphere to procure the changes.

This is a very simple but yet so powerful that you do not need to do visualization because the body will be revitalized naturally. If you are looking into getting more involved into using aromatherapy, it may be a good idea to speak with your physician about the benefits, and risks.

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Aromatherapy In Rituals

Bergamot oil is a staple essential oil in therapeutic aromatherapy, being particularly suited to stress-related illness. Its bright, sweet (but not too sweet) aroma is universally loved. Its an oil from the citrus family, along with orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime, with similarly effective mood lifting properties. Bergamot is a cold-pressed oil, a method of extraction that imparts a fresh, tangy scent. Bergamot is actually a tree that produces what appear to be small oranges; the oil is yellow to light-green, the color of the slightly unripe fruit from which it comes. The essential oil is truly versatile, with many practical applications; here’s a quick look at how you can use this oil in your natural health and wellness program.

Originating in tropical Asia, the Bergamot tree is now widely grown in Italy, as well as the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Morocco, and Corsica. Bergamot is named after the Italian city of Bergamo in Lombardy, where the essential oil was first sold for perfumery. The fruit is not edible as the pulp is too sour, resulting in the Bergamot tree being primarily cultivated for its essential oils. It is one of the most popular essential oils used in perfumery – approximately one third of men’s colognes contain Bergamot, and nearly one half of women’s perfumes. Bergamot imparts the characteristic flavor to Earl Grey tea, and is used as a flavoring agent in pastries, root-beer, chewing gum, and toothpastes.

Fresh Bergamot essential oil has nearly three hundred compounds: mainly linalyl acetate, and linaool (these are sweet smelling, relaxing molecules also found in Lavender), sequiterpenes, terpenes, alkalines, and furocoumarins. Certain furocourmarins, notably bergapten, have been found to be photosensitizing (causing an increased sensitivity to ultraviolet rays), hence Bergamot should not be heavily used on skin that will be significantly exposed to sunlight in the following seventy-two hours. A ‘bergapten-free’ variety is available, and is an excellent choice for massage and skin care formulas.

Bergamot is an excellent antiseptic for use in cases of acne, oily skin, and infected skin. As a natural toner and detoxifier, Bergamot may help to prevent premature aging of the dermis. Bergamot oil is noted to have a slightly irritating effect on the skin in high concentrations, but the opposite healing effects occur when the oil is used at low concentrations (1% or lower in a seed or nut oil). Bergamot’s general deodorizing effects derive from its antiseptic properties, which are also effective against bladder and urinary infections. Adding three to four drops of Bergamot and soaking in a warm bath can help bring relief to the early stages of urinary tract infections.

Bergamot essential oil is foremost a miraculous neuro-tonic, and a powerful helper against depression caused by fatigue or unreleased tensions and frustrations. Aromatherapy massage – using a massage oil with a low concentration of essential oil and any healing massage technique – is exceptionally effective for any stress induced disease.As noted by author and aromatherapist Gabriel Mojay, “Bergamot oil’s psychological action depends on its ability to disperse stagnant Chi (life-force energy). This condition can manifest as tension, irritability, and frustration, and if never released or processed, can eventually lead to depression…Bergamot helps us to relax and let go.” Depression due to the stagnation of life-force energy is often the result of accumulated stress and repressed emotions of grief, frustration or anger. A protective oil by nature, Bergamot is indicated whenever the flow of natural energy is disrupted, leading to imbalanced states such as irritability, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Bergamot encourages the release of repressed and inhibited feelings, thus helping to release and decompress. The impressively bright aroma belies its calming, centering, and clarifying nature; it is able to bring cheer and sooth simultaneously.

Bergamot is further indicated where anxiety and stress related symptoms present as a loss or change in appetite. Bergamot’s antidepressant properties and its regulatory effect on appetite offer assistance when used in cases of eating imbalances such as anorexia nervosa, emotional eating, and bulimia. A natural carminative, digestive aid and antispasmodic make Bergamot effective in instances of colic as well as helping to reduce and relieve flatulence. The essential oil can be used as a single note, or blended with companion aromas such as Chamomile, Coriander and Fennel in a neutral base, applied using caring-tough massage techniques.

That Bergamot essential oil has found its way into our lives in forms that we inhale, splash on ourselves, and even eat is no mistake. Humans have certainly developed a fondness for its brilliant touch to the olfactory and gustatory senses. Its greatest potential may be as a ‘broad-spectrum’ natural antidepressant; the yellow-green color of the oil hints to its affinity to the heart and solar plexus chakras, where many of us are challenged to remain open in our daily routines. It is the opening of the heart and a fluid allowing of the emotions that lies at the center of our healing journeys. Using Bergamot through all primary aromatherapy techniques can assist in this process, opening us to freedom and joys in our everyday lives.

Bergamot essential oil blends well with Chamomile, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Neroli, Tangerine, and Ylang Ylang essential oils. Bergamot can be used by means of bath, compresses, massage, or inhalation. Blends utilizing the Bergamot essential oil’s uplifting and releasing effects are recommended as follows: To release aggravation and pressure – 2 parts Roman Chamomile, 2 parts Bergamot and 2 parts Sweet Orange. To overcome nervousness and agitation – 3 parts Lavender, 2 parts Neroli and 1 part Bergamot. When frustrated and negative – 3 parts Bergamot, 2 parts Sweet Orange and 1 part Neroli. To enhance relaxation and self-confidence – 2 parts Lavender and 1 part Bergamot. Feeling bitter and brooding – 2 parts Roman Chamomile, 2 Parts Bergamot and 2 parts Helichrysum. Blend equal parts Tangerine and Lemon and/or Orange. These blends may be used in a diffuser, or diluted to 3% total concentration in one or more carrier oils for a wonderful aromatherapy massage.

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Beginning Aromatherapy: Bergamot the Antidepressant