Aromanaturals Aromatherapy Blog

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to get to sleep. After a long day of accomplishing whatever life has put in front of us for the day, be that working in the office, out on the slopes or home with the children, we all need to be able to unwind then slip into bed and have a relaxed nights sleep. If you spend your time tossing and turning instead then you need to find alternatives to improve your sleeping habits. One option, of course, is taking sleeping medications, but why not do something better for your body? Don’t use chemicals. Use a natural approach to helping you relax and sleep and what could be better than using aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is the ability to use essential oils to improve both your physical and emotionally well-being. These essential oils can improve many things for you from alleviating headaches and anxiety to helping you relax and sleep. Essential oils are distilled from various plant materials including bark, flowers, berries, leaves or fruit. Essential oils are reasonably priced and available at your local grocery store or from any health shop.

Although there are many essential oils that can be used to help you relax or make it easier to get to sleep there are a few that are particularly good in fulfilling those needs. Studies have show that the top five are lavender, chamomile, bergamot, sandalwood and mandarin.

Read the full article on aromatherapy for relaxation and sleep.

Centuries after the Ancient Egyptians used aromatherapy, the practice is still being used. Whether you burn a candle, warm a few drops of oil, or massage the oils onto your skin, aromatherapy promotes physical and mental well-being.  Aromatherapy is exciting and it seems to be everywhere you look. With so many essential oils out there to choose from you may feel a little confused; but don’t worry we’ve found the top eight essential oils on the market.

Lavender is by far the most commonly used essential oil. The fragrant flowery scent is used to promote relaxation and lift depression. Sprinkle a few drops of lavender on your pillow at night to help you get to dreamland. Mix lavender with a base oil to rub on your temples (for headaches), sore muscles, or abdominal cramps. Lavender is also useful for relieving the pain from arthritis.

Tea tree oil is right up there with lavender oil. It is known as the most powerful natural antiseptic around. Tests have shown that you can safely apply tea tree oil to your skin without diluting it (it’s one of the few essential oils that you are able to do this with). It can be applied to treat bacteria, fungi, viruses, cuts, and burns. Tea tree oil is also known for its ability to dissolve oil on the skin. Though its primary use is for physical healing, tea tree oil is also known to lift depression and exhaustion. If a revitalizing, nutmeg scent appeals to you then you will enjoy tea tree oil.

Read the full article on aromatherapy essential oils.

There are a variety of aromatherapy scents that can be useful for calming and relieving stress. It is true that the very process of Aromatherapy is calming, but some essential oils, in and of themselves, have natural powers for soothing and calming the person that is experiencing the aromas. It is important to know exactly what oils are best for what treatments. Some are better for healing and relieving certain types of pain, while others are better for promoting alertness and are thus stimulating. So, it is necessary that one know exactly what each essential oil is capable of and works best for promoting and fighting against.

Probably one of the most popular oils for calming is lavender. This oil comes from France primarily and is one of the ‘essential’ essential oils. Known for its multi-diverse functions, it can be effective for treating all sorts of ailments. But, the most common use of lavender is calming and relaxing the person. It is a very pleasant herbal and floral scent, and can calm and balance the mind and spirit. It is a hardy plant, and can grow in almost any garden. The oils from lavender, when applied in Aromatherapy, diffuse tension and anger, soothing the ‘uptight’ soul. It is also very good for the insomniac. It helps to give one a good night sleep in spite of tension and stress.

Read the full article on calming aromatherapy scents.

The process of diffusion is the way in which essential oils are distributed in the air so that one may inhale them.  There is a host of ways in which this diffusion is accomplished.  Varying from the very simple to moderately complicated, the diffusion of essential oils for Aromatherapy can be demonstrated in three general methods.  Consumers can practice many methods with these products.  Here is a look at some of these methods and the products used for them.

The three main ways in which aromatherapy essential oils are diffused are by tissue, steam and candle diffusion.  The tissue method is really simple.  Merely place a few drops on a tissue, making sure that the tissue is somewhere nearby.  Consequently, the aroma will be distributed to you.  This method is advantageous because it is quick, easy and can be done anywhere.  But, with this method very little vapor is emitted.  Unlike the tissue method, using boiling water diffuses far more vapor into the air.  Just by pouring boiled water into a bowl and placing several drops into the bowl, vapors are distributed throughout the room.  This diffusion method is less convenient than the tissue, but more effective.  Being that the vapors produced by boiling water is not long lasting, a favorite method is using candles.  In addition, simply lighting a candle, extinguishing the flame, placing a few drops in the soft wax (not on the wick) and then re-lighting the candle, vapors are distributed in the air.  The only disadvantage to this method is that it can be dangerous if not done right, since some essential oils are highly flammable and one must take care not to light the oils themselves.

Read more on diffusion products.

In brief, aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. Although the term aromatherapy was not used until the 20th Century, the foundations of aromatherapy date back thousands of years. The use of essential oils in particular date back nearly one thousand years.

The Chinese may have been one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for well-being. Their practices involved burning incense to help create harmony and balance. Later, the Egyptians invented a rudimentary distillation machine that allowed for the crude extraction of cedarwood oil. It is also thought by some that Persia and India may have also invented crude distillation machines, but very little is known.

Read the rest of this article on the history of aromatherapy at AromaNaturals main site.

The holidays are upon us, and here’s a blend to get you in that holiday spirit:

• 4 drops Fir Needle Oil
• 3 drops Cedarwood Oil
• 3 drops Spruce Oil
• 3 drops Cinnamon Oil

Place oils in a small essential oil bottle and shake to blend.  Then use with your favorite diffuser.

This makes a nice Christmas tree scent with a bit of spice - try it out and let us know what you think!  We’re always looking for new variations on and ways to improve our blends.

There are many ways that Aromatherapy can help relieve the tension acquired during stressful times.  The essential oils present in Aromatherapy are therapeutic not only to certain ailments that plague a person, but they can also have a calming soothing effect that will lower one’s symptoms of worry.  Not only can some oils reduce stress, but also these oils can help one increase their ability to handle stress.

Read more on aromatherapy for stress.

Massage; it’s the opportunity to be pampered with an hour of full body relaxation therapy. The numerous centers that you can go to will all do it differently. They’ll have their own plan on how to make you feel the most refreshed. But all of them will have one thing in common. They’ll use massage oils to improve your feeling of well-being.

Massage oils that are scented offer a double benefit. First, the massage oil itself has the benefit of allowing the massage to be done with the least amount of friction of the skin.  This obviously is much more comfortable.  Then you will have to choose whether you want to use heavy or light massage oil. Are you looking for something to ease your discomforts, improve skin condition or help awaken your partner’s interest?

Read the full article on Scent-able Massage Oils.

Spring is here and soon we will see the insects that come back with the warm weather. Mosquito bites are a nuisance but with the threat of West Nile Virus, it’s essential we use protection when we are outside. There are plenty of repellents on the market but most of them have the chemical DEET. People who normally wouldn’t use chemicals are using them because they are more afraid of the diseases that insects carry then they are of the chemical.

Read the rest of the article on repelling insects with aromatherapy.

Some people hear the word childbirth and cringe. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Childbirth can be a treasured experience for you. After you’ve experienced it you may want to do it again and you may not. You may treasure it because it was an experience like no other or you may treasure it because you never have to go through it again. Whichever the case may be, aromatherapy can help you in more than one way during childbirth (not only during childbirth but during pregnancy, too). Don’t worry. Most people agree that using aromatherapy will make your labor painless and perfect. That is not true. But, it is known that aromatherapy can assist in helping you to relax, ease pain and discomfort and create a soothing atmosphere for everyone.

Read the rest of this article on aromatherapy scents for childbirth.