7 Health issues which can be effectively tackled using aromatherapy herbs

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Stem, leaves, roots and flowers of various herbs can be used in different ways such as adding them to a bath or making a herbal tea. The essential oils of selected plants are used in aromatherapy to foster balance and harmony of the body, mind and spirit. Aromatherapy is an alternative treatment rather than the primary treatment for illness, mental health disorders and disease. One can include aromatherapy treatment to increase body’s natural ability to regulate, cure and maintain before and during treatment. Aromatherapy can be practiced in three different manners i.e., through massage, inhaling and bathing. Aromatherapy as an alternative treatment has both physical and mental health benefits in both minor and major health conditions. This therapy has been found effective in treating stress, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, stimulates memory, emotional problems, common cough and cold, aches and pains, etc. The most common herbs and oils used in these treatments are tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, clove oil, peppermint oil, basil leaves and lavender flowers and its oil, etc. It is important to obtain a reliable medical diagnosis before using aromatherapy to treat the symptoms. Read on to know the health benefits of aromatherapy herbs:

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1. Anxiety

Anxiety is an underlying obsessive and compulsive disorder to a perceived physical or psychological threat. Acute anxiety can be a vague or a focused feeling of tension which may generally occur before an important or difficult event. If you feel physically tensed, give yourself a shoulder massage with essential oils or add them to your bath or vaporizer. To make the massage oil, add 2 drops of geranium, lavender and sandalwood oils, and 1 drop of basil oil, or 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil or olive oil. If you are in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, then avoid basil oil. Get an immediate relief from your anxiety pangs by adding a few drops of lavender or geranium or oil in your bath or into a bowl of hot water, and inhale the scented vapor for 5 minutes.

2. Stress

People experience stress in response to various physical, mental or emotional stimuli and aromatherapy is the most common method to deal with stress and promote stress relief, calmness and restore well being. Teas made from calming herbs are helpful especially at stressful times. A cup of chamomile valerian, lime flower or lemon balm tea provides instant stress relief. Use of relaxing essential oils like lavender, vanilla, orange blossom, chamomile, ylang ylang, neroli, rose and sandalwood is very common for relieving stress. It’s alarming and time to get a medical help if you feel overwhelmed by stress to the extent that your work or relationships are adversely affected.

3. Pain relief

Pain is a sign of something harming you. Aromatherapy can be your answer if you suffer from chronic pain, such as arthritis, or have achy, sore muscles. Lavender oil is the most commonly used essential oils for relieving pain due to its anti inflammatory properties. This oil can be used as massage for alleviating muscle spasms, aches and cramps. Take a warm and scented bath by adding either 2 drops of roman chamomile, lavender or cajuput oil for severe pain. Avoid cajuput oil throughout pregnancy. Add 20 drops of clary sage oil to half a cup of grapeseed oil and massage onto the painful areas for instant relief.

4. Fatigue

It is normal to feel fatigued at the end of the day. Aromatherapy can help you fight and reduce your fatigue effectively. Massage your feet, legs, abdomen, hands or arms with 3 drops each of lavender, ylang ylang oil and 2 drops of roman chamomile oil, in a tablespoon of grapeseed or sweet almond oil. A combination of few drops of clary sage, juniper berry and lemongrass oils to a vaporizer is effective to reduce the fatigue. A herbal hot tea of ginseng would also help in reducing your fatigue. Avoid these oils during pregnancy. Check with your doctor immediately if your fatigue worsens in spite of herbal therapy.

5. Headaches

Headache is often caused by muscle tension resulting from a state of mental stress. Herbs can help in bringing relief in headaches. A cup of tea made from a combination of passionflower, rosemary or lavender would prevent a headache from worsening. A massage, hot water bath or inhalation with a few drops of lavender, sweet majoram and chamomile oil can relieve you of tension headache. Eating feverfew leaves is a primary or natural remedy for migraines.

6. Insomnia

A goodnight sleep regenerates body and refreshes the mind. A sleep disorder can reduce your physical and mental performance. Aromatherapy can be a gentle alternative to overcome established insomnia. Help yourself unwind by adding essential oils like lavender, chamomile and rose to your bath water or drink herbal tea in the evening. Make a tea from chamomile and passion flower and drink it at the bedtime to experience a soothing sleep. Put a mixture of lavender, lime flower, chamomile, catnip, lemon balm and hops herb inside your pillow case to breathe in the scent during the night, would induce good sleep.

7. Cough and Cold

Most of us are familiar with the classic symptoms of common cold; a sore throat followed by sneezing, running and stuffy nose. Aromatherapy helps to stave off or lessen the severity of the infection. Drink tea made from fresh or dried ginger, sweetened with a little honey. Clear congestion with a steam inhalation of eucalyptus, peppermint, lemon thyme, clove oil. Avoid clove during pregnancy. Mix 3 drops of cedarwood oil, 2 drops of peppermint oil, and 1 drop of cajuput oil to olive oil and massage onto your throat and chest. Avoid cedarwood oil or cajuput oil if you are in first 20 weeks of your pregnancy. Get medical help if your cold and cough gets worse after 3 days.

Aromatherapy is becoming more and more popular means of healing and it compliments the traditional medical treatments. Aromatherapy as an alternative therapy has many benefits which are mostly positive, inexpensive and holistic means for solving daily life dilemmas if utilized carefully and correctly. Although it is an art and science applied together to heal a lot of mental and physical disorders but this non invasive treatment of essential herbs and oils is very powerful and should be implemented with care. So, it would not be wrong to conclude that the herbs or the natural balance of compounds in plants provide an effective means of restoring health than synthesized drugs, as prescribed in orthodox modern medicine.

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