How to use essential oils

Many essential oils have their own unique effects, and the effects they can play vary depending on how they are used. Some essential oils can relieve stress, some can regulate mood, and some can remove acne. Of course, these effects need to be achieved through different methods of use. How to use plant essential oils depends on what problem the user wants to solve through the essential oils. If you want to soothe your emotions, you can use inhalation. If you want to regulate your body, you can use massage.

1. Inhalation method - the simplest way to use essential oils

When you inhale, the essential oil molecules are carried into the olfactory cells at the top of the nose and then transmitted to the olfactory area of ​​the brain. The chemicals in essential oils trigger the release of chemicals in the nervous system, producing a calming, relaxing, or stimulating effect. Essential oils also enter the lungs, undergo gas exchange, and enter the blood circulation.

Direct inhalation method is applicable to symptoms: Direct inhalation is an extremely simple method of use. This method can be used while in a meeting, driving, riding in a car, or in class. Direct inhalation is the most direct and effective method for headaches, insomnia, emotional instability and respiratory infections.

Steam inhalation is suitable for symptoms: Steam inhalation can send essential oils into the lungs and enter the blood. This method is the fastest and most effective way to treat colds and respiratory infections. It is also the best way to refresh and regulate emotions, but it is not suitable for patients with asthma.

Symptoms of fumigation and inhalation: Essential oils are highly volatile substances. If heated, they will quickly fill the air and the plant molecules will be inhaled into the body during breathing. Fumigation is the best way to maintain a smooth sense of smell and protect breathing from harm by pollutants; it can also improve environmental hygiene, purify the air, and avoid infection with germs; the aroma can soothe emotions and improve mental conditions, such as promoting sleep and enhancing sexual desire.

2. Massage - relax and regulate the whole body function

The best time to massage is right after taking a shower, when the body is still slightly damp. Essential oils enter the pores of the skin through massage, and as the blood flows, they stimulate the nerves to regulate nerve activity, enhance body energy, relieve stress-related symptoms, relieve pain and improve skin conditions.

Massage is suitable for symptoms: Massage is an ancient maintenance art that can relax the body and reduce the secretion of stress hormones. If you receive 15 minutes of massage every day, your immune cells will increase significantly after one month. In addition to psychological and emotional help, massage can also enhance blood circulation, eliminate toxins from the body, and thus improve the internal environment, thereby regulating the entire body. Therefore, massage has a wide range of applications, including facial care, full body massage, weight loss and breast enhancement, relief of menstrual and abdominal pain, improvement of constipation, lymphatic drainage, etc.

1. Face massage: Apply massage oil generously to the face, then use the middle and ring fingers, which are harder to apply, to gently massage. Facial massage can nourish the skin and delay skin aging. It can also solve various beauty problems when combined with essential oils with different functions.

2. Abdominal massage: Long-term abdominal massage can enhance the stomach's digestive function, promote intestinal peristalsis, and prevent constipation. You should relax naturally during massage without exerting force. It is not advisable to massage after a meal or when you are particularly hungry.

3. Leg massage: Leg massage can not only relieve muscle fatigue and joint pain, but also can be used to reduce excess fat in the legs, eliminate edema, and create slender and straight legs.

3. Pressing method - most suitable for treating epidermal problems

The compress method is to soak a cloth in hot or cold water mixed with essential oils and apply it to a small area of ​​the body. Since the heat and cooling sensation will slowly transfer to the body, the pain or burning sensation in the massaged area will be relieved, so massage is very suitable for superficial problems such as cuts, abrasions, etc. For every skin problem, there are more than two essential oils to choose from, and you can choose according to your personal constitution. If the symptoms are not significantly improved after 3 days, you must choose another essential oil.

Symptoms suitable for hot compress: Hot compress helps to promote blood circulation, eliminate toxins or enhance skin permeability. It is effective for deep cleansing, softening cuticles, menstrual pain, neuralgia, rheumatoid arthritis, hangover, etc. For menstrual pain, you can apply it to the abdomen; for hangovers, apply it to the chest, liver and kidney area on the back; for muscle soreness, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, in addition to hot compress, you can combine it with hand and foot, full body massage and essential oil bath or foot bath.

Symptoms suitable for cold compress: Cold compress can relieve, calm and soothe, and is generally used for fever, nosebleeds or sports injuries. When you have a headache, fever or nosebleed, apply a wet towel with essential oil on your forehead and add ice cubes or an ice pack for about 15 minutes.

Spraying method - disinfection, deodorization, and cleaning of living environment

The spraying method is to add the essential oil to distilled water, put it in a spray bottle, and shake it evenly. Spray it on beds, clothes, furniture, bookcases and carpets at any time to disinfect, deodorize and refresh the living environment. Commonly used essential oils include rosemary essential oil, lemon essential oil, sweet orange essential oil, peppermint essential oil, geranium essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, etc.

4. Bathing method - accelerate metabolism and circulation

Bathing is the most effective way to use essential oils at home. It can increase the body's metabolic rate and help the absorption of essential oils. Even for those who don’t have much time, you can massage with essential oils and then soak in the bathtub. It only takes 5-10 minutes to have the same effect as taking a bath!

Full body bath is suitable for symptoms: Full body bath is what we call bathing, which uses the temperature of hot water covering the shoulders to improve metabolism and increase blood circulation. Suitable for physical conditioning, eliminating fatigue, rheumatic joint pain, fever, blood pressure problems, improving metabolism, losing weight, etc.

Symptoms suitable for sitting bath: Sitting bath is the best method of physiological health care. Use a porcelain or stainless steel basin that can accommodate your buttocks, fill half of it with warm water, and add 3-4 drops of essential oil (you can choose lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, mint, etc.). Stir the essential oils and sit in a bath for 15-20 minutes, focusing on the lumbar vertebrae, coccyx and buttocks. It is very effective in treating menstrual pain, vaginitis, or skin itching during menstruation caused by non-breathable sanitary napkins.

Foot bath is suitable for symptoms: Foot bath is suitable for relieving foot swelling caused by work fatigue, colds, and cold hands and feet in winter.

Hand bath is suitable for symptoms: In addition to moisturizing the hands and maintaining the skin, the most important function of essential oils is to relieve hand fatigue and stress. It can not only relieve soreness and tension in the finger joints, wrists, elbows, shoulders and neck, but also improve wrist pain and tenosynovitis. It is especially effective for white-collar workers, handicraftsmen and machine operators.