Are Essential Oils Be Useful Or Are They Just Placebos?
Essential oils and aromatherapy have immense therapeutic benefits. But that’s not the fun part. What excites us is the fact that research has not yet discovered all of them. They work in mysterious but very fruit-bearing ways, and we love that!
Though we know many of the benefits offered, the research isn’t complete yet. That is why you may not find aromatherapy in a doctor’s prescription very often. This raises the common question about essential oils, ‘do essential oils work?’. We are going to answer that, along with loads of more!
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are plant extracts. More precisely, these are therapeutic oils extracted from the leaves, roots, flowers or seeds of plants using pressure or steam. In effect, essential oils provide us with a way to capture the therapeutic chemicals nature has bestowed on the plant. And we like to call it the 'essence' of the plant.
It is important to know essential oils to understand what are essential oils used for. In that matter, spread and diversity are all we get! That is because there are so many essential oils and their types. The benefits are endless!
So, we classify them into eight families. Each family has its characteristic 'aroma' and hence a predominant therapeutic benefit.
Families of Essential Oils Used In Aromatherapy
We have compiled a brief list of essential oils by families together with their most overall therapeutic effects. Check it out. It's almost like magic!
1. Citrus
They are known for their fruity scents; tangy, tart, fresh.
Typical Examples:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Grapefruit
Recognised Benefits:
- Energising
- Uplifting
- Deodorizing
2. Floral
They are known for their Feminine, subtle, flowery, sweet scents.
Typical Examples:
- Lavender
- Rose
- Chamomile
Recognised Benefits:
- Sleep-inducing
- Mood balancing
- Comforting
3. Camphoraceous/Minty
Known for their clarifying, purifying, medicinal aromas
Typical Examples:
- Camphor
- Eucalyptus
- Laurel Leaf
Recognised Benefits:
- Refreshing
- Soothing
- Enhances mental powers and focus
4. Resinous
They are known for their warm, musky, earthy, deep, long-lasting fragrance.
Typical Examples:
- Elemi
- Frankincense
- Myrrh
Recognised Benefits:
- Enhance intimacy
- Grounding, casual feeling
- Promotes relaxation and calm
5. Minty
Known for their strong-scented, cooling, bracing aromas
Typical Examples:
- Wintergreen
- Spearmint
- Peppermint
Recognised Benefits:
- Invigorating
- Enhance focus and motivation
- Cooling effect
6. Woody
They are known for their scents resembling damp soil and forest floor; warm, 'brown'.
Typical Examples:
- Cyprus
- Sandalwood
- Cedar Wood
Recognised Benefits:
- Aphrodisiac effect
- Emotionally balancing
- Enhances feelings of comfort, calm, and healing
7. Spicy
Known for their Intense, sharp, but warm aromas
Typical Examples:
- Black pepper
- Basal
- Cardamom
Recognised Benefits:
- Arousing and stimulating
- Lively
- Bracing
8. Herbaceous
They are known for their peppery, woody, grassy, with a mild floral undertone.
Typical Examples:
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Thyme
Recognised Benefits:
- Antibacterial and antifungal
- Reduce anxiety and pain
- Anti-inflammatory and anti-stress
Aromatherapy and Essential Oils
With an increasing inclination toward holistic approaches to healthcare, Aromatherapy has become extremely popular. Aromatherapy is the age-old practice of using essential oils for unique therapeutic benefits.
The term 'aromatherapy' is a bit misleading. It emphasises aroma and fragrance more! But we like to highlight the magical therapeutic benefits of essential oils that have a better relation to the chemical composition than the fragrance of the essential oil.
One of the common questions about this viral therapy and essential oils is 'do essential oils work?'
Yes, they do.
Aromatherapy, today, is treating mental health disorders effortlessly. The most popular use is its mood-enhancing, stress and anxiety-reducing effect. One intelligent use of aromatherapy would be to use them with an incense waterfall.
You can use incense cones with essential oils to make your own fragrance. Or just add a few drops of essential oil to the receptacle before lighting your backflow burner. And it will enhance the effects of your incense therapy as well.
What Does Science Have To Say About Essential Oils?
It is about time that we talk about the vague misconceptions about essential oils. Are essential oils safe to breathe? Do essential oils work?
Essential oils, when inhaled, can reach and stimulate specific areas of your brain, such as the limbic system. This part of the brain is involved in memory forming and emotions.
Besides, the limbic system also governs the physiological parameters related to anxiety and stress. These include heart rate and blood pressure as well. And by acting on the same limbic system, essential oils like lavender calm and soothe you down.
Peppermint oil has come out with magical antispasmodic effects for the gastrointestinal tract. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) benefit from peppermint oil.
The most popular and effective application of essential oils is their anxiolytic or anxiety-reducing effect.
Peppermint and Lavender oils have proved to be miraculously useful in treating headaches and migraines. Smelling lavender daily is the way to go for those with sleep problems.
Are Essential Oils Safe to Breathe?
Essential oils are completely safe to breathe. In fact, with advancements in research on the aromatherapeutic benefits of essential oils, some have come out to be beneficial for lung health and respiratory disease.
Essential oils contain highly concentrated plant compounds. And probably that is the reason why some people would wonder, 'Are essential oils safe to breathe?'
Essential oils reach the upper and lower respiratory system with enormous ease. And because of their anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, they can benefit the respiratory systems of people of all ages.
The antibacterial properties of essential oils are even more important in this and the coming era of strong antibiotic resistance.
Is Aromatherapy A Placebo, Or Are Essential Oils Helpful?
With each successive research result, the healthcare system is becoming aware that Aromatherapy is not a placebo. Instead, it has shown its effects by alleviating inflammation, anxiety, and pain.
Aromatherapy effects are tangible manifestations because the active plant compounds interact with the hormones and brain centres to cause their effect.
Should You Use Essential Oils?
Given the immense health benefits of Aromatherapy and essential oils, we recommend that you definitely use essential oils for your preferred purpose.
Aromatherapy is coming out with unbelievable prospects of replacing allopathic medicine. This is because it benefits the body as a whole and has no side effects.
Dosing Your Essential Oils
Essential oils are highly concentrated plant compounds. You are not using them right if you are not dosing them right:
- Dilute your essential with a vegetable oil such as olive oil for massage
- For cosmetic purposes, use a carrier oil such as almond oil or jojoba oil for better absorption.
- Mix 5 to 10 drops of your favourite essential oil in water for an aromatherapeutic bath.
Storage of Essential Oils
- Keep your essential oils in a cool, dry place to prevent oxidation.
- Keep them away from direct sunlight.
- Use dark-coloured glass bottles. Essential oils don’t go well with plastic.
Are There Any Side Effects of Essential Oils?
We have talked well about whether essential oils work or not? But what about the side effects of essential oils?
Essential oils and Aromatherapy are known for their innate healing capabilities because they come with zero side effects. When using an antibiotic, you may experience intestinal problems, rashes, and weakness. And the bacteria develop resistance to them as well.
That is where essential oils have proven themselves. You can safely use essential oils in your everyday life for various purposes without worrying about their side effects because there aren't many!
How to Find a Good-Quality Essential Oils?
Essential oils have immense room for foul play. It is easy to get a cheap bottle of impure essential oil for the price of a real one!
This is mainly because the authorities do not regulate the quality of essential oils. Even though the Essential oils industry is a billion-dollar one, the customer has to rely on his own judgment!
First and foremost is your sense of smell. Professionals and aromatherapists rely on their olfactory senses for quality control. But if you are new to Aromatherapy, the following tips will help you more:
The packaging: The essential oil should come in a tightly sealed, dark glass bottle. Consider it substandard if the bottle is a plastic one, transparent, or has a loose lid.
The label: The label on the packaging should clearly state the ingredients. The trick is: it has to be a single ingredient in the case of pure essential oil.
A reliable brand would state the common and Latin name of the source plant, along with the part of the plant used to extract the oil.
The country of origin : A reputable brand will state the country of origin outright.
The price: If a greater amount of essential oil is coming to you for the same price, you may be getting a lot of other things with the essential oil! I mean, the impurities and carrier oils for dilution!
Try Aromatherapy Today To Realize The Benefits
Aromatherapy has gained immense popularity in these few years but is hardly in regular practice. And that's probably why people hold misconceptions about its effects and uses.
So after the extensive discussion, we had above, we would like to invite you to try Aromatherapy and appreciate its benefits yourself. Grab one of our incense waterfall burners in Australia and step into the world of zen.
Aromatherapy is a wise medicinal practice that changes your body for the better, so you need to try it to see it!