Essential Oils: The Ultimate Adjunct Therapy

The following Essential Oils: The Ultimate Adjunct Therapy is a guest post by Trysh Sutton. Read more about her below!

Essential oils have made quite the name for themselves lately as an alternative way to keep your body and mind in peak condition and health. Not only do they have a fairly long shelf life and are more concentrated than the sources they come from, but essential oils have actually been proven scientifically to help the body in various cases.

No longer just a folk remedy, these oils are becoming quite the norm to use for all kinds of ailments. There are plenty of essential oils to choose from, and the one(s) you use will depend on what your health and wellness goals are.

Essential Oils for Physical Well-Being

Essential oils are incredible treatment options to approach various illnesses and physical ailments naturally, without the use of pharmaceuticals which can sometimes have annoying or even dangerous side effects.

Essential Oils: The ultimate adjunct therapy

Image by Steve Armitage via Flickr.

One way essential oils can improve physical well-being is by soothing inflammation and pain caused by sore muscles, arthritis and other causes. In one particular study with 40 arthritis patients, a mixture of 5 different essential oils: lavender, marjoram, eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint blended in proportions of 2:1:2:1:1 (plus carrier oil), was shown to decrease pain and depression levels and it was concluded that aromatherapy was a viable intervention technique for coping with the symptoms of arthritis.

In another study, orange oil was shown to reduce pain in patients with fractured limbs pre-surgery.

Essential oils aren’t only good for pain relief, however. Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils are also great for clearing nasal airways when dealing with congestion. No studies have been conducted for these uses because the effectiveness is already well known and placebo is highly unlikely.

Even superficially, aromatherapy has been shown to have major benefits. A Korean study found that daily massage using essential oils, including cypress and grapefruit, over several weeks reduced abdominal fat and improved body image in post-menopausal women(3).

Essential Oils for Mental Well-Being

Image by Sulen Lee via Flickr.

Not only have essential oils been proven scientifically to help with physical ailments, but they have also been found to be quite effective at easing mental afflictions such as stress, depression, and anxiety.

In one study, a combination of bergamot, lavender, and frankincense was found to alleviate feelings of depression and even pain. In another, bergamot with a combination of ylang ylang and lavender was also found to ease stress in elementary school teachers.

Aromatherapy is also a useful tool to improve focus and boost your mood. Bergamot is great for increasing positive feelings while jasmine is an excellent mood booster. Vetiver has even been shown to increase focus in children with ADHD.

Essential Oils for Assisting Mood and Behavior

Image by Brian J Chong via Flickr.

Relaxation

Arborvitae
Eucalyptus
Lavender
Melissa
Patchouli

Stress and Anxiety Relief

Clary Sage
Frankincense
Geranium
Chamomile
Lavender

Energy/Mood Boosting

Vetiver
Douglas Fir
Jasmine
Citrus oils such as lemon
Oregano

Final Word on Essential Oils

As you can see, essential oils aren’t just a myth. They have a variety of applications which can help you to live a more fulfilling life. To further familiarize yourself with aromatherapy, however, you can visit Pure Path Essential Oils and read our comprehensive beginner’s guide. This will not only you expose to the plethora of uses for a long list of oils, but also the different application methods and important precautions.

Studies

Author Bio

Trysh Sutton is a wife, mother, strategic leader and teacher. She runs a website called Pure Path Essential Oils, which is a naturopathic wellness site that promotes healthy living and healing through the use of essential oils and sustainable living.

You can follow her on social media to learn more about the benefits of essential oils, and healthy living practices.