Aromatherapy is the controlled use of pure essential oils to enhance the well-being of the mind, body, and spirit. Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic plant extracts.
They are very safe and effective for both children and adults. It’s also super easy to place a couple of drops of essential oil into your palms, rub them together, cup them over your nose and mouth, and take a slow, deep inhale in through the nose. The oil gets transported straight to the limbic part of your brain and has an immediate and direct effect on your emotions.
How to Use Essential Oils
- Diffuse into the room via a diffuser. You can use the stovetop method: Fill a small pot with water, heat until bubbles form (but do not boil), add 15-20 drops of oil. This method works fast and does an excellent job of diffusing the oils throughout your home. I suggest designating a pot purely for the purpose of diffusing oils and no longer using it for cooking.
- Smell directly from the bottle
- Rub onto the skin (back of the neck, behind the ears, on the wrists, soles of the feet)
- Add to your bath
- Spray bottle method: Fill the bottle with distilled water and add 15-20 drops of your blend of choice. Spray in any room, your car, your shower (while you’re in it), or over a freshly washed load of laundry.
Special Notes
Unless specified otherwise, a typical dosage is 2-4 drops for adults and 1-2 diluted drops for children. For chronic cases, use the oils twice daily.
Remember, you will be inhaling these essential oils or applying them onto your skin. They are going to go straight into your lungs and body, so it’s imperative to use a high-quality brand. I personally use Young Living and doTERRA essential oils.
Below is a chart of recommended essential oils for a variety of ailments. If you’d like personalized help with essential oils or any physical, mental, or emotional ailment that you’re experiencing, please reach out to me.
| Ailment | Essential Oil |
| To ground yourself: | Spruce Frankincense |
| To relieve the impact of trauma on the heart (physical and emotional): | Geranium Helichyrsum |
| To relieve anger, agitation, and resistance:
|
Lavender Sandalwood Ylang ylang Lemon balm Eucalyptus |
| To stimulate and uplift:
|
Wild orange Lemon Bergamot Tangerine Ylang ylang |
| To reduce stress:
|
Frankincense Orange Peppermint Lemon Sandalwood |
| To boost immunity:
|
Cinnamon Clove Eucalyptus Orange Lemon |
| To aid in sleep: | Chamomile Lavender Vetiver Frankincense |
| To relieve anxiety and depression: | Lemon balm Bergamot Vanilla Frankincense Rose |
| To ease breathing: | Cardamom Eucalyptus Peppermint Rosemary Tea tree |
| To help boost focus: | Cedarwood Frankincense Sandalwood Vetiver |
| For menstrual pain and heavy bleeding: | Abdominal massage once per day with an essential oil blend made up of 1.5 parts cinnamon oil, 1.5 parts clove oil, 1 part lavender oil and 1 part rose oil. These were diluted in sweet almond oil at a 5% dilution (5% dilution = 5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil or 25-30 drops per ounce). |
| For menopause/hot flashes:
|
Diffuse lavender oil for 20 mins twice a week for 12 weeks to cut down hot flashes by half. |
| For arthritis/joint pain or paresthesia (numbness, tingling, burning in hands, feet, fingers, toes):
|
Massage the affected area with a blend of 2 parts lavender oil, 1 part marjoram oil, 2 parts eucalyptus oil, 1 part rosemary oil, and 1 part peppermint oil. |
| For colic:
|
Massage lavender oil on the baby’s abdomen in a clockwise motion, starting at their right hip. |