Essential Oils for Christmas

[Guest guest]

Essential Oils for Christmas

 

by Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

If the aroma of pine is what brings back memories like going out and cutting your own tree, we have a top list of memory-joggers that you are going to love! With nature's essential oils, the aroma of Christmas need not be forgotten. Simply spray the tree with a mixture of 1 cup of water and 6 drops of essential oil of pine, or put a few drops of pine oil on an absorbent material and tuck around the base of the tree. Here are several essential oils that you may use to help re-create your Christmas memories.

 

Cinnamon (Cinnamoma cassia)

: Cinnamon comes from the dried bark of trees in the laurel family. Cinnamon has a rich history in Chinese medicine as well as Western herbal medicine. A holiday favorite, this dark scent is often used to accent cookies, cakes and cocoa. Cinnamon tea is not only delightful but helpful for relieving nausea and indigestion. Cinnamon oil is great for colds. Add a few drops of cinnamon oil to boiling water and inhale the steam. Cinnamon oil is also used as a massage oil and has a warming effect on skin.

 

Clove (Caryophyllum aromaticus):

Clove is a hot oil. A holiday favorite, this delicious scent is often used in warming recipes. It can be used in a carrier oil for any infection. It has been used in the dental industry for years to deaden pain. Clove oil can be applied topically with a carrier. It has been used for arousing and fortifying. According to a study at the University of Iowa, compounds in clove oil have shown "strong activity" against bacteria associated with plaque and gum disease.

 

Pine (Pinus sylvestris) :

Pine Needle was used by the ancient Romans and Greeks to treat respiratory problems and muscular aches. A holiday staple, this fantastic scent is often used to accent potpourri and diffused into the air. It promotes a healthy immune and musculoskeletal system. Distilled in Austria from the finest pines, Pine Needle can be diffused to help strengthen the respiratory tract and maintain sinus passages. When massaged into the skin, Pine Needle supports healthy circulation and soothes the discomfort of sore joints and muscles. A true disinfectant, a strong germ killer, excellent for viral infections and for muscular aches, rheumatism and arthritis.

 

Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), (Juniperus virginiana)

:A holiday favorite, this fragrant scent is often used in accenting closets and cupboards. Cedar is a versatile oil that acts as an astringent and a cleansing agent. Believed to have originated from the famous Lebanon cedars, this essential oil provides an exhilarating tonic for the scalp and face to help the body deal with dandruff and acne. It can also be massaged into the skin for soothing, relaxing muscle rubs. Cedars are thought to offer longevity, and the oil it yields was used for embalming in ancient Egypt, and as an incense by Tibetan monks to aid in meditation.

 

Neroli (Citrus aurantium) :

A holiday favorite, this rich citrus scent is often used in the scenting of perfumes. Neroli oil has a sweet, floral and slightly haunting aroma, the color is pale yellow and the viscosity is watery. This essential oil is also known as 'orange blossom' and it takes about 1000 lbs. of orange blossoms to make 1 lb. of Neroli oil.The name Neroli is said to originate from the Italian princess, Anne-Marie de la Tremoille, Countess of Nerola, who used the oil as a perfume and to scent her bathwater and gloves.The orange petals were used in China in the making of cosmetics and are still an ingredient for making traditional smelling Eau-de-cologne. Orange petals are often associated with marriage, purity and brides who traditionally wore it in their hair.

 

Sweet Orange (Citrus vulgaris) :

The orange in itself is a highlight nutrias fruit containing many vitamins including A, B, and C. Being that essential oils are extracted directly from the peel of the orange, it contains all of these natural nutrients as well. This yellow-orange oil is quite sweet in fragrance and is used in "fruity" fragrance blends. Orange may also be used by itself for a light personal scent. Orange has been used as a beauty oil especially for the neck to help prevent and reduce the appearance of lines. Being that it is a citrus essential oil, it may cause irritation in people with sensitive skin.

 

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) :

Frankincense rejuvenates skin, so it's used on mature and aging complexions and to fade old scars, reduce inflammation, moisturize dry hair, and cure acne. A holiday favorite, this pungent scent is often associated with Christmas and is said to be one of the gifts of the Magi. Its antiseptic properties fight bacterial and fungal skin infections in a salve, lotion, or as a compress. It also treats infection of the lungs, the reproductive organs, and the urinary tract, and it increases the menstrual flow. the oil works in two ways to help the body fight infection and pain. It first numbs nerve endings to reduce the amount of pain sensations that reach the brain. And then it boosts the body's immune system to accelerate the healing process. As an added bonus, the oil's aroma relaxes the brain, which helps bring on sleep.

 

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) :

Myrrh has been used since Biblical times to treat many ailments. A holiday favorite, this pungent scent is often associated with Christmas and is said to be one of the gifts of the Magi. It is a sap that dries into hard crystals. The sap is used by some for making tinctures. Myrrh is both antiseptic and astringent. It is used today as a mouth wash and used for treatment of mouth ulcers, sore throats and even for the relief of sore gums. To use it as a mouthwash, drop a few drops of the sap into a glass of water.

 

Peppermint (Mentha piperata) :

Peppermint recalls the images of candy canes and sweet treats made from this wonderful oil. Peppermint has the powerful therapeutic ingredient menthol, as well as menthone, menthyl acetate and some 40 other compounds. Peppermint is a naturally occurring hybrid of spearmint (M. spicata) and water mint (M. aquatica). The oil is made by steam-distilling the plant's aromatic leaves and stems. Peppermint oil acts as a muscle relaxant, particularly in the digestive tract, reduces the inflammation of nasal passages and relieve muscle pains. A mixture of peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil and ethanol (ethyl alcohol) on the forehead and temples can reduce headache pain. Peppermint can be take as a tea, capsules or tinctures.

 

 

 

"A clean house is a sign of a misspent life"

 

 

 

 

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Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.1/204 - Release 12/15/2005

[Guest guest]

i all ways keep a little pot of water on the stove with cinnamon and cloves steeping. i do this all during the fall into late spring. sometimes i will add lemon or orange zest to them to add a little extra smell. it makes the whole house smell clean and spiced. angel whtgypsywtch wrote: note from Jenn,Iam not sure if this was already posted to this group by someone else, if so sorry, thought it was worth sending it again. Essential Oils for ChristmasIf the aroma of pine is what brings back memories likegoing out andcutting your own tree, we have a top list ofmemory-joggers that youare going to love! With nature's essential oils, thearoma ofChristmas need not be forgotten. Simply spray the treewith a mixtureof 1 cup of water and 6 drops of essential oil ofpine, or put a fewdrops of pine oil on an absorbent material and tuckaround the baseof the tree. Here are several essential oils that youmay use to helpre-create your Christmas memories.CINNAMON : Cinnamon comes from the dried bark of treesin the laurelfamily. Cinnamon has a rich

history in Chinesemedicine as well asWestern herbal medicine. A holiday favorite, this darkscent is oftenused to accent cookies, cakes and cocoa. Cinnamon teais not onlydelightful but helpful for relieving nausea andindegestion. Cinnamonoil is great for colds. Add a few drops of cinnamonoil to boilingwater and inhale the steam. Cinnamon oil is also usedas a massageoil and has a warming effect on skin.CLOVE : Clove is a hot oil. A holiday favorite, thisdelicious scentis often used in warming recipes. It can be used in acarrier oil forany infection. It has been used in the dental industryfor years todeaden pain. Clove oil can be applied topically with acarrier. Ithas been used for arousing and fortifying. Accordingto a study atthe University of Iowa, compounds in clove oil haveshown "strongactivity" against bacteria associated with plaque andgum disease.PINE : Pine

Needle was used by the ancient Romans andGreeks to treatrespiratory problems and muscular aches. A holidaystaple, thisfantastic scent is often used to accent potpourri anddiffused intothe air. It promotes a healthy immune andmusculoskeletal system.Distilled in Austria from the finest pines, PineNeedle can bediffused to help strengthen the respiratory tract andmaintain sinuspassages. When massaged into the skin, Pine Needlesupports healthycirculation and soothes the discomfort of sore jointsand muscles. Atrue disinfectant, a strong germ killer, excellent forviralinfections and for muscular aches, rheumatism andarthritis.CEDARWOOD : A holiday favorite, this fragrant scent isoften used inaccenting closets and cupboards. Cedar is a versatileoil that actsas an astringent and a cleansing agent. Believed tohave originatedfrom the famous Lebanon cedars, this essential oilprovides

anexhilarating tonic for the scalp and face to help thebody deal withdandruff and acne. It can also be massaged into theskin forsoothing, relaxing muscle rubs. Cedars are thought toofferlongevity, and the oil it yields was used forembalming in ancientEgypt, and as an incense by Tibetan monks to aid inmeditation.NEROLI : A holiday favorite, this rich citrus scent isoften used inthe scenting of perfumes. Neroli oil has a sweet,floral and slightlyhaunting aroma, the color is pale yellow and theviscosity is watery.This essential oil is also known as 'orange blossom'and it takesabout 1000 lbs. of orange blossoms to make 1 lb. ofNeroli oil.Thename Neroli is said to originate from the Italianprincess, Anne-Marie de la Tremoille, Countess of Nerola, who usedthe oil as aperfume and to scent her bathwater and gloves.Theorange petals wereused in China in the making of cosmetics and

are stillan ingredientfor making traditional smelling Eau-de-cologne.Orangepetals areoften associated with marriage, purity and brides whotraditionallywore it in their hair.SWEET ORANGE : The orange in itself is a highlightnutrias fruitcontaining many vitamins including A, B, and C. Beingthat essentialoils are extracted directly from the peel of theorange, it containsall of these natural nutrients as well. Thisyellow-orange oil isquite sweet in fragrance and is used in "fruity"fragrance blends.Orange may also be used by itself for a light personalscent.Orangehas been touted as a beauty oil especially for theneck to helpprevent and reduce the appearance of crepeness andlines. Being thatit is a citrus essential oil, it may cause irritationin people withsensitive skin.FRANKINCENSE : Frankincense rejuvenates skin, so it'sused on matureand aging complexions and to fade

old scars, reduceinflammation,moisturize dry hair, and cure acne. A holidayfavorite, this pungentscent is often associated with Christmas and is saidto be one of thegifts of the Magi. Its antiseptic properties fightbacterial andfungal skin infections in a salve, lotion, or as acompress. It alsotreats infection of the lungs, the reproductiveorgans, and theurinary tract, and it increases the menstrual flow.the oil works intwo ways to help the body fight infection and pain. Itfirst numbsnerve endings to reduce the amount of pain sensationsthat reach thebrain. And then it boosts the body's immune system toaccelerate thehealing process. As an added bonus, the oil's aromarelaxes thebrain, which helps bring on sleep.MYRRH : Myrrh has been used since Biblical times totreat manyailments. A holiday favorite, this pungent scent isoften associatedwith Christmas and is said to be one

of the gifts ofthe Magi. It isa sap that dries into hard crystals. The sap is usedby some formaking tinctures. Myrrh is both antiseptic andastringent. It is usedtoday as a mouth wash and used for treatment of mouthulcers, sorethroats and even for the relief of sore gums. To useit as amouthwash, drop a few drops of the sap into a glass ofwater.Andrew Pacholyk LMT, MT-BC, CAPeacefulmind.comAlternative medicine and therapiesfor healing mind, body & spirit!

 

 

ANGEL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Angel, I have a little mini crock pot I use to warm my spices ..

sooo yummy!!!!

Jennifer

 

In a message dated 12/18/2005 12:02:12 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, angel_75457 writes:

 

 

 

 

 

i all ways keep a little pot of water on the stove with cinnamon and cloves

steeping. i do this all during the fall into late spring. sometimes i will add

lemon or orange zest to them to add a little extra smell. it makes the

whole house smell clean and spiced.

angel