Essential Oils for Christmas

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Essential Oils for Christmas

 

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.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS. L.Ac

http://www.peacefulmind.com/aromatherapy.htm

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit