aromatherapy

How to Wake Yourself Up Naturally

September 24, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

Infographic Credit: Casper

I love that the great well-rested minds at Casper included aromatherapy as one of the options. Aromatherapy and coffee are my favorite ways to “snap” into reality in the morning (or after a delicious nap… rare but oh so loverly!). My absolute favorite essential oil to wake up with is Mandarin Orange. It is a beautiful scent, plus extremely effective for convincing those heavy eyelids to go ahead and open.

Lemon essential oil is also very effective but, if you happen to use a lot of lemon-scented cleaners or Joy dish-washing liquid, it’ll just remind you of chores. At least that’s where it takes my nose and mind! If you don’t use lemon-scented cleaners, you will love the lemon aroma. It’s be a fresh wake-up call for you (as opposed to a “get to work, girl” call).

Peppermint, Mandarin Orange, and Lavender are three essential oils I have on hand at all times. Lavender is a beautiful oil to use to help unwind and drift off to sleep and peppermint is a miracle worker. Okay, that may exaggerate, but it is WONDERFUL for headaches, stiff necks, and tight muscles. Like the Mandarin Orange (or other citrus scents), peppermint oils are wonderful for waking up, naturally.

Healing Aromatherapy Scents and How to Use Them

June 15, 2019 by Joi Leave a Comment

Healing Aromatherapy Scents

As I’ve said before, I am a new Essential Oils fanatic but I’ve been a huge fan (and very active user) of aromatherapy for years. The first two scents that made me a believer in the wonders of aromatherapy were opposite ends of the spectrum: Lavender and Orange. I found that one helped wind me down when I needed a little help with the process and the other helped wake me up… again, when I needed a little help with the process.

As in every morning!

Over the years, I’ve, personally, found the following to be very useful:

Peppermint: Perfect for snapping out of a mental fog – there’s just something about the aroma that keeps you mentally alert. Maybe that’s the REAL reason mint gum and mints are so popular – they give a little wake-up call similar to caffeine. Anyone who suffers from drowsiness while driving could probably benefit from mint car fresheners. I’ve found that the aroma of peppermint also alleviates mild headaches. I have NO idea why, but it often works for me.
Eucalyptus: As you’d expect, this one is great for congestion. This past winter, whenever I had a cold, I did what my youngest daughter suggested: I put a few drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil in the bottom of the tub before taking a warm shower. Heavenly! I’ve never done it, but how relaxing would lavender essential oil be used in this same manner?!
Lemon: Similar to Orange and Mint, Lemon is a wonderful eye-opener and mood-lifter.

Whether you use Essential Oils, candles, diffusers, tea (yum!), or lotions, aromatherapy holds the key to many wonders. The infographic below can help open a whole new world!

Infographic Source: Healing Aromatherapy Scents

Visit the link above for a lot more information on Aromatherapy! The more you use aromatherapy and essential oils, the more you’ll wonder how you ever got by without them.

The Fascinating World of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Benefits Beyond Belief!

January 23, 2019 by Joi 2 Comments

Sweet Orange and Eucalyptus Essential Oils

Admittedly, I can often be “late to the party.” I’ve always blamed this phenomenon on being an only child. When you live in your own little world, sometimes news travels in (and out, at times) slowly.

Truth is, sometimes it trickles in.

Whatever the reasons, people all around me (literally… as in my own family, but more about her in a minute) have been using, loving, and swearing by essential oils for months upon months and I am just now really jumping on board.

Only child or not, a debilitating headache that isn’t responding to either Ibuprofen OR hot showers will leave you searching for relief. Here’s where my essential oil expert daughter comes into play.

My youngest daughter, Stephany, has been a HUGE believer in and user of essential oils and aromatherapy for years, now. I knew this and appreciated a few of them – such as lavender (my favorite scent) and citrus (very close second). I’ve known the beauty of lavender long before the phrase “essential oils” came into play. However, whenever she talked about peppermint for pain relief or eucalyptus for congestion, I don’t know, I guess I thought, “Well, it clearly works for her, but I’m sure it wouldn’t work for me.”

Then came the headache from the inner circle of hell, and I found myself willing to find out!

Peppermint Essential Oil

I told her about the headache and she gave me a bottle of Peppermint Essential Oil and a “carrier oil.” She uses Jojoba Oil as her “carrier oil.”

What’s a carrier oil? Sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? It is simply an unscented base oil that you add a few drops of essential oil to before applying it. Steph uses Jojoba Oil she buys off of Amazon. I found Avocado Oil at Meijer that I’ve used. Some people use coconut oil – although I’d think the scent would combine with the essential oil’s aroma and be an issue.

Back to the evil headache. I added a few drops of the peppermint essential oil to the Jojoba oil and rubbed it directly on my forehead. Playing the role of Doubting Thomas, I wasn’t actually expecting much (if any) relief, so I didn’t actually “time” how long it took for relief to come. If I were to guess, however, it was less than five minutes.

The pain literally faded away and a headache that had hounded me for hours was a thing of the past.

She had my undivided attention at this point.

It turns out, Peppermint Essential Oil has a very strong, proven history with alleviating pain. Since the headache experience, I’ve used it on everything from neck tension to leg cramps.

It never lets me down. I have no idea what magic it has up its oily sleeve and, frankly, I don’t care – it brings relief without doubling down on Ibuprofen and that’s all I could ask for.

Recently, while shopping at Meijer and I went to their essential oil section. This essential oil convert loaded up on several – as well as the avocado base or carrier oil.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Fast forward a few months – I came down with my annual cold (he arrives with his nasty attitude every year between January 1 -January 10). Being an “extra” kind of gal, I ALWAYS get bronchitis at the end of my cold. I have no idea if it’s because I have asthma or if I’m just terribly lucky, but without fail – it happens each and every year, dating back to when I was in Elementary School.

I’m nothing if not consistent.

When my chest was insanely congested, I would rub a little Eucalyptus oil (along with the Avocado Oil) directly on my chest. The relief was amazing. However, the BEST way I put the Eucalyptus Oil to work was (naturally at the advice of Steph) by adding a few drops directly on the floor of the shower. While taking a warm shower, the Eucalyptus surrounds you and clears your chest, head, or anything else that might need it!

I’m in the process of giving Self Help Daily a much-needed overhaul – more about that in the next post. I will be adding a great deal of information about essential oils and aromatherapy. In fact, I’ve created a new category for each. There is simply too much natural-healing to be enjoyed and experienced with essential oils to ignore them any longer.

I’m reading and researching like a college student in search of passing grades when it comes to essential oils and I’ll be sharing everything I come across here on the self help blog. I’m excited to see just how many miracles these oils can bring about. (Naturally I’m being very liberal with the word miracles here…. a cured headache has that effect on me.)

Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Steph gifted me with more essential oils for Christmas – my beloved lavender, eucalyptus, and one that was very new to me: Sweet Orange Essential Oil. One of the first things I thought of when I saw it was cleaning. I love, love, love cleaning products with a citrus scent. It can be tough to find orange-scented cleaners, though. Sweet Orange Essential Oil makes it easy to add a fresh, feel-good aroma to any cleaning solution. Just add a few drops and you’re good to go.

Having said that, I actually have a different favorite way to use Sweet Orange Essential Oil. I call it my wake-up call. On mornings where it’s particularly hard to get up and get going, I simply sniff my orange essential oil.

And, yes, I realize how weird that may sound.

However, since it never fails to give me the get up and go that I’m lacking, I’ll just keep on sniffing!

Many people report that doing so can also lift your mood. Sweet Orange essential oil has also been linked to a stronger immune system.

Hmm.. maybe that could help me end my annual cold/bronchitis event.

See this page – Sweet Orange Essential Oil – for a great deal of information about this particular oil.

Lavender Essential Oil and Aromatherapy

Lavender Oil is another one of my favorites and one that anyone… absolutely anyone… could and would benefit from. It’s all about RELAXATION (sorry for the all caps treatment, but relaxation is something I get excited about).

My favorite way to buy Lavender Oil is in spray bottles. It makes it easier to spray onto your pillows and/or favorite blankets of throws.

Heck, I’ve even sprayed it on my pajamas before.

There’s simply something beautifully relaxing about the scent of lavender. If you’ve never tried it, I hope you will asap. It is magical.

Aromatherapy and Essential Oil Diffusers

Essential Oil Diffusers, like the LiteMist Ultrasonic Diffuser are very popular and for a great reason. They put aromatherapy to work for you, without you having to do much more than pour and plug. A diffuser would be a great way to take advantage of lavender, eucalyptus, and sweet orange essential oils.

Though my favorite way to use eucalyptus oil will always be in the shower. It’s just outrageously effective. Just be sure not to use too much. You’ll feel like you stepped into an alternate universe – one with cough syrup for oxygen.

I’ll be adding a lot more information about essential oils and aromatherapy to the website. I have my face buried in two books at the moment, taking notes like my life depends on it.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Where to Buy Essential Oils and Carrier or Base Oils:

Many department stores now carry a good selection of essential oils and even carrier oils. However, from my own experience, the best quality oils are found online.

Essential Oils on Amazon

Carrier Oils for Essential Oils on Amazon

A Wonderful Guide to Aromatherapy for a Good Night’s Sleep

May 24, 2016 by Joi 3 Comments

Yesterday, we looked at ways to Improve Your Sleep When You Have Anxiety. Another great tip for improving your sleep (whether you have anxiety or other sleep problems or simply want to enjoy sounder sleep) is to use aromatherapy. However, if you don’t use aromatherapy the right way, you’d be better off staying up all night watching the The Weather Channel! Fortunately, we have an aromatherapy expert to share her knowledge with us.

Marilyn’s website is Taruna Oils. I even love the name. I know you’ll enjoy this article as much as I did. I thought I had a pretty good amount of knowledge about aromatherapy but I learned so much from reading this article that I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew.

Lavender Essential Oil

Using Aromatherapy For A Good Night’s Sleep

by Marilyn Reid

Do you toss and turn all night or possibly even have trouble drifting off to sleep altogether? Do you wake up in the morning groggy and discombobulated due to poor rest? If so, you can continue this pattern, turn to dangerous pharmaceuticals or begin utilizing aromatherapy.

Obviously, using essential oils for an aromatherapy treatment is the best choice on the list. You surely do not want to continue having restless nights and the side effects of sleep aid pharmaceuticals are quite concerning if you read the warnings. While you need to follow directions regarding safe use of essential oils, they are far safer when used properly than drugs.

Lavender – The flowers and the essential oils distilled from this plant are a wonderful choice for those suffering from anxiety and stress. The sedating effects are also ideal for those plagued with sleep troubles. An added bonus to having this essential oil in your medicine bag is the skin healing properties when applied to burns, bites and acne breakouts.

Roman Chamomile – Be careful when purchasing this essential oil because there are other types of chamomile that are less effective for sleep and more so for other ailments. The Roman variety has a peaceful floral fragrance that blends well with lavender and some other oils.

Ylang Ylang – The floral fragrance of this oil has hints of fruit as well. It can be used alone or blended with the two previous oils. It complements them well by improving the quality of your sleep.

Marjoram – While you may think about cooking when you hear marjoram, the essential oil has benefits outside of the kitchen. This particular oil will relax your muscles while soothing your entire nervous system. The sedating effects reduce hypertension as well.

Bergamot – This cold-pressed oil can help balance your emotions. Unlike other citrus oils, it has a calming effect that can benefit your sleep-inducing efforts.

Frankincense – Many ancient cultures used frankincense, including the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. The oil contains incensole acetate, which relieves anxiety and depression. If you are having sleep troubles related to emotional disturbances in your life, frankincense is an excellent choice.

Other potentially beneficial oils for your sleep problems are valerian root, vetiver, clary sage, cistus, spikenard, rose, neroli, sandalwood and cedarwood.

High-quality essential oils can be found online and in your local health food store. Read about the various companies to find one with a good reputation and affordable prices. If a company prices all of their oils the same, it is a red flag. Some simply require more raw product to create, raising the price accordingly.

In addition to investigating the manufacturer, you should make sure you are purchasing from a reliable retailer. Read online reviews to find out about their customer service and products.

Once you have the oil or oils, you are going to use for sleep induction, you will need to decide how to incorporate them into your nightly routine. One option is to add several drops to your bath water or in the shower. When taking a shower, block the drain and drop the oils into the water, allowing the steamy medicated water to relax your mind and body. Another option is to keep a diffuser in your room. Follow the direction on the package. You can massage a diluted form of the oil into your skin or have your partner do it. The touch is soothing and can help to stimulate the absorption of oils into your system. Some of the oils on this list, such as lavender, can also work directly on tense muscle tissues when applied in this manner.

Keep track of which oils and methods are most effective for helping you to get the rest you deserve at the end of each day. You will soon have the right combination incorporated into your nightly routine. Then, good sleep is yours for the taking!

Marilyn Reid is a successful business owner and natural health enthusiast. She owns a site, TarunaOils.org, which is dedicated to providing tips, ideas, and recipes for use with essential oils and aromatherapy.

Also See: Overcome Anxiety and Stress with Essential Oils

Guide to Managing Your Emotions with Aromatherapy

October 15, 2015 by Joi Leave a Comment

Ironically, when I was contacted about sharing the beautiful infographic above with my Self Help Daily readers, I had just been talking about aromatherapy with two of my three daughters.

Life’s sense of irony always fascinates me.

We had been discussing the wonderful effects from Lavender and Vanilla. I told them that, years ago, when I lost my dad, I had A LOT of trouble unwinding and falling asleep at night. I found that lavender helped calm my frazzled nerves and even soothed my shattered emotions.

Vanilla has a similar effect. Whether (like me) you work from home or outside the home, you know certain days just have stress written all over them. I once threatened to rename a particular Tuesday “Bluesday” because it did nothing but cause me grief from sunup to sundown. On days like this, I just automatically reach for one of my favorite candles – usually vanilla or lavender – but I always have seasonal ones on hand as well.

Pumpkin, cinnamon, and evergreen make the world a sweeter place too.

I hope you enjoy the infographic above as much as I did.

~ Joi

Infographic Credit: Holland & Barrett

How to Wake Yourself Up Naturally

Healing Aromatherapy Scents and How to Use Them