WELCOME TO AROMATHERAPY 101...lol Let me preface this with a little story on how I began to use Aromatherapy and essentail oils... Quite a few years ago we were visiting with family and I was unfortunate enough to catch a flu bug...why is it we can never seem to catch a cab or catch a break but we can always catch a flu bug? Hmmm? Anyway, I tried to put up a brave front but frankly I felt like hell!! Headache, congestion, sore throat, swollen glands, all over achiness…the typical flu symptoms. My sister-in-law saw how I was feeling and suggested I let her spread some oils on my neck. Frankly I thought she was nuts and tried to get out of it. She said, “What do you have to lose?” Well, I couldn’t argue with that so I let her go ahead with her ‘voodoo’…lol...and she spread her concoction all over my neck and throat. It smelled great but I was still a sceptic! I mean, really!! Aromatherapy? Gimme a break! It was amazing!! In a very short time I started to feel much better…I could feel my head clearing, the aches and pains were easing, frankly, she had me hooked! These days I use essential oils for almost every- thing, from headaches to achy feet. As a sufferer of fibromyalgia, who can’t take traditional prescrip- tion medications, aromatherapy has been a real life saver! Below you will find a list of my favourite oils and how I use them. Lol!! I'm gonna preface it with a few instructions, okay? And, of course, the occasional anecdote...lol. Aromatherapy 101 Essential oils can be used in a myriad of ways. (M) Massage. . .you mix 3 drops of Essential oil in a teaspoon of 'base' oil. . .you can buy all kinds of fancy base oils. . .but you wanna know a secret? I use canola oil. . .lol. . .yep the kind ya use for cooking! Lol! I didn't have anything else in the house and I was desperate! I saw the canola oil there on the shelf and figured what the hell?! Well it worked just fine! Professional aromatherapists would probably string me up but it works for me and it saves me those long drives into the city for the proper oils. Massage ensures that the oils are effectively absorbed into the skin thereby into the blood stream. Remember as you increase the amount of 'base'. . .increase the essential oil. Store prepared massage oils in an air-tight container and keep in a cool dark place. (C) Compresses. Hot compresses. . .this is a great way of relieving pain and reducing inflammation. Great for earaches, arthritis, toothaches etc. You fill a small bowl with hot water and add 4 or 5 drops of oil. Soak a cloth in it and apply. Keep rewetting the cloth in the hot water. Cold compresses. . .same method as above only with cold water of course. It's good for headaches, sprains, strains and other hot swollen conditions! (B) Baths. . .a lot of people swear by this method, put 10 drops or so of the essential oil in the bath water and soak your problems away. Another alternative is to burn some oils beside the tub …that’s what I do while I'm soaking in the jacuzzi. (V or I) Vapourization or Inhalation. . .this is my favourite. It is great for emotional problems, colds, flu, concentration. . .I could go on forever. . .lol! It can mean anything from a drop on your pillow to putting oil in an aromatherapy oil burner to even one of those pot pourri things. (N) Neat. . .this is straight from the bottle for things like acne, cold sores, canker sores, cuts, burns, stuff like that. Ready for the worlds best recipe??? To releive muscle aches... 10 drops juniper 7 drops lavender 8 drops rosemary in 50ml of 'base' oil(I double this recipe and keep it in a small mason jar in a cool dark place) This really helps the aches and pains and the lavender in it helps you sleep. It’s a great mixture!! I know I said to keep it in a cool dark place but I have to admit, I keep a small container with me all the time!! Right in my purse...lol...I don’t leave home without it!! This next section is a list of common ailments and the recommended essential oils for treating them. The letter in () at the end of each is the method you should use as I described in the section above. ACNE. . .lavender, rosemary or tea tree (N) BURNS. . .lavender ( C or N) COLD SORES/CANKER SORES. . .tea tree(N) CUTS, SORES, INSECT BITES. . .lavender, tea tree, chamomile (N or C) COUGHS. . .eucalyptus, pine, clary sage(M, V, I) EARACHE. . .lavender (C) SORE THROATS, THROAT INFECTIONS. . .clary sage, thyme (V, I) CHICKEN POX. . .lavender, tea tree (B, C) COLDS/FLU. . .eucalyptus, juniper, rosemary, lavender(M, B, V, I)I like to mix rosemary and lavender in a massage oil. MIGRAINE. . .lavender(C) ANXIETY. . .lavender, ylang ylang (I, M) I like to combine the two. Here's one of those anecdotes I warned you about!! Several years ago my step dad had bypass surgery. I knew that my mother wasn’t prepared to see him like that…I mean, who would be? All the tubes and machines and that lovely post-op pallor! She took one look at him and her knees buckled and she started to bawl! A nurse and I helped her into the visitor’s room and sat her down. Like I said earlier, I knew she wouldn’t be prepared so I was. Before leaving home I put several drops of lavender and ylang ylang essential oils on a couple of cotton balls in a large Ziploc bag and tucked it in my purse. It was a good thing I did! My mother was almost hyper-ventilating! I could actually see her heart pounding! I got her to hold the baggy up to her face and breathe deeply…in a matter of minutes she was totally calm!! And, I might add, she and everyone else in the room were totally amazed! LOL! DEPRESSION. . .clary sage(I) HEADACHE. . .lavender, peppermint(M,C,V) I love peppermint...yummy..lol! INSOMNIA. . .lavender, lemon balm, valerian (M,B,V) drop on either edge of your pillow is great! But remember, less is more! Only use a couple of drops! This is also a great remedy for your kids when they get hyper and overtired. You can also put a drop in the crook of your arm when rocking a fussy baby back to sleep. NAUSEA/VOMITING. . . PEPPERMINT, I’ve been known to SNIFF IT RIGHT FROM THE BOTTLE! MENTAL FATIGUE. . .rosemary (I) also a few drops in 500ml of spring water then spritz your face. This is great for students crammin’ for those finals!! My daughter had all her friends hooked on rosemary in her dorm! (I just read over what I'd typed so far and perhaps I should rephrase that last bit...lol! My daughter has all her freinds hooked on rosemary essential oil in her dorm.)And trust me when I say I have it burning as I'm typing this...lol! SUNBURN. . .tea tree (C) or use above "spritzing" method and apply as often as needed…really takes the sting out. TIRED ACHY FEET. . .soak in a basin of warm water and peppermint. APHRODISIACS. . .LOL. . .YES!!! ylang ylang, sandalwood (B, V, or maybe a massage - wink wink) Are you planning a family gathering? You know the kind...one where, sooner or later, various and sundry cousins start bickering over the past? Well, a small amount of ylang ylang in a burner makes for a successful day, everyone gets along! If I've piqued your interest then I say give it a try. You won't regret it! Like my sister-in-law said, "What have you got to lose?" There are literally thousands of books on the market on the subject of aromatherapy. I would have to say my favourite book is called "Aromatherapy for Women", it's by Maggie Tisserand and is geared towards 'women' problems..lol..and treating children's ailments.