An essential oil is a natural volatile material typically obtained by distillation. It emits the characteristic fragrance, flavor and/or action of the plant or other source from which it’s extracted.
Essential oils are found in various plant parts: leaves, stems, flower buds, open flowers, peels, barks, fruits, roots, needles, twigs, and resins.
When you utilize an essential oil for your well-being and vitality, the oils bombards you with a wide array of beneficial chemicals. Chemically, an essential oil is a complex mixture of 30 to 100 or more phyto-chemicals or plant compounds.
There are three primary ways to get the benefits of an essential oil:
through topical application
by inhalation, and
by ingestion.
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TOPICAL APPLICATION
You can enjoy essential oils’ benefits by topically applying directly to skin. But you must always apply an essential oil in a carrier oil. Fractionated coconut oil is one example.
You need to use a carrier oil to prevent burning, irritation or other very uncomfortable effects. This is because essential oils are extremely potent.
For example, it takes about 60,000 roses or 200 pounds of petals to make one ounce of damask rose essential oil. Similar factors hold true for all essential oils. So never apply an essential oil directly to skin unless it’s suspended in an appropriate carrier oil.
You can also diffuse essential oils in bathwater asanother way to apply the oils topically.
To increase aborption effectiveness, gently massage the area first to improve circulation in that area. Applying a drop of an essential oil blend on warmed skin will also enhance circulation and in turn enhance absorption.
Take advantage of proven and appropriate proportions and blends of essential oils in reputable PHYTO5 Swiss-made skincare products.
This is how you can ensure you get the benefit of enormously potent essential oils without irritating skin.
European made products like PHYTO5 Swiss-made skincare must comply with strict European regulations limiting the type and concentration of natural essential oils in skincare products. The U. S. makes no such requirements for your protection.
INHALATION
Inhale the fragrance of essential oils. It’s another way to realize their healing benefits. Inhalation affects the body through several systems and pathways.
It can occur:
by breathing the fragrance of the oil through the nose or mouth, and
aromatherapeutically via diffuser or in a bath.
Do these two things to activate essential oils’ energetic properties:
warming the oils slightly, and
tapping the bottle first two or three times.
All the physical organs or cells which relate to the sense of smell make up your olfactory system. When you inhale the fragrance of an essential oil, airborne molecules interact with your olfactory organs and reach the brain almost immediately through a variety of receptor sites.
One of these receptor sites is the limbic system,(1)–what some refer to as the emotional brain or the smell brain.
The limbic system is a group of deep brain structures that are involved in the sense of smell and the experience of emotions… The limbic system works in coordination with the pituitary gland** and the hypothalamus*** area of the brain to regulate the hormonal activities of the endocrine system… [it] also influences immunity. Through their action on the limbic system, essential oils can have a positive impact on all of these functions by bringing balance to the body. – Roberta Wilson, Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty
When you inhale the scent of an essential oil its microscopic molecules travel to the lungs and interact positively with your respiratory system.
INGESTION
You can also internally ingest essential oils but again, because of their potency you must be very careful. Don’t overdo. One or two drops in a tall glass of water is all you need.
One or a few drops of essential oil doesn’t look like very much, but because they’re so powerful ingesting more could actually be detrimental. It could throw you into a healing crisis.
If you want to consume essential oils through the mouth, you really should consult an expert in essential oils for your safety. In France, for example, trained physicians and pharmacists prescribe and dispense essential oils as remedies.
Take these reasons for caution when ingesting essential oils seriously:
Some essential oils can be toxic to the liver or kidneys when ingested.
A chemical breakdown of essential oils during digestion can so alter the effects you may not achieve the results desired.
Sometimes quality of essential oils is questionable.
Be aware that just because you find essential oils in your local department or even grocery store, it doesn’t necessarily follow the quality is high. In some cases, they might even be synthetically created. They may smell great to you but have no wellness benefits whatsoever.
It’s smart to incorporate the use of essential oils into your holistic lifestyle. At the same time, do your due diligence to learn about every aspect of essential oils. Become a well informed consumer and get what you believe you’re paying for.
When it comes to essential oils in skincare (which is a profoundly therapeutic way to introduce essential oils into your system), rely on the vast knowledge and experience of chemists well trained in the appropriate dosages, blends and use of the oils. PHYTO5 skincare is formulated by expert chemists trained in the proper use of essential oils.
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Endnotes:
(1) a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the edge of the cortex concerned with instinct and mood. It controls the basic emotions (fear, pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger, sex, dominance, care of offspring). –The New Oxford American Dictionary
(2) A pea-sized body attached to the base of the brain, the pituitary is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of the other endocrine glands. It is the major endocrine gland. –The New Oxford American Dictionary
(3) a region of the forebrain below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity. –The New Oxford American Dictionary
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Sources:
The New Oxford American Dictionary
Wilson, Roberta. Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty. New York: Avery, 2002. Print
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