7/28/2019 Simple Essential Oil Remedies to the Most Common Ailments

1/4

Simple Essential OilR emedies to the M ost

Common A ilments

Written by: Tami WrightCertified Aromatherapist

The ways of the world today are verydifferent from the ways of our ancestors.Before the pharmaceutical industry therewere still headaches, illnesses and bacteria.Our ancestors had no choice but to seeknatures answers to their problems, lookingto the plants and fruits of the earth. Naturalremedies had been the only way until theywere pushed aside and the age of science

quickly moved its way into our everydaylives. Now we find it so routine to drive tothe store to pick up a quick, convenient,over-the-counter drug or pharmaceutical.

Although over-the-counter drugs andpharmaceuticals may give the relief we areseeking, there is certainly a downside tousing them. We are getting much morethan we acknowledge, including fillers,emulsifiers and preservatives. Advil alonehas twenty inactive ingredients and onlyone active ingredient. Let us not forget the

risks of possible side effects, whichaccompany every drug. For examplepossible side effects of Ibuprofen include:dizziness, headache, shock, hives, facialswelling, seizures, mouth ulcers, rapidweight gain, ringing in the ears, and thelist goes on. If taken with other drugs,effects can become even more dangerous1.

Due to an increasing awareness of negativeside effects inflicted by modern day drugsfew people today truly have confidence inconventional health care and medical

science2. Many are seeking natural, saferemedies to alleviate their ailments withoutthe unnecessary side effects and high costsof conventional medicine. With thegrowing interest in alternative medicine,studies have been performed to show thataromatherapy can be used with anallopathic approach, often having veryspecific medical effects quite similar tothose of conventional medicine3. Thisarticle will discuss safe, easy solutions to a

variety of everyday health problemswithout unnecessary additives or sideeffects.

Headache is one of the top ten complaintsof patients seen in primary health carepractices today. Up to eighty-eight percentof women and sixty-nine percent of menexperience headaches caused by stress or

tension in their lifetime. Three percentof the general populationexperiencechronic tension-type headache, defined asmore than one hundred eighty headachedays per year4. Thats half of a year! Anastounding twenty-eight millionAmericans suffer from migraines, fifty-three percent of which require bed restbecause of intensity5. Annually, for everyone thousand people, one thousand ninetyworkdays are lost on account ofheadaches3.

So what is a headache? The two main typesare tension headaches and vascularheadaches, otherwise known as migraines.According to the National HeadacheFoundation, about ninety percent of allcomplaints are tension headaches. Tensionheadaches are muscle contractions mostlycaused by tension and stress. A migraineheadache is caused by hyperactive nervecells which send impulses to blood vesselscausing them to constrict. They thenexpand and release inflammatorysubstances1 which cause excess pressure on

the membranes surrounding the braincausing the pulsation to be painful6.In order to effectively eliminate a headachewith essential oils one needs to focus onthe cause. As stated above regardingtension-type headaches, stress is a majorcomponent causing muscle contractions.Mental stress alone can elicit musclecontraction through the limbic system3.Since the sense of smell is directlyconnected to the limbic system, one may

rationalize that inhalation is an effectivemeans of treatment along with absorptionthrough the skin. Components that showantispasmodic and stress relievingcapability would be favored in this case toattain desired results. According to KurtSchnaubelt, oils with high ester content,

such as clary sage, [salvia sclarea] andRoman chamomile, [anthemis nobilis]reduce tension in stressful situations andare equally effective antispasmodics.2

Roman chamomile is noted to containeighty percent ester content making ithighly antispasmodic and calming to thecentral nervous system2. Clary sage is alsohigh in esters, containing seventy-fivepercent linalyl acetate. The oils maineffects are relaxing and antispasmodic2.Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) wouldalso be an appropriate essential oil.

Lavenders high content of linalol and theester linalyl acetate are attributed to itsantispasmodic and sedative properties. Italso has a balancing effect and relievestension and pain2. The oil of Peppermint(mentha x piperita) is useful for headachesbecause of its cooling, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects7 . These factsconsidered, an effective recipe to treat atension headache would be a synergy offifteen drops lavandula angustifolia, ninedrops salvia sclarea, six drops anthemisnobilis, and two drops mentha x piperitaadded to one ounce carrier oil or unscentedlotion applied to forehead and anywhereelse pain and/or stress is felt.

A slightly different version would beneeded for the relief of a migraine-typeheadache. Anti-inflammatory,antispasmodic, calming oils would befitting in this case to alleviate the painfulpulsation and inflammation.

7/28/2019 Simple Essential Oil Remedies to the Most Common Ailments

2/4

Simple Essential Oil R emedies tothe M ost Common A ilments

Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons are primarilyanti-inflammatory2. Aldehydes are alsonoted as sedative and anti-inflammatory2.

The sesquiterpene alcohol, bisabolol, is thestrongest anti-inflammatory substance inthe essential oil of German chamomile(matricaria recutita)2. Combined with thesesquiterpene chamazulene, Germanchamomile is one of the strongest anti-inflammatory oils in the aromatherapyindustry2. The essential oil of helichrysum(helichrysum italicum) is another toconsider. The high content of anti-inflammatory, calming sesquiterpenehydrocarbons, [thirty percent], iscomplimented by the presence of

approximately forty percent spasmolyticesters It is also noted to be a painreducing analgesic2. Based on theinformation and chemistry given, analternative remedy for migraine headacheswould include ten drops lavandulaangustifolia (for its balancing, tension andpain relieving properties,) as well as twelvedrops matricaria recutita, eight dropshelichrysum italicum, and two dropsmentha x piperita (for its pain relieving,cooling, anti-inflammatory properties.)Once again, this synergy may be added to

a carrier or base product and applied topainful areas on the head.

As the seasons change and winter monthsapproach, the common cold and otherinfections seem to sneak their way past theimmune system and make one quitemiserable, causing congestion, coughing,and many related symptoms. A commonover-the-counter remedy is VicksVapoRub. Indications are: for temporaryrelief of nasal congestion and coughassociated with a cold. The productsactive ingredients include the isolatedconstituents of camphor, menthol andeucalyptol, all of which can be found inparticular essential oils. Studies have beenperformed to analyze the effectiveness ofisolated constituents and the results haveshown the components to be weaker whenisolated. For example: the antibacterialconstituents, geranial and neral areconsidered active in the essential oil of

lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus), whilemyrcene is considered inactive.Interestingly enough, the antibacterial

activities were not as effective when theconstituent myrcene was taken out8. Thisshows that the chemical components whichmake up an essential oil are complimentaryto each other and actually perform betteras a whole.

The following are only a few of manyessential oils effective for combatinginfection as well as relieving the mostprevalent ailments associated with thecommon cold:

Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) ct.verbenone has the main constituents of theketone verbenone, having mucalytic action,the oxide cineole, an expectorant, and themonoterpene pinene, which is antiviraland immune supporting2.

Peppermint (mentha x piperita) hasantiseptic properties due to its constituentsof menthol (found in Vicks) andmenthone. It is also well known as anexpectorant and antispasmodic, clearingthe nasal passages and soothing a

spasmolytic cough.

Eucalyptol, another active ingredient inVicks is found in the essential oil ofeucalyptus (eucalyptus globulous) alongwith the antiviral constituent, pinene, andexpectorating limonene. Eucalyptus hasbeen shown effective in treatingrespiratory infections causing congestionor excess mucous in the respiratorypassages, coughs, catarrhal conditions,sinusitis, asthma and throat infections9 .

A combination of these oils may be addedto a carrier oil (five percent dilution) andapplied to the sinuses, along the respiratorytract, and on the chest, or diffused intothe air to provide substantial relief andsupport the immune system.

Did you know that each year one in tenAmericans is affected by Athletes Foot10,otherwise known as tinea pedis? This skin

disease creates symptoms such as itchy, flakyskin that can become sore and evenbleed11. All in all, it is a great discomfort

and inconvenience for many peoplearound the world. Athletes foot can becaused by several different fungus species,and the presence of more than one speciesis not uncommon. To make matters worse,a secondary bacterial infection canpotentially develop taking advantage of thealready damaged skin10.

When using essential oils to treat fungalinfections, there is a double benefit. Someessential oils not only have the chemicalability to attack the fungi and/or bacteria,

but they also increase the bodys naturalability to fight the infection by increasingthe activity of the organs and cells involvedin the immune system12 .

Over and over again the essential oil of Teatree (Melaleuca alternifolia) has shownantimicrobial activity against manybacteria13 and has a remarkably widespectrum of activity against fungi14. Teatree is also an immune stimulant6 and safeto use over long periods of time2. All ofthese factors make it ideal in the treatment

of Athletes foot as it is not always quick tocure. The aldehyde citral has been foundto be an important antifungal componentin lemongrass (cymbopogon citratas) whentested against four different skin-infectingfungi15 .

Lemongrass is also antibacterial,antimicrobial and antiseptic6, covering allgrounds of secondary infections. Thephenol thymol is one of the greatestfungicides according to Dr. R. Deininger(P.I.A. proceedings 1995)16. Thymol can befound in the essential oil Thymus vulgaris.It acts powerfully against bacteria and aidsthe production of white bloodcellssupporting the bodys naturaldefense mechanism6. In one researchreport it was found that Palmarosa(cymbopogon martini) and Eucalyptus oilswere lethal to a wide range of fungi at avery low 0.1 percent dilution17.

7/28/2019 Simple Essential Oil Remedies to the Most Common Ailments

3/4

Simple Essential Oil R emedies tothe M ost Common A ilments

For the treatment of Athletes foot anundiluted application would be mosteffective although a patch test shoulddefinitely be carried out before hand overa twenty-four hour period. If no reaction,continue application on affected area twicea day for five days on, two days off, andrepeat. If reaction does occur, wash areawith soap and water, wait twenty-fourhours, and try a dilution of thirty-five dropsper half ounce of carrier oil. If conditionshows no improvement after four weeks,discontinue. To create the synergy,combine thirty drops melaleucaalternifolia, twenty drops cymbopogoncitratus, twenty drops thymus vulgaris ct.

geraniol, fifteen drops cymbopogonmartini, and fifteen drops eucalyptusglobulous.

We live in a world full of good and badbacteria. An obvious growingapprehension concerning bad bacteria isapparent. The number of productscontaining antibacterial properties hasescalated from a few dozen products inthe mid 1990s to more than seven hundredtoday18 . Americans are very concernedwith cleanliness. They want their houses,

clothes, bodies and children to sparkle,smell good and be germ free. True, a cleanhousehold is a healthy household, butthere will always be bacteria in the home19.What most people dont realize is that thepresence of some bacteria actually supportsgood health. There are many species ofbacteria in the human body helpingpromote natural immunity20. If thebeneficial bacteria were not present, badbacteria would be filling these spaces withrapid multiplication21. The same goes forexternal exposure to bacteria in the home.

Complete sterilization of oneself and onesenvironment is not necessary18 and has notdemonstrated any added healthadvantages17.

Scientists are concerned with anothernegative effect: that the overuse ofantibacterial substances, much likeantibiotics, will create a greater number ofresistant bacteria and microbes. Moreover,

the recent overuse of surface antibacterialagents is thought to contribute to theresistance to antibiotics. I f exposure toantibacterial substances alters a personsmicro flora, they may negatively affect thenormal maturation of the T helper cellresponse of the immune system tocommensal flora antigens; this changecould lead to a greater chance of allergiesin children17.

What makes essential oils different?Recently a test was performed in Franceby Dr. Jean-Claude Jamoulle comparing in-vitro a new synthesized antibiotic withessential oil blends against the bacteria

Staphylococcus aureus. He found thatantibacterials and antibiotics have aspecific action and offer to bacteria theopportunity to develop a resistance bygenetic modification, whereas the essentialoil component (probably phenolic) is non-specific, so the bacteria cannot develop aspecific resistance mechanism22 .

Therefore, it can be said that essential oilshave a broader range of action and do notinduce bacterial tolerance.

So, why continue to be exposed to

potentially harmful chemicals and fumes?Sure, Clorox Formula 409 kills 99.9percent of bacteria but it also states on thebottle, Hazardous to humans anddomestic animals and requires safetyglasses and protective gloves. Health hazarddata also states that with any contact of theproduct and skin, eyes or inhalation,medical attention is advised23. All of thisis entirely unnecessary when safe, natural,non-hazardous alternatives have beenavailable for centuries.

Essential oils are extremely useful becausethey have the ability to attack invadingorganisms, either killing them or reducingthe rate at which they multiply11. Usedsynergistically, many different componentsmay be combined to create a very effectivedisinfectant. In the case of cleansing andeliminating bad bacteria in the home, teatree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is unbeatable.It is renowned for its antibacterial, anti-

infectious, antifungal, antiviral, andimmune stimulating properties6. Tea treesantimicrobial qualities are unbelievable2,showing activity against E. coli,Staphylococcus aurens, Candida albicans,and many others12. Phenols have shownstrong antibacterial and immunestimulating action.2 Thymol and carvacol,found in thymus vulgaris, are reportedlyhighly toxic to a wide range of bacteria14,thymol proven effective against Staphbacteria, E. coli and Candida albicans toname a few2. Eucalyptus and Niaouli areboth strongly antiviral2, bactericidal, andantiseptic. Niaoulis high content ofphenols and monoterpene alcohols also

create strong immune support6

. Theessential oil of Lemon is perhaps the mosteffective oil for disinfecting room air,preventing contagious illnesses such ascolds and flu2 as well as giving that lemonfresh scent so commonly associated withcleanliness.

The oils mentioned here are safe, effectiveand non-toxic for general householdcleaning and disinfecting. Create a synergyincluding twenty drops each of Eucalyptusglobulus, Niaouli MQV and Thyme ct.

thymol, combined with twenty-five dropseach of Melaleuca alternifolia, and Citruslimonum. Pre-mix a ready to usedisinfectant spray with one drop synergyper half cup water (dont forget to shakesynergy well first) in a dark glass spray bottleand store away from heat and light. Useon surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom andwherever needed or simply spray to killgerms in the air. Although this spray is non-toxic, try to avoid over exposure to skinand shake well before each use.

In conclusion, let us not forget that eachindividual has control of his or her healthcare decisions. Essential oils provide safe,easy, effective and practical solutions toeveryday ailments, leaving no toxins behindand creating a clean, pleasant atmosphere.

They fight infection and bacteria whilesimultaneously supporting the bodys

7/28/2019 Simple Essential Oil Remedies to the Most Common Ailments

4/4

natural ability to heal itself2. This issomething that cannot be said aboutconventional drugs and cleaners as they

tend to only weaken us. While we canbecome immune to current medicine, wecannot become immune to nature.Hundreds of years before science, naturalmedicine was in practice all around theworld. Mother Nature provided us witheverything we need, and its time to get backto basics.

Simple Essential Oil Remedies tothe Most Common Ailments

About Tami Wright

Tami has been practicing Aromatherapy on

friends and family since she was eighteenyears old and graduated from the Instituteof Dynamic Aromatherapy with JadeShutes in the fall of 2002. She lives nearSeattle, WA, where she practicesaromatherapy with great enthusiasm. Shehopes to forever continue her educationand practice in aromatherapy and otherforms of natural health care throughouther life. You can contact her at: 360-941-0256.

Bibliography1 http:/ /aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com2Schnaubelt, Kurt, Ph. D. Advanced Aromatherapy. Vermont:HealingArts Press, 19983Schnaubelt, Kurt, Ph. D. Advanced Aromatherapy. Vermont:HealingArts Press, 19984 Mueller, Loretta, DO. Tension-type, the forgotten headache;How to recognize this common but undertreated condition.Postgraduate Medicine. 20 April, 20025 www.migraines-findnaturaltreatment.com6Shutes, Jade. Psychology of Aromatherapy Olfaction andEmotions.7 Shutes, Jade. Materia Medica.8Shutes, Jade. Aromatic Plant Chemistry.9Shutes, Jade. Basics of Human Anatomy and Physiology.10 www.apma.org11 www.medinfo.co.uk/ conditions/athletesfoot.html12 www.holistic-online.com/Remedies/Biot/ biot_immunity-aromatherapy.htm13International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol. 6 No. 4.

Research Reports.14 International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol. 4 No. 3.Research Reports.15 International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol. 9 No. 1.Research Reports.16Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. Conference Proceedings.California: 199517 International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol. 6 No. 2.Research Reports.18 www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm19 www.biosecoursmi.com/healthtoday/winter2000/index.htm20 www.state.ak.us/dec/deh/sanitat/april/ hidegerm.htm21 www.probiotics.co.nz/prbtcs2.html22 www.findarticles.com/cf_0/mOHLW/ 4_168/74334691/print.jhtml23 www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~jsmith/ MSDS/FORMULA%20409%20CLEANER.htm