Joint and Muscle Pain Relief With Aromatherapy

An active lifestyle often involves outdoor activities like walks in the park, tennis, and exercise.  Increased activity for even the most energetic person can mean joint and muscle pain.  Sometimes the weather can play a role in joint and muscle discomfort.  Aromatherapy is a natural and extremely effective way to reduce pain and encourage greater range of motion.  Essential oils are the natural extracts obtained from aromatic plants.  Unlike pain medication from synthetic chemicals, they leave no toxins behind. 

It is important to first know the origin of the discomfort.  Once the cause is known, a certified Aromatherapist can be consulted to determine the appropriate essential oils to use.  From arthritis, to bursitis, to just-plain-old-stiff-knees-and-elbows, aromatherapy can provide relief safely and naturally. 

There are two convenient ways to apply aromatherapy for relieving aching joints and muscles – massage and the aromatic compress.  Essential oils and essential oil blends must be protected from heat and direct light to ensure potency.  They may be used at room temperature or heated.  Another tip for extending the life of massage oil is to heat only the amount sufficient for one use.  Repeated heating will cause the essential oils in the blend to evaporate, thereby losing its therapeutic value.  Massage can take place before and/or after physical activity.  The aromatic blend should be massaged into both the affected area and the surrounding area.

An aromatic compress is a perfect complement to addressing pain and healing.  It utilizes the therapeutic properties of aromatic plants to strengthen and heal.  Swelling is another common discomfort.  Swollen areas of the body such as ankles or knees can be reduced with a cool aromatic compress.  Strained or achy muscles can be relieved with a warm aromatic compress.

Making Aromatherapy A Part Of Your Everyday Health Maintenance Routine

The best defense to disease is maintaining a constant offense of ridding your personal space of bacteria, viruses, and the like. Aromatherapy is one of the most natural ways to achieve and maintain a healthier environment. When incorporated as a part of your daily routine, it can lead to faster healing of skin abrasions, fewer colds, faster relief of tension headaches, and many other physical conditions.

Aromatherapy is a natural, non-invasive approach that helps the whole person and assists the body's natural ability to balance and maintain itself through the use of essential oils. It has been used for thousands of years and is the basis for modern day pharmacology. Essential oils are the natural extracts obtained from aromatic plants. They have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, as well as anti-bacterial properties to name a few. Aromatherapy is widely recognized as an extremely effective form of complementary medicine, and is in no way intended to replace the treatment of a licensed medical practitioner.

It involves both the inhalation of soothing aromas and the dermal absorption of aromatic plant essences. As tissues relax, circulation is improved. Improved circulation allows the body to function more efficiently, thereby creating the best defense to disease and unhealthy environments. Circulation, particularly in the hands and feet, can be a problem for the aging. Geranium blended with a base oil can be used as an effective body rub to strengthen and support the circulatory system. Massage from the hand to the elbow, and from the foot to the knee.

Rosemary essential oil can be used to encourage concentration and focus. Fresh rosemary has a pleasant aroma that also stimulates as well as provides healing to the bronchial passages. Eucalyptus has long-been known to provide relief to blocked sinuses, and it is also an effective disinfectant that can even be used in the laundry!

Getting a good night's sleep plays a major role in a good health maintenance routine. Lavender actually causes your brain to trigger the production of serotonin, the body's natural response to relaxation. Lightly misting sheets and pillowcases with true (not synthetic) lavender linen water before retiring almost assures a restful sleep with a refreshed morning wake-up.

These are just a few of the many ways that aromatherapy can be incorporated into your everyday health maintenance routine. The important point is that all completely natural. In today's world of synthetic and smells-just-like-the-real-thing products, the simple natural approach to your health is one that will give your body what it needs to win the battle of disease and discomfort.

It's As Simple As Breathing...

Breathing is a body function essential to sustaining life. It is the mechanism by which the lungs send oxygen through the bloodstream to your body.

During stressful moments (e.g., fear, shock, or despair), we often hold our breath to the point of having to be reminded (or shaken) to breathe again. Even though it seems to be a natural reaction, it is interesting to note in actuality, breathing is one of the most important things to do during stressful moments. Sending oxygen to the brain allows us to think more clearly. Exercising controlled breathing helps us stay calm and focused. Practicing aromatherapy by inhaling essential oils can greatly enhance healing and restoration of the body in many ways.

Using a chest rub like Mentholatum or Vick's Vapor Rub is a classic example of how breathing can heal and restore. Difficulty sleeping? Inhaling pure essential oil of lavender triggers the production of serotonin, which helps you relax and fall asleep naturally. Need to study for an exam, or prepare for an important meeting? Diffuse essential oil of rosemary or lemongrass during study or prep time. The usual distractions will fade away, as you focus on the task at hand.

Inhaling oxygen enriched with healing aromatic compounds is one of the most natural approaches to health and wellness. It is as simple as breathing. Find out more about aromatherapy and how it can be a part of everyday living at www.livingcomfortably.com .

Relief for Gout Sufferers

Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by a buildup of uric acid in the joints. Gout sufferers endure stabbing pain and intense swelling during a flare up. The areas of attack are often the big toe, ankle and the knee. Acute gout typically effects one joint, while chronic gout involves repeated flare ups and possible attacks of more than one joint.

In addition to medication, diet plays a significant role in the management of gout. Addressing the symptoms of gout through aromatherapy is an effective complement to the plan of treatment. Essential oil of Juniper added to cool water for a foot/ankle soak provides relief by reducing the inflammation, and discouraging the crystallization of uric acid while encouraging its removal. For knee or other areas of the body, make a compress using a clean cotton cloth and cool water with Juniper. Place the soaked cloth on the inflamed areas. Repeat as often as necessary.

*Note* The Arthritis Formula by DLC contains Juniper!

“…Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite" With Aromatherapy

"Night, night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite" is an old adage based on bugs that hide during the day in nooks and crannies in the bedroom and come out at night. At one time, the bed bug had been virtually eliminated in the United States, but have recently reappeared. The reappearance has been in hotels, dormitories, apartments, health care facilities, and private homes. The resurgence can be attributed to factors such as increased international travel, and the change in available pesticides.

Bed bugs were a widespread pest until mid-1940, when pesticides containing DDT and other broad-spectrum, long-lasting chemicals were introduced. These chemicals were highly effective against all kinds of pests and nearly eradicated the bed bug. However, the use of chemicals was stopped upon the discovery of the grave danger to humans. So, the bed bug continues to survive, and is carried around the world in luggage, clothing, furniture, etc.

Bed bugs feed on human blood. The bite of the bed bug can result in itchy wheals, bumps, or small scratches on the skin. They cannot fly nor do they carry disease. Nevertheless, bed bugs are nuisances that can be effectively dealt with through aromatherapy.

Washing bed linen with soap and hot water will kill bed bugs on contact. Adding a few drops of essential oil of eucalyptus will naturally disinfect the laundry. Essential oil of lavender is a natural repellent to bed bugs. Misting the mattress, pillows, and bed linen with the Lavender Linen Mist by DLC will repel bed bugs, as well as create a cleansed aromatic atmosphere perfect for sleeping.

Travel (domestic and international) is the primary means of proliferation of the bed bug. Therefore, the traveler is encouraged to mist all bed linen upon arrival to hotels, condos, and other forms of temporary housing. It is also advised to mist clothing and luggage prior to repacking for the trip home. In the event of a bite, apply a drop of lavender (or use the Lavender Linen Mist) directly on the affected area. This will disinfect and facilitate rapid healing.

Using the Lavender Linen Mist for repelling bed bugs and disinfecting temporary sleeping quarters is just one of the many ways to make aromatherapy a part of everyday living. Aromatherapy can positively affect day-to-day living, and allow for a "good night" without the "bed bugs bite."

The Role of the Aromatherapist

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to assist the body in healing. It can be a very useful addition to many treatment plans. Although the use of aromatherapy is safe enough to be done at home, consulting with a certified aromatherapist can be a great help in choosing the right essential oils and the best methods for their use.

Practitioners of aromatherapy in the U.S. receive certification through course work and clinical training. Referrals from massage therapists, chiropractors, or other licensed practitioners who employ the use of natural complementary approaches, are a good way of finding a qualified aromatherapist.

The role of the aromatherapist is to provide knowledge about the use of essential oils and how they can improve or support a physical or emotional concern. In a private consultation, the client's medical history is discussed as well as the reason counseling is being sought.

The goal is to select an essential oil or create a formula that is pleasing to the senses; thereby ensuring consistent use. Remember to listen to your body. Approaching health and wellness through aromatherapy with a qualified aromatherapist is a cooperative effort that begins and ends with paying attention to your body and its signals.

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