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First Aid Kit
These ten oils will help with physical ailments. Keep them
in your bathroom and use them either in your bath, or as a
burning oil, or massage them in to your skin, diluted in a
carrier/base oil; in the case of aches, pains or bruises,
use them as a compress diluted in warm water.
These oils should be seen as complementary to conventional
medical care. If you have a serious problem, always consult
a qualified practitioner. Leigh advises against using them
in pregnancy.
Eucalyptus: antiseptic, warms up respiratory system,
helps alleviate colds, coughs, flu, congestion, fever, sinusitis
and sore throats.
Geranium: most effective in regulating and balancing
extremes on both physical and emotional levels, especially
PMT, depression and post natal depression (don’t use
if breastfeeding); can help treat endometriosis.
Ginger: helps treat digestive disorders, spasms, appetite
loss or disorders; also effective for colds, flu, muscular
aches and pains, rheumatism and arthritis; strengthens immune
system.
Juniper: stimulates the circulation, helps to purify
and detoxify the blood; stimulates a sluggish liver; brings
mental clarity, powerful in diffusing negativity.
Lavender: known as the universal panacea of essential
oils, this balances and regulates the nerves; effective in
treating depression, insomnia, exhaustion; highly antiseptic,
so good for burns, blisters, bruises and bites (in compress
form); helps soothe and alleviate pain.
Lemon: highly antiseptic, so helpful in alleviating
symptoms of colds and flu; purifies and de-toxifies blood;
helps lower blood pressure, stimulates the brain and helps
you focus.
Peppermint: powerful decongestant effective in all
kinds of nasal colds/stuffiness; calms digestive disorders
and nauseous migraines; refreshing, helps clear mental fog.
Pine: alleviates respiratory problems, coughs, colds,
flu, eases muscular aches and pains; refreshing, brings mental
clarity.
Rosemary: beneficial in sluggish circulation, rheumatism,
muscular aches and pains; also hair loss and dandruff; stimulates
memory, enlivening mind and sharpening powers of recall.
Tea tree: versatile anti-bacterial and anti-viral
oil useful in treating colds, flu, skin conditions and viral
infections such as warts, herpes, thrush and candida, and
athlete’s foot.
First Aid for Stress and Emotional Problems
Essential oils can be very beneficial, effective treatments
for emotional problems. Whether these are the result of grief
and bereavement, stress at work, or a life-changing decision,
the many devotees of essential oils know that they can help
you through those ‘can’t cope, can’t sleep’
times which affect most of us at some stage.
Chamomile: calms and soothes the nervous system, allaying
fear and anxiety; good for phobias, depression, obsessive
behavioural patterns and insomnia; ideal for children (in
low dosage), and hypersensitive people.
Clary Sage: will help lift the dark clouds of severe
depression, bringing lightness and peace; strengthens nerves,
so good for anxiety, fears, oversensitivity to other people,
paranoia, obsessive behaviour. Use with a grounding oil such
as sandalwood, vetyvert or juniper.
Frankincense: very spiritual oil, bringing tranquillity;
good for excess and addictions, obsessive behavioural patterns,
allaying unexplained fears and phobias; helps promote insight,
peace, mental calm. Use with a grounding oil.
Jasmine: uniquely uplifting effect on emotions, aphrodisiac;
good for alleviating anxiety, post natal depression and labour
pains (apply as compress).
Juniper: good for depression, stops you being over-vulnerable
to other people’s problems and taking them on board as
your own; quells negativity, especially in stressful environments.
Lavender: highly effective against depression, regulates
nerves, brings greater clarity and peace of mind; effective
against insomnia.
Neroli: gently soothes, calms and allays fears; best
used for nervous conditions, anxiety, depression, phobia,
shock and insomnia; also good for calming hyperactive or anxious
children.
Rose: known as the queen of essential oils, this balances
emotional disorders, promotes inner poise and confidence;
acts as a gentle opener for repressed painful emotions, especially
grief.
Sandalwood: calming, balancing and grounding; ideal
for getting problems off your chest; gives impetus to cope
with difficult and stressful situations.
Vetyvert: known as the oil of tranquillity, deeply
relaxing, beneficial for anxiety, stress and insomnia; helps
promote inner calm, poise and confidence; helps you cope in
times of major upheaval and grief.
First Aid for Pregnancy
Choose from neroli, frankincense and chamomile, with jasmine
and rose (only in the last trimester) in moderation. Massage
blends of chamomile and neroli or frankincense and rose onto
the stomach to help prevent stretch marks. Use two drops of
neroli to five of chamomile or four frankincense and one rose
in 10ml of carrier/base oil (almond – unless you have
a nut allergy – grapeseed or peach kernel); try adding
in the contents of a capsule of vitamin E.
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