Self-healing and massage
As a massage therapist one of the many things I have learned is the importance of Self-Healing. The body is a natural healer. It knows how to heal itself if you give it the right ingredients like healthy food, exercise, and regular massage. In this article, I’d like to explore the role essential oils play in self-healing and massage.
Essential Oils for Self-Healing
One of the helpful tools I have discovered in assisting my body to strength and function properly is essential oils. Therapeutic grade essential oils are aromatic volatile compounds that come from plant parts-roots, resin, leaves, flowers, and seeds that contain healing properties of the plant. The oils are easily absorbed by our skin and enter into our circulatory system.
Benefits of Essential Oils
While the effects and benefits of essential oils are still being researched and studied, here are some key reasons why people use essential oils for self-healing:
Stress Reduction: Many essential oils, particularly lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang, are known for their calming effects. According to the Cleveland Clinic, they can help decrease blood pressure and heart rate in as little as 10 minutes.
Pain Relief: Certain essential oils have analgesic properties such as applying peppermint oil topically to help relieve tension headaches and wintergreen oil to help relax tight muscles.
Improved Sleep: Diffusing or applying Lavender oil to pillows helps promote better sleep and minimize insomnia.
Skin Issues: Essential oils such as Tea Tree have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and are commonly used for acne, athlete's foot, and insect bites.
Sinus Support: Certain oils can help with breathing issues. Eucalyptus (which can be found in products like Vick’s VapoRub) oil is known to help clear up sinuses and ease breathing difficulties.
Essential Oils Vs Antibiotics
Therapeutic-grade essential oils provide us with an alternative to the constant use of antibiotics and products made with toxins and chemicals which can be poisonous to our system. Essential oils seem to be all the rage right now but truly have powerful healing properties that could be a big help for your overall health.
Research indicates that essential oils might combat strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Essential oils are rich in various compounds, attacking bacteria from multiple angles, thus minimizing the chances of resistance development. In contrast, antibiotics often work through a singular mechanism, paving the way for bacterial resistance.
Essential oils such as rosemary, tea tree, and cassia are known for their wide-ranging antibacterial properties, effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. They also show potential against fungi and viruses. The escalating issue of antibiotic resistance highlights the value of essential oils; their complex mixture of compounds presents a challenging front for bacteria to overcome.
How to Use Essential Oils
Essential oils can be diffused, applied topically to the skin (though some require dilution), used in a bath or bathing products like bath bombs and soaps, or applied to pillows, clothes, bedding, and more. Always dilute oils properly, using a carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, or castor oil. Follow safety guidelines and consider the specific application method for your intended use.
Not All Essential Oils Are Created Equal
Using therapeutic essential oils has helped me and my family in many ways. It is a “must have” in my household. When using essential oils, it’s a good idea to go with a company that produces pure essential oils that have no synthetics, and has not been diluted or adulterated.
There are many essential oil companies that offer quality pure essential oils. I have been using Doterra essential oils for almost one year now and have had a great experience thus far. They are very potent and smell amazing! Doterra also goes the extra mile to make sure their oils are undiluted and free of any chemical residue or fillers. If you want to learn more about Doterra you can visit my page here.
Use Essential Oils In Your Reflexology Session
Schedule a massage or reflexology session in Jacksonville with me today. We can discuss which types of therapeutic essential oils can help you on your wellness journey and incorporate them into our sessions.