|
5 Essential Oils You Should Have In Your First Aid Kit
By David Webb
There are so many essential oils to choose from, it is sometimes hard for people to know where to begin when they want to get started using aromatherapy!
So today we are going to talk about the best 5 essential oils to have in your First Aid Kit. These have everyday applications around the home and when travelling.
First Aid Kit oils:
Sweet Orange is the Happy oil for all the hard working, perfectionists of the world. It has calming and relaxing properties, and can help people who have trouble sleeping. If you get homesick – mix sweet orange and lavender oil for their nurturing and comforting effect.
It is also good if you get an upset stomach or constipation – just dilute some in a carrier oil to make a massage oil and rub onto the abdomen in a clockwise direction.
Lavender oil is calming, relaxing, a nerve tonic and sedative. Its healing properties have been studied and documented more than most oils. If you could only choose one essential oil for the first aid kit Lavender would be the one.
It can be used to treat sinus and flu conditions, it also helps with asthma and bronchitis because of the antispasmodic effect it has on the respiratory system.
Rubbed on the temples and back of the neck it can help relieve headaches. The analgesic effect makes it useful in massage oil to treat muscle aches and pains.
Lavender is a tonic for the heart and can help lower high blood pressure and reduce palpitations. In European hospitals it is used to treat burns – it has antiseptic and analgesic properties to stop infection and ease pain. It promotes healing of wounds and reduces scarring.
This oil has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties which make it perfect for adding into aloe vera gel to treat sun burn. You can apply it neat to insect bites to relieve itching and swelling.
Lavender is also one of the safest oils to use with children.
Tea Tree oil is effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi, it also boosts our immune system.
You can use it diluted in water to wash out a dirty wound (25 drops in 50ml). Apply it neat to a bandaid and dress the wound to speed up the healing process. It can be used to treat nail infections, athletes foot, thrush and cradle cap.
Add 10 drops of Tea Tree oil to a glass of water and gargle to clear a sore throat, mouth ulcers or bad breath. Used in a vaporiser it can help clear a congested nasal passage and respiratory infection. Used in massage oil it will even relieve sore muscles.
Eucalyptus oil is excellent for treating colds and flu. The old fashioned technique of inhaling the steam from a bowl of boiling water works really well. Add 4 drops of eucalyptus oil to the bowl of water, place a towel over your head and inhale the aroma of the oil as it is carried up your nose by the steam.
This oil has antiviral, antibacterial, decongestant and expectorant properties (helps break up mucus and clear the airways).
Eucalyptus oil is also great when used in massage oil for muscle aches and pains.
Peppermint oil is a mental stimulant and you can get a quick fix by putting one drop in the palm of your hand and rubbing them together and inhaling. It can help to clear the head and help concentration.
This oil is also good for digestive problems like stomach cramps, colic, flatulence and indigestion. Again make sure you dilute the oil and massage in a clockwise direction.
Peppermint can help to clear the sinuses and relieve headaches. It also has analgesic and antiseptic properties for treating muscular conditions.
Because it has antiseptic properties try putting some in a bottle of water and using it as a bench spray around the kitchen, it will remove cooking smells.
Here at Scentual NRG we have created a range of Energy Oils that are pre-blended for specific results, but we do have single oils as well.
The Purify Energy oil contains four of these five oils (Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender and Tea tree). Use the Purify Energy oil in a vaporizer or put 2 drops on a tissue and inhale to clear your nose, making breathing easier. These pure plant oils have antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial and decongestant properties. (click here to buy)
In my book Essential Man / Essential Woman a guide to using aromatherapy we give lots of recipes if people want to make there own products for around the home and office. Based on this information we are holding our last workshop for the year “Do It Yourself Skin Care and Cooking with Aromatherapy” on Sunday 11 October at our clinic Shop 4 / 492 Christine Avenue, Robina. Click here for more information on this workshop.
| 
