What are Essential Oils?

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are derived from the actual plant material, i.e., flowers, leaves, seeds, roots and bark by distillation or with citrus oils by cold expression method.  During inhalation, odour molecules travel through the nose and affect the brain through a variety of receptor sites, one of which is the limbic system, which is commonly referred to as the "emotional brain."

The limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance (Higley & Higley, 1998). This relationship helps explain why smells often trigger emotions. Knowing this, we can assume how inhalation of essential oils can have some very profound physiological and psychological effects!

Bergamot essential oil removes body odor, relieves spasms, suppresses pain, improves mood and fights depression, heals cuts and scars, and promotes efficient digestion.

Black Pepper essential oil inhibits bacterial growth, fights premature aging, and neutralizes free radicals that damage the body in countless ways.

Camphor essential oil cures spasms, protects wounds from infections, eliminates congestion, desensitizes and acts as local anesthetic, calms nervous disturbances, cures neuralgic pain, soothes inflammation, fights infections, and kills insects.

Clove essential oil has long been used in treatments related to dental care, like toothaches and cavities. It is also used cure infections, skin conditions, stress, headaches, respiratory problems, earaches, indigestion, nausea, blood circulation issues, blood purification, diabetes, immune system weakness, premature ejaculation, cholera, and sties.

Coriander essential oil has been well-reported to reduce pain, increase libido, reduce spasms, eliminate excess gas, purify the blood, decrease body odor, promote digestion, and inhibit fungal growth and infection. 

Geranium essential oil is employed to induce tightening of the gums, muscles, skin and blood vessels and in stopping hemorrhage, scar healing, promotion of cell growth, and increased urination. It is also used to stop body odor, tone up the body, and kill intestinal parasites and worms.

Ginger essential oil has been known to cure pain, stop vomiting, protect from wounds becoming septic, and relax spasm. Some practitioners also use it to inhibit bacterial growth, eliminate gas, and improve brain and memory function, while helping to expel phlegm & catarrh.

Grapefruit essential oil is used to stimulate urination, fight infections, reduce depression and uplift mood. It also protects wounds from becoming septic while increasing the elimination of toxins.

Helichrysum essential oil reduces spasms, maintains the fluidity of blood, fights allergies, inhibits microbial infections, dissolves and clears blood clots, reduces inflammation from fever, and is good for nervous system health.

Jasmine essential oil fights depression and uplifts mood, protects wounds, cures sexual dysfunctions, and increases libido. It also reduces spasms, heals scars and after marks, gives relief from phlegm and coughs, increases breast milk, and regulates obstructed menstrual cycles.

Lavender essential oil is beneficial for the treatment of issues with the nervous system, insomnia, pain relief, urine flow, respiratory disorders, skin care, hair care, blood circulation, indigestion, and immune system health.

Lemon Myrtle essential oil protects from wounds becoming septic, while inhibiting viral and bacterial growth, strengthening gums, and stopping hair loss. Furthermore, it lifts skin, induces firmness in muscles, stops hemorrhage, fights infections, and cures fever.

Lime essential oil is known to protect wounds from becoming septic, protect against viral infection, boost appetite, kill bacteria, fight infections, reduce fever, stop hemorrhage, and generally boost health.

Marjoram essential oil is commonly prescribed or chosen for treatment because it reduces pain, eliminates spasms and cures cramps. Marjoram essential oil also protects from wounds becoming septic, inhibits viral and bacterial growth, removes excess gas from intestines, cures headaches, increases perspiration, promotes digestion, increases urination, opens up obstructed menses, cures cough and cold, and dilutes phlegm.

Myrtle essential oil increases the rate of wound healing, and protects ulcers against developing more serious infections. Also, it tightens gums and muscles, stops hemorrhaging, reduces body odor, fights coughs & colds, soothes inflammations, and settles nervous disorders.

Orange essential oil has been traditionally used to soothe inflammation, fight depression and uplift mood, protect against sepsis, enhance libido and as a cure for sexual dysfunction.

Palma Rosa essential oil protects against sepsis, inhibits viral and bacterial growth, promotes growth & regeneration of cells, facilitates digestion, and reduces fever.

Patchouli essential oil can be used to fight depression and uplift mood, soothe inflammation resulting from high fevers, inhibits wounds from becoming septic, increases libido and cures sexual disorders. Furthermore, it helps to tighten gums and muscles, and it stops hemorrhaging, heals scars and after marks, promotes cell growth, eliminates body odor, increases urination and removes toxins.

Peppermint essential oil is commonly used in the treatment of pain relief, as a way to induce numbness, protect against sepsis, reduce milk flow and discharge, relax spasm, strengthen gums, stop hair loss, and lifts skin. Also, it induces firmness in muscles, stops hemorrhaging, removes gas, is good for brain and memory health, promotes bile discharge, clears congestion and eases breathing.

Roman Chamomile essential oil is known to cure spasms, protect wounds from becoming septic and infected, curb biotic growth and infections, fight depression and uplift mood, cure neuralgic pain by reducing swelling in the effected vessels, and soothe inflammation from fever. 

Rose essential oil has been known to fight depression and uplifts mood, soothes inflammation due to fever, protects wounds against developing sepsis, relieves spasms, fights viral infections, enhances libido and cures sexual disorders, while tightening gums and muscles, and stopping hemorrhaging.

Rosemary essential oil is very useful in terms of hair care, skin care, mouth care, anxiety, mental disorders, depression, pain, headache, rheumatism, respiratory problems, bronchial asthma, indigestion, and flatulence.

Rosewood essential oil is often used to reduce pain, fight depression, protect wounds from becoming septic, enhance libido and promote sexual arousal. It also kills bacteria, and is good for brain, while curing headaches, driving away body odor, killing insects and stimulating gland discharges.

Sage essential oil has been known to inhibit viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, and thus protects wounds against becoming septic, heals damages done by oxidation, soothes inflammation, clears spasms, increases the production of bile, and promotes digestion.

Vanilla essential oil has been used to neutralize the effects of free radicals and other oxidants, and it repairs damages due to oxidation while enhancing the libido and promoting sexual arousal. Furthermore, it inhibits the growth of cancerous cells, reduces fever, fights depression and uplifts mood, soothes inflammation and reduces nervous disorders, promotes sleep, and reduces the stress and anxiety through its soothing qualities.

Wintergreen essential oil has been used for pain relief, relaxation of the body and mind, treatment of rheumatism and arthritis, as well as for reduction in spasms.  Furthermore, it protects against sepsis, spreads a pleasant fragrance, tightens gums and muscles and helps stop hair loss.

Ylang Ylang essential oil It fights against depression and uplifts mood, stops sebum secretion, protects against sepsis, increases libido and cures various sexual disorders, while also reducing blood pressure, curing nervous disorders, soothing inflammation and reducing the severity of nervous disorders.