Let Essential Oils Boost Your Mood and Health

All throughout history people have been using plants to help heal and bring pleasure to our lives, and never has it been so easy and simple to access Mother Nature's gift of essential oils.

Essential oils are volatile liquids distilled from different parts of plants. These potent essences of the plants can heal on a cellular level and will impact mood by affecting certain areas of the brain.  The healing powers of these oils can be accessed in many ways, depending on the oil itself.

Although I have quite a number of different oils that I'll use for specific purposes, my personal go to favourites are the following:

Lavender: This scent boosts my mood every time! It has the wonderful ability to both invigorate and calm the mind and body at the same time. Put a few drops in your bath, on the shower floor letting it steam up, or on your sheets for a good night's sleep (not too close to the face mind you), or in a diffuser to bring aroma therapy into your living space.

Tea Tree: I absolutely love this oil! It is great as a topical anti-fungal and antiseptic treatment. I also feel relaxed by the scent and will use it the same way as with the lavender. It has a very clean and even medicinal scent.

Peppermint: This oil is really invigorates the senses, bringing renewed vigor to your life.

Rosemary: Here is another of my favourites. Rosemary is great to use if your mind is foggy as it brightens your thinking. I've been known to dab some drops on a cotton pad and have it nearby when studying or writing, to help with clarity and memory.

Rose: Ah, the beautiful Rose! Did you know that the scent from this flower has the highest vibration of flowers on the planet? The scent of the Rose instills calm, peace and opens the heart chakra, helping us to give and receive love. (PS: this is just one of the reasons why I named my business "White Rose Wellness"!)

Eucalyptus: A #1 go to if you are stuffed up from a cold or flu. I love putting a couple of drops in a hot salt bath, and then soak for 15 minutes.  Soaking in a salt bath, by the way, is a fantastic way to clear your bodymind and your aura after a long or trying day.  Do it before you go to bed for a relaxing night of rest.

Of course there are many more ways that you can use essential oils....

Put a few drops of your favourite oil(s) in a water spray bottle and use as a natural air freshener!  Spritz some  in gym bags, runners, doggie beds and such to clean up the fragrance.

Yoga mat cleaner! - my fave.  In a water spray bottle add a few drops tea tree, lavender and peppermint with a couple teaspoons of witch hazel into the water for a fabulous yoga mat cleaner. Just remember to give the bottle a shake each time before you use it.  If you're doing hot yoga, you can do as I do, spray some in the air above your head for an aromatherapy cool down!

Vacuum cleaner air freshener. Put a couple of drops of eucalyptus EO on a cotton pad and vacuum it up. As you vacuum your home the air will be filled with a clean fresh scent!

Please do keep in mind, however, that these oils are very potent and should not be ingested nor used undiluted (aka neat) on the skin without proper knowledge of the effects of the oil. Although some oils are generally safe to use on the skin, such as with tea tree oil for example, others can actually burn you, such as with cinnamon.  Also, please use with caution with children under the age of 12, and with people who suffer from allergies. Please do your homework or speak to a trained aromatherapist to have your best aromatherapy experience! And remember the adage: "Sometimes less is more!"   Especially with these powerful oils!!!

Essential oils can be a fabulous addition to our lives, helping us to brighten our moods, balance our spirits, and even heal our body.  Do you have a favourite essential oil or way to use them? Please feel free to post a comment below!

Have fun!