A Beginner's Guide to Aromatherapy

Your sense of smell is one of your five senses that you often take for granted. You use your nose for breathing and smelling, but what if you could use it for healing as well? Many people have heard of both essential oils and aromatherapy, but not everyone is sure about the benefits or how to start the practice. In today’s post, we will discuss some of the benefits of aromatherapy, as well as how you can get started!

Healing is more than simply taking medicine when you are feeling sick. There is so much more you can do for yourself on a daily basis, and at Clinical Nutrition Centers, we work hard to provide you with the supplements you need to aid your health and wellness management. Instead of prescribing you a pill that will cover up your symptoms, our doctor will work with you to find the root cause of your condition and provide you with the supplements you need to heal. If you are interested in improving your health and wellness management, contact Clinical Nutrition Centers to get started!

What Is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is used by many people throughout the world, and in some cases, people don’t even realize they are utilizing the natural healing method of aromatherapy. If you like to light candles to help you relax, or add oils to an essential oil diffuser, then you practice aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is a form of holistic medicine where you use naturally extracted oils from plants, leaves, stems, flowers, roots, or fruit to help heal your body from the inside out. These oils can be used to aid with anything from relaxation to headaches.

The Benefits of Aromatherapy

People use aromatherapy and essential oils for various different purposes. Some people simply like the scents, while others may find relaxation and peace of mind. In fact, any time you smell something that brings you joy, such as the smell of freshly baked bread, you are experiencing a form of aromatherapy. That being said, aromatherapy can be used for much more than simply making you feel happy.

Your sense of smell is extremely powerful, and smelling certain essential oils can aid your body in different ways. For example, the smell of lavender can help you relax and unwind after a stressful day. Other scents are able to help with conditions such as depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, pain relief, and more.

How to Incorporate Aromatherapy

hose who are familiar with aromatherapy often assume that the only way to benefit from it is to use essential oils in a diffuser, but that’s actually not the case. If you use essential oils in any way, you are practicing aromatherapy, whether you use them directly on your skin, add a few drops to a cup of tea, or burn an essential oil-infused candle. Some of the most popular methods for experiencing aromatherapy include:

• Massage — add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the massage lotion for added relaxation.
• Bath — blend your favorite oil or oils with a carrier oil and add the mixture to your bath water.
• Inhalation — when you want faster relief, add a few drops of an essential oil to a boiling pot of water or to a tissue and inhale the scent.
• Cleanser — get amazing skin when you add an essential oil like tea tree oil to your favorite facial cleanser
• Combining Essential Oils

The great thing about aromatherapy is that you are not limited to the essential oils that you can buy. If you want to create a new blend that will help you with various conditions, then all you have to do is combine different oils and use them however you would like. For example, if you have a headache and you want to relax, you may decide to add a few drops of peppermint and a few drops of lavender to your favorite lotion and rub it into your skin. The sky is the limit, and you can experience with how different oils make you feel.

Carrier Oil

Essential oils on their own can be extremely potent, and you may find that you have a bad reaction when certain oils are applied directly to your skin. In an effort to dilute the oils and make them more easily usable, it’s best to use a carrier oil. The most common carrier oils include:

• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Jojoba oil
• Almond oil

In addition to helping dilute the potency of the essential oil, the carrier oil will also help the scent of the essential oil last longer, allowing you to experience the benefits for a longer amount of time than you might if they were applied on their own.

Visit Clinical Nutrition Centers

Aromatherapy is a great way to use natural ingredients to help your body find relief. At Clinical Nutrition Centers, we strive to provide you with all of the natural supplements you need to improve your health and wellness management. Browse our wide selection of products to find your favorites, and contact Clinical Nutrition Centers to learn more and schedule an appointment with our doctor.

We look forward to hearing from you!