Aromatherapy Recipes For The Whole Family

Aromatherapy is an excellent way of harnessing the power of the sense of smell to improve your environment. For centuries aromas have been used to create a particular atmosphere in sacred places like temples and churches. Today, aromas are being used in hospitals, schools, hotels and even shops to improve public environments. Many families are also using the benefits of aromatherapy in the home to help improve overall well-being, reduce stress, and even protect against viruses and  bacteria.

What Is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is defined as the “therapeutic” or “healing use” of essential oils. You can obtain the natural aromatherapy benefits of essential oils by inhalation, skin application, diffusing, cooking, and as a food supplement. They are highly versatile!

Benefits Of Aroma Therapy

There are many natural aromatherapy benefits that essential oils can bring to your family.

• Broad spectrum of protection-antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, anti-infectious
• Relief for stress and anxiety, calming and sedating
• Pain relief, analgesic and anti-inflammatory
• Strengthens all body systems, including immune and respiratory
• Penetrate and repair damaged tissue, including DNA
• Energizing, increases mental alertness
• Anti-aging, supports longevity
• No dangerous side effects
• Safe for children and pets
• And more…

The list of natural aromatherapy benefits goes on. One important note is that essential oils have the unique ability to cross the blood brain barrier; this allows them to benefit your health in ways that other medicines or natural health treatments cannot.

You can use aromatherapy throughout your home to benefit the entire family, and/or create condition specific treatments for each person as needed. Even infants and young children can reap the benefits of aromatherapy!

Getting Started

The best tool for fragrancing your home is a vaporizer or diffuser, which diffuses the aroma of essential oils into the air over a period of time. There are many electric models available which are very safe to use and can be left on for several hours. Alternatively, you can add a small amount of water and several drops of essential oil into a sauce pan and gently simmer over the stove. Essential oils can also be diluted with oil and added to a spray bottle which is quick, easy and portable. Scented aromatherapy candles are also an easy option, but don’t allow for any customization unless you know how to make them yourself.

For individual treatments you can add essential oils to a warm bath, damp washcloth, aromatherapy pillow or by adding a few drops to a “carrier oil” and massaging on the temples and forehead.

For more aromatherapy tips &  ideas, check out “50 Ways To Use Aromatherapy Oils“. If you are looking for a high quality, affordable place to purchase essential oils check out Mountain Rose Herbs!

But wait! You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging without sharing some of my favorite aromatherapy blends & recipes, did you?

Easy Aromatherapy Blends For The Home

Added to your vaporizer or diffuser, these blends will fragrance your home for about an hour. 

Kitchen:

Clearing Cooking Smells- 

• 4 drops lemon oil
• 2 drops tea tree oil

Eating Area (To increase appetite and get the taste buds going)-

• 3 drops mandarin oil
• 3 drops rosemary oil

Bathroom:

Relaxing Aroma-

• 3 drops lavender oil
• 3 drops sweet orange oil

Bedroom:

Soothing Bedtime Aroma-

• 3 drops sandalwood oil
• 3 drops rosewood oil

Work/Study Space:

Promotes Clarity, Reduces Stress-

• 3 drops rosemary oil
• 3 drops petitgrain

Alertness, Memory-

• 3 drops rosemary oil
• 3 drops lemon oil

Livingroom:

Refreshing Tranqulilty- 

• 3 drops grapefruit oil
• 3 drops lavender

Aromatherapy Treatments For Infants & Children

Relaxing Infant Massage-

• 1 drop roman chamomile
• 1 drop lavender
• 1 drop geranium
• 2 Tablespoons sweet almond oil

Teething Relief-

Use one drop chamomile oil on a wash cloth wrapped ice-cube to relieve teething pain.

Bedtime-

Add one drop of chamomile oil and one drop of lavender oil on pillow or blanket to promote a good nights rest.

Neck Wrap (Tonsils, swollen lymph nodes)-

• 2 cups warm water
• 8 drops lavender oil

Mix the water with the essential oil. While the water is still warm, soak a soft cloth, preferably flannel, in the water and wring it out. Wrap the cloth around the neck. Cover with a towel to hold in the heat. Remove before it gets cold. Repeat as many times as you wish.

Tummy Rub Oil (Digestion Issues)-

• 2 drops roman chamomile oil
• 1 drop fennel oil
• 2 drops dill oil
• 1 drop melissa oil
• 1 ounce carrier oil

To use, simply mix ingredients together and massage the tummy gently.

Bedtime Bath-

Add a few drops of lavender and chamomile oil to the bath water to help children relax before bed.

Other popular fragrances include orange, grapefruit and tangerine, all of which are natural antidepressants and relaxants. Nature’s gentle relaxant teas, such as melissa, lavender and chamomile, can calm a nervous, over-stimulated, cranky child, make headaches go away, or gently induce sleep-as well as help soothe a worn-out parent!

Sniffles & Cold Bath-

• 2 drops Manuka Oil
• 2 drops Eucalyptus Oil
• 2 drops Lavender Oil
• 1 cup Epsom salts

Blend essential oils into salts and mix well. Add salt blend under running water and swirl bath water to thoroughly mix blend into water. Soak for 15-20 minutes.

Headache, Sleeplessness or Over-Exertion-

Add a few drops of lavender oil to a cool compress and place on the forehead.

Congestion-

Frankincense, used in a vaporizer or as a massage oil (mixed with carrier oil), is safe and effective for respiratory congestion or infection, even for infants.

Relaxation, Concentration, Imagination & Creativity-

Add few drops of mint oil in a diffuser or add 1-2 drops to a carrier oil and rub on inside of child’s wrists.

Aromatherapy Treatments For Moms (and Dads)

Comfort & Reassurance (Great for pregnancy)-

• 1 drop roman chamomile
• 1 drop neroli

Massage the solar plexus. Pour a few drops of this aromatic blend into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply. Add several drops to your unscented lotion and massage on your body to soothe and moisturize dry skin and treat stretch marks.

Anxiety-

• 3 drops lavender oil
• 1 drop neroli

Massage the solar plexus. Pour a few drops of this aromatic blend into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply. Add several drops to your unscented lotion and massage on your body to soothe and moisturize dry skin. Massage the temples, neck and forehead if you suffer from insomnia.

Meditation-

• 1 drop rosewood oil
• 1 drop lavender oil
• 1 drop neroli oil

In the evening, set up a tranquil place to light candles and meditate. Pour a few drops of this aromatic blend into the palm of your hands and inhale deeply, then rub on neck & wrists.

Clear The Fog & Congestion Diffuser Blend-

• 2 drops eucalyptus Oil
• 2 drops lavender Oil
• 2 drops tea tree oil

Peppermint Pick Me Up Spray-

To make your facial mist, boil enough water to fill your bottle. Let the water cool, then pour it into the bottle. For each 8 ounces (250ml) water, add 15 drops peppermint and 5 drops lemon. Optional: Replace 3 drops of the peppermint with 3 drops of rosemary. Shake well before each use.

Peppermint, lemon and rosemary boost energy, improve mental alertness and lift mood. They also relieve pain; try using this spray to ease a headache.

Soothing Aromatherapy Lotion-

Buy a good unscented lotion. For each 8 ounces (250ml) lotion, add 20 drops lavender and 5 drops rosewood or patchouli. Lavender, rosewood and patchouli are all excellent skin healers. They help rejuvenate your skin by stimulating the formation of new skin cells, they balance oil production, and they help with skin conditions such as acne or eczema.

Deeply soothing to the nervous system, this easy aromatherapy recipe also relaxes the muscles and promotes feelings of calm and well-being.

Sensual Diffuser Blend-

This sensual blend with Sandalwood is more costly to make, but it’s well worth it. This is a good one for the bedroom, being both deeply relaxing and also aphrodisiac.

• 7 to 10 drops sandalwood oil
• 2 drops vanilla oil
• 1 drop jasmine OR ylang ylang oil

Terri
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