Essential Oils Benefits

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years. It has been recorded that many ancient cultures have used essential oils as their main source of medicine. Today, for many people, the essential oils are still a common method of medicine. These oils have also been of good personal use to me and my family. Some of our top uses were to help in aide in the recovery of my dad’s cancerous issues, to cure me and my mom’s painful migraines, to resolve my sleep and anxiety problems, to boost my immune system, and to help recover my sore muscles. I have tried many other medical remedies to help regulate all of these issues, but my essential oils have proved to be the most effective.
My family started using essential oils when my dad developed a cancerous tumor in his leg. My dad was in an enormous amount of pain. My mom wanted to find something for him to
help him cope with the pain a little more. A study in Hong Kong shows that aromatherapy with essential oils makes cancer patients feel better. S. M. Ho et al., states, “All participants had a positive experience towards aromatherapy massage. The perceived benefits of aromatherapy massage included physical and psychological dimensions: overall comfort, relaxation, reduced pain, muscular tension, lymphoedema and numbness, improved sleep, energy level, appetite and mood” (Ho, S. M. et al. 2017). I could definitely see a difference in my dad after we started using essential oils. Before we used the essential oils my dad was always tired and a little moppy. My dad really struggled with his tumor because he is a very active person. My dad is a carpenter so with his tumor and his surgery, it was hard for him to just lay around and not do much. After we used the essential oils, there was a huge difference in his personality and demeanor. The essential oils made him feel much more relaxed and helped him get sleep during the night.
My mom and I really struggle with migraines. We would try ibuprofen, excedrin migraine, aleve, and any other medicine to help our migraines but nothing seemed to work. One day my mom was searching on the internet to see if she could find anything else that could help us. She found that peppermint oil helps with migraines. According to TREATING HEADACHES WITH PEPPERMINT OIL by Yuli Azarch, she states, “Peppermint oil has vasodilating characteristics when applied topically—it relaxes blood vessels. The effective compounds in pure peppermint oil penetrate the skin and relax blood vessels below. Relaxed blood vessels encourage normal and healthy blood flow and this in turn leads to vanishing pain” (Azarch 2016). Our migraines have been much better since we’ve used peppermint essential oils.
I find myself to be a very anxious and stressed out person.
Sometimes at night it’s hard for me to fall asleep because my mind is wondering. Essential oils have helped me relaxed and had helped me fall asleep on sleepless nights. I have found that essential oils and aromatherapy have many benefits on the mind and the body. In IT MAKE SCENTS, A. Jaloba expresses, “Aromatherapists believe that certain aromas work on the limbic system in the primitive part of the brain that influences the endocrine and nervous systems. Different oils are used to produce different results. A number, including sandalwood, lavender and clary sage, stimulate serotonin. This can help increase relaxation, overcome insomnia and reduce stress” (Jaloba 2011). Using essential oils have gave many benefits. I have used lavender for many things. I used lavender especially when I’m stressed out and have problems sleeping. I used lavender when big exams are coming up. I use lavender two days before the exam, the night before the exam and the day of the exam. I have found that lavender has really helped me relax and not be so anxious about the
exam.
Another reason why I use essential oils is because I have a weak immune system. Essential oils even help boost your immune system and may help cure a cold or flu. As stated in Aromatherapy for Colds & Flu, Cromer explains, “Eucalyptus has a fresh scent that may smell a bit medicinal to some noses, but it’s worth it: The oil’s super antibacterial properties fight germs and ease congestion… essential oil of cinnamon has powerful antifungal and antioxidant properties that help bolster the body’s immune system… lavandin in small doses is also relaxing and perfect for diff using to encourage restful sleep—one of the best remedies when you’re fighting a cold or the flu” (Cromer 2017). These three essential oils can help you feel better, eucalyptus and cinnamon both help fight off germs and lavandin simply just helps you relax and sleep when you don’t feel good. Although, I haven’t personally used cinnamon and lavandin, I have used eucalyptus. I used it when I had strep throat during fall break last year. My strep throat had me in tears because swallowing food hurt my throat so much. I was on antibiotics but it wasn’t helping enough so I decided to try eucalyptus. I put the eucalyptus oil in my friends diffuser and rubbed some on my chest. The oil didn’t heal me but it made me feel much better.
I am a high level athlete and at times I get sore muscles. When I don’t workout or practice for a while and then throw myself back into a hard routine, I often get sore. Rubbing essential oils on my sore muscles has helped my muscles not feel as sore. “Black pepper is a great essential oil for muscle pain after an intense workout, sore muscles, arthritis, and other pain conditions” (Pain Doctor 2017). Last summer I worked out and practiced three times a week. I worked really hard to make sure that I would be in shape before college. I was nervous I would get to practice and be out of shape so I worked as hard as I could. The first week of workouts was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I was so sore. I don’t think I have ever been that sore in my life. I talked to my mom the Friday night after a week of workouts and practice. I told her how sore I was and she suggest that I use essential oils. I wasn’t sure what oil to use so I did some research. I found that black pepper was one of the best essential oils to use for soreness. I didn’t have any in my dorm so I went and bought black pepper essential oil. I put it on my legs that night and in my morning my legs felt so much better. They weren’t 100 percent but I could move them much better.