Holistic Healing & Housekeeping
July 20, 2009 – 10:47 pm by MarinaHanes
Essential oils are powerful liquids distilled from flowers, trees and other plants. They serve multiple purposes, and each one has its own specific properties. You can use them when you’re under the weather or if you want to sanitize and freshen your home or office.
A commonly used essential oil is lavender, which has a calming scent and can be used to help heal bruises, cuts, burns and infections. Since lavender is so gentle, you can apply it directly to the skin. To relax your nerves and help you sleep, apply a drop or two to your temples. This oil makes an excellent addition to a first aid kit, because it has so many uses.
Lemon as well as other citrus oils has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Adding 10 to 20 drops of this oil to a liter of water can make for a safe, natural cleaning product. You can wipe down your kitchen and bathroom. Cinnamon can kill microbes and fungi, so this is another option for cleaning your home. If you have allergies or are prone to sinus infections, burning eucalyptus oil can open your sinuses and relieve those aches and pains in your face and body.
Before experimenting with essential oils, it’s best to seek a professional’s advice. For instance, if you have high blood pressure, you should avoid sage and rosemary. Also, you need to be careful which oils you use if you’re pregnant or epileptic. When using essential oils, keep them away from your eyes and ears and always have a bottle of pure vegetable oil on hand to dilute the oil. You should use vegetable oil (not water) to flush essential oils out of your eye if you have an accident.
Once you enter the world of essential oils and familiarize yourself with the various types, you will learn that there are countless ways to incorporate them into your life. Not only can they be used for health problems and housekeeping, but you can also add certain ones approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to your meals and drinks.
Tags: essential oils, holistic healing, homemade cleaning product, natural cleaning product, natural housekeeping