Aromatherapy - Ginger Essential Oil

Aromatherapy – Ginger Essential Oil

By : Heru Muskita

(Zingiber officinalis)

Family : Zingiberaceae

Description : Ginber is a perennial, tropical herb with reedlike leaves, white or yellow flowers and a thick tuberous rhizome or root.  The essential oil is steam-distilled from the unpeeled, dried, ground root.

Countries of origin : India, China, Thailand, Australia

Characteristics : Ginger has sharp, green top notes and fiery, woody, sweet, spicy undertones. It blends well with the citruses and also with neroli, geranium, ylang ylang, rose, frankincense, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and rosewood.

Main therapeutic properties : Analgesic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, baceticide, carminative, cephalic, febrifuge, laxative, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic.

Ginger is warming and stimulates the circulation and digestion. It is excellent used in winter to war the body and emotions, both physically and psychologically. It is a tonich of the heart and is indicated in baths and massage for poor circulation, cardiac fatigue and cold hands and feet. Overall, ginger is warming, comforting and fortifying.

Its stimulant properties make ginger useful for poor digestion and flatulence. It is especially good for travel sickness and morning sickness, either sniffed from a tissue or blended into a mood perfume. It is also good in massae when the muscles are tired and aching, particularly when they are cold and contracted. Ginger can be useful in a bath or inhalation when you have a cold or sore throat, as its sharp, piercing cuts through catarrh and congestion.

Psychologically, ginger is arousing, opulent and stimulating. It is indicated for use in meditation when there is debility through nervous exhaustion. It warms and strengthens the emotions, increases determination and inspires initiative and action to carry plans through to their conclusion. Ginger also helps to blow away the winter blues and is useful in combating Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Contraindications : Do not use if you have very sensitive skin. Use no more than 3 drops in the bath and no more than 2 percent in massage oils.

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Gernanium

(Pelargonium gravolens)

Family : Geranuaceae

Description : Geranium is an aromatic, perenial, hairy plant with serrated leaves and flowers varying from light pink through to deep rose, magenta or red. The essential oil is steam-distilled from the flowers, leaves and stalks.

Countries of origin : Reunion, China, Eqypt, South Africa, Morocco

Characteristics : Geranium has light, lemon-fresh, green herbal top notes and soft, rosy, sweet floral understones. It blends well with many other essential oils, especially bergamot, lavender, basil, rosemary, black pepper, rose, neroli sandalwood, rosewood, juniper, lemon, patchouli, jasmine and orange.

Main Therapeutic properties : Anti-depressant, antiseptic, astringent, cicatizant, deodorant, diuretic, haemostatic, tonic, vulnerary.

Geranium is the great balancer of essential oils, due to it being an adrenal cortex stimulant, and it helps to regulate hormones and moods alike. One of the most uselful essential oils to detoxify the lymphatic system and helo ekminate cellulite, geranium is often included in lymphatic drainage massage blends. It also helps heal wounds quickly, and makes a good deodorant, both for personal hygiene and for freshening rooms. Overall, geranium is balancing, upifting and refreshing.

Because geranium smells a little like rose – but is much cheaper – it is used in the perfume industry to ‘extend’ rose. The lovely floral gragrance makes geranium a valuable skin-care essential oil, and it is helpful in balancing sebum production.

Geranium is especially good for menstrual problems as it balances the hormones. This quality, combined with its anti-depressant and uplifting qualities, means that geranium might be heloful in massage blends for those women who have difficulty becoming pregnant. It is also useful for those undergoing the menopause.

Psychologically, geranium creates a sense of security and comfort, and is gentyly uplifting and balancing. It is reputed to strengthen the flow of subtle energy, or chi, and is one of the most valuable essential oils in treating anxiety associated with nervous debility. It is useful in mood perfumes to bring about a balanced harmony and to counteract excessive mood swings.

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Candles. Satin. Lace. Incense. Fresh Flowers. Music. These are some of the elements of creating a romantic bedroom. It’s fun creating a romantic atmosphere in your bedroom — it can also help keep the romance in your life. Cecilia Villalon has some ideas on how you can make it a reality.

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Effects of Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a branch of herbology and the study of "aromatherapy" may best be considered in these four areas of application:

Aesthetic – the effects essential oils have on the beauty of skin and hair.

Psycho – the effects aromas have on our moods and feeling; known as aromachology.

Holistic – the integration of the divine into the body, mind, and spirit.

Medical – the effects essential oils have in enhancing and maintaining a state of homeostasis.

Method of application

An essential oil is a liquid distilled from the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, or bark of a plant. Essential oils, which are used in Aromatherapy, are very concentrated, and therefore, they are usually diluted with carrier oil, such as almond oil. Essential oils, in their purest form, tend to be very expensive, because the amount of oil present in plants is extremely small. For example, 440 pounds of fresh lavender flowers yield only 2.5 pounds of essential oil of lavender. Aromatherapy and essential oils can be used for many purposes, such as to calm or rejuvenate the body and mind.

The use of aromatherapy can be seen as part of a lifestyle choice — a lifestyle that allows for pleasure because a moment of pleasure is healing. Pleasure is described as a source of enjoyment. Why deny yourself the pleasure and the benefits of a feminine fragrance such as Rose from Morocco or Bulgaria?

By understanding how to apply aromatherapy in daily use, you can enjoy the scents and help to maintain a system of preventative care for you and your family’s long-term well-being.

About the Author

For more information, visit these sites: www.AromatherapyInfoCenter.com or www.PerfumeInfoCenter.com

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However, MOST essential oils require significant dilution (often to less than 3% of the total volume) as they can cause skin irritation. Lavender Oil and Chamomile Oil are two essential oils that can be applied ‘neat’ or without dilution; others, such as Cinnamon Oil and Oregano Oil should never be applied topically undiluted – they may be applied once highly diluted to the bottoms of the feet.

A VERY small amount should be tested first. The interesting thing about topical application is that essential oils tend to pass through the skin fairly readily, as they are lipotropic (fat soluble) and their molecular structure is fairly small. In this manner, their possible effects can be targeted – if one has digestive trouble, rubbing Peppermint Oil diluted in a carrier oil (a pure vegetable or nut oil) into the abdomen may help. In the same way, rubbing Chamomile Oil or Lavender Oil into the solar plexus (bottom tip of the sternum) may help relieve tension.

The French model consists of ingestion and ‘neat’ or undiluted topical application of essential oils. Perhaps these somewhat bravado methods are a result of the French producing some of the world’s finest Lavender oils – also considered one of the safest oils in aromatherapy. As in the English model, essential oils will easily pass through the skin and into the bloodstream. Many individuals directly apply oils such as Frankincense, Sandalwood and Myrhh to their temples to enhance meditation, for example. This is a practice one should begin slowly with, being sure the body or skin does not show any adverse reactions to before proceeding.

ORAL INJESTION OF ESSENTIAL OILS IS NOT RECOMMENDED EXCEPT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A DOCTOR OR A QUALIFIED AROMATHERAPIST. The German model is that of inhalation, where the essential oils will directly affect the lymbic system, and the intimately associated emotional and hormonal systems.

Oils are often diffused in a cold-air diffuser, warmer or oil lamp – these tools disperse tiny droplets of essential oils in the surrounding air. When inhaled, the oils connect directly to the nervous system’s chemical sensors. Certain oils that are high in sesquiterpines such as myrrh, sandalwood, vetiver and frankincense oils, have been noted to dramatically increase activity and oxygenation in certain areas of the brain when used this way. With inhalation go slowly and start with a small amount – essential oils are effective in very low doses.

You will know when you’ve had enough – we tend to notice a distaste for the smell or even a mild headache coming on if the concentration of certain oils in the air has gotten too high. Inhalation is often effective for mood-altering effects of essential oils; Rosemary for mental ‘stimulation’, Lavender for relaxation, etc. These effects are a result of essential oil components on the lymbic system of the brain – which again is closely tied to the emotional centers.

Essential oil components from one plant may have synergistic effects with another. One may certainly blend essential oils in a diffuser or burner, adding a couple drops of each oil desired. Often a nice result can be had from mixing a brighter or sweeter oil (Rosemary, Basil, Orange) with one more earthy and grounding (Patchouli, Frankincense, Cedar).

The effects are very personal – if you don’t like the smell of a particular essential oil or combination of oils, there’s probably a reason and they’re just not for you! Your intake could be too high or the oil(s) may not be compatible with your body chemistry at that time.

A note about safety: Essential Oils are very powerful components of plants – they have the capability of being harmful if improperly used. Essential Oils can be very helpful for some cases, supportive in others, and have little to no effect in others. They are not intended to treat or cure serious medical conditions; there is no substitute for a consultation with a competent physician for any matters regarding your health, or anyone else.

If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breast feeding, it is critical you consult your physician before using any essential oil. Please be sure there are no contraindications of an essential oil for your condition before using! Almost all essential oils should be diluted to the range of 1% to 3% in your chosen carrier (or ‘base’) oil – Lavender and Chamomile Oils being notable exceptions (though diluting them will make them no less effective).

Remember – start slowly, pay attention to how an oil and it’s particular application makes you feel, adjust accordingly, keep learning, and have fun!

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