Essential Oils: Must Haves For Daily Use & First Aid

Essential Oils: Must Haves For Daily Use

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Essential oils are used extensively in aromatherapy and various traditional medicines. Due to the numerous health benefits of essential oils, they are increasingly being explored by the scientific community for the treatment of a variety of diseases including cancer, HIV, asthma, bronchitis, heart strokes, and many more.

Eve Writes | 03 February 2020

Health & Wellness: Get Healthy

There are more than 90 essential oils, and each has its own health benefits. Most essential oils blend well with other essential oils in terms of function and odour, which allows herbalists to prepare a vast repertoire of aromatic essential oil combinations.

When it comes to essential oils, it can be challenging to know if they work or not, or if it's even safe. Health experts have said that essential oils may not necessarily work for everyone, but there is no harm in trying them as long as you practice safe usage.

We do love our essential oils and we make sure to use only certified and safe ones. In this round of Get Healthy, we share with you our favourite essential oils that are must haves for us that can be used as your daily aromatherapy and even as first aid. Caution: Because certified essential oils are made from organic produce, make sure to conduct patch test to avoid any unwanted allergy reaction.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

One of the most frequent uses of tea tree oil is the treatment of wounds. As a replacement for a traditional antiseptic, tea tree oil is great for healing minor wounds and abrasions. The use of tea tree oil for this purpose is so common that it is almost always found in the first aid section of wellness departments at health food stores. Tea tree can also be used to treat insect bites, bacterial infections, earaches, and fungal infections. Tea Tree is also known as Melaleuca Oil.

To use

You can add 2-3 drops to 1/2 cup warm water, shake well and apply to skin with a cotton ball or keep this natural roll-on on hand. Tea tree is a handy weapon in homemade cleaning recipes, too. It purifies your space and keeps unwanted elements at bay in everything from homemade wipes to hand soap to daily shower spray.

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Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil as a wonderfully effective treatment for stomach aches and other digestive ailments. In addition to its benefits for the stomach, peppermint essential oil is a popular way to treat sore muscles.

To Use

Give yourself a quick head massage to ease tension. Combine 5 drops of peppermint with a tablespoon of carrier oil like coconut or almond and massage into the temples and the base of your neck.

You can also make a larger batch of massage oil by adding 15-20 drops diluted into 1/2 cup of carrier oil. It feels great as a massage for your feet too!

Avoid direct use of peppermint with infants and young children.

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Lavender Oil

Do you suffer from frequent headaches or migraines? Lavender essential oil offers a quick, natural way to calm the agony of even the most painful headaches. In addition to treating headaches, lavender oil is excellent for healing burns and cuts. Among the essential oils out there, lavender oil is one of the most favoured for its soothing and mild scent.

To Use

Help the whole family wind down faster with a relaxing bedroom air refresher. Use lavender on its own or combine with vanilla each night to signal to your brain it’s sleeping time. Combine that with a Sweet Dreams foot massage for even faster sleep.

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Oregano Essential Oil

As a member of the mint family, oregano oil provides a wide variety of health benefits. The oil has anti-microbial properties that can help prevent and clear infections. Use oregano oil to help ease sinus infections, foot fungus, and to prevent infections.

To use

For Colds - as steam inhalation: Add a few drops of oregano oil to a bowl of boiling water, place a towel over your head and breathe in the powerful vapours for 5-10 minutes. The moist steam helps to loosen and drain mucus in the nasal passages and the antibacterial properties of the oil help to fight infections and relieve cold symptoms. This home remedy is excellent for those suffering from sinus infections or pneumonia.

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Myrrh Essential Oil

Aside from serving as a gorgeous natural fragrance, myrrh essential oil is an exceptional fit for your first aid kit. The primary use of myrrh in first aid is for its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It can also be used to heal dry skin, or in a diffuser to soothe cold symptoms.

To use

Diffuse or Inhale It

You can purchase an essential oil distiller to use throughout the house when are trying to achieve a certain mood. Or add a few drops to hot water and inhale the steam. Myrrh oil can also be inhaled when you are sick to help improve the symptoms of bronchitis, colds or coughs.

It can also be blended with other essential oils to create a new scent. It blends well with citrus oil, such as bergamot, grapefruit or lemon to help lighten up its fragrance.

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Lemon Essential Oil

This is another favourite among many essential oil users. Lemon essential oil is a great choice when in need of a natural disinfectant. Additionally, lemon oil aromatherapy has been shown to help decrease nausea and vomiting experienced during pregnancy.

This is one of our favourite essential oils because we love it for its light, clean scent, this essential oil is a powerhouse in homemade cleaning recipes. A naturally purifying oil, lemon is commonly used to degrease stubborn stains as well as freshen the air.

To use

Use it to deodourise your fridge, clean the floor or combine 10 drops with 1/2 cup olive oil for a natural wood or leather polish. Just make sure to spot-test a small area of your workspace first.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Stock eucalyptus essential oil in your first aid kit for its topical pain relieving capabilities. The oil is also said to help stimulate immune system response and provide anti-bacterial properties.

To use

Use it to make your own steam inhalation remedy. Add 1-2 drops of oil to a sink of hot water. Close your eyes and inhale deeply; you can drape a towel over your head to trap the steam. Great for a stuffy nose and sinuses.

Or diffuse a few drops in a room with a simple reed diffuser or buy a diffuser that covers a larger area. You can also add 2-3 drops to a humidifier or a pot of water on the stove.

Avoid direct use of eucalyptus with infants and young children.

Credit: A Healthier Michigan

Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary essential oil is a fantastic choice for calming digestive problems, as well as for treating muscle aches and pains. When selecting essential oils for your first aid kit, rosemary oil is a superb economical selection.

Top uses for rosemary essential oil:

Rub topically on bottom of feet or stomach to help with digestion
Diffuse rosemary, or apply topically to help reduce tension, stress, and fatigue
Add a single drop to the hands, rub together, and cup over the mouth and nose to flood the senses for up to a minute to assist with transitioning
Add a single drop of rosemary essential oil to the hands, rub together, and cup over the mouth and nose to flood the senses for up to a minute, in order to help alleviate the nerves

Credit: Ever Phi