Massage and Essential Oils

By Ann Bartlett, CMT, Owner

Body In Balance Center

. http://www.bodyinbalancecenter.com/

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Massage and Essential Oils

In the last couple of years, essential oils are making a comeback in many massage therapy practices. Essential oils also known as aromatherapy have been used to bolster the relaxation effect during a massage, but some practitioners take it to a higher level and employ them for their health benefits.

When the flu hits, one response is plenty of rest, bone broth soups, herbal teas and use of an infuser with your favorite essential oil. There is something so nurturing and healing about the smell in the air and sipping on a hot mug of tea.

Essential oils are something that can help people to heal. A good place to look for legitimate information about essential oils based on peer-reviewed research is the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Two essential oils with medicinal effects include tea tree oil and lavender.

Tea Tree Oil

Today, tea tree oil is often used externally as a traditional remedy for a number of conditions including acne, athlete's foot, nail fungus, wounds, and infections; or for lice, oral candidiasis (thrush), cold sores, dandruff, and skin lesions. Clinical studies have shown positive results.

Lavender

People normally think of lavender oil for relaxation. But, it has also been shown be helpful with a number of bothersome conditions including acne, itchy skin, bloating and stress. Lavender has also been show to help decrease the bad bacteria in your digestive track which could be helpful in the mediation of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. It is easy to add lavender to any meal by sprinkling a lavender-based spice blend onto sauteed or grilled meats, poultry, vegetables, and even whole-grain pilafs (barley, couscous, brown rice).

Essential oils have their rightful place as not only something that reminds us to breathe in and slow down, but also as helping healers. We can use essential oils to complement good medicine and speed healing.