How to cope with stress
With the help of essential oils, by Vera Matovina MSc.

Stress is one of the most common concerns in today’s society. Our worries about money, competition, difficult people, add up every day. Even positive changes can be stress-producers. Prolonged and repeated stress leads to health complications and energy exhaustion. Stress affects our mind, body and emotions. To cope with stress, we need something, which will balance the function of our over-reactive nervous system.

Quick fix remedies could be coffee, alcohol or tranquillizers, but their side effects lead to even more health problems. Because stress affects our mind, body and emotions, reduction of the arousal of our nervous is not enough to relief the stress. We also need solutions for emotional release. Aromatherapy uses a holistic approach to stress relief and works on our behavioral, mental and physical problems.

How essential oils can help?
Essential oils are concentrated plant aromas. They have both psychological and physiological effect on us. To address our psychological reactions to stress (irritability, aggression, depression) we need essential oils that can induce relaxation. The examples of essential oils with relaxant effect on us are: lavender, bergamot, Roman and German Chamomile, Clary sage, frankincense, Petit Grain, Palma Rosa, orange, sandalwood, vetiver, ylang-ylang and sweet marjoram.

When stress affects our physical body and we feel headaches, indigestion, palpitations, odd aches and pains, help can come from essential oils that strengthen the action of the adrenals. Those oils are: basil, geranium, lemon, pine, rosemary, and peppermint.

If stress leads to apathy, melancholy helplessness, than we need floral essences such as rose, jasmine and neroli.

How can we use or apply essential oils?
Any of these oils may be used in warm (not hot) bath before bedtime. Essential oils could be mixed with sea salt or could be applied directly into the water. For whole body bath, use 8 to 10 drops of the oils, or one handful of aromatic salt.

Essential oils could also be applied through the air. Put a few drops of recommended oils in vaporizer or in burner and inhale them. Massage with essential oils is very effective in breaking the stress cycle. Massage could be as simple as applying and rubbing essential oils on your feet, temples and back of the neck. The most stress relief you can get from whole body massage by professional therapist. If you apply essential oils on your skin by yourself, make sure that they are diluted with vegetable oils, because some essential oils could irritate skin.

As all natural and holistic treatments, Aromatherapy has the best effect when used as prevention, or at the very beginning of a stressful experience. Aromatherapy kits (blends of the essential oils) are recommended to be use at home in preventing negative effects of stress and maintaining good health. If your symptoms are more severe, seek the help of professional Aroma therapist.

Vera Matovina is the founder of Plant Power Company
Imports, formulates and teaches about essential oils.

For more information or questions contact us at:
416-766-1254 or email: verabm@primus.ca