Essential Oils & Aromatherapy For Dummies, 2nd Edition

"Reduce anxiety, manage pain, improve sleep, and more with the healing power of aromatherapy and essential oils. Looking for natural and organic ways to support your mind, body, and spirit? Then look no further than the ancient practice of aromatherapy! In Essential Oils & Aromatherapy For Dummies, Second Edition, you'll find simple and easy advice on everything from therapeutics to cosmetics, as well as the recreational use of essential oils. Internationally known herbalist and aromatherapist Kathi Keville offers straightforward remedies for dozens of common conditions you can use immediately to make yourself – or someone you love – feel better. Easily prepare your next natural remedy at home or at work with guidance on how to use essential oils and aromatherapy in familiar settings or find in-depth coverage of how to use essential oils in conjunction with therapeutic massage. You'll also discover: what to look for in a great aromatherapy scent and how to shop for and store herbs and ingredients; how to use aromatherapy in different settings, including your home, office, and gym; and quick tips on easy ways to add helpful fragrances to your life. An easy-to-use and fun guide to safely and easily treating hundreds of frequently occurring ailments, Essential Oils & Aromatherapy For Dummies, Second Edition will help you use organic and herbal ingredients to increase your focus, improve concentration, relieve tension, and get more sleep. Try it today!" -- Description provided by publisher Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part 1 Getting Started with Essential Oils Chapter 1 Making Sense Out of Scents Defining Essential Oils Defining Aromatherapy Using Oils for Healing Getting Aromas into the Body Under your skin From rose to nose Capturing the Benefits of Essential Oils A Rose by Any Other Name . . . Breaking down the system Specifying species Dealing with name changes Chapter 2 Sniffing the Diff: What to Look for in a Scent Choosing and Using Oils: Your Nose Knows Best Sniffing 101 Clearing your nose Talking Scents: Language of Fragrance Scent type Scent quality Scent notes Blending It All Together Taking baby steps Training your nose Chapter 3 On the Scented Trail: Shopping Searching for Good Scents Noticing quality Making the grade Asking the quality questions Choosing among varieties Buying Essential Oils Sniffing out the best deals Looking at price indicators Adding up the extras Laboring for oils: You pay for production costs Clamoring and demanding oils: The impact of supply and demand Keep on Trucking: Following the Supply Chain Navigating the Consumer Jungle Getting less than the essentials Diluting an oil on the sly Enhancing an oil Spiking an oil Substituting an oil Avoiding sinful synthetics Inventing imposters Sniffing out the disguise Shopping with the Environment in Mind Protecting the endangered Buying mindfully Thinking organically Chapter 4 Safety First Playing It Safe Seeking treatment: DIY or going professional Following safety guidelines Combining drugs and essential oils Considering Oil the Effects Considering your health conditions: Preventing toxicity Taking care of your physical body Your liver Your kidneys Your nervous system Your brain Your skin Testing for Scentsitivities Shining a Light on Sun-Shy Oils Exploring Essential Oils for Mother and Child Avoiding Toxic Oils Okay oils to use sparingly and carefully Potentially toxic oils to run away from Storing Oils Properly to Minimize Safety Risks Using the right container Preventing oxidation Avoiding Oiling Your Pets Chapter 5 Essential Oil Alchemy: Making Your Own Scents Getting in Touch with Your Inner Mad Scientist Converting your kitchen into a lab Gathering the right equipment Managing the oils Deciding to blend scents Talking Intensity Tricks of the Trade: Blending Essential Oils Concocting the Simple Stuff Diluting into a carrier A slick question: Choosing a vegetable oil Common vegetable/fixed oils Fancy vegetable/fixed oils Herb seed oils Oil butters Making your own infused oil Infused Oil Recipe Converting Measurements Beginning Blends Part 2 Inscentives for Living: Essential Oils in Your Life Chapter 6 Surrounding Yourself with Scents Setting the Mood by Choosing a Scent Scenting Your Home Sweet Home Lighting aromatherapy candles Instant Aromatic Candles Diffusing your mood changers Creating a steamy atmosphere Stovetop room diffuser Aromatic steam with herbs Spraying it up Mixing your own sprays Aromatic spray Disinfectant room spray Cruising with scents Burning incense Quick Incense Recipe Bringing potpourri back The benefits of DIY potpourri How to prepare your materials Steps for making potpourri Make your creation last Chapter 7 Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Skin and Hair Care for Us All Reaping All the Benefits for Your Hair and Skin Choosing Products for Hair and Skin Looking at body-care options Sudsing up: Shampoo and soap Diluting with essentials Typing Your Skin Enjoying essential oils for everyone’s complexion Focusing on special skin conditions Caring for your acned skin Simple Pimple Compress Discovering Secrets of Ageless Mature Skin Slicking Back Your Oily Skin and Hair Keeping a Dry Wit: Caring for Your Dry Skin and Hair Chapter 8 Essential Oils in the Bedroom Relating Sex and Smell Harnessing pheromones and hormones Spreading your scent Buying essential sexiness Scenting Up Your Sex Life Aphrodisiac themes for essential oils Love potion number 9 (through 17) Maybe not aphrodisiacs, but close Sniffing out sexy scents for the sexes Planning Some Enchanted Evening: “Scentsual” Seduction Scenting yourself Sharing a sumptuous, scentual supper Making Sexy Recipes Chapter 9 Essential Oils to Ease Stress and Brain Fog Seeking a Balanced Approach Adapting to your needs Recognizing the possibilities of essential oils Soothing Stress Dealing with adrenal exhaustion Lessening stress: Mind over matter Stress-Less Massage Oil Staying Calm and Carrying On: Fending Off Anxiety Keeping your cool Reducing anxiety Smelling Salts Pepping Up Your Work Life Improving focus Using common scents for increased brain power Gotta Go-Go-Go Taking scent to work Lotion for Emotions Going on a Scenti-Mental Journey: Boosting Memory Taking a trip down memory lane: Putting scent to use Having the scents to remember Forget-Me-Not Liniment Traveling Tips Having the Scents to Unwind: Bathing Your Feet Sleeping Tight: Soothing Insomnia Chapter 10 Getting Well with Smell Essential Facts for Healing with Essential Oils Focusing on four areas of healing Making the cut Simple Cures for Simple Woes Reaping the health benefits of essential oils Healing it yourself (HIY) Treating chronic problems Ways to Use Essential Oils Don’t Bug Me: Natural Antibiotics Engaging in germ warfare: Treating bacterial infection Killer good antibacterial essential oils Killer good oils, gentler versions Inspecting infection: Treating viruses Research results Good antiviral essential oils Confronting the fungus among us: Treating fungal infections Common fungi Good antifungal oils Musta Been Something I Ate: Indigestion Good digestive oils Tea time Happy Belly Tea Chai Tea Seek Immunity: Immune System and Cell Repair Amping up the immune system Stimulating white blood cells Hastening healing E-lymph-inating metabolic waste Chapter 11 Refrain from Pain Nip Pain in the Bud: Six Ways to End Pain Numb it Reduce swelling Heat and penetrate pain Stop pain in your brain Short circuit pain-causing substances Relax and sedate it Massage: Rub It Away Fire or Ice? The Hot and Cold of It Warm up to aromatherapy: Liniments Heat Treat Liniment A swell idea: Reduce inflammation Sprain and Strain Oil Chapter 12 Essential Oils to Up Your Energy and Enhance Your Workout Boosting Your Basic Training Summoning Energy with Essential Oils Improving Your Circulation Beefing up blood vessels Massage Oil for Circulation Applying liniment Going for the gold: Oils and athletes Rub a dub: Sports massage for everyone All wet: Hydrotherapy Staying on Track: Boosting Stamina Chapter 13 De-Bugging Your Home, Garden, and Pets In Your House Identifying and defeating common culprits Sashay Away Moth “Balls” Household Spray Disinfecting your home fragrantly In the Great Outdoors On you: Bug out All-natural Insect Repellent Bites and stings Insect Bite Solution In Your Garden In the Doghouse: Aromatherapy for Your Pet Using oils on your pets safely Getting the dosage right Sending fleas and ticks fleeing Orange-icide: Killing fleas on your pet De-fleaing your home Flea Away House Salt Part 3 How Essential Oils Work Chapter 14 Distilling Essential Oil: Extraction Methods Extracting the Essence Noting who uses oils Looking at ratios Bringing the Heat: Distillation Steaming things up Distilling then redistilling Watering an attar Touching on turbo and other methods Pressing and Expressing Oil Soaking It In: Enfleurage Pumping the Gas: Using Carbon Dioxide Extracting with Solvents Retaining Water: Hydrosols and Aromatic Waters Finding and using hydrosols Storing and keeping hydrosols Shaking up some aromatic waters Doing It Yourself: Distilling Aromatic Waters and Making a Diffuser Dishing on distillers Choosing what to distill Assembling your DIY stovetop distiller Chapter 15 Exploring Essential Oil Compounds Journeying into Essential Oil Science The mystifying molecules of aroma The world within the plants Getting Acquainted with Essential Oil Compounds Alcohols: Fighting germs and soothing the body Aldehydes: Using a bit of citrus Esters: Healing the skin and mind softly Ketones: Stimulating your senses Phenols: Heating things up Terpenes: Feeling good scents Monoterpenes: Keeping you smiling Sesquiterpenes: Keeping you mellow Typecasting: Chemotypes Part 4 The Part of Tens Chapter 16 Ten Unique Oils for One-of-a-kind Blends Angelica Camphor Coriander Lemon Verbena Litsea Oregano Rosewood Sage Spikenard Tuberose Chapter 17 Ten (or so) Ways to Add Fragrance to Your Life Plant Your Own Fragrant Herb Garden Get an Aromatherapy Facial Get a Massage with an Aromatherapy Massage Oil Take an Aromatherapy Class Visit a Fragrance Garden Take an Aromatherapy Tour Take an Aromatic Bath, Ahh! Bring in a Fragrant Bouquet Scent a Message Chapter 18 Ten Herbs to Grow for Fragrance Basil, culinary Bay Laurel Chamomile, German and Roman Clary Sage Lavender Marjoram Melissa (Lemon Balm) Peppermint Rosemary Thyme Part 5 The Guides Symptom Guide Essential Oil Guide Appendix: Essential Oils & Aromatherapy Resources Aromatherapy Organizations Herb Organizations Worldwide Aromatherapy Organizations Aromatherapy Tours Aromatherapy Publications Aromatherapy Schools Websites Index EULA