| Aromatherapy is a very effective tool for stress | | | | So what do you do with your new little bottles of |
| relief. And once you understand how it works, it's | | | | essential oils once you bought them? Start by simply |
| easy to see just why it works so well. It goes right | | | | putting a few drops on a tissue and sniff. Or you |
| past our conscious brain, straight to the limbic | | | | could get a diffuser, add a few drops and scent your |
| system, where the mechanisms that control our | | | | entire room. |
| emotions and our physical responses reside. Of | | | | Or use one of my favorite trick (and also very |
| course my favorite thing about aromatherapy stress | | | | economical): Get a tissue, put a few drops on it, and |
| relief is that it smells wonderful. Read on for tips on | | | | stick it in a sandwich baggie. Carry it with you and |
| how to use it. | | | | take sniffs as you need to calm down. Or cheer up. |
| It's not hard to get started. You could simply go to | | | | There's aromatherapy for just about any purpose. |
| the aromatherapy section of your neighborhood New | | | | Be careful with putting it directly on your skin. I do it, |
| Age store -- or the health food store, or maybe | | | | even though I'm not supposed to. I haven't had any |
| even the drug store. Yes, you can buy aromatherapy | | | | negative reactions -- yet. Feel free to try it, but don't |
| just about anywhere these days. And then? Just pick | | | | say you haven't been warned. Mostly, it's |
| out the bottles that say "relaxing" or something along | | | | recommended that before you put it on your skin |
| those lines. | | | | you mix it with a carrier oil (Jojoba is especially good |
| But you don't have to rely on master aromatherapy | | | | because it's very stable and doesn't go rancid, at |
| composers for their concoctions. You can easily | | | | least not for a long time. |
| make your own. Should you use blends or single | | | | You could put some on your pillow at night, or into |
| fragrances? Opinions vary. Of course if you just | | | | your bath water, and on and on. If you can get |
| LOVE Lavender, enjoy. But often the combination of | | | | someone to give you a massage, put a few drops in |
| several essential oils will result in a synergistic effect. | | | | the oil that the person is using to give you the |
| Syner-what? Synergistic means that the effect of | | | | massage. |
| the blend is far greater than merely the sum of its | | | | Aromatherapy is very powerful -- and the best thing |
| parts. | | | | is, it can be used alone or with other stress relief |
| So what are the scents that are especially relaxing? I | | | | strategies. So use aromatherapy for stress relief and |
| really love Lavender. Another one is Vanilla. Jasmine | | | | let it help you calm down enough to meditate. Or add |
| also has great calming power. Jasmine and Lavender | | | | relaxing music. You'll quickly feel a lot calmer. |
| are also great at helping you sleep. | | | | |