Essential Oils for first aid - part two

An essential oil first aid kit is one of the most important parts of your medicine cabinet. It is also helpful to create a second kit in small 5/8 dram or 1 dram sizes – cobalt or amber colored. You can fill five or six of these with your "can't live without blends" and carry in your purse in a small pouch. Don't forget to label them!

In our last blog, I provided the recipe for a Bruise Blend and a general First Aid Blend. Another useful oil to carry around is not a blend, but an individual essential oil – lavender.

Lavender has a multitude of uses, smells delightful, and can be used without diluting with carrier oils.

How to use lavender essential oil

Firstly, be sure you are purchasing an organically grown, low-steam distilled lavender essential oil, or you won't obtain the healing properties intended. Heating essential oils burns off their therapeutic qualities.

Again, Mountain Rose Herbs is the best place I've found for quality and efficacy in oils.

To apply: place a few drops of lavender essential oil on the affected area; diffuse with a cold diffuser/nebulizer, not heated; place several drops of lavender essential oil into the palm of your hand, rub your palms together and place your hands over your nose and inhale/exhale three times - deeply. You may also apply the oils to the soles of your feet.

Lavender's properties:

• Antiseptic
• Analgesic
• Anti-tumoral
• Anti-convulsant
• Sedative
• Anti-inflammatory
• Cleansing cuts and wounds
• Wonderful for skin care
• Soothing for burns and sunburn
• Relaxing

24 Uses for Lavender Essential Oil

• Rub lavender oils on the feet for an overall calming effect on the body.
• Add a drop or two of lavender oil to a tissue or cotton ball and place inside your pillow case to aid in sleep.
• Place 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil on a bee sting or insect bite to stop itching and reduce swelling. Note: lavender essential oil is NOT a substitute for counter-acting an insect sting if the person is allergic and needs medical care immediately.
• Place 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil on a minor burn to decrease pain. May be applied as often as needed.
• Mix several drops of lavender essential oil with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and use topically on eczema and dermatitis.
• Place several drops of lavender essential oil on a minor cut to help stop the bleeding.
• To alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness, put a drop of lavender essential oil on the end of the tongue or around the navel or behind the ears.
• To stop a nosebleed, put a drop of lavender essential oil on a tissue and wrap it around a small chip of ice. Push the tissue-covered ice chip under the middle of the top lip to the base of the nose and hold as long as comfortable or until the bleeding stops. Be careful not to freeze the lip or gum.
• Rub a drop of lavender essential oil on chapped or sunburned lips.
• Rub a drop of lavender essential oil on the bridge of the nose to aid in blocking tear ducts.
• Rub lavender essential oil on dry or chapped skin.
• To reduce or minimize the formation of scar tissue, massage lavender essential oil on and around the affected area.
• Rub 2-4 drops of lavender essential oil on the armpit to act as a deodorant.
• Rub a drop of lavender essential oil between your palms and inhale deeply to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.
• Rub several drops of lavender essential oil into the scalp to aid in eliminating dandruff.
• Place a few drops of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and place in your linen closet to scent the linens, and repel moths and insects.
• Place a few drops of lavender essential oil in your water fountain to scent the air, kill bacteria, and prolong the time between cleanings.
• Rub a drop of lavender essential oil on a corn, callous or bunion mornings and evenings.
• Place a few drops of lavender essential oil on a wet cloth, such as a wash cloth, and toss into the dryer to deodorize and freshen your laundry – in place of a dryer sheet.
• Put a drop of lavender essential oil on a cold sore to soothe it.
• Diffuse lavender essential oil to alleviate the symptoms of allergies.
• Spritz several drops of lavender essential oil, mixed with distilled water on a sunburn to decrease pain. You can also add a little aloe as well, instead of the distilled water. Note: Always use a glass spritzer bottle when working with essential oils. Plastic will only work when you have the oils diluted with something such as distilled water, vinegar or rubbing alcohol.
• Drop lavender essential oil on a cut to clean the wound, disinfect it and kill bacteria.
• Apply 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to a rash to stop the itching, soothe and heal the skin.

Lavender works well with just about any essential oil

The best companion oils for lavender include: any citrus oil, such as lemon, tangerine, orange, grapefruit and lime; clary sage and geranium. However, lavender can be combined with any essential oil.

Tea Tree Oil and Lavender

Tea Tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia) comes from the myrtle botanical family, native to Australia. Tea tree is anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, neurotonic and analgesic – just to name a few of it's fabulous properties.

Tea tree oil works well to cleanse the home too. It's great to use to wipe down surfaces, but using 20-30 drops in a glass spritzer and adding distilled water to the container as well. Spray and wipe down door handles, counters, light switches, bathroom objects, etc.

Tea tree oil can be diffused with a nebulizer to help disinfect the home and eliminate odors.

But more on tea tree oil's individual uses in another blog.

Lavender essential oil and can blended with Tea Tree to enhance the use of lavender oil. The anti-microbial, anti-bacterial properties of tea tree oil are wonderful as a first aid blend.

You can clean a small cut with the blend, use it to soothe a rash, sunburn or skin affliction.

Tip of the Day

Essential oils are subtle in use, volatile and are distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds. They oxygenate by helping to transport nutrients to the cells of the body. They are able to break through the cell receptor sites and, by doing so, help us to be healthier. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

Always use therapeutic grade essential oils – that is – oils that come from plants organically grown and are carefully low temperature and long steam distilled.

Note: This information is intended for educational purposes only. These recipes are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are allergy prone or sensitive to scents, test the oils in small amounts. The essential oils are not for internal use. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with a physician.

Essential oils for first aid - Part One

I am about as clumsy as anyone can get. I trip, I slam my fingers in the screen door, I've been caught by the dog's leash, I even recently had a box spring fall on me causing a lot of bruising. I always keep an essential oil first aid kit nearby for these incidents.

Essential oils, specially blended for first aid are a wonderful way to treat a bruise, cut, bug bite or other small injury immediately after the injury occurs.

Important to remember

Never just treat an injury with essential oils and forget about it. Be SURE to assess the situation and ask yourself these question:
• Is the injury bad enough to require stitches?
• What bit you? Was it a snake bite? Poisonous spider? Bee or wasp and are you allergic?
• Did the person hit his/her head hard enough to sustain a concussion?

Never simply substitute essential oils for a physician's or emergency room care. A bump or scrape or simple bug bite can easily be treated by essential oils, but serious injuries may very well require extended care – so be smart about what you use and when you use it.

How to handle a simple booboo that results in bruising

I also bruise very easily. I am light skinned and have always been that way. I love the way my bruise blend helps prevent bruising from occurring.

My favorite recipe:
• 3 drops helichrysum (excellent for pain, swelling and the bruising)
• 6 drops lavender
• 4 drops lemongrass
• 4 drops geranium (wonderful for skin regeneration)
• 3 drops peppermint
• 3 drops black pepper
• 5 drops arnica

Add the above to a glass essential oil bottle and fill to the top with a carrier oil, such as jojoba or extra virgin olive oil.

Apply 1-3 drops to the affected area, depending on how big the injury. One of the tricks to preventing bruising is to apply immediately after injury – waiting hours will still help with pain and swelling but will not prevent bruising/discoloration.

You can add a cold compress as well to prevent swelling and apply the oils as often as needed. One application is not enough.

Cypress and marjoram are also good oils to add as they help to strengthen the capillary walls that cause the bruising. Marjoram is great for aches and pains, however, that is also the job of the black pepper, arnica, helichrysum and peppermint in the recipe above.

Birch, clove and nutmeg (individually) can be added to the above recipe as well. Birch is an analgesic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory. The clove and nutmeg can be especially helpful if there is deep tissue bruising and a great deal of pain.

Be sure that you label any blends you create so no one mistakenly uses oils from a bottle for another malady. Keep all bottles tightly sealed and away from sunlight. ALWAYS use glass bottles, amber or cobalt colored.

Do not apply anything with arnica in it to open wounds.

First Aid Blend

One should always take into consideration the type of wound and the whole body's reaction to the injury. This blend is truly meant for small wounds, small cuts, blisters, bug bites. It is also good in a pinch for pain relief such as from headaches.

Remember: assess all injuries and NEVER substitute essential oils for a trip to the emergency room or clinic if such a trip is required.

My favorite recipe:
• 10 drops lavender
• 10 drops birch
• 5 drops melaleuca (tea tree)
• 3 drops German (or Roman) chamomile
• 5 drops geranium
• 5 drops helichrysum

Add the above to a glass essential oil bottle and fill to the top with a carrier oil such as: jojoba, extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil or sweet almond oil. Tighten lid and store in a cool dry place. Be sure to label the bottle before storing.

Apply 2-3 drops to injury and add a cold compress if a new injury, warm compress if old. Sometimes a warm, wet cloth is called for. Apply as needed.

You can alter this recipe to use strictly for bug bites by adding 5 drops of citronella and 3 drops of lemongrass.

Tip of the Day

Essential oils are the oldest and some of the most powerful therapeutic agents known. They have a lengthy history of use in healing and anointing throughout the ancient world. There are over 200 references to aromatics, incense and ointments in the Bible – both the Old & New Testaments.

Always use therapeutic grade essential oils – that is – oils that come from plants organically grown and are carefully low temperature and long steam distilled.

Note: This information is intended for educational purposes only. These recipes are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are allergy prone or sensitive to scents, test the oils in small amounts. The essential oils are not for internal use. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with a physician.

Essential oil basics

Spring is in full bloom and summer isn't so far off. Folks are suffering from hay fever, bumps, bruises, pricks from those rose thorns – we're just over all a bit more active outdoors – and that brings on the slight injuries, sunburn, cuts and scrapes.

Since I began dabbling in aromatherapy nearly 20 years ago, I learned quickly to assemble a first aid kit to keep in the house and one in small bottles to carry with me. It takes time to assemble the blends, seal the bottles, label them, etc., so you don't want to be doing it when your child is standing in front of you, blood dripping from a skinned knee.

How to purchase quality oils

Firstly, when using essential oils it's important to always buy quality oils. They should come from organically grown plants and be low steam distilled. If you purchase cheap oils that have been heated during the distillation process, you will not achieve the healing you need. Cheap oils are great when you are wanting to put a little peppermint down to repel ants, but not for healing.

Secondly, be sure to test oils on a small spot on the sole of your foot before using. If you are highly allergic to a lot of things, then for sure check out each oil, so an Internet search for allergens with the oils. Most of all, always use a carrier oil, such as: extra virgin olive oil; sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, macadamia nut oil, hemp oil or rosehip oil.

A great store for buy organic essential oils, carrier oils and bottles is Mountain Rose Herbs. Young Living Oils is another wonderful source, but you have to be a consultant and member – it's network marketing. Most of Mountain Rose Herbs' oils are organically grown. They are of the highest quality and their customer service is outstanding, as are their prices.

A carrier oil will help to dilute the volatile essential oils. Volatile is the key word here. Just because you utilize essential oils by the drop, doesn't make them ineffective in small quantities. In fact, many oils are quite powerful in small quantities of drops.

Less is always more.

Recipes ... how to mix up the oils

This one stumped me when I first began working with oils. I had no idea what to do or how people figured this out. Sure enough, you can start with a recipe and as you learn more and more about the oils, then you can add some here or take some away there.

Hands down, the best book I've found out there is The Essential Oils Desk Reference, published by Life Science Publishing and used by Young Living Oils. It comes in hardcover and a smaller, spiral bound edition. It is expensive, but if you are serious about working with essential oils – this book is, well – essential.

The Essential Oils Desk Reference has a list of individual essential oils, their uses, their botanical family, plant original, extraction method, chemical constituents, actions, traditional uses, indications, other uses, application, fragrance influence, safety data and companion oils. Because this book is used by Young Living, it also lists the YL blends in which each individual oil is used. The book also contains Young Living's blends.

You can purchase the book online, even at Amazon. Though going directly to the link above, through the publisher, I found the book less expensive than elsewhere. You don't have to be a YL distributor to use this book. It has recipes in the back that I have used exclusively for the last 14 years, and I am no longer a YL distributor.

There are also specific techniques in the book for reflexology, vita flex and raindrop therapy.

I have personally developed my own shingles blend, bruise, first aid, respiratory support, pain-relief, stress-relief, skin moisturizer and more. When I am sick or hurting, I turn to the oils for relief.

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is another good book full of great recipes, including perfumes and fragrances, gifts, etc., if you are interested.

How do you use essential oils

• Direct Application: Apply directly to the skin. Dilute most essential oils unless you've used them before and can tolerate them applied "neat." Dilute with a drop or two of carrier oil.
• Direct Inhalation: Place several drops of an essential oil or blend into the palm of your hand, rub your palms together, cup your hands over your nose and inhale/exhale several times. Be sure that when you use the oils you are keeping them out and away from your eyes and not getting the oils in direct contact with the eyes or nose – a little drop of peppermint on the nostril will make your eyes water!
• Layering: Rub an oil or blend onto an area and once it is dry, you rub another oil or blend onto the same area for additional benefits.
• Massage: Essential oils are wonderful when added to massage or reflexology treatments. You can mix 10-12 drops of your favorite essential oils or blend with one ounce of massage oil (carrier oil) and apply to the body. This is wonderful for the back, legs, arms, hands and feet. You can even rub it onto the ear lobes or temples for wonderful relief of stress.
• Bath: You can add 2-3 drops of essential oil such as lavender to your bath and soak off the day. Be careful not to slip when getting into the tub.
• Compress: I often place a warm or hot compress over an essential oil application in cases such as: kidney ailments, upset or nauseous tummy, aches, pains and bruises and headache.
• Bruising: A great recipe for bruising will be in a future blog. However, it is important to remember to add a few drops from your bruise blend to the bruise ASAP after injury. The quicker the better. I recently was throwing something into a dumpster when an entire box spring that someone had not secured into the dumpster carefully, fell on me. It bruised and scraped my wrist, forearm, elbow and back of the upper arm. I ran into the house immediately and applied my bruise blend and applied a COLD compress to keep the swelling down. I never turned blue on any of the injured spots - EXCEPT for the back of the upper arm – where I had not realized I had been injured. However, applying the bruise blend later gave me pain relief. By applying the blend immediately after injury, you can often prevent a bruise from forming and reduce healing time. You can apply the blend as often as needed.

Safe use of essential oils

• Always keep a bottle of carrier oil handy to dilute the oils.
• Keep bottles of oils tightly closed and stored away from direct sunlight.
• Keep oils out of reach of children.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing, or infants should not use essential oils unless recommended by their physician.
• Oils rich in menthol (such as peppermint) should not be used on the throat or neck of children under the age of 30 months.
• Citrus based oils can cause a sensitivity to sunlight. Avoid exposure to sunlight 3-6 hours after applying these oils.
• Keep oils away from the eyes – again – you've no idea how this will burn! In case of contact, be sure to wash out the eye with a vegetable oil, NOT water.
• Essential oils are not for internal use. However, a few drops of lemon essential oil to boiling water can give a wonderful lemony taste to pasta. You can add 1-2 drops of an herb essential oil such as basil, oregano, marjoram or thyme to a pasta sauce or other dish. Remember: less is more.
• If you are suffering from any disease, be sure to consult a physician before use.