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Title : What are the essential oils and how they work?
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What are the essential oils and how they work?

Essential oils are often used in aromatherapy, which is a form of alternative medicine.

However, some of the health claims associated with them are controversial.

This article explains what you need to know about essential oils and their effects on health.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants.

Oils capture aroma and taste of the plant, also called its "essence".

Unique aromatic compounds give each essential oil its characteristic essence.

Essential oils are obtained by distillation (by steam and / or water ) or mechanical methods such as cold pressing.

Once you have extracted the aromatic chemicals, combined with a carrier oil to create a product that is ready for use.

The way oils are made is important because the essential oils obtained through chemical processes not considered true essential oils.

Conclusion :. Essential oils plant extracts that retain the smell and the natural flavor, or "essence" of its source

focus How essential oils work?

Essential oils are best used in the practice of aromatherapy . Or they are inhaled through the nose or mouth, or rubbed on the skin.

Sometimes, they can be ingested, although this approach is not always safe and is not recommended.

The chemicals of essential oils may interact with your body in a number of ways.

When applied to the skin, some chemicals the plants are absorbed ( 1 , 2 ).

It is believed that certain methods can improve absorption, such as applying heat or different areas of the body. However, research in this area is deficient ( 3 4 ).

Inhaling the aromas of essential oils can stimulate areas of the limbic system, which is a part of the brain that plays a role in emotions, behavior, sense of smell memory and long term ( 5 ).

Interestingly, the limbic system is heavily involved in memory formation. This may explain in part why familiar smells can trigger memories or emotions ( 6 7 ).

The limbic system also plays a role in controlling some unconscious physiological functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. Some people claim that essential oils can have a physical effect on your body in this way.

However, this has not yet been confirmed in studies.

Conclusion: Essential oils can be inhaled or applied to the skin. They can stimulate your sense of smell or have medicinal effects when absorbed.

Popular Types

There are over 90 types of essential oils, each with its own unique odor and potential health benefits.

Here is a list of 10 popular essential oils and the demands of health associated with them:

• Mint :. Lavender is used to increase energy and help digestion
• :. it Used to relieve stress
• Sandalwood :. it Used to calm nerves and help with focus
• Bergamot :. it Used to reduce stress and improve skin conditions like eczema
• Rose :. chamomile is used to improve mood and reduce anxiety
• :. is used to improve mood and relaxation
• Ylang-Ylang :. is used to treat headaches, nausea and skin diseases
• Tea Tree :. is used to fight infections and boost immunity
• Jasmine :. is used to help with depression, childbirth and libido
• Lemon :. it Used to aid digestion, mood, headaches and more

Conclusion: There are over 90 essential oils, each with their own health claims. Popular oils include peppermint, lavender and sandalwood.

Health benefits of essential oils

Despite their widespread use, little is known about the effectiveness of essential oils in the treatment of health conditions.

Here is a look at the evidence of some of the most common health problems that essential oils and aromatherapy have been used for treatment.

Stress, anxiety and depression

It has been estimated that 43% of people with stress and anxiety use some form of alternative therapy to help with your condition ( 8 ).

As aromatherapy, initial studies have been quite positive. Many have shown that the smell of some essential oils can act as a complementary therapy for the treatment of anxiety and stress ( 9 10 11 ) .

However, due to the odors of the compounds, it is difficult to conduct blind studies and discard bias. Because of this, many reviews about how essential oils affect stress and anxiety have been inconclusive ( 12 13 ).

Interestingly, the use of essential oils during a massage can help relieve stress, although the effects may only last while the massage is taking place ( 14 ).

In a recent review of over 201 studies found that only 10 were robust enough to analyze. It also concluded that aromatherapy was not effective in treating anxiety ( 15 ).

Headaches and migraines

In the 90s, two small studies found that rubbing a mixture of peppermint oil and ethanol on participants forehead and temples relieves headache ( 16 17 ).

Recent studies have also found positive effects against headaches in the application of mint and lavender oil for the skin ( 18 19 ).

It has also been suggested that the application of a mixture of chamomile and sesame oil to the temples can effectively treat headaches and migraines. This is a traditional headache remedy Persian ( 20 ).

However, more high-quality studies on this topic are needed.

sleep and insomnia

Smelling lavender oil has been shown to affect positively the sleep quality women after childbirth, and patients with heart disease ( 21 , 22 ).

A review examined 15 studies on essential oils and sleep. Most studies showed that scent oils (mostly lavender) had positive effects on sleep habits ( 23 ).

reducing inflammation

It has been suggested that essential oils can help fight inflammatory diseases. Some laboratory studies have shown that anti-inflammatory effects ( 24 25 ).

A study in mice found that the intake of a combination of essential oils of thyme and oregano helped induce remission of colitis. Two studies with rats on cumin and rosemary oils found similar results ( 26 27 28 ).

However, very few human studies have examined the effects of these oils in inflammatory diseases. Its efficacy and safety are unknown ( 29 30 ).

Antibiotic and Antimicrobial

The increase in resistant bacteria to antibiotics has renewed interest in finding other compounds that can fight bacterial infections.

Essential oils such as peppermint and tea tree oil, have been extensively investigated in test tubes for their antimicrobial effects. In fact, they have shown some positive results ( 31 32 33 34 35 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ).

However, while the results of the test tube study are interesting, they only show the theories that need further exploration. They do not prove that a particular essential oil could effectively treat bacterial infections in humans.

Conclusion: The essential oils may have some interesting applications for health. However, more research is needed in humans.

Other uses

essential oils have many uses outside of aromatherapy.

Many people use them to perfume their homes or freshen things like laundry.

are also used as a natural flavor in homemade cosmetics and natural products of high quality.

It has also been suggested that essential oils could provide a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to protect against mosquitoes by man, such as DEET .

However, the efficacy results have been mixed.

Some studies have shown that some oils, such as citronella, can effectively repel mosquitoes certain types for about 2 hours. protection time can be extended to 3 hours when used in combination with vanillin.

Despite this, no oils have been as effective as DEET in preventing bites all species of mosquitoes for long periods of time ( 40 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ).

The properties of essential oils also indicate that some of these could be used industrially to extend the shelf life of food ( 39 46 47 , 48 ).

Conclusion: Aromatherapy is not the only use of essential oils. They can be used in and around the house as a repellent natural or industrial mosquitoes to make cosmetics or preserve food.

How to choose the right essential oils

Many companies claim that their oils are "pure" or "medical grade". However, these terms are not universally defined and therefore have little weight.

Given that this is an unregulated industry, the quality and composition of essential oils can vary greatly ( 49 ).

Keep the following tips in mind in order to choose only high quality oils:

• Purity: Find an oil containing aromatics plant alone, without additives or synthetic oils. pure oils generally show the botanical name of the plant (eg Lavandula officinalis ) instead of terms like "lavender essential oil."
• Quality: True essential oils are those that have changed the least by the extraction process. Choosing an essential oil free of chemicals removed by distillation or cold mechanical pressing.
• Reputation :. Buy a brand with a reputation for producing high quality products

Conclusion: high quality oils only use pure plant compounds extracted by distillation or pressure cold. Avoid oils that have been diluted with synthetic fragrances, chemicals or oils.

Safety and side effects

The fact that something is natural does not mean it is safe.

The plants and herbal products contain many bioactive compounds that can be harmful to your health in some cases. Essential oils are no different.

However, when inhaled or combined with a base oil for use on the skin, essential oils are considered safe.

However, it can cause some side effects ( 50 ):

• rashes.
• Asthma attacks.
• headaches.
• allergic reactions.

While the most common side effect is a rash, essential oils can cause severe reactions, and have been associated with a case of death ( 51 ).

The oils most commonly been associated with adverse reactions are lavender, peppermint, tea tree and ylang-ylang.

oils high in phenol as cinnamon may cause skin irritation and should not be used on the skin without being combined with a base oil.

usually not recommended to eat essential oils as it could be potentially harmful and in some lethal dose ( 52 53 ).

Very few studies have examined the safety of these oils pregnant or breastfeeding women, who usually are advised to avoid them ( 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ).

Conclusion: Essential oils are generally considered safe. However, they can cause serious side effects in some people, especially if applied directly to the skin or swallowed.

Take Home Message

Essential oils are generally considered safe to inhale or applied to the skin, as long as they have been combined with an oil base.

However, there is a lack of evidence of many health claims, and their effectiveness is often exaggerated.

If minor health problems, the use of essential oils as adjunctive therapy is probably correct.

But if you have a serious health condition or are taking medication, you should discuss their use with your doctor.

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