Chromotherapy with essential oils
Chromotherapy is a natural remedy that uses light and therefore colors to give psycho-physical well-being. One of the ways to exploit the potential of colors is to do chromotherapy using essential oils.
Essential oils are complex aromatic mixtures consisting of volatile organic substances. These substances are extracted from flowers, fruits from leaves or stems of many plants, through a distillation process, which takes place either by means of solvents or by pressing the plants themselves. The plants from which essential oils are extracted capture sunlight and therefore also the chromatic vibrations of all the colors of the iris. Each essential oil will therefore be characterized by one or more chromatic notes. Each oil therefore has its own specific color .
Color is one of the characteristics of essential oils. Other are the general characteristics of essential oils:
- They are extremely volatile
- A characteristic fragrance called AROMA has an odor
- Their consistency is generally liquid and oily
- At the sight can be colors but also colorless
- On the palate Their flavor is intense, acrid and spicy
- In water they are scarcely soluble, however they manage to impregnate it with their aroma. On the contrary, they are highly soluble in fatty substances such as vegetable oils and butters, and in other substances of natural origin such as clay, salt, milk, honey.
The physiological properties scientifically attributed to essential oils are different, below is a list of some, for example: ANTISEPTIC (bergamot, eucalyptus, lavender); ANTIVIRAL - IMMUNOSTIMULANT (tea tree oil); FEBBRIFUGO (eucalyptus, chamomile, lemon balm, bergamot); EXPECTORANT (eucalyptus, sandalwood, bergamot) but in addition to these there are many others that go to act, influence, stimulate, sedate the functioning of each individual body system. And it is precisely for the characteristic of having a great potentiality on every single specific body or body system, the respiratory system, digestive system, circulatory system, skin) it is always necessary to follow the advice and doses suggested by competent people.
Each essential oil has specific virtues, which make it particularly suitable for specific disorders and with targeted purposes.
The indications of use of essential oils are many: they can be used both for external use and for internal use (in the latter case with caution, given their high concentration of active ingredients).
ESSENTIAL OILS - EXTERNAL USE
One of the uses of essential oils for the health and beauty of the body, is the bath or shower, where the oils will have a dual route of absorption : the skin - by means of the dilated follicles due to heat, and the inhalation through water vapor. We will be able to create aromatic baths, customized, specific to our every need: based on the essential oil chosen we can create for example a RELAXING bath using bitter orange, bergamot, pink geranium. If instead we opt for a TONING bath the most suitable oils will be: vetiver pine, eucalyptus. For an ANTI-CELLULITE bathroom , the choice will be between juniper, angelica, rosemary and lemon .
Essential oils are also ideal for massages. The skin is a perfect carrier for their absorption. If we intend to use essential oils in this way it is advisable to dilute one or more essential oils in a cream or, even better, in a vegetable massage oil quite like almond oil, or grapeseed oil, oil of Jojoba. The dosage can vary from 50 to 100 drops of essential oil per 100 ml of massage oil. Given the high concentration of essential oils, before use it is good to make a small test of skin tolerance, applying a drop on the skin, to check that it does not cause undesired reactions such as allergy.
It is possible to enhance the effect of color in the massage by adding, in addition to essential oils, colored pigments of natural origin, non-toxic.
Another external use of essential oils is inhalation . It is sufficient that you add a few drops in a pan of very hot water and breathe the balsamic vapors that are released. It is an ancient remedy, once used by our grandmothers who, in the case of colds and coughs, caused the fumigations, to clear the airways, relieve congestion and clear the nose, dissolve the phlegm. This remedy turns out to be very effective both to reduce the annoying symptoms of the cold, but also to remedy those disorders deriving from the excessive use that is sometimes made of air conditioning or heating in the rooms. In this case the most suitable essential oils will be for example those of eucalyptus, thyme, pine, cajeput, lavender.
It can also be obtained by performing dry inhalation, pouring a few drops of essential oil onto a handkerchief and breathing deeply.
The fumigations are also indicated for the treatment of impure and acneic skin . For this purpose the most suitable essential oils know the essential oil of Thyme, Lavender or Lemon, but the most suitable is certainly the Tea Tree which has a powerful antibacterial action. This oil can also be applied directly to the skin using creams or gels, in a percentage of about 10%. Tea Tree is also antifungal and antiviral, so it can also be used in case of mycosis of the skin and nails and for local touches against cold sores, against which it is very effective.
Another way to breathe the benefits of essential oils is the use of essences diffuser to breathe the benefits, also purifying and perfuming the environment. By means of this method, not only is the environment purified, but by choosing the most suitable essential oil it is also possible to remove insects such as mosquitoes and moths. For this type of use the most suitable essential oils are Citronella, Geranio, Tea Tree. To perfume the rooms the most suitable essential oils are orange, cinnamon, lemon, lavender, rose, verbena to be used especially in the cold season.
ESSENTIAL OILS - INTERNAL USE
Essential oils can also be ingested, using them to flavor olive oil, turning it into an excellent and always different seasoning. In this case of use the most indicated essential oils will be: rosemary, thyme or marjoram, mint, lemon or orange, fennel, anise, coriander, rosemary, ginger, used for internal use benefits to the digestive system.
They are indicated in case of stomach swelling and poor digestion, and improve liver functions. Mint essential oil is indicated for halitosis, nausea, car sickness. Especially in the case of internal use of essential oils, given their concentration and potency, it is necessary to scrupulously adhere to the prescribed dosages, since at excessive doses they can have contraindications and harmful effects.
The influence that essential oils have on psychic functions should also be mentioned :
- With aromatherapy, emotions, memory and sensitivity are involved through the perception of smells.
- Essential oils influence the emotions and give euphoria and happiness, they also act on behavior, moderate appetite, release sex hormones, lower stress and decrease physical pain levels.
Whichever way you want to do chromotherapy using essential oils (massages, baths, diffusion, ...), both for the treatment of a physical or emotional discomfort, it is essential "to know the language of colors, ie to know that each color has different peculiarities in influencing a certain psychological or physical aspect.
By this I mean red and blue will have different characteristics between them, so to quell a state of agitation I will use an essential oil, choosing it from among the BLUs, on the contrary, if there is a situation of physical and mental deficiency, I will resort to use of a RED oil.
