Herbal practitioners, as well as modern medicine, have acknowledged the benefits different essential oils give to the brain. These oils are mostly used in aromatherapy. The reason for this is because smell is the strongest of our senses and is best able to influence brain activity. These oils can help with different cognitive problems such as mental fatigue, low clarity, poor intellectual performance, impaired concentration, poor memory recall, and impaired memory, to name but a few.
How to use them:
To enjoy the aromas of essential oils, use them in one of the following ways:
- Place a few drops on dry leaves (potpourri) and place a bowl of them in a central place in the room.
- Place several drops in a diffuser so that the smell can be spread throughout the room.
Essential oils for health
- Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender has calming and relaxing properties that will help put your nervous system in a parasympathetic rest-and-digest state. This soothing effect helps to relieve nervous tension and depression. To add to this, it also gives a boost to cognitive abilities. Research has found that those who are exposed to the smell of lavender essential oil are more relaxed and less depressed, and are able to perform math computations faster and more accurately.
- Rosemary Essential Oil: This essential oil works as an effective cognitive stimulant, thus helping to improve memory and mental focus. A major component of rosemary essential oil is 1,9-Cineole, which has been shown to boost memory. Furthermore, the smell of essential oil may help enhance prospective memory, which is the ability to remember upcoming events in order to complete future tasks. It’s also very good at increasing brain-wave activities and protecting against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
- Lemon Essential Oil: This strong smelling essential oil is highly beneficial for brain health. The strong scent helps to promote concentration and helps to calm your mind when you’re feeling anxious, angry, or run down. It can even help to reduce stress. Furthermore, this essential oil inhibits enzymes that are linked to neurodegenerative conditions.
- Peppermint Essential Oil: Peppermint stimulates the mind to support memory, concentration, focus, and mental performance. To add to this, it has a soothing and cooling effect that promotes relaxation and clear thinking. The scent of this essential oil also stimulates the areas of the brain that are responsible for alertness.
Essential Oils for the home
- Keep the fridge fresh: You might know that adding a small open container of baking soda helps absorbing smells in the fridge, but if you add a few drops of lime, lemongrass or grapefruit oil, it will also keep the fridge smelling fresh. (You can do this with your garbage can as well)
- Carpets tend to absorb bad odors, due to humidity or spilled liquids, dust and grime from shoes and feet, etc. If you haven’t got time to get your carpet cleaned and vacuuming isn’t doing much to help the smell, here’s what you should do: mix some baking soda with a few drops of either oil of mint, geranium or lemon. Sprinkle it on the carpet and allow it to sit for 15-30 minutes, and then vacuum the carpet.
- Dust mites are the primary source for asthma attacks and allergic reactions. Removing them can be made easier by adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil in your washing machine.
- Most of us don’t clean our toilets every single day, but there’s a way to keep them smelling fresh between each cleaning session – use grapefruit, lemon, geranium or rosemary oil in a diffuser and enjoy.
- If you’re having a spider problem in your house, mix a few drops of peppermint oil in a water-filled spray bottle, then spray it around the windows, and other locations that spiders come in through.
- Add some drops of your favorite essential oil to a rag (make sure it’s clean) and put it in the dryer with your towels. The heat will cause the oil to evaporate and disperse the lovely scent all over your towels.
- If you’ve just painted something in the house (or the house itself), you’re probably happy with the look. The problem lies with the smell of drying paint, which can give some people a headache. To prevent this from happening, mix about 10 milliliters of peppermint oil into the paint can.
- If you have a pet, you probably love having it around the house, but the smell can end up being unpleasant. To fix this, get a spray bottle, fill it with apple cider vinegar and mix in a few drops of lavender, lemon or geranium oil, and spray it around the house.
Essential Oils for Food
- Extend the life of fruit: By adding grapefruit oil to water and rubbing the solution on fruits, you extend its shelf-life. The grapefruit oil reduces oxidization – the primary cause of rot in fruit.
Source: Internet and other
The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for a physician’s advice. Always make sure to seek a doctor or a professional’s advice before proceeding with the home treatment plan.