Aromatherapy is a popular treatment for everything from stress relief to nausea. The modality uses essential plant oils with strong scents to achieve a therapeutic effect. The therapy also works with oils made from spices. The treatment is widely accepted in both the holistic and conventional medical fields. In fact, the Mayo Clinic lists aromatherapy as an alternative treatment for cancer patients. You can seek aromatherapy at a practitioner's office, but some people prefer to do it at home using spices.
Instructions
Step 1
Choose Your Spices. There are many uses for spices, so first decide on your desired therapeutic effect. For example, all spice is commonly used in aromatherapy for arthritis and rheumatism. Oregano oil is used for indigestion, while thyme is used for colds and flu. You can use individual spice oils for aromatherapy or you can combine them for a blend to address several health issues at once. You can find recipes on the Internet and in a wide variety of do-it-yourself books.
Step 2
Choose your cooking method. You can make spice oils by cooking them in a crock pot, in an oven or even in a glass jar that's placed in the sun. The recommended method is a crock pot.
Step 3
Cook the spices. Mix 1 quarter ounce of your spice with one cup of oil. Double or triple the recipe if you'd like more. Cook the mixture for four to eight hours in a crock pot, or for 2 hours in the oven at 150 degrees. Place the mixture in a jar with a tight-fitting lid if you prefer to have it roast in the sun for two weeks.
Step 4
Gather the remains. After cooking the mixture, strain what's left in a cheesecloth. Take the strained oil and use it for an aromatherapy treatment.
Step 5
Use the oil. There are several ways to use oil for aromatherapy. You can mix a few drops of the oil in a skin lotion or in a hot bath. However, the Mayo Clinic advises against direct skin contact as it may cause allergic reactions. A safer way may be to inhale it. You can either place a few drops of the oil onto a tissue and inhale it deeply several times, or you can add a few drops to a bowl of steaming water and inhale the scented vapors that way.
Things You'll Need
- Crock pot
- Oven
- Mason Jar
- Olive oil
- Spices
- Cheesecloth
- Bowl
- Tissues
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