Botanicals - Essential Oils, Carrier Oils and Herbs
Anything that I’ve found interesting or useful all about aromatherapy, essential oils and related things. Click the image to find out more.
Uncommon Scents Movie
A full length feature documentary film about aromatherapy which is currently in post-production, hopefully due out in 2020.
When friends give bad advice
What should we do when we come across bad essential oil advice? And what if it involves our friends? Check out this great blogpost from the English Aromatherapist.
Wondering how to find reliable essential oil information?
As a beginner, how can you recognise good and bad practices from a jumble of internet sources, books, friends, aromatherapists? A fabulous blog post from Petra Ratajc PhD
Why you should not use coconut oil as a sunscreen
Not a research post as such, but this brilliant blog post from Formula Botanica sums up exactly the reasons why you should never try and make your own sunscreen.
Effect of lavender scent inhalation on prevention of stress, anxiety and depression in the postpartum period.
This study shows lavender oil helps prevent stress, anxiety and depression after childbirth.
Lavender Essential Oil is not Estrogenic
An interesting blog from Robert Tisserand about Lavender oil regarding the claim that lavender (and tea tree) is estrogenic.
Chamomile and osteoarthritis of the knee
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition that affects the joints, causing pain and stiffness. According to Arthritis Research UK, it is ‘by far the most common form of joint disease, affecting people all over the world and approximately 8 million people in the UK’.
Rose essential oil and sleep
A study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice looked at the effects of rose essential oil on sleep quality in patients in two coronary care units in Iran. (First published in International Therapist, Issue 110, Autumn 2015.)
Lavender & Sleep: Systematic Review
A systematic review published by the European Journal of Integrative Medicine shows some positive results for the use of lavender aroma inhalation to improve sleep, but calls for more rigorous research.
Eucalyptus oil stimulates the immune system
There is evidence that certain essential oils – not all – stimulate the immune system probably effective when the body is challenged by infection. Here’s one study on eucalyptus oil. credit original source: Tisserand Institute.
Essential oils instead of Antibiotics?
A couple of studies discussing how essential oils could be useful with the increasing problem of drug-resistant bacteria. One is linked to the image and the other is linked to the title above.
Essential Oils and the Gut Microbiome
An interesting article that discusses whether or not essential oils, which are all anti-bacterial to some degree or other, have the same deleterious impact on our microbiome as antibiotics have; or are they more selective in the species that are wiped out? Would be good to see further in vivo research on this!
Herbal Reality website
Discover the power of herbal medicine. A great website to find traditional, scientific and practical insights written by experienced herbalists and health experts from the world of herbal medicine and natural health.
Future additions
Info here.
Future additions
Info here.