Have you ever stopped to smell the roses? Smelling roses can give a person feelings of pleasure. Indeed, there are many plants that smell good to people, and from them come what’s known as “essential oils.”

The idea of essential oils

The term essential oil comes from “quintessential oil.” Aristotle came up with the idea that matter is made of four elements: fire, air, earth and water. Interestingly, there’s a fifth element: spirit. And this fifth element is matter’s “quintessence.” Essential oils, then, take the “spirit” from a plant, through distillation/evaporation. Today, essential oils are physical in nature, a liquid form of that which they represent, such as lemons, lavender, frankincense, peppermint or tea tree.

Body benefits

Besides smelling good, essential oils are used by people for a variety of health-enhancing benefits. For instance, essential oils have helped many people fight off cold and flu symptoms. They’re also used to relax sore muscles, heal skin problems, and even reduce cellulite/wrinkles/stretch marks. Further, essential oils often help take pain away while doing practical things inside the body such as balancing hormones and improving digestion.

Feeling emotionally out of balance?

Do you ever feel so out of it emotionally that you feel nauseous? Essential oils can come to the rescue. With a little experimentation to get the “just right” quantity and dilution ratio all set for your needs, you can try using ginger, peppermint, lavender and citrus oils to bring you to a better place emotionally. Many pregnant women, for example, love incorporating essential oils into their daily lives for these purposes.

Serenity now!

The famous TV show Seinfeld had a catchphrase that went “serenity now!” While you can try to talk yourself into feeling relaxed, it’s even better to utilize essential oils to accomplish the goal. Strange as this may seem, try adding some lavender oil to the bottom of your feet. You can also use a diffuser to let the scent waft into your nostrils for a calming effect.

Perk up

Lots of us feel tired during the day. Maybe we eat too much sugar or maybe we don’t eat enough healthy foods. Maybe we’re dealing with a caffeine addiction. No matter what, it’s quite common to feel fatigued in the busy world we live in today. For fatigue, essential oils from the citrus family can help. Massage some lemon oil, for instance, into your neck and shoulders. Inhale the scent from wild orange or grapefruit, too, to perk yourself up.

A list of essentials

Finally, you’re probably wondering, “What counts as an essential oil?” Therefore, here’s a handy list:

Clove, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Myrrh, Oregano, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood and Tea Tree

Each of these items can make you feel better in certain ways. They are life enhancers– nature’s way of helping people not only feel good, but feel great!

Oftentimes people go straight to pills for relief because they’ve been conditioned to do just that by their doctors, the pharmaceutical industry and relentless TV advertisements. However, there are safer, natural alternatives available. Essential oils are definitely worth investigating if health and wellness matter to you.