Essential Oils Still Favored By Modern-Day Chinese Medicine Practitioners
By Sally Perkins
The use of essential oils continues to skyrocket in popularity, with an increasing number of people embracing the power of these oils to not only address various health concerns but improve general well-being as well. While the effectiveness of essential oils is still often questioned, they have been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with great success. Even today, Chinese medicine practitioners make use of various essential oils when administering acupuncture, aromatherapy, and other treatments.
Essential oils have a long history
Essential oils are representative of the essence (jing) of plants and have been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. According to ancient belief, essential oils can impact the physical, mental and spiritual realms of the body, as the jing of the plants resonate with the body’s own jing. When used in TCM, essential oils can impact an individual in one of five ways. They can aid in healing and relaxation. They can boost healing in non-healing wounds. They can enhance nobility and improve self-esteem, and they can be conducive to a milder temperament.
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The applications are varied
The use of essential oils in Chinese medicine is very diverse. Topical application is used during cranial-sacral work to address a range of health concerns. Essential oil is also commonly placed on various acupuncture points to affect the nerves, blood, or lymphatic system of the body. Additionally, a range of essential oils can also be used to increase the effectiveness of a Tuina massage. In recent times, the use of candles scented with essential oils has also become increasingly popular among Chinese medicine practitioners. Scented candles not only help create a therapeutic atmosphere but can also help address a range of concerns, including unhealthy food cravings. Burning a candle that boasts a scent with hints of vanilla can, for example, make it much easier to stop snacking on sugary treats, contributing towards healthy body weight and improved overall health.
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Lavender oil is a popular choice
Although there is a wide variety of essential oils utilized in Chinese medicine, lavender oil is among the most popular. One of its primary functions is to promote the smooth flow of liver Qi, while also calming the Shen and cleansing it of heat. As a Yin nourisher, lavender essential oil can calm the mind and help protect the heart. It is known to ease depression, reduce stress levels, and even neutralize a frantic state of mind. Lavender oil is often used with great success to alleviate headache-causing tension, reduce the prevalence of inflammation in the body, and ward off various viral and bacterial infections. Other essential oils that are very commonly used in various applications of Chinese medicine include geranium, lemongrass and bergamot.
Essential oils have been used extensively in Chinese medicine for centuries. With all the potential benefits they boast, it is no surprise that the Western world has also started to embrace the power of essential oils in recent times.
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Tea Tree Oil - Benefits, Uses & Recipes
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Tea tree, also known as melaleuca, is an essential oil that comes mainly from the Australian native plant Melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oil has been widely used throughout Australia for its medicinal properties for at least the last century and is well-known for its powerful antiseptic and antibacterial properties as well as its ability to kill many strains of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Tea tree oil is very versatile - it can be used to make homemade cleaning products, diffused to kill toxic mold that’s growing in your home, and applied topically to heal acne, cuts, and scrapes and treat skin infections. Tea tree’s natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions make it one of the most beneficial essential oils for health and healing making it a powerful addition to your medicine cabinet.
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that I have been using for many years in my home and in my clinic. Now that I live in the tropics, with its warm, damp climate, tea tree oil is an essential part of my treatment regimen. I see a lot of fungal infections, skin irritations, and upper respiratory tract infections which tend to happen when the seasons change. A little tea tree oil on some ringworm, a few drops onto nail fungus, putting some in the diffuser to kill mold in your home or adding a few drops to boiling water and inhaling the vapors to kill a cold or flu are only some of the ways you can use this versatile, healing oil. Here are some tried and true recipes that you can use at home.
Ways You Can Use Tea Tree Oil
Topically
Tea tree oil can be applied to the skin topically, but you should always dilute it with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) in a 1:1 ratio before applying it except when using it to treat nail fungus when it can be applied directly without diluting it.
Aromatically
You can diffuse tea tree oil throughout your home using an oil diffuser. You can also directly inhale the oil by sniffing it right out of the bottle.
DO NOT TAKE INTERNALLY
Tea tree oil is NOT for Internal Use. Tea tree oil can be poisonous if swallowed and should NOT be taken by mouth. If you are using tea tree for bad breath or oral health, make sure you spit it out afterward to prevent potential side effects.
Tea Tree Oil Recipes
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NAIL FUNGUS
Put 2–5 drops of undiluted tea tree oil on the nail, around cuticles and in between the nail and the toe depending on where the fungus is the most severe.
RINGWORM
Apply 3-5 drops on the affected area either directly or with a cotton ball a couple of times a day until the ringworm is gone (this can take a couple of weeks to a couple of months).
WARTS
Put a few drops of tea tree oil directly on the area for 30 days, once or twice daily.
MOLD
Tea tree oil can be diffused to kill toxic mold that is growing in your home or work space. Add 5 drops to a diffuser and run throughout the day/night.
Laundry - A few drops can be added to your wash to kill mold on fabrics.
Mold & Mildew on clothes - Mix apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil and spray on the mold; place outside to sun-dry. Also, if you forgot to put the clothes in the dryer, run again with tea tree oil to remove mold and mildew.
Mold Spray - Add a teaspoon to a spray bottle filled with water to spray it onto shower curtains, and into your laundry machine, dishwasher or toilet to kill off mold and other bacteria.
COLDS & FLU, COUGH, BRONCHITIS, AND UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
Put 5 drops of tea tree oil in a large metal or glass bowl. Boil a kettle and add boiling water (at least 4 cups) to the bowl. Place your face over the bowl and cover your head and the bowl with a towel so that the steam does not escape. Breathe deeply for 20 minutes.
LAUNDRY FRESHENER
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Add a teaspoon of tea tree oil to very dirty wash and deodorize both your wash and washing machine at the same time.
ACNE TREATMENT
Studies show that tea tree oil is as effective as the commercially used benzoyl peroxide to reduce acne because of its antibacterial and antimicrobial compounds which act effectively against the bacteria that cause acne breakouts. Tea tree oil acts to unblock the sebaceous glands, unclogging pores resulting in less acne.
Acne Face Wash - Mix five drops of pure tea tree essential oil with two teaspoons of raw honey. Rub the mixture on your face, leave it on for one minute, and rinse it off with warm water. You can also use tea tree oil as a spot treatment for acne - just mix it with a little carrier oil like coconut or almond and dab a drop or two on the area of concern.
SKIN - CUTS & SCRAPES
Works as an antiseptic on small cuts and scrapes. Apply a drop or 2 to a cotton ball and apply to skin.
NATURAL ALL PURPOSE CLEANERS
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1. Fill a glass spray bottle with 1-2 teaspoons of tea tree oil and the rest of the bottle with water.
2. In a 1-quart spray bottle, combine the 1/2 cup white vinegar, 3 cups water, and 1 teaspoon tea tree oil and shake well. You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the mix if you’d prefer a scented cleaner.
3. In a spray bottle, mix 5–10 drops of tea tree with water, vinegar and 5–10 drops of lemon essential oil. Use it on your kitchen counters, appliances, shower, toilet, and sinks.
NATURAL TOOTHPASTE
Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your regular toothpaste, or, mix a few drops of tea tree oil with coconut oil and baking soda for an excellent homemade toothpaste.
INSECT REPELLENT
Add 2–5 drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle filled halfway with water and spray it on your skin, or combine 2–5 drops of tea tree with a teaspoon of coconut oil and rub it into your skin before going outside. If you do get a bug bite, add 2–3 drops of tea tree to a clean cotton ball and apply it to the affected area.
LICE PREVENTION
To prevent lice naturally add a few drops to your shampoo. Also, add a little tea tree oil to a small spray bottle with water, and spray your child’s hair before school every morning.
DEODORANT
Mix a few drops with coconut oil and baking soda.
FLEAS & TICKS
Add a few drops in your pets’ crates or beds to keep fleas and ticks away. Add a few drops onto the flea or tick and it will fall off.
**PRECAUTIONS
Keep tea tree oil away from your eyes, contact lenses, inner nose and sensitive parts of your skin. When using tea tree oil topically keep the concentration at 5–10 per cent tea tree oil to other liquids. Always test it on skin before applying a treatment to make sure you are not allergic or it is not too strong. Be careful using with children, always test on their skin first when using topically and make sure they do not get any in their eyes.
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Essential Oils for Health & Wellness
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
A Brief History of Essential Oils
Essential oils have been used by traditional cultures for thousands of years, and were some of the most highly valued possessions of traditional peoples, along with jewels and precious metals. Essential oils are considered to be the distillation of both the intelligence and spirit of the plants they come from. They have been used throughout history for their medicinal, emotional, aromatic and spirit enhancing effects. In recent years there has been a revival in the use of essential oils, many people use them in their homes, healthcare practitioners use them to offer patients an alternative to conventional treatments like medications, and companies are using essential oils in their products as natural alternatives to chemical ingredients.
My own experience with essential oils goes back as far as I can remember. Long before I became an acupuncturist, I used them in my home for things like cleaning, for making skin and hair care products as well as aromatherapy, and in my medicine cabinet to help heal a wide variety of problems. When I began treating patients as an acupuncturist, essential oils were a vital part of my toolbox. I have always loved the versatility that essential oils afford the person and certainly the practitioner. They have been an invaluable part of my practice, and I am always humbled at how powerful they can be to correct a huge number of imbalances and heal on a multitude of different levels.
Essential Oils At Home
I think that many people may not be aware of the enormous versatility of essential oils that you can use in your home to make everyday products. In an age where we are bombarded by toxins (you can read more about this here - 5 Toxins to Avoid for Better Health - essential oils offer the ability to make these products knowing they are pure, health-promoting and toxin free. You can make household cleaners, skin and hair products (some of the worst offenders in terms of toxicity), soaps and lotions as well as using a diffuser to gently release certain oils into the air to detoxify, cleanse the air and for health reasons - like certain oils that act as decongestants when you or your family are suffering with a cold. There are oils for relaxation and stress, you can add them to the bathtub to help calm - I use this often for my very high energy 2-year-old baby boy, and it works smashingly. Oils can also be put into laundry soap, on rags in the dryer instead of dryer sheets, and a drop or two placed onto a pillow or bed sheets to help freshen things up or aid with things like insomnia, stress or depression.
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Essential Oils In Health Care
I use essential oils every day in my clinic with my patients. They are simply another tool that I have in my healing toolbox. There are many ways in which to use essential oils for healing. In Chinese Medicine theory heat and cold are properties that contribute to health and disease. Essential oils also have heating and cooling properties, as well as having affinities for certain organs and meridians, so with this knowledge, I am able to use them on patients depending on both their constitution as well as what is ailing them. There are many ways that I use them - sometimes I apply them to specific acupuncture points, sometimes I mix them into massage oil to massage into certain points of areas of the body and sometimes I put oils into the diffuser for a more subtle effect. I often prescribe their use for patients at home, suggesting adding them to a bath, or massaging them into specific points when certain symptoms appear. For patients to participate in their own healing is the goal and essential oils are a wonderful way to help the process.
Using Essential Oils with Children & Babies
Since I have had children - and I have two, a two-year-old and a six-month-old - I have found that massage and essential oils are the most useful things I have to deal with everyday health matters. They also serve calm an excited child before a nap or sleep at night, dealing with anxiety, excessive crying in a colicky baby, and just keeping a chaotic house as relaxed and delicious smelling as humanly possible. Acupuncture is difficult on small children mostly because they have a hard time sitting still, so essential oils have been my go-to for everything that has to do with my babies, from their overall health, the state of their emotions and their wellbeing.
But, because they are so small and their systems so delicate, dosages and dilution are very important. You would always use way less of an oil on a child compared to an adult, and a good rule of thumb is to put any oil you are using medicinally into a carrier oil (I use coconut oil most of the time) and apply it to the feet as they are the farthest away from important organs. When my son gets a cold, I use various oils in this way which always helps clear his congestion, makes him more comfortable and I find that he gets over things a lot faster. With my baby girl, I tend to put a few drops of various oils into the diffuser when she isn't feeling well and I always find this helps her feel better, calmer and helps her sleep (which when you have 2 babies in your house is vital!!).
The other thing I have found is how powerful our olfactory senses are and the connection they have to our health and emotions. I find that just a drop of my favourite scent on my pillow after a long, intense day with 2 small children has a hugely calming effect on my nerves and psyche. A few drops on the sheets freshens up the room and makes for better sleeps. Some lavender on the temples helps you relax and all that tension you had in your jaws, neck, and shoulders, seems to just melt away. The therapeutic effects of essential oils are really limitless, and I know I am so grateful to have an arsenal to help me keep my children healthy without toxic chemicals while also being kind to the environment. Win/win!
Essential Oil Safety
It is important to remember that essential oils are medicine, and need to be used with caution. Like herbs, they can be very powerful and it is important to educate yourself about the oils properties, as well as any contraindications before using them therapeutically. Most commercially produced essential oils are used in the food and perfume industry (about 95%). However, when using them in your home for cleaning, skin or hair products or anything that will come in contact with your body, please be sure that you use high quality, therapeutic grade oils, that are extracted in a clean way and not using toxic chemicals. Here are some very good safety guidelines for using essential oils. When using essential oils directly on the body (and the best advice is to never use them directly on the body without diluting them or using a carrier oil) is to be careful of how much you are using or how much to dilute them. This is especially important when using them with children. You can find useful information at the link above about how to dilution ratios.
Natural Medicines
I am a firm believer that the cure for every disease that exists on this planet is available in its forests, rainforests, and jungles. Natural medicines have been healing human beings since the beginning of time. So many cultures have the wisdom to cure using these natural, plant-based medicines. This wisdom has largely been forgotten by Allopathic (Western) medicine that chooses to use petroleum-based pharmaceuticals to treat symptoms that are the result of our modern diseases.
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From everything that I know about Chinese medicine, and indeed many of the wisdom traditions that have been around for thousands of years, the key to staying healthy is to live a healthy and balanced life. This has been increasingly difficult because many of us live in an unbalanced, toxic culture. For us now, I believe that living in the most natural way possible is the key to health. Eliminating toxins, eating clean, natural, fresh foods, drinking clean water, getting enough sleep and when we do become sick, using natural medicines to get us well again. Acupuncture, herbs, exercise, a healthy diet (using food as medicine) as well as things like essential oils are the best ways I know of to keep us all healthy, and if we fall ill, to bring us back to health again. Incorporating as many of these into our lives and our homes will ensure that we stay as healthy as we can, and empower us to heal ourselves when we are sick.
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