Ayurvedic Essential Oils For Depression

Please don’t disturb me……… Leave me alone……. I need some private space …… Are the 3 solid statements behind the killer problem ‘Depression’…. I’m not threatening you. Depression when left unnoticed will turn out as a major health issue leading to the extreme situation of all illnesses. It might even cause death. Sudden break in a relationship, losing your job, chronic health disorders, death of a dear one, work pressure and certain other traumatic conditions may be the reasons lying behind depression.

Ayurveda is one among the oldest healing methodologies, when studies reveal that it is more than 5,000 years old with proven remedies for a perfect and harmonized living with nature, how can it be without a remedy for the ‘dangerous depression?’ Of course, Ayurveda has the best cure for depression as it deals with mind and body together with the touch of senses, feelings and emotions. When depression being a disarray of the mind, what else than Ayurvedic essential oils can treat this from the scratch??? Think and come let’s discuss about depression in detail.

What is depression? Depression is a universal problem and it cannot be restricted to people of a particular country or a continent. According to the Medical Dictionary, Depression is defined as ‘a mood disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty with thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal thoughts or an attempt to commit suicide’. In Ayurvedic terms, depression and other disorders related to the mind are known as ‘Mansik Rog’. When you are depressed, your days seem blue and ‘down in the dumps’ and the earth will look as if it has stopped rotating.

Ayurvedic way of healing depression: According to Ayurveda, essential oils are said to lighten tejas i.e. augment mental brilliance and clarity.  Unlike the modern antidepressants that suppress the depressed minds, Ayurveda kindles the mind and body by revitalizing the senses while giving a new life and a powerful wave of vitality. It aims at strengthening the nerves and supports the depressed person to strike the right balance of Ayurvedic doshas for complete fitness.

It is a well-known fact that Aromatherapy is a branch of Ayurveda, which uses aromatics as a vital tool for the treatment and prevention of numerous health disorders with the help of Ayurvedic essential oils. The natural and enriching fragrance of Ayurvedic essential oils rejuvenates the mind and senses through the limbic system. The most celebrated essential oils to treat depression are:

  • Rosemary essential oil: This oil is a mental stimulant that counters depression, nervous exhaustion, frequent mood swings, stress disorders and helps uplift your spirit. Inhaling the evergreen aroma of this oil from a tissue will give you clarity, relaxation and keep your thoughts focused towards a positive energy.
  • Lavender essential oil: Here comes my ‘darling’ essential oil. Lavender is an excellent stimulant that can invigorate your entire system with its antidepressant and stimulating properties. The magical fragrance of this oil when added to your bath tub or used as a massage oil with any of your favorite carrier oils can work the wonder by granting a calming as well as soothing effect on your body. It relaxes your muscles, strengthens your broken feelings, treats anxiety, alleviates stress and induces good sleep, helping you to recover slowly and steadily from depression. The rich and floral aroma of Lavender augments the alpha brain wave frequency in the backside of the brain, which is related to calmness.
  • Ylang Ylang essential oil: The name itself has a sense of sweetness blended with healing values. Known popularly as the ‘flower of flowers’, Ylang Ylang oil is trusted to treat depression as it instills a calming effect on the nervous system and guarding you in case of stress, depression, anxiety, fear, high blood pressure, sleeping disorders and hypertension with its antidepressant, sedative, hypotensive, nervine and antiseptic properties. Dr. Miriam Kinai’s book on ‘How to use Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Aromatherapy)’ will be of great use to you in improving your entire health and vitality.
  • Frankincense essential oil: This is an extremely useful oil for its highly valuable therapeutic properties. The exceptional aroma of Frankincense essential oil grants you the promising ray of hope that you long for while you are depressed. Sadness, anxiety, loneliness, confusion, disappointment and other problems related to depression can be perfectly kissed with the benefits of this oil.
  • Jasmine essential oil: Ah! Jasmine! What a mesmerizing fragrance it has? This natural floral mist is a mood enhancer used in alleviating pains, treating anxiety and soothing depression. The attention-grabbing aroma of this flower boosts the beta waves in the front part of the head, which is generally associated with a receptive state of mind and vigilance.

Depression is easy to pronounce but exceedingly intricate to experience. If checked in the initial stages and treated in a systematic manner with the proper advice of your Ayurvedic practitioner can help you swim against the tide easily.

To experience the beauty of life, all you need to do is to just clear the spider’s web that has rusted your thoughts and feelings……..….If you can’t then who can??????

Thought for the day: Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well

Suggested reading:

  1. The Fragrant Mind: Aromatherapy For Personality, Mind, Mood and Emotion by Valerie Ann Wormwood
  2. Aromatherapy For Dealing With Depression by Dr Miriam Kinai

Reference Links:

  1. What is Depression? By Medical News Today
  2. Aromatherapy from Ayurveda’s Perspective by Yayoi Stavish
  3. Antidepressant Ylang Ylang Oil by Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ayurvedic Essential Oils For Pregnant Women

Ways to enlighten your senses and let your mind develop with your fetus with these sweet-smelling essential oils.

Pregnancy is always special in a number of ways and if it is going to be your first pregnancy then trust me you’ll be greeted with a red carpet wherever you go. You’ll become the angel of your family and for your husband, you’ll be the ‘apple of his eye’. Ayurveda considers a pregnant woman as a divine symphony where ‘The God’s Gift (Baby)’ is growing within her. According to Sushruta Samhita, ‘A pregnant lady should stay happy, be hygienic, wear clean outfits, take part in meditation, prayers, put on accessories (like bangles, anklets etc, the melodious sound of which is trusted to enrich the baby’s harmonious growth) and simple exercises. The loving science of Ayurveda suggests plenty of natural herbs, nutritious food items, fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables and the use of Ayurvedic essential oils to make your pregnancy unforgettable, leading to a safe and easy childbirth along with a happy post-pregnancy period with your little one.

Ayurvedic essential oils for pregnant women: Ayurveda has a magic in it to treat the extremely sensitive pregnant woman with healing and harmonizing essential oils.  It is for more than ever to make her comfortable with the changes in her body while tackling mental stress, depression, mood fluctuations and the fear about her labor. Such healing essential oils that can make your pregnancy phase a real ‘Sweet Dream’ forever are mentioned below according to your trimester:

  1. First trimester: This is the initial period for the development of your fetus where it starts developing head, limbs, heartbeat, reproductive organs, ears and other sensory faculties. This is the most challenging period of pregnancy for most women as they struggle with morning sickness, nausea, headache, acidity, heartburn and more. The safe essential oils during your first trimester are citrus oils like Tangerine essential oil, Orange essential oil and Neroli essential oil. You can also use Grapefruit essential oil and Lavender essential oil to lift your senses and reduce the difficulties during the first three months of pregnancy.
  2. Second trimester: The baby at this stage starts building up muscles, blood, all the five senses, skin, hair, fingers, veins, nails, teeth, bones, eyelids, mind and he/she becomes even stronger at this stage. At this juncture you may face challenges like constipation, itchy skin, stretch marks, anxiety, nervousness, nightmares and few more. Essential oils that can help you overcome these impediments during your second trimester are Sandalwood essential oil, Lavender essential oil, Frankincense essential oil, Palo Santo essential oil and Grapefruit essential oil. Gently massage your abdomen using Lavender oil with jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to get rid of stretch marks and stay gifted with mark-free skin even after pregnancy.
  3. Third trimester: You will be extremely eager to meet your baby and now that you’ve started to feel the movements of your baby. You may even see the impressions of your baby’s hands or feet on your abdomen externally. By the end of the third trimester your baby attains its full growth and becomes even stronger. It is at this phase you’ll start experiencing insomnia, difficulties in sleeping, fatigue, swollen ankles, lower back ache and other complexities in your day to day living.

The best essential oils at this stage are Frankincense essential oil, Ylang Ylang essential oil, Mandarin essential oil, Lavender essential oil, Lemon essential oil and Bergamot essential oil. Smooth massage with these essential oils either as a blend or taken individually with carrier oils, as a diffuser or in a warm bath tub can enrich your senses, relieve your stress and fatigue while soothing your painful muscles.

Pregnancy takes you to a wonderful world filled with fun, fantasy, fear, fragility and ultimate fascination. This time better you take pregnancy to a soothing, serene, calming, energizing, rejuvenating and reviving world with these Ayurvedic essential oils.

It is always good to avoid certain essential oils that are emmenagogue, skin sensitizing, irritant and toxic in nature during your pregnancy. Few such oils are Aniseed, Angelica, Clary Sage, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Cedarwood, Basil, Elecampane, Jasmine, Ginger, Fennel, Thyme, Marjoram, Lemon Grass, Peppermint, Sage, Pennyroyal, Juniper, Melissa, Wintergreen, Sassafras, Wormwood, Thuja and certain other essential oils due to their tendency to harm either the mother or the fetus.

Note: Be precautious while using essential oils as they can directly affect the nervous system. Never use it directly as it is highly concentrated and dilute it in safe carrier oils. Use a minimal amount or 2 to 3 drops and strictly avoid ingesting any of the essential oils during any stage of your pregnancy.

Thought for the day:

A mother’s joy begins when new life is stirring inside… when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone.Unknown

Reference links:

  1. Sushruta Samhita by Wikipedia
  2. Divine Delivery by Ayurveda Elements
  3. The Second Trimester: Your Baby’s Growth and Development in Middle Pregnancy by WebMD

Must Have Ayurvedic Essential Oils in the Medicine Cabinet

The word’ Medicine’ carries the ailing thoughts to our mind about the dull, sick days that we are married to our bed than before. Most of the times in the company of ‘easily digestible-tasteless’ food items and extremely bitter pills, the sick days end up acrimoniously. To be honest, the medicine cabinet looked like a ‘Pandora’s Box’ to me till I enlivened it with the most vital and rejuvenating Ayurvedic essential oils. Ayurveda is the holistic healing methodology that has been in practice for more than 5000 years, striving hard for the harmony of mind and body etched with the human system. The touch of nature through the use of these essential oils has proven remedies from the hectic headache to the chronic cancer. Each of us have a preference to our favorable aromas and you can choose your range of essential oils as per your choice but the must-have Ayurvedic essential oils in your medicine cabinet to manage everything and everyone right from your baby to your grandpa are:

  1. Frankincense essential oil: It’s time to dwell in the luxury proffered by the Frankincense essential oil, rightly known as ‘The King of essential oils’. Originated from the French word ‘Franc’ meaning ‘luxuriant’, this divine oil was offered to God by the ancient Egyptians and was used as a revivifying face mask and as the incredible incense for its sweet balsamic fragrance. With its carminative, expectorant, tonic, sedative, digestive, antiseptic, stimulant, diuretic and astringent properties, this oil helps visualizing, enhances concentration, augments the spiritual power, supports digestion, treats cold, flu, fever, skin infections, alleviates stress and is an essential ingredient in most of the popular skin care products administering dry skin and effects of aging.
  2. Rose essential oil: How can the King be alone without the Queen? Yes! Rose essential oil is celebrated as the ‘Queen of essential oils’. This oil with its soft, tender, gentle and feminine qualities is known to treat skin problems, depression, stress, anxiety and is an excellent aphrodisiac gifted by Mother Nature. Rose essential oil is used as a tonic for nerves, kidney, heart and for womanly problems like irregular menstruation, uterine disorders, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and vaginal infections with its antispasmodic, anti-depressant, astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, sedative and anti-bacterial properties.
  3. Lavender essential oil: More than its curative values, the look at the color of the lavender flowers will bring in peace and harmony at one’s home. Lavender essential oil is claimed as the safest essential oil and can be used even for kids. It has been proved effective in the pharmaco-physio-psychotherapy in the future with its vital presence in the Ayurvedic treatment named Shirodhara. It is extremely powerful in treating respiratory problems, depression, insomnia, stress, insect bites, digestive disorders, bruises and many others. For years together, Lavender essential oil has been a part of hair care and skin care products.
  4. Peppermint essential oil: This oil is an excellent tonic for the nervous system and a friend to the respiratory system protecting the body from viral infections. The fresh aroma rests a calming, relaxing, energizing, refreshing and a vitalizing feeling required to either start up a bright fragrant day or to end up a serene poise day. It is a renowned pain-reliever that supports the function of the liver, and treats asthma, sinus, nausea, intestinal gas, spasms in the bowel and many other health problems.
  5. Tea tree essential oil: How can we forget Tea tree essential oil and its splendid healing properties when we are discussing about the must-have essential oils in the medicine cabinet? This oil is tested and proven in the treatment of dandruff, acne, gum problems, nail fungus, insect bites, athlete’s foot, cold sores, eczema, ringworm, strep throat, corns, Candida and more. Tee tree essential oil is also used as a powerful insect repellent.
  6. Turmeric essential oil: Traditionally known as the ‘Golden Goddess’, Turmeric root essential oil is trusted and scientifically proven to treat and prevent cancerous diseases with its antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. Apart from this Turmeric herb and its essential oil is used in Ayurvedic treatments for more than 4000 years.

With these six priceless gems, why would you still call it a medicine cabinet? Breathe deep, smile heartily, feel fresh and call it as a ‘Healing Jewel Box’ that spreads smiles, happiness, joy and complete health for the entire family. You can also include few other favorite essential oils of your choice like Rosemary essential oil, Geranium essential oil, Eucalyptus essential oil, Thyme essential oil, Clove essential oil, Chamomile essential oil and Lemon essential oil, fully packed with healing values.

Thought for the day:

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.            -Buddha

Suggested Reading:

  1. The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils by Gill Farrer-Halls
  2. The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Over 600 Natural, Non-Toxic and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health – Beauty – a Safe Home Environment by Valerie Ann Worwood
  3. The Essential Oils Handbook: All the Oils You Will Ever Need for Health, Vitality and Well-Being by Jennie Harding

Reference Links:

  1. An evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antinociceptive activities of essential oil from Curcuma longa. L by Indian Journal of Pharmacology
  2. Rose Essential Oil in Herbal Medicine by Every Green Herb
  3. Peppermint Essential Oil-Remedies and Cures by Peppermintessentialoil.com
  4. Candida by Wikipedia