Incorporating aromatherapy into your life year-round is great, but I especially love it during the spring.

What is aromatherapy? It is the practice of using essential oils to promote holistic healing for the body, mind and spirit. It has been medically proven to enhance both physical and mental health. The well-known Dr. Mehmet Oz proved this by infusing different essential oils into the air and then doing CT scans, blood tests and blood pressure levels on willing participants.

Let’s go over a few well-known essential oils and their benefits. Keep in mind that the price of essential oils is directly related to how the oil is extracted from the plant and how available the plant is.

You can use essential oils by diffusing them into the air with a diffuser or spray bottle. You would add water to either of those. You can also use essential oils in massage by adding a few drops to a carrier such as grapeseed oil.

There are several classifications of oils. Fruity, flowery, spicy, balsamic, green notes and woodsy. Lavender, which is flowery, is one of my favorites. It’s moderately priced and has lots of benefits. It relaxes the central nervous system. It’s called the “Mothering Oil” for its ability to bring comfort and joy to users. It can help with insomnia, depression and even nausea. It also blends well with other oils.

Citrus oils are great springtime aromas. I like combining citruses like lemon, lime and grapefruit. It’s great to diffuse rooms as you spring clean. They uplift your mood and inspire positive energy and happy cleaning!

Fresh and woodsy aromas remind me of spring walks in the woods and having fun outside. They also have been known to ease insomnia and support a healthy respiratory system. Sandalwood, frankincense, cedarwood and patchouli are a few of my favorites.

There are also some essential oils that are a natural way to combat bugs and mice. You can prevent dust mites with a combination of lemongrass, tea tree and eucalyptus oils. Add a few drops of each when you wash your sheets and spray the mattress and box spring with a spray that includes one ounce of alcohol, four ounces of water, eight drops of lemongrass, and four of both tea tree and eucalyptus.

I had a problem with mice this past winter. After I had caught them, I used peppermint to keep them from coming back.

If using aromatherapy in your life and learning more about it is something you are interested in, good news! I will be offering an aromatherapy workshop at beginning of May. You will learn about aromatherapy, make your own products and receive a workbook to take home!

If you are interested, reach out to me at (401) 497-5656 or email me at SixtiesAndSexy@gmail.com.