Doliprane, smecta, spasfon, vick's - for years, the medicine cabinet has been there, ready and waiting for the slightest injury or infection, reassuring us in case of a problem. But even if medicine rhymes with doc, today we're going to make it rhyme with electroshock !

So here we are, discovering essential oils. Before beginning this article, a few precautions are in order:

• Even if essential oils are natural, at a time when a return to the natural world is popular and encouraged, they are not to be placed in everyone's hands. They are powerful, and can have unfortunate consequences if not used wisely,
  
  
• As often repeated in our articles, an allergy test is necessary, before any use, ideally in the crease of the elbow, a period of a few hours is favourable in order to see the reactions of your epidermis,
  
  
• Most essential oils are not recommended for pregnant women or children under the age of 3. However, during pregnancy, certain oils are authorized for use up to a certain term.

Brief introduction to aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses essential oils and essences for therapeutic purposes, contributing to the body's well-being by acting on both the physical and psychological aspects - a healthy mind in a healthy body !

Phytotherapy exploits the various active principles of all plants: stems, leaves and flowers, while aromatherapy uses distillation to obtain the famous essential oils we're so interested in.

The aromatic use of plants dates back several millennia, yet the precise definition of aromatherapy and its effects is only very recent - around a century and a half.

Depending on the individual and the symptoms encountered, one or more specific oils will be recommended, along with various internal or external treatments (inhalations, massages, poultices, skin applications, air diffusion...).

All essential oils have very specific properties, and certain blends will enhance the benefits of a treatment by combining the intrinsic qualities of each oil.

It's worth pointing out that aromatherapy is much more "energetic" than herbal teas, because an essential oil is much, much more concentrated in active compounds.

A little history...

Recognized for their therapeutic properties and used for thousands of years (cinnamon, ginger), in India, the Middle East (oregano, fennel, caraway...), South America (rosewood, ho wood, chili rose hip...) and Africa (frankincense, myrrh, ravintsara...), essential oils fell into oblivion in the Middle Ages.

It wasn't until the time of Avicenna (Ibn Sinna), inventor of distillation proper, that we saw a new boom in herbal medicine, which regained its letters of nobility after a long period in the wilderness.

The extraction of essential oils by steam distillation made its appearance in the 19th century, enabling the development of food products and, above all, perfumes.

What is an essential oil ?

An essential oil is an aromatic plant liquid, extracted from plants rich in fragrant essences, usually by distillation.

Essential oils of lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, tarragon, peppermint, calendula... are generally available, at varying prices.

As we saw earlier, treating oneself with essential oils is called "aromatherapy".

The term "aromatherapy" was coined by perfumer René-Maurice Gattefossé in the early 20th century, who was the first to discover the power of essential oils.

Indeed, dipping his injured hand into a basin filled with lavender essential oil immediately brought him relief, and was the catalyst for his discovery of essential oils.

He then decided to study essential oils and their properties, and aromatherapy as we know it today was born. Their reputation, their effectiveness, and the extraordinary richness of these products are an invaluable benefit.

Quality criteria for essential oils:

Strict quality criteria must guide the purchase of essential oils, to ensure a quality product:

• Botanical certification: plant names must specify genus, species and subspecies,
  
  
• Geographical origin: the name of the country or region provides interesting details about the aromatic plant,
  
  
• Harvesting or cultivation method: this will tell you whether the plant is wild or cultivated, organic or not,
  
  
• The organ distilled: the biochemical composition of essential oils varies according to the part or organ of the plant distilled. For example, the bark of a tree does not contain the same essence as its leaves,
  
  
• Extraction method: hydrodistillation, steam distillation, etc. The extraction method has a definite influence on the essential oil.

Ideally, an essential oil should be pure (not mixed with other oils, alcohol or other products), natural (no added chemical, mineral or other inputs) and integral (not amputated, rectified or otherwise processed).

Treating yourself with essential oils

Finally, let's move on to the subject that interests and even fascinates us: how to treat yourself with essential oils, as they can be used both curatively and preventively, depending on the case, the person and the specificity.

Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways, including

• By olfactory and respiratory routes,
• Atmospheric diffusion,
• Inhalation,
• Dermal route,
• Massage,
• Orally, if possible, as all essential oils must not be ingested, otherwise they may cause undesired effects.

It's important to remember that an essential oil is made up of hundreds of different molecules, which means that each oil is versatile, with many uses and properties, unlike a medicine, which generally has a single molecule and a single use.

Essential oils work very quickly, so if you don't get the results you were hoping for, don't be stubborn - it's probably a diagnostic error - and stick to the correct dosage.

Indeed, increasing the dosage will not mechanically accelerate healing, and could have undesirable effects. 1 drop is still 1 drop, and 3 times a day is not the same as 5 times a day.

Lastly, essential oils recommended for children can be used by adults, whereas the reverse is not possible, even if you divide the doses by 2. As the saying goes, health is the most precious of all treasures, and the most poorly guarded.

The most common and useful oils

We are going to list the main essential oils, each plant having its own properties and originating from a very distinct place:

Lavender essential oil (France):

Lavender essential oil is an extraordinary oil, a must-have, capable of many things.

N.B.: use HECT or EOBBD quality essential oil, and the Latin name "lavandula angustifolian ou vera, ou lavandula officinalis" to be sure it's real lavender essential oil, not cut or denatured.

Specialities:

• Nervous disorders (insomnia, nervousness, migraines, etc.),
• Skin disorders,
• Muscle pain (cramps, contractures, etc.),
• Heart problems,
• Poor blood circulation.

About lavender essential oil

Anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, a remarkable painkiller, a local anesthetic like clove, it is used in symbiosis with clove essential oil by dentists who are sensitive to alternative medicine.

It also heals, regenerates, regulates the nervous system, is antiseptic, antibacterial, relaxes muscles and is anti-migraine...

We won't list them all here, so as not to make the reading too long, but if you had to buy just one, this would be it !

A must-have, a flagship, unbeatable value for money, it takes up so little space that it will fit into any medicine cabinet, no matter how small - a small but sturdy oil !

Tea tree essential oil (Australia):

Used for centuries by Australian aborigines, tea tree, from which tea tree essential oil is extracted, is virtually a cure-all.

Tea tree essential oil is so antiseptic that it's even used in household products, which just goes to show how effective it is. And since quantity is not synonymous with quality, a few drops are all you need - no need to overdo it !

Anecdotally, during the Great War of 39-45, tea tree leaves were used primarily on wounded soldiers, and those in charge of harvesting tea tree leaves, which were prized for making poultices for wounds, were exempted from military service !

Specialities:

• All viral and bacterial diseases,
• Parasites and fungi,
• Anti-infective,
• Antiseptic,
• Anti-fatigue.

About tea tree essential oil

A versatile anti-infective, it is a major antibacterial essence, active against a large number of microbes, viruses, parasites and fungi !

It's an ideal natural hand disinfectant, a natural insect repellent, a natural deodorant, an antiseptic for minor cuts and scrapes, a chemical-free mouthwash... don't waste any more, the yard is full !

As you'll have gathered, this is an extraordinary essential oil, and we'll finish by mentioning one of its special features: if you like fresh, organic produce, which is an undeniable ally of your health, tea tree essential oil, added when rinsing your fruit and vegetables (5 to 10 drops are enough), contains compounds that reduce the growth of mold on fruit and vegetables. Organic produce, fresher for longer, what happiness !

Peppermint essential oil (France):

"Mint soothes the stomach", reads the Ebers Papyrus, the world's oldest medical text dating from the 16th century.

Some ancient writings, dating from the 7th or 8th century, even mention that a mint "tablet" was offered after each meal, both to aid digestion and to freshen breath after copious meals...

This plant is one of the few that can boast of concentrating 100% of its properties in its fresh, strong essential oil. In the event of a migraine, massage the temples with 2 drops, and the headache subsides fairly quickly.

However, diluting it with a vegetable oil will limit the risk of irritation, and reduce the menthol odor, which can prove unpleasant.

It's also worth noting that menthol gives peppermint essential oil excellent pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, like cold, menthol activates the skin's thermoreceptors, resulting in deep analgesia.

When pain, redness, heat or itching (pruritus) occur, peppermint essential oil will provide relief.

Specialities:

• Aids digestion,
• Calms itching,
• Urinary and intestinal anti-inflammatory,
• Soothing, refreshing or warming, depending on your mood,
• As an emenagogue, it helps bring on menstruation and contributes to ovarian regulation.

About peppermint essential oil

Peppermint essential oil has many interesting virtues to combat everyday problems, but in these cases it should be taken in low doses, as high doses will have amazing effects !

It's excellent for digestion, counteracting nausea, gastroenteritis and difficult digestion.

Finally, we can't talk about peppermint without mentioning migraines: it effectively soothes them and provides a pleasant sensation of cold on painful areas.

Finally, in the event of prolonged driving, a small dose of one drop under the tongue every hour will boost your alertness while driving.

Ravintsara essential oil (Madagascar):

Ravina means "leaf", and tsara "good", the tree of good leaves, and is used to treat most ailments.

In the event of influenza, bird flu or any other disease whose virus is mutagenic, ravintsara essential oil will be the ideal profile.

Its antiviral activity is so powerful that, combined with eucalyptus radiata or laurel oil, any virus will be exterminated without further ado !

With viruses becoming increasingly resistant to antiviral treatments, ravintsara essential oil represents the future of medical treatment.

Specialities:

• ENT epidemics (bird flu, influenza, angina...)
• Nervous fatigue
• Mental fatigue
• Oily coughs
• Herpes

About ravintsara essential oil

Suitable for the whole family, highly effective and absolutely harmless, it can even be used on one-week-old infants, and last but not least, it doesn't irritate the skin !

As such, it is the essential oil of choice against winter epidemics, essential for fighting the return of viruses and boosting the immune system.

It is highly recommended in times of convalescence, or during periods of intense fatigue, to help you regain your health quickly.

Wintergreen essential oil (North America):

Wintergreen is native to North America and China, and is a cousin of wintergreen, which grows in Nepal.

It's a small shrub, a berry in the Ericaceae family, with very abundant leaves and pink or white flowers that grow at the base of the leaves, producing scarlet-red berries from October to March.

Its essential oil, so prized by athletes, is extracted from its foliage.

Ancient peoples discovered the properties of plants empirically, and the Amerindians were already familiar with wintergreen, using it for its many virtues.

For example, its dried leaves, then mixed or chewed, were reputed to reduce fever.

Indeed, wintergreen, like wintergreen, contains 99% methyl salicylate, an aspirin derivative. Other compounds such as phenols, aldehydes and oxides are also present, but in lesser proportions.

It's also worth remembering that its scent is, let's say, "original", so it won't be popular with most people...

Specialities:

• Anti-inflammatory,
• Heats muscles locally,
• Essential oil for muscle and joint pain, tendonitis...
• It releases fat,
• Anti-rheumatic

About wintergreen essential oil

Gaultheria essential oil is certainly the best muscle and joint painkiller in the whole pharmacopoeia, we'd be tempted to say "in the world", but you have to keep your wits about you.

Wherever you go in the sporting world, its "sweet fragrance" will fill every changing room.

Its powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties soothe many painful conditions almost instantly:

• Cramps,
• Contractures,
• Sporting effort,
• Arthrosis, arthritis,
• Migraines,
• And many more...

That said, wintergreen essential oil is for medical use only, and should be used for no more than 8 to 10 days to avoid unwanted side effects.

In the case of chronic pain, it should only be applied 5 days out of 7.

Conclusion

And here we are, already at the end of this article on essential oils... Informed readers and purists will tell you that quoting 5 essential oils, out of the dozens that exist, is a heartbreaker, or a clumsy shortcut, but the aim of writing this article is above all to raise your awareness of essential oils.

Studies proving the efficacy of essential oils number 10,000 or even more, with the number of studies increasing exponentially over the years. However, and this is not pleasant to say, France, which was the cradle of aromatherapy, is the country where essential oils are little known, and even feared !

For example, in some dentists' surgeries in England, orange essential oil is diffused to relax patients before they go to the roulette wheel...

In some hospitals treating insomniacs, essential oils of lavender, marjoram or mandarin are used to make patients sleep, and their effectiveness is as formidable as that of well-known sedative drugs !

Oils sanitize hospital surfaces and air, reducing the risk of nosocomial illness. In fact, just 2 minutes of contact between the essential oil and the germ, and the germ disappears without a trace !

Finally, we'd like to mention that essential oils relieve even the most severe headaches, and limit the proliferation of fungi and microbes in interiors, thus purifying the often stale air in our homes.

So you see, essential oils are an immense benefit, often overlooked, but much appreciated by connoisseurs. It's up to you to make the most of it, and we hope you'll enjoy this article.