5.1 Introduction
The weight loss niche is
always a popular one and many people turn to aromatherapy in the belief that it
can help them to shed the pounds. If you have clients who request
your help with this, it's important to note that essential oils are not a
miracle cure for helping with obesity. They can work alongside any weight-loss
regime, but aromatherapy on its own will not help with losing weight. The only
way to truly lose weight is to reduce the amount of food consumed and to
increase the amount of exercise.
Essential oils can be used in a
holistic manner to help tackle weight issues because it has a powerful effect
on mood. In modern society, there is far
too great a reliance on eating over-processed foods or convenience foods – add this to the number of takeaways eaten and the amount of chemicals, additives,
preservatives, salt and sugars all of which are extremely unhealthy for the
body, it's important to start taking a more holistic approach to life and to weight issues.
5.2 Essential oils can help your
clients
Essential oils can help
your clients towards the body they want by suppressing emotional eating and
helping to deal with any cravings. This is an important aspect of
weight-loss but reliance just on the aromatherapy oils will only lead to disappointment. The following are a list of oils
that can be used successfully for those who wish to monitor or lose weight:
Lemon essential oil
This oil aids the digestive
system and can be used safely as a detox. If over-eating is the issue, inhaling
the lemon essential oil prior to a meal will act as a suppressant. It can also
be used in massage by adding a few drops of essential oil to a carrier oil.
Then, it can be applied to those areas with any fat deposits or, cellulite. It
is important to massage oil deeply into those areas.
Grapefruit essential oil
This is one of the best essential
oils to use if you have a client who is hoping to attain a slimmer, leaner
body. It helps with appetite suppression but it also aids energy. It can also
be used for detoxing and is useful to help combat cellulite. Add a few drops to
a carrier oil for massage and ensure that the oil is massaged into the fatty
areas on the body for at least 20 minutes. There is no need to remove the oil
afterwards.
Peppermint essential oil
This is a wonderful oil for
digestive health and it's also highly invigorating, aiding energy. Add just one
drop of the oil to a tissue and inhale prior to eating, this helps to suppress
hunger.
Cinnamon essential oil
This oil is useful for the
digestive system and many people use it (food-grade oil) to help manage
irritable bowel syndrome. One or two drops can be added to a glass of lukewarm
water and the individual should drink it approximately 10 minutes before
eating. It's a well-known oil for boosting metabolism and will also suppress
appetite. Check the type of oil before consuming.
Bergamot essential oil
This is an ideal oil to use when
your client appears stressed and is eating because of emotional issues. It's a
great relaxant when inhaled and there are polyphenols within the oil which help
to burn fat more effectively. If using in a massage, add a few
drops to coconut oil (as the carrier oil) and massage into the neck and
shoulders and also, to the hands and feet. This can help stabilize mood. If the
client is in great need of a pampering session, advise them to leave the oil on
their body for approximately 20 minutes. This oil should be washed off
afterwards.
5.3 Using oils
When using oils individually,
ensure that you do not use the same oil each day. It is far more effective to
rotate the oils used and, the results will then be longer lasting.
You can also consider using the
following to aid in weight-loss:
Basil
Lavender
Rosemary
Orange
Sage
Time
Lime
Lemon grass
If your client carries a lot of
fluid and is looking for a natural diuretic (to increase the amount of urine
passed) then try the following oils:
Celery
Grapefruit
Cyprus
Lemon
Juniper
Oregano
Fennel
The following quick aromatherapy
recipes can be used in the bath and aid weight-loss: It makes enough for two baths:
1
Two drops of lavender essential
oil
Four drops of grapefruit
essential oil
Two drops of Juniper essential
oil
2
Two drops of Cyprus essential oil
Two drops of Basil essential oil
Mix these essential oils in a
brown bottle and then add just six drops to running water. Soak twenty to
thirty minutes.
5.4 To tone the body
This mixture will make enough
for two baths:
Five drops of grapefruit
essential oil
Three drops of Basil essential
oil
Mix these two essential oils in a
brown bottle and while running a hot bath, add just four drops to the bath
water. Soak in the bath for twenty to thirty minutes.
Diuretic solution
This recipe makes sufficient
amounts for two baths:
Three drops of Cyprus essential
oil
Five drops of fennel essential
oil
As previously, mix the essential
oils in a brown bottle and add just four drops of the mixture as you are
running the hot water. Stay in the bath for approximately twenty to thirty
minutes.
Massage oils for fat elimination
Massage oils are always
wonderfully relaxing or beneficial for the body but they can be used for
helping clients to eliminate fat. Simply add 10 drops of carrot oil
to 30 mls of almond oil and then shake so that the oils mixed sufficiently
together. Then add the following amount of essential oils to the carrier oils.
Eight drops of grapefruit
essential oil
Two drops of oregano essential
oil
Ten drops of rosemary essential
oil
Ten drops of cyprus essential oil
For toning:
Five drops of rosemary essential
oil
Three drops of red thyme
essential oil
Eight drops of orange essential
oil
Mix together in a brown bottle
along with the carrier oils.
5.5 Cellulite problems
cellulite Deep tissue massages are
really wonderful for the body. They can help to improve areas of
flabby skin and also, prevent stretch marks. Of course there are numerous
reasons why cellulite may be present including:
Poor circulation
Hormonal imbalances
Water retention
Insufficient levels of oxygen
Indeed, cellulite may be linked
to the menstrual cycle and toxicity in the body can also be a factor. It is
important to increase blood flow to the required areas as this will help to
improve circulation. Use a brush with natural bristles in an upward motion. Advise clients that physical
exercise is important as is concentrating on the areas where the cellulite is
through brushing or massage, and this will help to clear out any toxins which
may have accumulated in these areas.
The client should massage these
areas each day, adding essential oils to their bath water. The bath should be
quite warm and the client should massage the cellulite when submerged. Oils are
taken into the body by a process known as osmosis. Yogic breathing should be
practiced too as this can increase oxygen and circulation. Just as important is
the amount of stress experienced each day, talk the client through relaxation
techniques and advise them how sleep can also aid the removal of toxins and
improve cellulite. Remember, aromatherapy forms part of a holistic approach to
life.
Cellulite relief
This recipe makes enough for four
baths and six drops of the completed recipe should be added to running water. Sixteen drops of thyme essential
oil Eight drops of lemon essential
oil
5.6 Stress
All aromatherapy oils can
be used to combat stress but some are more effective. While helping the client to
relax, the oils also aid the promotion of a healthy immune system. This is
because stress is known to have a detrimental effect on the strength of
immunity. Using specific oils can help to boost the recovery of a flagging
immune system. Although essential oils can improve stress and the body's
reaction to it, other changes should be made including: eating healthily and
exercising.
There are many oils to consider
to help with stress relief and these include:
Lavender
Clary Sage
Chamomile Roman
Ylang Ylang
Mandarin
Geranium
Sandalwood
The following are useful recipes
to aid stress:
Five drops of lavender essential
oil
Five drops of chamomile roman
essential oil
Ten drops of geranium essential
oil
Ten drops of clary sage essential
oil
This blend can be used in a
diffuser and works well to eliminate stress through inhalation. It can also be
used as a massage oil by mixing the above oils with 30 mil of the carrier oil
of your choice. Add just five drops of the recipe to a warm bath and this will
help to calm the mind.
If the client is suffering with
very high stress levels, the following can be used:
Five drops of ormenis flower
essential oil
Five drops of chamomile essential
oil
Fifteen drops of clary sage
essential oil
As previously, add to a diffuser
or mix with 30 mils of carrier oil and use as a massage oil. Remember to store
in a brown bottle. Add just five drops to a warm bath.
Additional recipes:
Two drops roman chamomile oil
Two drops of lavender oil
One drop of vetiver oil
Three drops of clary sage oil
One drop of lavender oil
One drop of lemon oil
If you want to use either of the
above two recipes in a diffuser, you should multiply this blend by four so that
you have twenty drops. Always ensure that the oils are
added to a dark glass bottle and mix well, not by shaking but by rolling the
bottle in-between your hands. You can then add the required number of drops
from your blend to the diffuser. If you want to use the recipes as
a bath oil, multiply by three so that you have fifteen drops and you can add as
appropriate to the bath. These are just example recipes,
try making your own.
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you learnt that
essential oils can be used in a holistic manner to help tackle weight issues,
due to the powerful effect they can have on the mood. Using specific oils can also help
to boost the recovery of a flagging immune system, aid stress relief, manage
IBS, and much more. Whatever you are helping a client with regarding their health and wellbeing, always remember to advise them that physical exercise is
important. Try your own recipes using the
information in this module. In the next module, we discuss
how to safely store oils.
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