關(guān)于精油令人驚訝的獨(dú)家新聞
Even though essential oils have been around for centuries, dating back to the early Egyptians and were brought as gifts to Jesus in biblical times (remember frankincense?), they've become more relevant today than ever before.
盡管精油已經(jīng)存在了幾個(gè)世紀(jì),可以追溯到早期埃及人,并在圣經(jīng)時(shí)代作為禮物送給耶穌(還記得乳香嗎?)。它們?cè)诮裉毂纫酝魏螘r(shí)候都更有意義。
Lavender might be able to calm you and help you relax, but can also be used on minor burns to soothe skin. (Photo: Olga Miltsova/Shutterstock)
While people traditionally see a doctor for an illness and get a prescription drug, many others have awoken to the fact that essential oils can be used in healing and supporting the body's emotional and physical well-being.
傳統(tǒng)上,人們會(huì)去看醫(yī)生并得到處方藥物,但也有許多人已經(jīng)意識(shí)到精油可以用于治療和支持身體的情感和身體健康。
These oils not only smell good, but they sometimes can heal at the cellular level. Essential oils are volatile liquids distilled from plants and parts such as seeds, flowers, fruit, stems, bark, roots and leaves. It may take hundreds of pounds of flowers and leaves to distill one batch of pure essential oil.
這些油不僅聞起來(lái)很好聞,有時(shí)還能在細(xì)胞水平上治愈。精油是從植物和部分如種子、花、果實(shí)、莖、樹(shù)皮、根和葉中蒸餾出來(lái)的揮發(fā)性液體。提取一批純精油可能需要數(shù)百磅的鮮花和樹(shù)葉。
"Despite their name, essential oils are not oils but are aromatic, volatile substances or essences extracted from a plant, herb or flower by distillation or expression. It is a labor-intensive process resulting in a potent oil that is not cheap, but due to its concentrated nature, a small amount can be used very effectively for a range of ailments, skincare and even natural homemade carpet cleaner," says Ursula Elmes, an aromatherapist, licensed acupuncturist and the founder of YouOrganic Skincare.
“盡管它們的名字是精油,但精油不是油,而是通過(guò)蒸餾或表達(dá)從植物、藥草或花卉中提取出來(lái)的芳香、揮發(fā)性物質(zhì)或精華。”這是一種勞動(dòng)密集型的過(guò)程,產(chǎn)生了一種不便宜的有效油,但是由于其濃縮的性質(zhì),少量的油可以非常有效地用于一系列的疾病、護(hù)膚和甚至天然自制的地毯清潔劑,”阿爾拉·埃爾斯說(shuō),她是一位芳香理療師,也是有執(zhí)照的針灸師和有機(jī)護(hù)膚的創(chuàng)始人。
"The most difficult part of using them is deciding on which oil will work most effectively with your own body chemistry, personal habits and emotional olfactory responses" says Tricia Mooneyham, host of the online radio show "I'll Have What She's Having…Talk with Tricia," who specializes in women's sexual health.
“使用它們最困難的部分是決定哪種油對(duì)你自己的身體化學(xué)、個(gè)人習(xí)慣和情緒嗅覺(jué)反應(yīng)最有效,”在線廣播節(jié)目“我要和她談?wù)?hellip;…和特里西婭談?wù)?rdquo;的主持人特里西婭·穆尼漢姆說(shuō)。
"There are certain oils which have proven their value and are a great baseline for those who are just learning about the health benefits of essential oils. Peppermint, lavender and lemon are considered power oils, and when in doubt one of these three will give you some relief for whatever your need is from cleansing to soothing to invigorating," says Mooneyham.
“有些精油已經(jīng)證明了它們的價(jià)值,對(duì)于那些剛剛了解精油健康益處的人來(lái)說(shuō),這是一個(gè)很好的基準(zhǔn)。薄荷油、熏衣草油和檸檬油都被認(rèn)為是能量油,當(dāng)你對(duì)這三種油有疑問(wèn)時(shí),從清潔到舒緩再到提神,這三種油中的一種都能讓你得到一些放松。”
An aromatherapist can help you choose which essential oils might be best for you. (Photo: Kerdkanno/Shutterstock)
See an aromatherapist
拜訪芳香療法專家
Visiting a certified aromatherapist is similar to seeing a conventional doctor. Marci Cervone, a certified aromatherapist and owner of Thrive, a yoga, transformational coaching and aromatherapy practice in Jacksonville, Florida, has clients fill out an intake form, goes over their health history to check for contraindications such as epilepsy or high blood pressure, and discusses their needs. Cervone then selects oils that she feels would be helpful and makes sure that her clients like the scents; people who have an aversion to a smell usually won't want to use that oil.
拜訪一個(gè)經(jīng)過(guò)認(rèn)證的芳香治療師就像去看一個(gè)傳統(tǒng)的醫(yī)生。Marci Cervone,一位獲得認(rèn)證的芳香治療師和發(fā)展壯大公司的所有者,瑜伽,轉(zhuǎn)型教練和芳香療法實(shí)踐。弗羅里達(dá)州杰克遜維爾的冰公司讓客戶填寫(xiě)一份攝入表,檢查他們的健康病史,檢查是否有癲癇或高血壓等禁忌癥,并討論他們的需求。然后,選擇她認(rèn)為會(huì)有幫助的油,并確保她的客戶喜歡這種氣味;厭惡氣味的人通常不想使用那種油。
Cervone then creates a blend of up to five oils for the purpose intended: relaxation, stress, eczema, a respiratory problem or other issues, and decides on the application preference such as an inhaler, bath oil, spray or skin tincture.
然后,即使是為了放松、壓力、濕疹、呼吸問(wèn)題或其他問(wèn)題,也要?jiǎng)?chuàng)造出一種多達(dá)五種油的混合物,并決定使用哪一種,如吸入劑、沐浴油、噴霧劑或皮膚酊劑。
For people who are going to buy oils and experiment on their own, Cervone advises purchasing quality oils from companies that are GC/MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) tested. This chemical test gives the breakdown of ingredients in a batch of oil. Some less ethical companies produce "oils" that may be only 20% pure oil and 80% filler. Cervone recommends avoiding companies and products that cannot produce a GC/MS report.
對(duì)于那些打算購(gòu)買(mǎi)油并自己進(jìn)行實(shí)驗(yàn)的人來(lái)說(shuō),瑟爾諾內(nèi)建議從經(jīng)過(guò)GC/MS(氣相色譜-質(zhì)譜)測(cè)試的公司購(gòu)買(mǎi)優(yōu)質(zhì)油。這種化學(xué)試驗(yàn)?zāi)馨岩慌椭械某煞址纸?。一些道德較低的公司生產(chǎn)的“油”可能只有20%的純油和80%的填充物。Cervone建議避開(kāi)那些不能生成GC/MS報(bào)告的公司和產(chǎn)品。
A few common essential oils and their uses
一些常見(jiàn)的精油及其用途
Lavender is a calming oil that is said to help with panic attacks and to calm the nervous system. It is used on minor burns to soothe skin. It is commonly sprayed on pillows or linens, or applied to the neck, chest or temples to help wind down before sleeping.
熏衣草是一種鎮(zhèn)靜油,據(jù)說(shuō)可以幫助緩解恐慌癥和鎮(zhèn)定神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)。它被用于輕微燒傷,以舒緩皮膚。它通常被噴在枕頭或亞麻布上,或涂在脖子、胸部或太陽(yáng)穴上,以幫助在睡覺(jué)前放松。
Peppermint wakens the senses and can increase the oxygen level in the blood just by being inhaled. "One drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 28 cups of herbal tea," Mooneyham says. It helps with focus, and when combined with rosemary, which helps with memory and retention, makes a winning work day combination. Peppermint also is used to calm a troubled tummy and to try to bring down fever.
薄荷可以喚醒感官,增加血液中的氧氣含量。“一滴薄荷油相當(dāng)于28杯花草茶,”莫尼漢姆說(shuō)。它有助于集中注意力,再加上迷迭香,它有助于提高記憶力和記憶力,是一個(gè)成功工作日組合。薄荷還可以用來(lái)平復(fù)胃部不適,降低體溫。
Lemon is used as an alternative treatment to remove corns and warts. It's a bactericide and is sometimes used to treat minor cuts and wounds as well. It is said to brighten dull skin, help with immunity and is used in antibacterial cleansers.
檸檬是用來(lái)作為一種替代治療去除玉米和疣。它是一種殺菌劑,有時(shí)也用來(lái)治療輕微的傷口。據(jù)說(shuō)它能提亮暗沉的皮膚,提高免疫力,還被用于抗菌潔面用品。
Lemon essential oil has bacterial properties and can treat minor injuries. (Photo: AmyLv/Shutterstock)
Cinnamon leaf can be mixed with cinnamon sugar, orange juice and olive oil for an antiseptic facial scrub. It can be used as part of a foot soak to fight nail and foot fungus and as a shampoo to keep hair healthy.
肉桂葉可以與肉桂糖,橙汁和橄欖油混合,用于消毒面部磨砂。它可以作為足部浸泡的一部分來(lái)對(duì)抗指甲和腳部真菌,也可以作為洗發(fā)水來(lái)保持頭發(fā)健康。
Made from the leaf of the cinnamon bush, this oil is great for keeping skin and hair healthy. (Photo: Liljam/Shutterstock)
Eucalyptus has many antibacterial properties. Its distinctive smell might help with breathing and congestion, particularly with stuffiness associated with colds and allergies. You can put some in a vaporizer when you're congested.
桉樹(shù)有許多抗菌特性。它獨(dú)特的氣味可能有助于呼吸和充血,特別是與感冒和過(guò)敏有關(guān)的充血。當(dāng)你有壓力的時(shí)候,你可以把一些放在蒸發(fā)器里。
Eucalyptus oil smells so fresh and clean. That's probably why it helps with congestion. (Photo: JPC-PROD/Shutterstock)
Grapefruit, another citrus oil, has similar properties as lemon. It can help uplift your mood and might work as a mild antiseptic.
柚子,另一種柑橘油,和檸檬有相似的特性。它可以幫助提升你的情緒,可能是一種溫和的防腐劑。