MODULE THREE

[Dragonmaster]

LAVENDER
Lavendula officianalis / lavendula angustifolium
Possibly the most useful and certainly the most widely known essential oil. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it is gentle enough to use on babies into thinking it is mild and ineffective. Lavender is very effective and using too much can be detrimental. Where Lavender can be used to help bring sleep, too much is stimulant and will prevent sleep and while it will cure a headache, too much is overpowering and can give a headache. I met someone who had worked in an environment where there was a lot of lavender – making bath products – and she has become almost allergic to it, she cannot stand the smell. In aromatherapy always be aware that ‘less is more’.
Lavender, when blended with other oils, has a synergistic effect – that is it will increase the power of the blend. Like a bit of salt added to food brings out the flavour a drop of lavender added to a blend will bring out the effects of the other oils used.
Lavender Oil is made from the flowers of a woody shrub by steam distillation. The aroma is floral and woody, low intensity and middle note.
Key word:- soothing; relaxing
Properties:-
Analgesic – relieves pain
Anti-depressant
Anti inflammatory
Anti rheumatic
Anti spasmodic – relieves cramp
Anti viral
Bactericide
Carminative – expels gasses from intestines / stomach.
Decongestant
Deodorant
Detoxicant
Diuretic
Emmenagogue - encourages menstruation (because of this do not use in early pregnancy)
Fungicide
Hypotensive – lowers blood pressure
Nervine – good for nervous system
Sedative
Sudorific – increases perspiration
Vulnerary – promotes skin cell growth and heals wounds.
Parts of the body that lavender works on:-
Skin; mind; nerves: circulation; muscles; respiration; genito-urinary; kidneys; digestion.

[Dragonmaster]

TEA TREE
Melaleuca Alternifolia
Of all the essential Oils Tea Tree probably has the least pleasant aroma, although some people like it. The aroma is strong and medicinal as befits an oil that has more bactericaidal, anti viral and fungicidal properties than most medicines you can buy over the counter. In tests it has been seen to kill more bacteria than TCP. It is known to kill the MRSA bacterium. It is the best stand by to have in the medicine cabinet for anything that is, or might become, infected and in many cases is a very good alternative to antibiotics. Like Lavender it can be used neat on the skin, although some people will be sensitive to it, and is therefore good to put a drop straight onto a cut or graze that is dirty, an animal bite, a pimple or an abscess. It will sting if put onto an open wound so if using it for children who might object to the stinging you can mix it into a base lotion or aloe vera jelly. Tea Tree is good to use as a mouthwash or a gargle for sore throats. Put a few drops in a glass of warm water and swirl before taking a mouthful. Be warned – it tastes bad! But if you can put up with that, and you do get used to the taste if used regularly, it can cure a sore throat within a day. Also you can put a drop on a toothbrush before the toothpaste for dental hygiene. If you get a tooth abscess you can rub a drop of tea tree on the site every few hours and you may well find that by the time you get to see the dentist the abscess has gone. Although Tea Tree is good at getting rid of infection it does not aid healing, this is why Tea Tree and Lavender work well together as the lavender relieves pain and promotes healing.
Tea Tree in a room burner is excellent for killing airborne germs so is useful if someone in the household is ill. It will also kill flies and other insects. It is reputed to kill head lice and fleas, (but do not use it on cats without getting specialist advice).
Tea Tree Essential Oil is made by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs of the tree that grows in Australia. The story goes that the Aborigines used to bathe in the ‘magic pool’ to heal their ills. The pool was under Tea Trees and the leaves were in the pool. I have no idea if this is true or not. However it is fairly certain that it was the Aborigines who were using tea tree leaves and white Australians learned of it from them.

Tea Tree aroma is top note, high intensity, pungent, sanitary.

Key word : cleansing

Properties:-Antibiotic
Antiviral
Bactericide
Expectorant
Fungicide
Insecticide
Stimulant
Sudorific
Parts of the body:-
Circulation; genito-urinary; muscles; respiration; skin.

[Dragonmaster]

MARJORAM
Origanum Marjorana
Made from the flowering tips of the common garden herb, Marjoram is best known as a muscle relaxant and is therefore very useful for sore, strained and tired muscles either in a bath or in a rub. It is antispasmodic and so is the oil to use on cramped muscles, and can be effectively used as a hot compress for menstrual cramps. It also aids digestion strengthening peristalsis - the wave-like motion that moves food through the intestines.
Marjoram is a warming oil with sedative effects. It can help with coughs and colds and aid sleep. It can dilate the arteries and is therefore helpful in combating high blood pressure and when used in a massage it dilates the capillaries beneath the skin giving a warming effect. Massaging with marjoram is good for the relief of tired and aching muscles and by increasing the circulation it helps to flush away toxins that develop in the muscles with exercise.
Marjoram is warming to the emotions as well, and can be comforting to those who are lonely or suffering grief, but it can deaden the emotions so should be only be used in the short term. Likewise the sedative properties can cause drowsiness and dulling of the senses so marjoram needs to be used sparingly.
The aroma is warm, penetrating and peppery, low intensity and middle note.

Key word:- relaxing.
Properties:-
Analgesic
Antispasmodic
Carminative (expels gas from the intestines)
Digestive
Emmenagogue (encourages menstruation)
Expectorant
Hypotensive
Nervine
Sedative
Vasodilator (dilates veins and arteries)
Vulneraray (heals wounds)
Parts of the body:- muscles; circulation; head; digestion; respiration; genitor-urinary; skin; mind.

[Dragonmaster]

EUCALYPTUS
Eucalyptus Globulus
The silver-grey trunks and blue-grey leaves of eucalyptus trees are a familiar sight in our parks and gardens and there are over 300 varieties. For aromatherapy use the oil is distilled from the leaves of the Australian Blue-Gum variety. The aroma will be familiar to most people as it is a main ingredient of many cough and cold remedies, vapour rubs and nasal sprays, in fact Eucalyptus is best known as a decongestant for colds and catarrh.
Eucalyptus Oil has strong anti bacterial and anti viral properties and also will reduce fever so it is a useful oil to combat many infectious diseases, such as cholera, measles, malaria, scarlet fever and typhoid. Childhood illnesses such as measles and whooping cough have now pretty much been eradicated in this country but children still get chicken pox which can be very distressing and a bath with eucalyptus, lavender and chamomile is soothing.
Eucalyptus aroma is refreshing, sharp, high intensity and top note.
Key word :- penetrating
Properties
Analgesic
Antirheumatic
Anti viral
Bactericide
Decongestant
Deodorant
Diuretic
Expectorant
Febrifuge (cools fevers)
Hypoglycaemant (lowers blood sugar)
Insecticide
Rubifacient (causes redness and warmth)
Stimulant
Vulnerary
Parts of the body: - respiration; genitor-urinary; mind; muscles; nerves; skin.
PRECAUTIONS :- avoid with epilepsy and diabetes.

[Dragonmaster]

ASSIGNMENT
From the information about the oils given above chose oil(s) and methods for the following circumstances.You may chose several oils for any of these answers and you may chose the same oils for several answers. Please give reasons for your choices.


1) (let's be topical) You are worried about catching Swine Flu and have to travel regularly on public transport.

2) After a hard day's physical exertion you want to ease tired muscles and also ensure a good nights sleep.

3) You have a really bunged up nose from having a cold.

4) You have a headache.

5) You want to deter flying insects from coming in the house, an also want the room to have a pleasant aroma.

6) To relieve itching, for example from an insect bite or nettle sting.

7) You want to deter or get rid of head lice.

8) You frequently get cramp in your legs at night.



9) which oil should not be used with people who suffer from epilepsy or diabetes?