Monday, June 9, 2008

Aromatherapy for Weight Management

Hi, I’d like to share with you some aromatherapy options that may help you on your weight management journey. I’ll begin by giving a brief description of how aromatherapy works. Essential oils are very therapeutic and beneficial. They can help address physical, mental, emotional and spiritual concerns. When working with weight issues, all 4 of these modalities are very important.

Having the right mindset to activate the body is key to helping the body heal itself. All 100% pure essential oils are activators and can help with mood, behavior, attitude, addictions and motivation. The oils that work best in this situation are going to be the ones that you like the most. I personally conduct olfactory sensory testing with my customers to determine which scents they respond to the best. You can do this simply by taking any bottle of essential oil (such as red mandarin for example) and waft it under your nose from side to side. Take a deep breath and inhale the scent. Do you like it? On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best, where does it rank? For me, if it ranks a 6 or higher, this means I would use it.

You can diffuse it in an Aromaball or nebulizing diffuser throughout the day or just add it to a blend such as a body spray or roll-on. Creating a blend with the oils that you like or just using a single essential oil, can help with emotional and mental connections we may have to weight issues, such as fear, anxiety, depression, grief and anger, regardless of overweight or underweight. Many times, weight issues are a result of something emotional that is going on, hence the term emotional eating. Some oils that are beneficial for eating addictions are bergamot and clary sage. You can smell the oil, diffuse it or make a roll-on.

Essential oils such as frankincense and myrrh can also help one connect spiritually but again, so will the oils that you like. You may like an oil one day and not the next and that’s okay because we are constantly changing and exposed to different situations so of course our emotions and needs are going to change.

On a physical level, there are oils that can help with the appearance of cellulite such as pink grapefruit, patchouli or the Nature’s Sunshine blend Cellutone. These oils may help to move a stagnant lymphatic system by breaking down toxins and assisting in stimulating circulation. Fat is just trapped toxins that need to be broken down so we can flush them out effectively. To make a great cellulite buster blend, combine some Nature’s Sunshine Cellutone Essential Oil blend into Nature’s Sunshine Herbal Trim Skin Treatment with some Nature’s Sunshine Detoxification Homeopathic to help enhance the effects for weight loss. Herbal Trim Skin Treatment is also nice to help tone the skin. You can even use it by itself as a moisturizer.

For someone with constipation, patchouli is a great oil as it helps one to let go – physically and emotionally. Many times if the bowels get moving, so does the weight. Again, smelling, diffusing, applying a roll-on blend topically to the abdomen area can help.

To help someone fight sugar cravings, pink grapefruit with a hint of cinnamon may be beneficial. To curb appetite, smell any of the culinary essential oils such as thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, grapefruit and so forth. You want to smell one oil at a time, by taking one oil and drafting it 6-8 times per nostril. This satiates the taste buds and satisfies your cravings.

Scentful regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Hochell, Holistic Aromatherapist
NAHA Regional Director
JennScents Aromatherapy
Clermont Herb Shoppe & Day Spa
702 West Montrose Street
Clermont, FL 34711
352.243.9627 (aroma bar)
352.243.3588 (herb shop)

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