Herbalism is a craft that is a form of art where one creates healing with medicinal herbs while embracing peace, love, compassion, kindness, and gentleness to all creatures and the environment.
Belle Gibbons
Recent studies have found the extract of holy basil significantly increases immune response and was beneficial in treating recurrent respiratory tract infection. In an uncontrolled trial holy basil extract relieved breathlessness and helped vital capacity in TPE (tropical pulmonary eosinophilia).
Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum also known as Ocimum sanctum), is an aromatic herb containing a characteristic essential oil.
In Hindu culture it’s regarded as a sacred plant and belongs to the same family as sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). There are several species of basil that are regarded as the most sacred of plants in the Hindu religion but Ocimum tenuiflorum is probably considered the most sacred, which has given rise to its English common names, holy basil and sacred basil.
Australian Aboriginals use the herb as a mild tonic and to treat colds while in Ayurvedic traditional medicine the highly regarded aerial parts of the plant are used dried or fresh to treat bronchitis, chronic fever, liver and gastric problems, catarrh, malaria, blood impurities, haemorrhage, and skin diseases. In Vietnam the herb has been used traditionally to treat headache, influenza, the common cold and many other conditions. Traditional Fijian and Thai medicine also uses holy basil to improve circulation and to treat peptic ulcer, and stress.
A good expectorant is made by combining holy basil fresh leaves with honey and ginger juice. It’s very beneficial for childhood fever, bronchitis, and coughs. Various cultures often eat fresh leaves daily to help maintain good health.
Do you know that Clary Sage essential oil has a particular affinity for the female cycle? Its scent, said to be the most euphoric of all essential oils, gives it calming and soothing qualities that relieve painful periods, premenstrual tension, and abdominal cramps. Other female problems it treats are irregular and absent menstruation.
This delightful oil, distilled from the flowers of the European herb, Salvia sclarea, has a sharp, nutty herbal uplifting aroma that makes it very useful for treating the mind and emotions. It promotes communication; helps with frigidity, depression, and stress-related problems. In fact, it helps to uplift the most despondent person and release depressed thoughts.
It soothes and eases tension in troubled times and is relaxing when faced with apprehension.
In skin care, Clary sage is helpful as an anti-wrinkle application, especially for older skins; promotes cell regeneration, and regulates sebum production providing treatment for premenstrual facial blemishes.
Use this essential oil as a massage blend, a vapourisation, therapeutic bath, diluted for direct application such as rubbing in to the temples to ease headache, and as a facial oil.
Warning: Do not use during pregnancy or combined with alcohol. It may cause drowsiness so do not use before driving. Always follow the directions on the label.
This is a delightful essential oil that helps to calm and sooth the mind and body and ease irritability.
As a massage blend it’s very useful for balancing the female reproductive organs helping to regulate menstruation, ease premenstrual tension, and relieve painful menstruation.
Because Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) essential oil is anti-inflammatory it can be used in a massage oil blend to treat skin allergies such as eczema and to relieve skin irritations. It’s also deodorizing and helps to lighten fair hair.
Make a massage oil blend and rub in to the neck and shoulders to help relieve insomnia, migraine headache, stress and tension. It can also be massaged in to any part of the body to help relieve aches and pains and over the abdomen in a clockwise direction to help ease the discomfort of indigestion.
Add a few drops to a child’s bath to help relieve upset tummies, teething, and fretful moments.
Other conditions that benefit from applications of a massage oil blend made with this essential oil are flatulence, rheumatism, and gout.
Warning: Use with care if suffering from low blood pressure.
Highly valued since ancient times, Cedarwood essential oil has calming, astringent and drying actions that make it useful for the treatment of many conditions and beneficial for skin care.
In ancient Egypt beauticians valued this oil for its preserving qualities so it comes as no surprise that it’s still used today for regenerating and preserving the skin as well as restoring hair.
Derived from two species, Juniperus virginiana and Cedrus atlantica, genuine Cedarwood essenital oil has the aroma of a freshly cut tree that gives a delightful restful effect of being in a forest. Its relaxing and regenerating properties help to release long-term anxiety and reduce stress.
Conditions this remarkable oil benefits include hair loss when combined with rosemary, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and dandruff as well as those that affect the respiratory system such as catarrh, bronchitis, mucous congestion, and sinusitis. It’s also an excellent deodorizer, which makes it ideal for foot baths.
Other uses for Cedarwood essential oil include direct application to help oily skin and heal shaving nicks; diluted it can be used to treat pimples and acne as well as part of a blend for skin and facial applications. After washing hair add a couple of drops of the oil to the final rinse water to treat dandruff, seborrhoea and maintain a healthy scalp. For respiratory problems and to calm tension and stress use the oil in a vapouriser, a therapeutic bath or as a steam inhalation. Its refreshing woody aroma makes it a popular ingredient in men’s toiletries.
If you suffer from nervous tension, anxiety or depression then you will find the uplifting qualities of Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oil very beneficial. This oil, popularised in Italian medicine folklore, is made by pressing the fresh peel of a fruit that resembles a miniature orange first grown in Bergamot, a small village in northern Italy.
As its botanical name suggests, Bergamot essential oil is light with a delightful floral and citrus aroma and yellow-green colour. It has astringent and antiviral actions that give it many uses.
Conditions that this oil treats includes those mentioned above as well as stressful states, adult colic, anorexia nervosa, dermatitis, intestinal parasites, eczema, dermatitis, sores, and wounds. It relieves cramps, premenstrual tension and symptoms; symptoms of acne and cold sores and is helpful for post-natal stress. Use it to heal oily skin and skin conditions of nervous origin; diluted in water it can be rinsed in the mouth to help with bad breath and relieve the discomfort of mouth ulcers. It’s also highly antiseptic and cleansing.
Warnings: Do not use for Berloque dermatitis or externally when exposed to ultra-violet light. It may increase skin photo sensitivity and be irritating to sensitive skin. Do not use before exposure to sun.
Use only as directed and seek advice from your health care professional if symptoms persist.
Not only one of the best essential oils for relieving mental fatigue basil (Ocimum basilicum) also has a wonderfully clarifying effect on the brain helping to focus thoughts and promote clear thinking. Other benefits of this uplifting oil include adding it to a vapouriser to help with decision making and improve concentration. It can also be used as an all-round nerve remedy and is very effective when applied as a compress to help relieve migraines.
Use basil essential oil for all manner of respiratory ailments by adding it to a vaporiser, as an inhalant or as a chest rub. This oil can also assist digestion, induce menstruation, and be used as an anti-spasmodic. Other conditions it treats are indigestion, whooping cough, colic, and scanty menstruation. Basil oil can also be used on wasp stings, as a mosquito repellent, and to add shine to hair.
For massage blends use 5 drops of essential oil to every 10ml carrier oil. To use in a vapouriser add 6 to 8 drops to the water, and for inhalation add 3 to 4 drops to a bowl of near boiling water or 1 to 2 drops on to a handkerchief.
Warning: Don’t use this oil for massage during the first three months of pregnancy.
For most of my life I’ve been involved in herbalism both professionally and in my daily life. To me herbalism – whether practiced by a home herbalist, professional herbalist or someone who just enjoys herbs – embraces all uses of herbs from adding interest and colour to gardens to healing illness.
One very popular and beneficial way to use herbs is utilizing their essential oils for massage, healing, and to provide a pleasant and aromatic atmosphere in the home. Although the term ‘Aromatherapy’ was not adopted until the twentieth century, the use of essential oils for healing has been known for thousands of years. Around two thousand years ago Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, understood the benefits of aromatic baths and massages for restoring mental and physical health.
Essential oils used in aromatherapy are not only distilled from herbs but also from trees, flowers, and bushes. I frequently use these delightful oils when prescribing treatment for my patients and at times the treatment wouldn’t have been successful without their addition. Balancing mind, body, and spirit is so important for treating all conditions whether the primary concern is physical or mental. All cases must be treated holistically.
Following are some wonderful remedies made with essential oils.
To clean scrapes and cuts add 2 drops each of the essential oils of tea tree, bergamot, and lavender to 90mls of filtered or distilled water.
For minor burns add 10 drops of the essential oil of lavender to 90mls of almond carrier oil.
To ease aches and pains add 20 drops of of lavender, 15 drops of orange, and 10 drops of marjoram to 90mls of olive or sweet almond oil.
Bruises can be treated with 20 drops of lavender, 10 drops of sandalwood and 15 drops of juniper added to sweet almond oil.
To help induce a restful sleep add 2 drops each of lavender, sandalwood, and orange to a warm bath or to 90ml of sweet almond oil to use for a relaxing massage.
Some of my favourite blends include these for babies:
To help heal and prevent nappy rash add 20 drops of lavender to 90mls of olive oil and apply at each nappy change.
For cradle cap blend 20 drops of cedarwood to 90mls olive oil and apply after each bath or whenever baby’s hair is washed. Dry the scalp well before applying.
There are many ways essential oils can be used for treatment in the home so I will add remedies as time goes by.
Essential oils are not only very beneficial for physical problems but also for the mind, emotions, and spirit. To know true health is to have the mind, body, and spirit nicely balanced or in harmony.
There is much focus these days on physical health yet the mind, and especially the emotions or spiritual aspects of our being are generally neglected. If there is a problem it’s usually shut away to be dealt with at a later date or when there is more time. There are some lovely essential oils that work on the emotional and spiritual level, which means any problems can be helped in a pleasurable and time saving way. Following is a list of emotional problems and corresponding essential oils that will help to dispel them.
To use these essential oils for their corresponding emotional problems apply them as a single remedy or a blend in a vaporiser, added to pure water as a room spray, or in a carrier oil for massage. They can also be applied to a tissue or handkerchief and sniffed as often as desired.
For massage oils always use the ratio of 5 drops of essential oil to 10 ml carrier oil; don’t use them directly on the skin and follow directions on the labels.
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