Wound Healing and Essential Oils

I think it is important to be prepared for emergencies so I keep essential oils and herbs in my first aid kit. We use both herbs (my husband is a Master Herbalist) and essential oils in our family, but I find it easier to use essential oils in certain situations. Essential oils have traditionally been used to promote healing of wounds. Essential oils that have traditionally been used for wound healing are German chamomile, frankincense, everlasting (Helichrysum), myrrh, lavender, neroli, rose, palmarosa, yarrow and sandalwood.

For wound treatment I would choose oils that are cicatrizant, astringent, and vulnerary. Oils with cicatrizant properties promote the healing of wounds and keep them antiseptic. They will also prevent formation of scar tissue. Some oils are vulnerary and they will also promote the healing of wounds and prevent the wounds from being infected. Oils with styptic actions will stop the local bleeding. Astringent oils will contract tissues in order to make them firmer, denser and decrease discharges.

 Below is a formula  I used  as a compress several years ago to treat a wound. Compresses are very effective and useful in treating a small area. I would have added bergamot to this blend but it is phototoxic and we were out in the sun when I made this compress.

Wound Healing Compress:

• Benzoin resinoid 3 drops - Its styptic property will arrest the bleeding
• Roman Chamomile 3 drops - For disinfecting the wound. Its vulnerary, cicatrizant, and antiseptic properties will promote healing of the wound and prevent scar tissue.
• Purified water 9 oz

Add the water to a bowl and then add the essential oils. soak a soft cloth, gauze or a piece of flannel in the water. Make sure that you wring it out so that it doesn't drip and apply to the injured area. It is preferable to cover the cloth with saran wrap and then a towel to keep the aromas in.  Re-apply the compress once it dries out. Repeat the treatment 15 minutes to one hour. Do this three times a day if needed.

Other oils historically been used for wound healing:
German chamomile, frankincense, everlasting (Helichrysum), myrrh, lavender, neroli, rose, palmarosa, yarrow and sandalwood.

Calendula officinalis has also traditionally been used for the treatment of wound healing. It is generally used as an infused oil.

Other related posts:
Lavender to The Rescue
Make an Antiseptic Vinegar
Essential Oils for First Aid- Protect Your Family
How I Would Deal With A Scorpion Sting

This post is shared on:

Wildcrafting Wednesday

Simple Lives Thursday 

Seasonal Celebration Sunday 

Sunday School 

Fat Tuesday 

Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways 

SImple Living Wednesday 

Healthy 2day Wednesday

Living Well Blog Hop # 32

Welcome to the Living Well blog hop! We’d like to invite you to share a blog post about what you do to Live Well. It could be a healthy recipe, exercise tips, ideas for relaxing, getting organized, lifestyle improvements – anything that you feel makes your life better.

Your Living Well hosts for the week are:

Laurie @ Common Sense Homesteading

Jo @ Jo’s Health Corner

Tina @ Being Made New

Lea @ Nourishing Treasures

Featured Posts from Last Week’s Hop

 My favorite posts from last week's link-up are featured below. If you're featured, feel free to grab the button below.

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Jill from Real Food Forager shared the post, Recipe: Cacao Date Energy Bar (SCD/GAPS). These yummy energy bars are GAPS legal so these are great if you are grain free. I definitely have to make these.

Charise from I thought I knew It Mama shared the post, 5 Natural & Safe Sugar Alternatives for Baking. Stop by and check out some natural and safe sugar alternatives.

The Humble Homemakers shares the post, Adopting a Corn-Free Diet. It can be tricky to avoid corn since so many things has corn in it.

Image by waytru

Living Well Blog Hop guidelines:

•  Please provide a link back to one of the Living Well host blogs in your post. Grab one of the buttons below if you like.
• Please link to a specific post in your blog, not your blog’s home page.
• If you link a recipe, please use real foods and avoid highly processed ingredients. Recipes low in refined sugar/refined carbohydrates are preferred.
• The hosts of the blog hop reserve the right to remove any posts that we deem inappropriate.
•  Please leave a comment below to tell us a little more about your link. You can also add the link to your post.
• Please share this post on twitter, facebook or other social network.

Thanks for joining us in Living Well.

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Getting Started With Essential Oils

It can be confusing when you are new to essential oils. They can be used in many different ways and each essential oil has many therapeutic properties. I put together some links to pages that I think are useful for a beginner.

Safety
Essential oils are safe to use as long as you follow the recommended dosage and research the contraindications before you use them. Some oils are contraindicated in certain conditions and others should not be applied prior to sun exposure. People with allergies should perform a skin patch test. A skin patch test is also recommended for children and when you use oils that may cause skin sensitivity. Pregnant women should consult a health care professional when starting any type of heath program

Essential Oil Safety Post
Before You Start
How to Perform a Skin Patch Test
Is Aromatherapy Safe in Pregnancy?


Administration & Dilution
There are many advantages of using essential oils. One advantage is the many ways essential oils can be administered in. The two most popular methods of administration are topical application and inhalation. When applied topically and inhaled the essential oils are almost immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. Inhaled oils don't have to go through the digestive system to enter the blood stream.

How to Dilute the Essential Oils
Topical Application
Inhaling Essential Oils 
Some Ways to Use Essential Oils
Even More Ways to Use Essential Oils
Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?
Aromatic Compress for Bruising
The French, English, and German Way of Using Essential Oils
The Vita Flex Technique
The Raindrop Technique
My Favorite Diffuser
Benefits of Adding Essential Oils to Massage


Essential Oils for First Aid
It is always best to be prepared before something happens. Essential oils have anti-fungal, anti-viral, antibacterial, pain relieving, and decongestant properties. Some oils have traditionally been used for wound healing and burns as well. For example, Lavender is an excellent oil to keep in your first aid kit. It is a very versatile oil and gentle enough to use neat, or undiluted in children. It is antiseptic and is be helpful in flu, wounds, catarrh, cystitis, colds and coughs.

Lavender to the Rescue
Using Essential Oils on Children-Fever
If I Only Had Three Bottles
Sunburn And Insect Spray
Make an Easy Antiseptic Vinegar


Children
Aromatherapy for Children
Using Essential Oils on Newborn
Using Essential Oils in Infants- 2 - 12 Months
Using Essential Oils On Children- Fever
Using Essential Oils in Infants-Coughs and Colds
Chicken Pox- What to Do Naturally
Using Essential Oils on Infants- Teething
Using Essential Oils on Children- Fungal Infections
Calming an Overactive Child


Immunity, Colds & Flu
Essential Oils for Immunity
Essential Oil Blends that Support the Respiratory and Immune System
Toxic Mold vs. Essential Oils
The Common Cold
Soothing Throat Gargle and Spray
Preparing for Cold and Flu Season
Essential Oils and Bronchitis

These are just some of the pages on my blog to get you started. You can also check out the The Conditions Section  for tips on how to use essential oils for back pain, indigestion, stress, sleep problems, vericose veins, adrenal health, thyroid health, anxiety, various pains, anxiety, asthma and more. The Female Health Section covers topics such as menstrual cramps and essential oils especially for women. The Skin Care Section shares some great advise on how to incorporate essential oils into your skin care regimen.

This post is linked to:
Healthy 2Day Wednesdays
Simple Lives Thursday 
Freaky Friday
Sunday School Blog Carnival
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways

A Simpe But Delicious Salad With a Powerful Dressing

My salads are very simple this time of the year since I slow cook meat, vegetables, herbs and spices so we get a lot of nutrients from the main dish. Since the main dish itself is a powerhouse of nutrients I'm happy to just add a few things to my salad. I love olives so I try to include olives as often as I can. Today before the main course  I just served a simple but delicious salad of greens, onion, goat cheese and olives.

I re-use my old bottles for my dressing.

I can't remember the last time that I bought a salad dressing. This is by far my favorite salad dressing and it is a very powerful dressing. I've learned this recipe from Tracy Holly from the Cory Holly Institute. It is full of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. According to Steven Horne, garlic is probably one of the most valuable natural alternative to antibiotics available. An anti-microbial and pungent compound called allicin is released when the garlic is crushed. Horne says garlic is anti-viral and as such is helpful for colds and congestion. He also says garlic is helpful in combating parasitic and fungal infections. Valnet wrote that lemon is a tonic for supporting the nervous and sympathetic nervous system. Lemon also counteracts the acidity and makes the stomach more alkaline. It also stimulates the action of the white blood corpuscles. It also has a tonic effect on the circulatory system.

Salad dressing ( I always double the recipe)

Mix in a glass jar:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 juice from freshly squeezed lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 cloves of freshly grated garlic

 Put the lid on the glass jar and shake. Taste it and if you want it more tart, add more lemon juice, and if you want it more oily, then add more olive oil. You can switch out the lemon juice with apple cider vinegar or or balsamic vinegar. You can also switch out the olive oil for flax seed oil.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives. 
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

This post is linked to:
Make Your Own Monday Link-Up
Monday Mania
Ruth's Real Food 101 
Fat Tuesday 
Better Mom Mondays Link-Up 
Domestically Divine 
Traditional Tuesday
Healthy 2Day Wednesday 
Real Food Wednesday 
Allergy Free Wednesday 
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways 
Simple Lives Thursday 
Thriving on Thursdays 
Full Plate Thursdays
Freaky Friday
Friday Food
Seasonal Celebrations Sunday
Sunday School Blog Carnival

Living Well Blog Hop # 31

Welcome to the Living Well blog hop! We’d like to invite you to share a blog post about what you do to Live Well. It could be a healthy recipe, exercise tips, ideas for relaxing, getting organized, lifestyle improvements – anything that you feel makes your life better.

Your Living Well hosts for the week are:

Laurie @ Common Sense Homesteading

Jo @ Jo’s Health Corner

Tina @ Being Made New

Lea @ Nourishing Treasures

Featured Posts from Last Week’s Hop

 My favorite posts from last week's link-up are featured below. If you're featured, feel free to grab the button below.

<a href="http://joshealthcorner.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="src="http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/ae314/naturallysports/Living-Well-blog-hop-featur1.jpg"/></a>

My Healthy Green Family shared the post, Plastic, Plastic Everywhere and None Of It Is Safe?, where she discusses the new information that came out about BPA free plastic may not be as safe as originally thought. It is best to stick to glass and stainless steel.

Heather from Heather's Blog-o-Rama shared the post, Dandelion Root Coffee. It's a great post with detailed information about how to make roasted dandelion root coffee.

Photo Credit

Joy from Liberated Kitchen shares the post, Empowering Kids Part 3: Make it Easy.  She shares some wonderful tips on how to empower children on special diets. This is a must read post if your child is on a special diet.

Photo Credit

Living Well Blog Hop guidelines:

•  Please provide a link back to one of the Living Well host blogs in your post. Grab one of the buttons below if you like.
• Please link to a specific post in your blog, not your blog’s home page.
• If you link a recipe, please use real foods and avoid highly processed ingredients. Recipes low in refined sugar/refined carbohydrates are preferred.
• The hosts of the blog hop reserve the right to remove any posts that we deem inappropriate.
•  Please leave a comment below to tell us a little more about your link. You can also add the link to your post.
• Please share this post on twitter, facebook or other social network.

Thanks for joining us in Living Well.

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