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Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop

Relieve Stress and Uplift Spirits with Aromatherapy

By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple

As a working mother, I usually spend my rare moments of downtime daydreaming about what I’m going to do when I find myself blissfully alone. These fantasies often involve hopping on an airplane bound for tropical locales or the more realistic but equally enticing dream of taking a hot bath in a quiet room. The water is steaming hot, it’s pin-drop silent and a soothing fragrance wraps itself around me. For 20 or 30 minutes -- 45 if I’m lucky -- I’m in a fancy spa without a care in the world. The secret to this transporting experience: a few drops of lavender essential oil, tipped strategically into my bathwater.

Essential oils, concentrated liquids that contain volatile aroma compounds of plants, are my instant escape hatch. Aromatherapy is the use of essential plant oils to enhance emotional and physical wellbeing. Whether added to a bath, placed in a diffuser or simply rubbed into my palms and inhaled, aromatherapy is a simple way to alleviate my stress, cheer me up after a particularly rough day or energize me when my second wind has yet to show up. Aromatherapy has also been used to treat depression, anxiety, anger and general moodiness and irritability.

There are hundreds of essential oils to choose from -- think of how many plants there are on Earth! -- and many different methods of transporting their healing properties. You can create a spa-worthy bath by placing a few drops of your favorite oil into warm water. Or make a batch of stimulating -- or relaxing -- massage oil by mixing essential oils into a “carrier oil,” such as sweet almond oil. You can also keep your bathroom or car fresh with an essential oil diffuser (car diffusers plug into any dashboard outlet).

To revive sagging spirits or reboot concentration, try using stimulating oils like bergamot, lemongrass, rosemary and peppermint. To calm and relax your mind and body, turn to soothing oils like lavender, chamomile and sandalwood. Whichever you choose, a fantasy experience awaits.

Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. She is the managing editor of and frequent contributor to Green Goes Simple.

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	<h2>Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop</h2>
<h1>Relieve Stress and Uplift Spirits with Aromatherapy</h1>

<p>By Marisa Belger  for <em><a href="http://www.greengoessimple.com">Green Goes Simple</a></em></p>

<img src="http://www.greengoessimple.com/partner/content/ecochicmommyftp/archive/2010-08-30/feature/aromatherapy/images/large.jpg" width="202" height="138" alt=""/>	<p>As a working mother, I usually spend my rare moments of downtime
daydreaming about what I’m going to do when I find myself blissfully
alone. These fantasies often involve hopping on an airplane bound for
tropical locales or the more realistic but equally enticing dream of
taking a hot bath in a quiet room. The water is steaming hot, it’s
pin-drop silent and a soothing fragrance wraps itself around me. For 20
or 30 minutes -- 45 if I’m lucky -- I’m in a fancy spa without a care in
 the world. The secret to this transporting experience: a few drops of
lavender essential oil, tipped strategically into my bathwater.</p>

<p>Essential oils, concentrated liquids that contain volatile aroma
compounds of plants, are my instant escape hatch. Aromatherapy is the
use of essential plant oils to enhance emotional and physical wellbeing.
 Whether added to a bath, placed in a diffuser or simply rubbed into my
palms and inhaled, aromatherapy is a simple way to alleviate my stress,
cheer me up after a particularly rough day or energize me when my second
 wind has yet to show up. Aromatherapy has also been used to treat
depression, anxiety, anger and general moodiness and irritability.</p>

<p>There are hundreds of essential oils to choose from -- think of how
many plants there are on Earth! -- and many different methods of
transporting their healing properties. You can create a spa-worthy bath
by placing a few drops of your favorite oil into warm water. Or make a
batch of stimulating -- or relaxing -- massage oil by mixing essential
oils into a “carrier oil,” such as sweet almond oil. You can also keep
your bathroom or car fresh with an essential oil diffuser (car diffusers
 plug into any dashboard outlet).</p>

<p>To revive sagging spirits or reboot concentration, try using
stimulating oils like bergamot, lemongrass, rosemary and peppermint. To
calm and relax your mind and body, turn to soothing oils like lavender,
chamomile and sandalwood. Whichever you choose, a fantasy experience
awaits. <br /></p>
				<p><em><strong>Marisa Belger</strong><em>’s work has appeared in</em> Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention <em>and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books,</em> The Lazy Environmentalist <em>and</em> The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. She is the managing editor of and frequent contributor to <a href="http://www.greengoessimple.com">Green Goes Simple</a>.</em></em></p>
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