Friday 19 August 2011

Green Pharmacy Remedy

An aromatherapy oil for Insomnia.

Per 10ml of base oil – Almond Oil (however, other oils may be used, such as Grapeseed or Hemp).

2 drops of Neroli Essential Oil
2 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
2 drops of Basil Essential Oil

Ingredients:
-          A base oil of your choosing i.e. Almond Oil
-          Lavender flowers attached to stem and leaves (they must fill the storage jar – not too tightly packed)
-          A wide-mouth jar such as a mason jar
-          A wooden mallet or similar
-          A zipping plastic bag
-          Some muslin for filtering
-          Dark-coloured storage bottle

Method:

Firstly, you need to make the essential oils – if you so choose to do so. For this remedy, I will be making the essential oil for Lavender only – picked and grown in my own Nursery Herb Bed.

1.       Dried Lavender can also be used, however fresh will give more potent results. For a week collect fresh Lavender, as this will give a good range.
2.       Put the collected Lavender into the plastic bag, expelling as much air as possible and seal. Bruise the Lavender with the wooden mallet – ensuring you do not pulp the flowers, just lightly damage them – hit the bag about a dozen times lightly.
3.       Transfer the Lavender into the storage jar, and pour on the base oil of your choosing until it just covers the material. Seal the jar.
4.       Leave to stand in a warm window sill for a minimum of a week. If done in summer, avoid allowing the oil to get too warm as this could damage the oils.
5.       After the allotted time period, filter the mixture through the muslin – ensuring you squeeze the plant material to remove as much oil as possible.
6.       Return your oil to a storage bottle and keep in a cool, dark place. Dark-coloured bottles are ideal for storage. This oil should keep for up to a year.

My Lavender in Almond Oil
You can use the same procedure for Basil, noting that Basil bruises very easily and so caution must be used during the mallet stage. Neroli – a blossom of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium var. amara or Bigaradia, is very delicate and caution should be taken on handling the botanical at all times. For ease however, buying a pre-prepared essential oil is considerably easier.

Making the aromatherapy oil itself is a very simple process of combining the oils. Per 10 ml of your chosen base oil, you should add 2 drops of Neroli, 2 drops of Basil and 2 drops of Lavender essential oils.

This oil can be used as a fragrance i.e. in an oil burner - combined with water obviously, or it can be used directly on the skin i.e. the temples and throat - avoiding sensitive areas on the face.

This remedy will aid those who suffer from Insomnia.

Neroli, when used in aromatherapy or massage oils, is considered to have a soothing effect on the nervous system. Traditionally, Neroli Oil was used not only to relieve tension and anxiety, but also to increase circulation.


Lavender is an anti-depressive, carminative and a sedative. Recent clinical studies investigated anciolytic effects and influence on sleep quality. Lavender oil with a high percentage of linalool and linalyl acetate, in form of capsules, was generally well tolerated. It showed meaningful efficacy in alleviating anxiety and related sleep disturbances.


Basil is also an anti-depressive, carminative, and a mild sedative. However, the human effects are currently unpublished.


References:

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