Essential oils are a luxurious way to be kind and nurturing to yourself, and have the added bonus of assisting with certain health conditions. They vary in quality, but for external use, most readily available brands will be adequate. They are also a relatively inexpensive way to soothe some of your digestive woes. Here’s a list of some of my favourite oils for digestive health and how to use them.
Fennel oil
With its warm aniseed smell, I like to dilute 3 drops in a tablespoon of carrier oil (such as apricot, almond, macadamia, olive or sesame oil) and rub directly into my tummy for bloating and flatulence. I swear that the smell alone causes my tummy to instantly relax. I massage in a clockwise direction, beginning with large circles and gradually moving in to the centre. Fennel has been traditionally used for abdominal cramping, upset stomach, a feeling of fullness, flatulence, inflammation, loss of appetite, and other general digestive disorders.
Peppermint oil
With its fresh uplifting smell, peppermint feels cooling to the tummy when used as above, and again, it is a great one for flatulence and bloating. Peppermint oil has been used externally for nerve and muscle pain, and its digestive soothing power has been harnessed to relax tummy spasm, whilst at the same time relieving sleepiness and soothing frayed nerves. Splash a couple of drops onto the shower floor for a refreshing ‘pick-me-up’ in the morning. Just turn on the shower and experience the healing aroma.
Chamomile oil
Chamomile oil is a real treat, and although slightly more expensive than the previous two, it is well worth getting. Either Roman or German chamomile is good.Often they are sold diluted in carrier oil (check the fine print on the label). This is fine, though, as the oil is still potent. I enjoy burning a few drops in an oil burner for its relaxing sweet smell. It calms me instantly.
What is less known about chamomile is its effect on digestion. This wonderful herb and its oil have been used to ease digestive conditions such as bloating, intestinal spasm, constipation, inflammation, liver problems, nausea and nervous stomach. One of my favourite things to do with chamomile is to fill a warm bath and add several drops of chamomile oil and four good quality chamomile tea bags to the water, then lay back and relax with some candles burning. A chamomile bath may also help with inflammatory skin conditions as well.
Ginger oil
Ginger is traditionally used as a digestive aid and it’s great to have a ginger tea when experiencing digestive upset. I also like to burn ginger and grapefruit oil together in a burner when I want a warm cleansing ‘pick-me-up’ and I also like to use it topically- dilute 3 drops of ginger oil to one tablespoon of carrier oil and rub into the tummy.
References available on request