Aromatherapy for Men Introduction ------------ I heard the term aromatherapy years ago. I was curious but did not pay much attention to it. Having not read, heard, or know of anyone practicing it I simply formed the idea in my mind that it involves inhaling or being surrounded by sweet fragrances and its primary use is in helping reduce stress. Towards the end of 1997 I happened upon a message on the existence of an aromatherapy list. I could see no harm in subscribing so I found myself in aromatherapy@idma.com. Little did I know how it has and is changing my life. After being on the list for a few weeks, and being mystified and overwhelmed by the language, I found that many people talked about oils and blends and eos. The feeling is similar to being in a foreign country where I see people having very involved and passionate conversations but I have no idea what they are talking about. But even from the lifelessness of the computer screen I felt the aura of several individuals. I've never seen any mail before addressed to "Dear Gentlepeople" and ending with "Stay warm" or "Namaste". I must learn more about this lingo. Browsing some of the web sites that people attach in their signatures, I began to discover more about essential oils. I found that lavender is a must have. I also found that people make synergistic blends for all sorts of uses. One day walking in a local health food store I passed a counter with several dozens of little bottles with names that I recognize people discussing -- lavender, tangerine, ylang ylang. I must have passed this area hundreds of times before but never stopped and looked. I was very happy I found the essential oils. I had high anticipation when I started sniffing the bottles. But soon felt disappointed. Many smelled pungent or acrid or mediciny. I was expecting sweet aromas of perfumes and colognes and none of them are like that. I was depressed. There were also several brands with great range in prices and I really don't know what I should buy. Then I read that we are conditioned for years by artificial fragrances that the aromas of the real oils can be a culture shock. It was shocking but not enough to put me off. Perhaps there are some vibes in the oils calling me back :-) Further email exchanges with a few listmembers convinced me I should buy from people on the list. I also learned that there are things called salt scrubs. My youngest daughter has some callouses and corns on her toes due to using the wrong shoe size for a long time. I felt sorry because I had not paid attention to this before and I was hoping a scrub would help minimize the discomfort or remove the callouses. I bought a wonderful starter kit from an even more wonderful person. It has a number of little bottles of essential oils and some larger bottles of carrier oils. There are also plenty of instructions to help with understanding and get started. So I even have a plan. My initial goals for using aromatherapy includes stress reduction, taking care of my daughter's feet, and perhaps blending some oils together to create a fragrance for the house, for various moods. About this time I also bought Valerie Worwood's book, The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, since I read that is one of the books to get. For beginners anyway. And did I learn! It's easy to read for someone starting out on the aromatherapy path. Since then I've seen people mentioning that there are a number of errors in the book but it's still useful for general reference. Aromatherapy uses for men ------------------------- There are literally hundreds of ways we can use aromatherapy ranging from physical to emotional to spiritual but here we will describe some specific areas of usage that may be of interest to men. 1. Injuries - sports related, sprains, muscles, etc. Whether one is doing competitive sports, a leisurely jog, or the weekend warrior working on cars, home improvements, or yard work, it is easy to overstrain muscles if these activities are not our usual everyday routines. This is particularly true after a winter hiatus when many of us are eager to go out and start our exercise routine or garden. Sore muscles can be effectively treated by softly massaging with a blend of 5 drops each of eucalyptus, peppermint, and ginger in one tablespoon of carrier oil. I kind of like the spicy nutty flavor of ginger so sometimes I use 8 drops. Treatment of sprains, torn ligaments, knee and related injuries: Swollen and bruised ankles, knees, and such can be helped with everlasting or immortelle oil (Helichrysum italicum. Help me out here. This is also called Helichrysum angustifolium). Here's one suggested treatment. Use helichrysum neat first time. Then use it in a compress twice a day followed by a 5% concentration in grapeseed oil. The swelling and pain should gradually go away. 2. Stress reduction - calmness and tranquility Work, school, relationships, or different phases of the moon can sometimes bring down the hairiest of man. When that happens, one may turn to one's faith, the bottle (not recommended), howling at the moon, or friends and family to work things out. I imagine this is probably one of the bigger uses of aromatherapy. Here are some suggested uses: soothing baths massages blends for sniffing One suggested blend to help calm the nerves and lift the spirit is clary sage (Salvia sclerea) 8 drops bergamot (Citrus bergamia) 3 drops geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) 2 drops Either use that in a diffuser or blend in one tablespoon of base oil and rub under the nose or massage into the skin. I did notice an interesting side effect from this blend. After handling it or leaving it on a tissue, I detected a nice woodsy type afterscent, something I would like in a cologne. However, seeing that all three oils are from flowers and a fruit, I fail to see how a woodsy scent can develop. Perhaps this is one reason why a blend is called synergistic. Sometimes when stress is not controlled it can lead to more serious problems such as aggressive behavior and depression. Sherill, Susan, do you think we should touch on this? 3. Ailments It appears men have a greater tendency to take pains and other physical problems in stride, thinking they will just pass or just by taking a couple of pills. So they ended up seeing the doctor only as a last resort and sometimes too late. For any medical situations, such as heart conditions, unusual inflammations or discharges, or any conditions that seem to "pop" out of nowhere, one should go seek the advice of a doctor. Someone once complained of indigestion during a picnic and everyone thought he just ate too much and had heartburn. He had a heart attack and ended up with a quadruple bypass. He was 37. What follows are a few common ailments afflicting men and their suggested treatments. liver spots: Due to repeated exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet rays) or just the result of natural aging, the skin may brown patches commonly called liver spots. Certainly if the person is a sun worshipper he should go consult a doctor to be sure its not melanoma. There is usually no way of reversing this natural aging. However some essential oils can help stop, or at least slow down the effect. In some cases they will even reverse the effect, but as with all essential oil treatments they are not miracle cures. One suggested blend is: Eucalyptus Lemon (Eucalyptus citriodora) 5 drops Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) 5 drops Carrot seed (Daccus carota) 5 drops Chamomile Roman (Anthemis nobilis) 5 drops this is diluted to 5% in a carrier oil of 50% apricot kernel and 50% borage seed. (20 ml total) testicular cancer: This is a highly treatable problem if detected early. Men should do a monthly self examination to check for any hardness or irregular lumps. He can also do the test with a partner, where he would examine her for breast and she would examine him for testicular lumps. That would be a mutual loving and healthful gesture. Aromatherapy will not cure a malignant tumor. However, you can help strengthen your immune system with certain oils. Lemon, clove, and cistus have immune system boosting properties. athlete's foot: I'm not an athlete so I don't have this condition. But seriously, this is caused by over-sweating of the feet providing a nice home for fungi. This treatment is from Worwood's book. Baking powder 1 tablespoon Sage (Salvia officinalis) 2 drops Tea Tree (Melaluca alternifolia) 2 drops Mix everything in a plastic bag well and use it to dust feet once a day. You can also put a pinch in each shoe overnight to rid it of odor and bacteria. Keep the feet dry. It's also a good idea to alternate shoes, in other words, do not wear the same pair every day. impotence: Eat lots of oysters, 4. Personal hygiene - hair (or lack thereof), beard, shaves, colognes Contrary to popular legend, men do like to take baths, play with rubber duckies, and smell good. It's hard to beat a nice, long, soaking bath with some aromatic salts and soothing music. Greg Agee provided this recipe for a nice bubbly bath. (Sherill, Susan, if you have a better idea or chose a different recipe, go ahead. This is just one of a couple that I happen to have saved.) 1 1/2 cups Safflower or Almond oil 1/2 cup glycerin 1 cup Ivory Soap 1/4 oz Lavender 1/4 cup Honey Mix together all ingredients and pour into a clean bottle with a lid or stopper. To use: Shake Well and pour 1/4 cup into bath under running water. While some people fret over a receding hairline, others feel it makes them look more mature and sophisticated. Some women think it looks sexy. Other than hereditary contributions, there are oils that encourage or maintain the growth and health of hair follicles. This treatment is taken from Ms. Worwood's book. rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) 3 drops geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) 4 drops lavender (Lavendula officinalis) 5 drops cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) 4 drops juniper (Juniperus communis) 2 drops cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) 2 drops Every night mix 1 drop of this blend with 1/4 teaspoon of water and rub into scalp. Use a hypo-allergenic (detergent free) shampoo in the morning. The hardest part of this is probably being patient and keeping to the routine because this must be kept up for 4 months to be effective. Acknowledgements ---------------- We wish to thank the following people for their kind contributions and suggestions to this information. Greg Agee Marcia Elston Ian Hunter Mynou de Mey Judy Nelson Patricia J.Touchette Disclaimer ---------- We are not medical doctors and are not responsible for any effect or lack thereof from the techniques suggested above. They are not intended to be prescriptions. Use your senses, intuition, and consult a certified aromatherapist, a naturopathic or allopathic doctor for further advice.