How to Use Aromatherapy for Indigestion

Aromatherapy is an alternative health practice that uses highly concentrated essential oils that are extracted from plants and used to stimulate the healing process and to treat symptoms of illness. Indigestion encompasses many related symptoms including flatulence, abdominal pain, poor digestion and heartburn and is best treated with oils that soothe the process of digestion.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Divide the # of ml of carrier oil by 2 to determine the # of drops of essential oil needed for a 2.5% solution. (20 ml divided by 2 = 10 drops of oil)
• Divide the # of ml of carrier oil by 4 to determine the # of drops of essential oil needed to blend a light 1% solution. (20 ml divided by 4 = 5 drops of oil)
• sunflower oil
• soy oil
• sweet almond oil
• grapeseed oil
• apricot oil
• lavender essential oil
• orange essential oil
• peppermint essential oil
• roman chamomile essential oil
• rosemary essential oil

Making the Essential Oil Blend

1. Choose a carrier oil based on your skin type.
2. Measure and pour 20 ml of the carrier oil into a brown or blue glass bottle.
3. Choose an essential oil(s) based on the symptom and the effect you would like to achieve.
4. Determine the # of drops of essential oil needed for your oil blend.
5. Use an eyedropper to add the essential oil (8 to 10 drops) to the carrier oil.
6. Close the lid tightly and gently shake the bottle.
7. Label the bottle with the date, the name of the essential oil, the name of the carrier oil and the dilution.

Essential Oils for Indigestion

8. Blend orange, peppermint and chamomile oils for a general digestive massage blend.
9. Massage your abdomen with a blend of chamomile and lavender for relief of abdominal cramping and gas pains.
10. Inhale the aroma from a drop of peppermint on your handkerchief to help with flatulence.
11. Relieve heartburn as you massage your a abdomen with an orange and/or chamomile oil blend.
12. Treat flatulence, colic and abdominal cramping with a blend of peppermint oil.
13. Use rosemary oil if your upset stomach is accompanied by a headache.

Tips & Warnings

• Always dilute essential oils to a 1% or 2.5% solution.
• Mix essential oils in small amounts (20ml) of carrier oil to prevent waste due to the dramatic decrease in the shelf life of diluted oils.
• 20 ml of blended oil is adequate for a full body aromatherapy massage.
• Thicken your creams and lotions by adding a waxy plant extract called Jojoba.
• Add wheat germ oil to blended oils to prolong the shelf life and to prevent them from becoming rancid.
• Massage your abdomen in the clockwise direction and use a rhythmic pressure to promote peristalsis and digestion.
• Do not massage the abdomen for nausea.
• Avoid the sun and sunlamps for at least 6 hours after using orange oil.
• Avoid peppermint oil if you are under homeopathic treatment.
• Avoid rosemary oil if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or epilepsy.
• Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin.
• Use a 1% dilution for children, pregnant women and for anyone with sensitive skin.
• Consult your physician and an aromatherapist prior to using essential oils if you are pregnant.
• Check each essential oil for specific contraindications and precautions prior to using them, ie. oils that are stimulants should be avoided if you have a seizure disorder or high blood pressure.
• Keep essential oils away from heat and open flames.