Few aromas are more enticing than those produced by freshly brewed herbal teas. Herbal teas used in aromatherapy contain hundreds of active ingredients. They are so powerful that just breathing in their aromas can have a huge impact on your physical and emotional health.
Herbs contain concentrated oils called essential oils. When you make a cup of tea, some of it rises in the steam. As you breathe in the vapor, the individual scent molecules enter special “docks” or receptors on cells throughout your body. This triggers many changes that can benefit your health. The scent of lavender tea, for example, slows down nerve impulses, promoting relaxation. Aromatherapists often use concentrated oils stored in tightly sealed vials. These oils are very effective, but they can also be expensive. Aromatherapy teas, on the other hand, are perfectly safe to use at home and can have some impressive benefits.
Approximately 40 different herbs are used in aromatherapy, either alone or in combination. Aromatherapists often place essential oils in special nasal sprays or inhalers. However, home aromatherapy teas can be just as effective and are prepared in the same way as other herbal teas. For 1 cup of boiling water more than 1 to 2 tsp. dry or fresh herb. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes, lean over the cup and take a deep breath, letting the steam into your mouth and nose. The most popular aromatherapy teas have pleasant flavors and important healing benefits. These include:
chamomile. – With its delicate apple flavor and aroma, chamomile is among the most popular herbal teas. Contains oils that have a sedative effect on the central nervous system. It is often used to relieve stress and anxiety, as well as insomnia. It also helps digestion.
Jasmine. – This fragrant tea has the opposite effect of chamomile. It increases brain waves called beta waves, which are associated with alertness. When you feel tired or moody, inhale jasmine tea to perk up.
Eucalyptus. – This is a very popular tea for treating cold and flu symptoms. It contains a chemical called eucalyptol, which helps reduce inflammation in the airways. It also loosens mucus in the chest and sinuses, which relieves congestion and makes it easier to breathe.
rosemary and sage. – Each of these strong-smelling herbs is reputed to improve memory and stimulate the senses. Rosemary tea is often used for depression. Sage has historically been used to ease complaints as well as for a mild case of sadness. It is also a “cooling” herb, which can help relieve hot flashes.
thyme. – This herb belongs in both the medicine cabinet and the spice cabinet. It contains two oils, thymol and carvacol, which help relax the muscles of the stomach and intestine. Thyme can be helpful when you are experiencing gas, cramps, or other digestive discomfort and can relieve cough and congestion.
Teas are not the only way to get the full benefits of aromatherapy herbs. For example:
- Add one to two drops of essential oil to boiling water. Let the steam fill the air.
- Put fresh or dried herbs in the bath water.
- Put a drop of oil in a spray bottle, dilute it with a little water and spray it into the air around it.
- Dilute one drop of essential oil with 1 oz. vegetable oil and apply it to the pulse points of your wrists.
Note that it is fine to use herbal extracts when making aromatherapy teas. Just be sure not to confuse extracts with essential oils, they are quite different. Herbal extracts are made for internal use and many people find them more convenient than dried herbs for making tea. Essential oils, on the other hand, are only intended for external use and can be toxic if taken internally.