Asthma Care - Aromatherapy

Asthma is not the simple one stop disease people think it is. It is a complex and widely varying range of problems effecting breathing. In my own case it came on out of the blue in my second pregnancy (hormone related) and has remained ever since. Extreme cold now makes me particularly ill (I can’t stand and watch my 6 year old play football on a freezing day)

Negative stress has a massive impact and at worse I can’t breathe or speak, at best I just feel dizzy and disorientated and totally lacking in mental focus. Positive stress e.g. the overwhelming fear before speaking at a big event or on the radio in contrast has no effect.

My little girl has asthma which is allergy related and linked to the pollen count. Our causes are different but the results are the same – a debilitating illness.

In aromatherapy we treat asthma by relaxing the mind and body (Bergamot, Lavender, Palmer’s, Geranium and Cedarwood are all good choices (many of these suggestions are in my bath & shower gel recipes).

Frankincense is another particularly good oil, traditionally used in church because it is so effective at putting people into a relaxed and meditative state. Frankincense slows and deepens the breathing and it can also interrupt “mental chatter”; the repetitive thoughts of worry and anxiety. On its own it is not an attractive or commercial scent, so I recommend mixing it with Palma Rosa (again good for anxiety) or, if the condition is getting the person down I finish with a few drops of Orange Sweet or Green Mandarin to lift the spirits (symptoms never seem so overwhelming when you’re feeling a bit more cheerful).

I recommend a number of ways to use the oils:

• Put three drops of each oil into the bath each night. For people with sensitive skin, mix with milk or vodka before adding as this will help the oils disperse better. Julie suggests running the hot tap first and adding the oils. Close the bedroom door for three minutes to let the steam fill the room, which is an additional help to sufferers. Then add cooler water before bathing, and inhale the healing aromas.
• Add two drops of Frankincense and one of Palma Rosa into a fragrance free shampoo or shower gel. (Ideally bathe rather than shower, since the stimulating effect of a shower can actually aggravate anxiety).
• Use one of Potions & Possibilities’ Lavender Body Sprays and add 12 drops of Frankincense, six of Palma Rosa and six of Orange Sweet. Shake well and spray onto chest and neck as required. N.B. sprays contain grain alcohol, which enables oils to disperse. An alternative would be 80% water, 20% vodka and then the essential oils added.
• Mix oils with a little Almond oil and rub onto the chest area.
• By putting drops of the oils on a tissue or clean handkerchief and placing by a radiator, you can disperse the aromas into the air as an alternative.
• If you dry clothes and bed linen in a tumble dryer, put a few drops of oils on a handkerchief (try Lemongrass and Geranium) then add that to the load. N.B. asthma can be aggravated by grass pollen if laundry is dried outdoors, so Julie chooses to dry all her children’s laundry in the dryer. 
• It’s not widely known but you can wash clothes without washing powder, particularly if you are only “freshening” them. Instead turn the dial to 60 degrees, hot enough to kill house dust mites and other pathogens.

Whilst prescribed medicines are undoubtedly effective, I find that many people are reluctant to become dependent; a situation they feel can limit their body’s own ability to fight the condition. The big advantage of complementary medicine and particularly aromatherapy is that it can be used alongside mainstream medicine with no risks. Essential oils are organic in the sense of the word (animal or plant matter) in this case 100% plant oil so they are ingested comfortably by the body with no side effects. In fact athletes use aromatherapy as in some cases the mainstream steroid drugs would break the rules of competition.

Potions & Possibilities produce the finest therapeutic health and wellbeing products using premium essential oils and 100% gentle ingredients including organic plants, oils and herbal infusions. Our formulations are designed and naturally created to avoid SLS, synthetic parabens and other undesirable chemicals and we do not test on animals. The products, which range from soaps, bath oils and essential oils, to restorative balms and creams including an organic skincare range, are all developed and produced in England by trained and qualified aromatherapist, Julie Foster. We also offer training in beauty and complementary therapies.

Advice courtesy of aromatherapist, Julie Foster, of Potions & Possibilities