Weight-loss products are a billion-dollar industry that is always changing and evolving. Step into a bookstore, and you can find just about any kind of diet, from low carb, low-fat, vegetarian, vegan, even diets based on your blood type. But there is a growing interest in using natural health to aid in weight loss. Though herbal supplements are booming, interest is also rising in aromatherapy, and its ability to help you lose those extra pounds.
The key word in that last sentence is “help”. While there are several ways that aromatherapy can aid in your dieting, there is no one miracle aromatherapy product that will magically shed the extra pounds, just like there is no pill or powder that will do that for you, either. It is important to know how aromatherapy works in order to understand why this is so.
Essential oils are the key ingredient to using aromatherapy. They are literally the essential oils derived from plants and sold in concentrated form. Different oils have different uses, for everything from relaxation, concentration, romance and energy. They are generally applied diluted onto the skin (through lotions, massage oils, etc.) or through smell (using a diffuser, candles or the like). Using one or both of these methods can aid you in your dieting quest.
Take, for example, lavender essential oil. Products with lavender in them can help you relax and escape any stress and anxiety that are a part of your daily routine. Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest diet killers. They can both cause you to overeat, drink alcohol, or crave sweets. But putting 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil in a diffuser, buying concentrated lavender candles, or indulging in a bath using lavender fizzies or bath salts, you can curb some of that stress, and fend off any tendencies to eat or drink the wrong things. Not only does this help physically by keeping you on your diet, but relaxing also helps your emotional well-being. If you tire of lavender or just want a variety, jasmine, patchouli and ylang-ylang will also help you calm down before you sabotage your meal plan.
Exercise is a big part of any diet plan. As your doctor will tell you, dieting alone will cause some weight loss, but you can lose much more, and at a more rapid pace, if you incorporate exercise into your plan. However, in today’s fast-paced world, time is often at a premium. If you have a demanding job, children or other obligations, then the problem may be fatigue, as well. Instead of sitting on the sofa wishing you weren’t so tired, reach for a bottle of juniper essential oil! Using it in your diffuser, or even adding a few drops to a pot of boiling water and letting the scent waft through the air can get you going again! The scent of rosemary and rosewood will also uplift your tired senses, making you feel energetic. Slathering lotions or oils infused with ginger or peppermint essential oils will awaken tired limbs. These may give you the extra lift you need to get on the treadmill or hit the weight room. Also, exercising gives you more energy to do any other chores you may have on your schedule. Regular exercise also promotes a more fitful sleep, which gives you more energy the next day. It’s like a never-ending cycle, only a very good one.
Once you have reached your target weight, the next step is to maintain the weight loss, which many find to be harder than shedding the pounds in the first place. The good news is that aromatherapy can help in that, too. To maintain weight, you have to still eat a balanced diet, and still exercise. Repeating the same aromatherapy regimen you employed during your diet will help you keep from derailing off the diet maintenance track. But no matter if you are maintaining or just starting your diet, aromatherapy can be the best dieting partner you will ever have. Good luck with your diet goals!
