As we’re nearing Christmas and all the Holiday goodies are making their appearance, you’ll start to notice a lot more essential oil based products that smell reminiscent of Christmas. (We have some candles and essential oil blends that fit this category too. 😉 ) While these products are blended to smell a certain way, rather than for specific health benefits, they can still work wonders for your health! Seeing as a very common essential oil in most of these Holiday scents is Pine essential oil, we will focus on that to give you a better understanding of some of the amazing health benefits that some of these quintessential Christmas blends have.
There are several species of Pine essential oil available, but for today we will focus on Pinus sylvestris. This particular oil has a sweet, fresh pine scent to it and is steam distilled from the needles, young branches and cones of the Pine tree.
The Pine tree is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 40 meters tall. The bark tends to be a reddish brown, the green-gray colored needle-like leaves grow in pairs, and the brown cones are pointed.
Pine was used by Native Americans to prevent scurvy, and beds were stuffed with the needles to prevent fleas and lice. Nowadays, it is extensively cultivated for it’s wood, turpentine and essential oil.
Pine was initially investigated by Hippocrates for it’s possible benefits to the respiratory system. This essential oil is most useful in helping to relive mental and physical fatigue, as well as being great diffused when sick- especially with a respiratory infection.
Precautions: There are no known precautions, although Pine essential oil can be irritating if it has oxidized, or if too large an amount is used.
This essential oil isn’t only useful when dealing with just about all respiratory infections, but it is always rather wonderful when trying to heal cuts and sores. Beyond that, it is a rather common essential oil to use by those suffering from rheumatism, arthritis, gout and general muscular aches and pains as it acts as a gentle analgesic when applied topically (diluted of course!).
As with a lot of woodsy essential oils, Pine is no exception when it comes to aiding the mind. Pinus sylvestris can work wonders when dealing with mental and physical fatigue as well as nervous exhaustion, and severe psychological stress, and a lot of people find it’s scent to be very soothing and uplifting.
So you can see, while you will quite often find Pine essential oil in a lot of Holiday blends, it can do a lot more for you than just bring you back to all those childhood Christmas memories.
Until next time!
*Please note that all essential oils are extremely potent and need to be respected. Always make sure you dilute the oils you use. You also don’t need a lot of the oil to reap it’s benefits and it’s always wise to err on the side of caution, especially when using oils on or around small children, elderly or people with underlying health conditions. When in doubt, always consult a Certified Aromatherapist before use.*