For many years now, essential oils, otherwise known as aromatic oils, have been present in various cultures across the world. They were mainly used for healing and other religious purposes. Today, essential oils are becoming increasingly dominant in the treatment of diseases. The healing effects of essential oils are currently used in the regulation of blood pressure. In this article, we particularly focused on 15 useful essential oils for high blood pressure.
The Danger Behind High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is one of the risk factors linked to cardiovascular diseases. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure quietly damages the body even before symptoms start to develop. When uncontrolled, hypertension may give rise to disabilities and even bouts of heart attacks.
Approximately fifty percent of individuals with untreated high blood pressure die due to heart disease associated with insufficient blood flow while thirty percent pass away because of stroke. Lifestyle changes, along with treatments, help manage hypertension to lower the danger of other life-threatening complications.
Top Essential Oils for High Blood Pressure
The growing concern on cases related to high blood pressure has caused aromatherapy experts to seek more ways to treat and prevent hypertension naturally. In this section, we outline some of the best essential oils recognized to manage hypertension effectively.
1. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil comes from the peel of Bergamot. Because of its refreshing scent, bergamot is utilized in cosmetics. Recent studies exposed the medical benefits of this essential oil. For instance, bergamot is found to be an effective remedy for hypertension and increased heart rate.
Bergamot essential oil is recognized for improving mood and reducing anxiety. When you feel under extreme pressure because of an upcoming interview or examination, inhale bergamot for 15 to 60 minutes and you will begin to feel more relaxed. This essential oil has flavonoids that stimulate the production of neurotransmitters including serotonin and dopamine.
A couple of months ago, I handled a major project that required me to spend lots of sleepless nights to meet the deadline. The anxiety encountered due to time pressure triggered my hypertension. Bergamot oil literally became my lifesaver. I used the essential oil as a diffuser and after a while, I felt more in control and concentration was on point.
2. Clary Sage Essential Oil
In a research published in the Alternative and Comprehensive Medicine Journal, clary sage essential oil has been shown to reduce blood pressure level. Thirty-four women participated in the study and each one was undergoing health examinations due to urinary incontinence.
The women were grouped into three. The first group was given clary sage while the second group was provided with lavender oil. The third group served as the control group and the women were given almond oil. The three groups inhaled the oil given to them. The findings showed that clary sage significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure compared to lavender and almonds.
Aside from blood pressure, clary sage also lowers down respiratory rates and reduces stress as well as symptoms related to depression. This essential oil has an antidepressant effect and works wonder in regulating the blood pressure. To use clary sage essential oil, simply inhale the oil for 15 minutes.
3. Rose Essential Oil
Rose essential oil is made through the extracts produced from Rosa Damascena. Through steam distillation, rose oil is manufactured and utilized to treat certain health conditions including anxiety, depression, acne, high blood pressure, and hormonal imbalance.
Because of its anti-inflammatory property, rose oil has the capacity to improve blood circulation, thus making it especially beneficial for reducing hypertension and stabilizing the blood pressure level. The cooling and calming effect of rose essential oil makes it ideal in handling hormonal and emotional problems.
To use rose essential oil, consider massaging the oil to your body. Rose essential oil works best in combination with apricot oil or sweet almond. You may also add bergamot, ylang ylang, or frankincense. Apply the mixture, particularly on the vital points and the heart for a more positive effect.
4. Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil
Sweet marjoram is a herbaceous plant native to Turkey. It is also grown in Southern Europe. Sweet marjoram grows best in lime soils, and has hairy stems with oval-shaped leaves, which are dark green in color, and white flowers in pinkish hue. Sweet marjoram has been reported to bring significant health benefits.
Sweet marjoram essential oil possesses a natural means to combat pain brought about by dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps. It is a powerful antispasmodic that helps with amenorrhea or the absence of menstrual periods. This essential oil also combats constipation and headaches, both may transpire during pregnancy.
Because of the soothing effects of sweet marjoram essential oil, it is recognized to reduce high blood pressure through vasodilation or dilation of the blood vessels. It likewise has a calming impact on the emotions, reducing stress, and soothing the mental aspects. The antispasmodic characteristic of sweet marjoram makes it a potent remedy for hormonal, brain, and digestive disorders, as well as cram relief and muscular ache.
5. Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense possesses a warm, sweet, balsamic scent, that stimulates and elevates the mind. Frankincense essential oil has a powerful calming impact on the body. It is beneficial for visualization, improvement of spiritual connection, as well as centering. Frankincense has comforting qualities that increase concentration and help overcome despair and stress.
In the Middle East, Frankincense is regarded as a holy anointing oil and has been utilized in various religious gatherings for many years now. Recently, frankincense has been utilized in American and European hospitals. The essential oil has a unique ingredient ideal for dry and ageing skin. In fact, ancient Egyptians were fond of using Frankincense as facial masks for rejuvenation purposes.
Frankincense essential oil reduces stress levels and normalizes the heart function. Over time, the body may need an increased amount of drug medications for high blood pressure. On the other hand, frankincense, because of its tonicity, has increasing benefits over time while utilizing the same amount.
6. Jasmine Essential Oil
Jasmine, otherwise known as Jasmine Absolute, is quite expensive and rare compared to other essential oils. It has a sweet, floral aroma, produced through extraction of the petals using hexane or grain alcohol. Such method is typically utilized when the steam distillation process would pose risks on the delicate oils.
Jasmine possesses an exotic, floral, and warm fragrance that soothes, uplifts, relaxes, and improves self-confidence. This essential oil is ideal for the skin and works best in creating balance in the body’s feminine energy. It is this balancing quality that aids in breathing. It alleviates anxiety and depression, which are often the main causes of high blood pressure.
7. Mandarin Essential Oil
Mandarin is a soothing and refreshing essential oil that helps relieve stiffness and muscle cramps. It also enhances liver function, promotes digestion, and relaxes the nervous system, thereby resulting in a calmer state of mind. Mandarin essential oil also works best in limiting the impacts of anxiety and stress.
Mandarin essential oil is highly adaptable and is utilized to manage a broad range of emotional and physical conditions. A small drop of Mandarin can be utilized in massaging the body to get rid of stretch marks, cellulite, as well as fluid retention. To enhance the effectiveness of this oil, you may try mixing it with other essential oils.
8. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang ylang, otherwise referred to as Cananga Odorata, possesses a soft, sweet, and floral scent that gives a romantic feel. In Indonesia, the ylang ylang petals are usually strewn on the marriage bed. This essential oil is considered as one of the most potent remedies for high blood pressure.
Ylang ylang has a calming effect. It triggers that relaxed sensation that releases negative emotions including tension, anger, as well as nervous irritability. For many years now, ylang ylang is used in hair and skin care products. Moreover, this essential oil is effective in slowing down a rapid heart rate, thus improving the mood.
9. Lemon Balm or Melissa Essential Oil
Melissa essential oil has an uplifting and calming impact on the body. This essential oil is made up of antidepressant characteristics, and aids in improving the mood and restoring emotional balance. Melissa essential oil also helps stimulate healthy digestion through the regulation of secretion of various digestive juices as well as bile.
Melissa oil promotes emotional and mental clarity. It has a lemony fragrance that is revitalizing and strengthening, yet calming and relaxing. Traditionally, Melissa oil is used to treat diabetes, insomnia, dementia, herpes, migraines, anxiety, and hypertension. It likewise functions as a tonic for the cardiovascular muscle, which reduces hypertension and provides protection against palpitations, heart attack, and rapid heartbeat.
10. Lavender Essential Oil
The word lavender comes from the latin word lavare, meaning to wash. The pleasant aroma of this essential oil has been utilized in making sweet fragrances. Lavender essential oil has various health benefits including its ability to get rid of nervous tension, disinfect the skin and the scalp, relieve pain, and manage respiratory disorders.
Lavender essential oil is an excellent remedy for hypertension. It helps improve blood circulation in the body. According to research, aromatherapy that uses lavender oil affects the circulation of blood to and from the heart. It reduces blood pressure, promotes health and muscle strength, and increases the oxygenation level. Lavender essential oil brightens the skin and protects the body from the dangers of atherosclerosis and heart attack, which are often linked to poor blood circulation.
11. Valerian Essential Oil
Valerian is a traditional plant which is native to areas of Asia and Europe, though it has also been produced in America. The flower was utilized as a perfume around five centuries ago; however, its therapeutic advantages have likewise been recognized for many years. As a matter of fact, many people refer to valerian as a “heal all”. Moreover, the oil which is obtained out of this wonder plant possesses a large number of applications.
The same proactive substances which make valerian root of great help for anxiety and stress likewise assist the body in managing its blood pressure levels. Hypertension may cause unwanted stress on the heart and boost the possibilities of cerebral vascular accidents and cardiac arrest. Valerian essential oil may naturally minimize these types of problems by means of internal intake.
12. Geranium Essential Oil
Geranium is a traditional plant with tiny pink flowers as well as pointed leaves. The oil is commonly used in aromatherapy and has several useful components.
In aromatherapy, geranium essential oil is utilized to deal with acne, anxiety, sore throats, depressive disorders as well as sleeping disorders. It is loved by women because of its wonderful scent and useful impact on menopause and menstruation.
Due to its tonic quality, it helps to make all the functions and systems operate correctly leading to a boosted energy and performance of the respiratory system, digestive system, nervous, circulatory, as well as excretory systems.
13. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli oil is another essential oil from a citrus fruit. Due to this fact, the majority of its therapeutic properties complement the ones from other citrus oils. Neroli essential oil protects all the areas for health and wellbeing, including having the right metabolic rate, good circulation, as well as a stimulated immune system.
A report distributed in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine examined the impacts of utilizing essential oil inhalation on hypertension and salivary cortisol levels in 83 hypertensive subjects regularly for a twenty four hour period. The group that smelled the essential oil mixture such as Neroli had considerably reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels as compared to the placebo group as well as the control group after treatment.
14. Nutmeg Essential Oil
The nutmeg essential oil was utilized by a number of civilizations: Indians applied it to aid in the treatment of intestinal disorders, while the Egyptians utilized it for embalming the dead. Throughout the Elizabethan age, nutmeg oil was considered to be useful against the epidemic and obtained significant reputation, with a big price.
The health advantages of nutmeg essential oil involve its power to deal with anxiety, soreness, menstrual cramping, cardiovascular problems, stomach upset, hypertension, cough and offensive breath odor. The health advantages of nutmeg essential oil can be linked to its medical properties including its function as a sedative, stimulant, as well as soothing, anti-inflammatory, cleansing, and bactericidal ingredient.
15. Yarrow Essential Oil
Yarrow essential oil is utilized to take care of hypersensitivity and to ease anxiety apart from its a great many other health advantages. It consists of lovely flowers of all types of colors such as white and pink. Yarrow essential oil could be taken out by means of steam distillation, solvent removal as well as supercritical carbon dioxide removal.
People who are afflicted with high blood pressure and under regular risk of cardiac arrest or brain hemorrhage may try this as a risk-free substitute for those manufactured medications that reduce the blood pressure levels. A consistent use in low as well as mild dosages may systematically lower the blood pressure. Nevertheless, this essential oil must not be utilized for a long time.
Essential Oils to Avoid
1. Hyssop Essential Oil
Hyssop is an expensive essential oil that works well in helping to deal with female diseases and to alleviate water retention, while helping the respiratory system eliminate bronchial spasms and mucus. It can likewise be utilized in treating asthma, bronchitis, colds, and influenza, while assisting in the process of wound healing as well as dispersing skin bruises.
Hyssop essential oil contains pinocamphone, which can cause toxic effects, thus resulting in an elevated blood pressure. This essential oil is not sold in the public. Rather, it is usually prescribed.
2. Sage Essential Oil
Sage essential oil contains a spicy aroma and has been popular for its capacity to strengthen the senses as well as support metabolism. It supports the reproductive, respiratory, and nervous system. Sage essential oil is also effective in helping people cope with mental fatigue and despair.
Sage is not for patients or individuals with high blood pressure. This essential oil contains thujone, a highly restricted poisonous substance, which is not approved by the FDA. Thujone is also a ketone and is mostly present in alcoholic beverages.
3. Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme essential oil has a spicy aroma that is penetrating and powerful. It supports the respiratory, digestive, nervous, and immune systems. Its botanical name is Thymus Vulgaris. The medicinal components of thyme originate primarily from its oils that are extracted via steam distillation of leaves and fresh flowers. The other chief components of essential oil include Camphene, Alpha Thujone, Alpha Pinene, and Para Cymene.
One of the components of thyme essential oil can help to boost blood circulation in the body, which enhances blood flow and healing to the legs and other areas of the body that require oxygenation. This essential oil can likewise protect the cardiovascular system and reduce the chances of blood clotting, while at the same time, keeping you active. However, because of its thujone content, thyme must be used in moderation and with prescription.
4. Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary is an essential oil that is regarded as sacred by the Romans, Egyptians, Greeks, and Hebrews. More than just an aromatic herb, it is also a powerful herb in boosting nerve growth and supporting the neurological tissue healing as well as brain functioning.
The wooded evergreen is used to improve memory, relax digestive functions, and alleviate pains and muscle spasms. Although Rosemary essential oil functions like diuretics in reducing blood pressure, this must not be used without any doctor’s prescription.
How to Apply Essential Oils to Regulate the Blood Pressure
1. Balm Recipe
Ingredients:
- Lavender oil 5 drops
- Clary sage oil 5 drops
- Frankincense oil 5 drops
- Coconut oil 2 ounces
Recipe:
Combine all ingredients and keep in a sealed container. Apply the finished product on your nose or temple to alleviate stress.
2. Diffuser Recipe
Ingredients:
- Bergamot oil 2 drops
- Lavender oil 2 drops
- Ylang ylang oil 2 drops
Recipe:
Place all your essential oils in a diffuser container and let it diffuse for 45 to 50 minutes.
3. Massage Blend
Ingredients:
- Clay sage oil 6 drops
- Marjoram oil 6 drops
- Lavender oil 5 drops
- Sweet almond oil 30 ml
Recipe:
Mix all ingredients and keep in a tightly sealed container.
Conclusion
Essential oils have been around for many years now, yet its health effects have been recognized only recently. High blood pressure is one of the most common deaths in the United States and other parts of the world. The use of prescribed essential oils can alleviate the blood pressure level, thus bringing it to a more regular or normal range. However, there are essential oils that must be avoided because of certain substances present in them. These include hyssop, sage, thyme, and rosemary. There are many ways to make essential oils and apply them on areas of the body to lower down the blood pressure level.
