Seniors

seniors

Wild abandon may have given way to wisdom, but there is still the desire to look and feel your best. Once you are retired, there is more time to enjoy the things you have put off doing for so long. This can be a wonderful, rewarding period of life. Essential oils can help alleviate the nagging things that sometimes come with advancing age – this time of your life should be a time of enjoyment, so don’t hang up those dancing shoes just yet ….

Swollen Ankles and Feet

This can be due to many reasons including arthritis, rheumatism, varicose veins, high blood pressure, fluid retention and constipation.

Blend:

1 drop cypress

1 drop lavender

Add above oils to a bowl of warm water containing about a dozen round pebbles. Roll the soles of the feet slowly over the pebbles for a few minutes then dry.

Follow with a massage of the feet, ankles, legs and back of the knees with a blend of:

15 drops fennel

15 drops cypress

Mixed in 30 ml carrier oil.

Leg Cramps

Night cramps can cause a great deal of pain, and interrupt sleep patterns. Cramp is a painful contraction of a muscle which cannot be relaxed, and often occurs in the calf muscle. Prevention is the best option: calcium and zinc supplements are recommended as well as garlic capsules and quinine. Warmth and massage (to stimulate circulation) are also important.

Add the following oils to 30 ml carrier oil:

10 drops rosemary

5 drops hyssop

5 drops lavender

10 drops marjoram

Before going to bed, massage the whole leg in an upward direction, and then massage the feet. To avoid cold feet during the night, put on a warm pair of socks.

Insomnia

Benzoin

Roman Chamomile

Clary Sage

Hops

Lavender

Marjoram

Nutmeg

Valerian

Vetiver

These oils are only relaxing when used in small doses. 3 drops only in a bath and 2 drops in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil for massage, more than this and they become a stimulant.

Warming Blend for Insomnia

First blend together:

4 drops benzoin

3 drops nutmeg

2 drops Roman Chamomile

Use 3 drops of this synergistic blend per bath, or 2 drops per 5 ml vegetable oil for a body rub.

Foot Blend for Insomnia

First blend together:

1 drop lavender

3 drops marjoram

3 drops Roman Chamomile

1 drop valerian

Use 2 drops of this synergistic blend in a foot bath.

Bronchitis

Inflammation of the bronchi (air passages in the lungs) all types of eucalyptus oils and white camphor are effective.

Massage the following blend 2 times per day all over chest and back:

Add the following essential oils to 30 ml carrier oil

2 drops cinnamon

2 drops nutmeg

2 drops ginger

10 drops red thyme

10 drops eucalyptus

4 drops benzoin

High Blood Pressure

The following massage formula is especially designed for the ‘over sixties’ person.

Add the following essential oils to 30 ml carrier oil:

5 drops hyssop

10 drops marjoram

15 drops geranium

For the bath, first blend together the following oils:

15 drops marjoram

15 drops lavender

10 drops geranium

Blend all together in these proportions and store in a glass bottle and use 4 drops at a time of this formula per bath.

Loss of Memory

For concentration, use the following oils in a diffusor or essential oil warmer in equal proportions:

Basil, cardamom, ginger, black pepper

Massage blend:

First blend together the following oils:

5 drops rose

5 drops geranium

2 drops basil

10 drops lavender

2 drops rosemary

Use 5 drops of this blended formula per 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.

Parkinson’s Disease

This is a disorder of middle-aged and elderly people characterized by tremor, rigidity and uncontrolled spontaneous movements. Many essential oils work on the central nervous system and can bring great relief. Massage prevents muscles stiffening and maintains mobility. Warm fragrant baths often cures the depression that can accompany this condition.

Formula for the bath:

Blend the following oils in a glass bottle:

5 drops orange

5 drops bergamot

10 drops lavender

Use 4 to 6 drops of this blend per bath.

Formula for massage:

Add the following essential oils to 30 ml carrier oil

10 drops marjoram

5 drops basil

10 drops rosemary

5 drops lemon

This blend is effective for muscle stiffness.

Constipation

Mix 1 drop ginger and 1 drop fennel in 2 teaspoons of honey. Dissolve this mixture in 1 cup of hot water and sip slowly. Wait 10 minutes then massage in a clockwise direction over the stomach as deeply as you can before discomfort – over the hips and lower back, down the spine to just above the anus 3 times daily.