It's time for a Spring detox

Now is the ideal time to detox and refresh our body from the inside. Recently we have been exposed to an increasing number of chemicals and toxins, from the air we breathe, to chemicals in food and through many common daily activities. Amongst their potentially adverse effects, these chemicals and toxins can build up in our body which can contribute to a decline in our overall health and well-being.

So, let’s give our body a deep clean with a great detoxing program. Detoxing the body is about cleansing, resting and nourishing the body from the inside, removing toxins and eliminating them from everyday life, feeding our body with essential nutrients and to maintain optimum health.

Detoxing is as easy, or as hard as you make it, so we have listed a few simple steps to follow to get you started:

• Rest & restore the body by getting enough sleep. It is recommended to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night

• Hydrate and purify to help flush toxins from the body

• Improve and stimulate circulation

• Light exercise or yoga for muscular strength and well-being

• Refuel the body with healthy nutrients

• Be mindful and listen to what your body needs

Essential oils can relieve us from a large variety of common ailments by assisting the body in ridding itself of toxins, when used in the detox process, essential oils complement the holistic and natural cleaning process of the body itself. The effects of aromatherapy vary widely but with the right combination of essentials oils and a diffuser or burner, you will find your body energised, cleansed and refreshed.

Starting with simple body brushing which is perfect to speed up the lymphatic drainage system in the body. The lymphatic drainage system is the one system that does not rely on the heartbeat to move it along but relies on our bodies movement to stimulate it. That’s why gentle dry body brushing (always in a clockwise direction of the heart) is a good start to your detox treatments. This causes a temporary erythema on the skin (a redness to the skin due to increased blood flow to the skins surface) and a warm sensation that flushes toxins and bring vital vitamins and nutrients to the surface of the skin. After body brushing, nourish the skin with a SOiL Massage Oil, we particularly like the Toning Massage Oil. With its cleansing blend of organic fennel, rose geranium and rosemary organic essential oils they help to detox, tone and stimulate the skin, plus the skin will feel super soft and smooth.

Let’s take a look at the most beneficial and therapeutic essential oils that will help to detox our body and mind:

Lemon and Grapefruit essential oils are perfect to use in a detox. Its properties include regenerative, enlivening and helping with flushing away those nasty toxins in the circulatory system and also the liver.

Peppermint essential oil is great for boosting cognitive function, it aids respiration and digestion and also purifies the lymphatic system.

Lavender essential oil has several wonderful qualities such as relieving nervous tension, emotional stress, increases mental activity and helps with pain relief. Lavender is one of the best essential oils to use in a detox as it is also a great body relaxer.

Rosemary essential oil can help to boost metabolism and mental function while also supporting respiratory function and proper digestion.

We now know which essential oils to use but how do we use them during a detox? Below we have listed a few easy, therapeutic and beneficial ways in which you can enjoy essential oils the SOiL way.

A Bath Soak

Taking a bath using essential oils is a particularly enjoyable way to detox as it relaxes the entire body and mind. Its also incredibly effective as most of the body is submerged into water, absorbing the oils and benefitting from their therapeutic properties. You can use any essential oil of your choice or why not combine 3 drops of SOiL Peppermint and 1 drop of SOiL Grapefruit essential oils with 30ml of SOiL Jojoba Oil and add to running water to invigorate and uplift the body and mind.

Diffuser

Using a diffuser is a super easy way to allow your body to benefit from the cleansing and purifying properties of essential oils plus it’s an easy way to make your house smell nice. The SOiL Ultra Sonic Diffuser disperses molecules of essential oil into the air via a fine mist. The eco friendly diffuser changes colour, is easy to use and benefits from an automatic switch off timer. We love to use 2 drops of SOiL Grapefruit, 1 drop of SOiL Peppermint and 1 drop of SOiL Lemon essential oils in the diffuser to provide an energising aroma.

Skin Application

A popular way to detox with essential oils is to apply to the bottom of your feet, the perfect time to do this is just before bedtime and allow them to work their magic. Before applying essential oils to the skin, they should be diluted in a carrier oil such as Jojoba, Grape Seed or Apricot oil. We suggest using 30ml of your chosen oil with 3 drops of essential oil and applied to the feet for optimum results.

We hope you have enjoyed this post and welcome you to like love and share your must have SOiL essential oil stories, recipes and love of all things essential oil in the home.

Back soon with more SOiL essentials

Please note that All SOiL essential oils are intended for external use only. Unless otherwise advised by a medical practitioner. Do not use undiluted on skin. Do not apply to broken or irritated skin. If sensitivity occurs discontinue use. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision seek professional advice before use. Please keep out of reach of children.

SOiL advocates the responsible use of essential oils. We grow and source the finest quality essential oils from around the world to supply you with pure, potent plant extracts for aromatic and therapeutic applications. Essential oils are many times stronger than the plants they are derived from and are far more concentrated than the herbal tincture extracted from the same plant.

Accordingly, we recommend that you avoid oral use/ingesting pure essential oils without seeking professional advice beforehand. The issue is not the quality of the essential oils you take orally – there is no such thing as a ‘therapeutic grade’ of essential oil nor is one brand of essential oils safe to ingest over another brand. The issue is safety and even though essential oils are 100% natural, plant-derived extracts, they are botanical medicines which have the potential to cause harmful side effects when taken orally. Essential oils should only be prescribed for oral use in a clinical setting, by a suitably qualified practitioner. 

There are many methods of obtaining the aromatic and therapeutic benefits of essential oils, namely; inhalation, massage, skincare preparations, bath and compress. If you require individual advice on oral use/ingestion or in relation to a specific medical condition, we recommend you consult a qualified practitioner, as described above.