Aromatherapy / Essential Oils: Peppermint
Peppermint oil has been used for health purposes for several thousand years and is often used today in aromatherapy. Peppermint oil is one of the most extensively studied essential oils specifically in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in relieving feelings of nausea but further studies have shown it is also effective in relieving anxiety, improving memory and when applied topically it can sooth headaches and muscle pain.
The aroma of peppermint oil has been shown to have many cognitive benefits, most documented is a improvement in memory and raise alertness in individuals. According to findings, peppermint oil exhibits many other beneficial properties such as antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antioxidant, analgesic, radio-protective and anti-oedema.
Peppermint alone can be very sharp and increase alertness which is good if you are having a massage to start the day or going back to work after a treatment. So when most clients want to leave more relaxed I find combing peppermint with lavender to reduce the sharpness creates a more relaxing experience for the client. I also often combine peppermint with clove essential oil for my sports/deep tissue massage treatments to help aid muscle recovery in clients.
