With snow in September, I’m staring to reach for warming comfort foods and smells a bit early this year. Early morning and evening markets have some of our market friends complaining about aggravated arthritis and fibromyalgia too. Soups, stews and gumbos have now been a regular evening meal, and here are some nice warming essential oils and blends that also compliment them.
Black Pepper: This oil smells like black pepper! If is highly concentrated in components that give it anti-inflammatory compounds and when diluted properly, black pepper is also suitable to use on the skin. If you are experiencing arthritis, black pepper is a good choice in the winter as it’s not cooling like traditional mint’s that are used to help with pain and inflammation. Black pepper blends nicely with lavender and juniper which are other oils that have traditionally been used for aches and pains.
Frankincense: The earthy and musky smell of frankincense is super grounding. A lot of people get reminded of the smell of Catholic church when they take a whiff from the bottle giving them that feel of quiet warmth and a reminder of angels. Because of this musky smell, frankincense tends to round out the smell when blended with other oils, giving more depth when creating your own diffuser blends. Frankincense is another oil that is used to calm symptoms of arthritis and fibromyalgia . It blends well with other warming oils like cedarwood and vanilla. I like mixing it with floral scents especially ylang ylang.
Clove: The smell of cloves is all around us in the fall. With good reason too! In lab studies, clove is excellent at killing viruses and germs on contact. During this time of year, I like to put a drop of clove on my kitchen wash cloths before I wipe counters and a few drops in my mop water or toilet bowl before cleaning. Orange and blood orange especially compliment the smell of clove.
Cardamom: Diffusing this oil heats you up just like a chai tea! Cardamom is part of the ginger family and is one of the spices used in chai. It is helpful in promoting digestion so diffusing it after those heavy stews is a great idea.Its’ sweet yet spicy smell is also helpful in lifting spirits and cardamom does also contain anti-inflammatory compounds. Im the fall, it blends well with vanilla, ginger, rose and cedarwood to add a warm feel to the home.
Cedarwood Atlas: This oil is one of my go-to oils in the fall and winter as it has been used by aromatherapists to support the lungs. Since I have young kids in the house, eucalyptus is too strong if someone has a cold and cedar wood is a nice, relaxing and soothing alternative to help with congestion and coughing. Cedarwood is also a great oil for helping with symptoms of anxiety and feelings of loneliness which I always personally find more intense in the fall and winter months. It blends well with other warming oils like vanilla, ylang ylang, neroli and frankincense.
Vanilla: This sweet smell warms you right to the core. It complements so many other oils and is a great blending partner especially in the fall and winter. Vanilla and cinnamon, vanilla and clove, vanilla and orange, vanilla and ylang ylang, vanilla and coffee, vanilla and anything, can make whatever you have going in your diffuser that much sweeter. Vanilla is emotionally calming and can help to improve overall feeling of well-being. For these reasons, it is popular and one we generally recommend for people who want something that is sweet and relaxing.
If you don’t like playing around and mixing your own oils, we’ve created these blends that are especially great in the fall time.
Chai: Who doesn’t love a good cup of chai for comfort? I just love this blend as diffusing it reminds me of cute local coffee shops and the warmth of a chai on a cool, rainy afternoon. With notes of cardamom, vanilla, ginger and clove, this blend can help to lift spirits, relax the body and promote good digestion.
Holidays: When we released this blend last year, we would constantly sell out at markets. Black spruce, vanilla, clove & blood orange help to give you the feeling of the holidays. Diffusing it brings back those loving feelings of being surrounded with family and friends. A lot of these oils are also good a supporting the lungs making it a good oil to diffuse when you have a cold (but not recommended for houses with small kids).
Thieves: Frankincense, cinnamon and clove are warming notes in this immune support blend. The spice in this oil is very complimentary to autumn weather. In the summer, I like to use citrus essential oils to clean my house, but in the winter, I always add thieves oil into my countertop and toilet cleaners for the anti-microbial power but also because it’s much more of a warming scent.
Even though fall can be rainy, windy and even have a few snowflakes, there are ways to keep our bodies feeling warm and our joints a bit more mobile. If you do choose to apply oils topically, dilute with a carrier oil first to concentrations below 1%. If you are pregnant, have young children or have a serious medical condition, please consult with your doctor or a certified aromatherapist before using oils topically or diffusing.
Happy Autumn
Jay & Rae
