Sports Training Secrets: Essential Oils Can Heal Your Injuries Faster!
Any active athlete is familiar with the depressing moments of dealing with an injury
. Its never fun to have to give up your sport for awhile, or participate in a limited way, while healing. You may have tried supplements (or handfuls of ibuprofen), or one or more topical ointments with crazy foreign labels -- and like most users, all these seem to produce very limited results. What you want is something that works where you can really TELL its working. Well you probably never thought of them for this application, but essential oils have been VERY effective for many sports enthusiasts, for the healing of all sorts of both chronic and acute injuries.
The reason a few oils can work on so many muscular and connective-tissue injuries is that they all share similar cellular pathology. At the injury site, on a cellular level, you'll find inflammation and oxidative radicals associated with tissue damage. Whether the inflammation is apparent or not, its there, it hurts, and its slowing the healing process. And this is where essential oils come it: they've been show in laboratory research to mop up free radicals and suppress the inflammatory response. Further, they can have a dramatic effect on pain, and some are even noted to have natural constituents which actually stimulate tissue regeneration.
Before we get to the specific oils, here's some notes on how to use them. First, more isn't necessarily better with essential oils. You don't need a lot for them to be effective. However, they are rapidly metabolized by the body, so you'll want to apply them frequently: put a little of your concoction on often. Second, except in rare cases (which we'll explain in a moment), the essential oils are diluted in "carrier oils". These are seed or nut oils which "carry" the essential oils into your tissues. The point is, don't just go applying the essential oils straight out of the bottle to the spots that hurt, but make a formula with the correct dilution ratios first.
The only time essential oils are applied undiluted are when an injury has just occurred. Say you've just twisted an ankle or really banged a knee. Certain oils are called for undiluted to significantly reduce the initial inflammation, and really have an effect on speeding the healing process in this way. Be sure to remember which oil or oils this is ok to do with -- and we'll get to this in a moment too.
On to the oils! The most profoundly healing of all the essential oils to the muscular skeletal system is Helichrysum italicum. Note that there are several Helichrysum species available, but it's only the italicum species that has these effects: Helichrysum is known to be anti-inflammatory, analgesic (pain relieving), anti-oxidant, and regenerative all at the same time. It's the only that contains "di-ketones" that actually speed the healing process. This is also one of the oils that you'd want to use undiluted in case of an injury that just occurred; any bang, bruise or twist, apply a layer of Helichrysum immediately, and then every hour thereafter to prevent the initial swelling. For more chronic injuries however, Helichrysum will be diluted and blended with other oils at somewhere between 5 and 20% concentration.
The first root oil well look at is Plai (yes, we pronounce it "play", and no one has corrected us yet!). Plai has been studied as both an anti-inflammatory and an analgesic, with very positive results. It is also an antioxidant -- so you can see, except for the specific tissue regeneration component, its right up there with Helichrysum. Some users are also applying this oil at 100% strength in acute cases; otherwise its most commonly used at 10% strength based in a carrier oil. Plai is frequently combined with other essential oils in the formula to enhance its efficacy.
A couple more accessory essential oils will round out your "active ingredient" list: Blue Chamomile (also known as "German" Cham.), and Ginger Root (look for a "co2" extraction of this oil). These two oils are also high up there as both inflammation reducers and antioxidants. Unlike our previous two essential oils however, they're used in much smaller quantities -- only 2 or 3% concentration in your carrier oil -- more is not necessary, and will not make a more effective recipe (the reason being is they have been noted to cause the opposite of their desired effect when used at higher doses).
Making your own formula is very simple. A highly effective recipe for tendonitis or shin splints is as follows: 10-20% Helichrysum, 3% Ginger and 2% German Chamomile. (The Helichrysum is given in a range, as it is a relatively costly oil -- 10% concentration is very common, though 20% MAY work even better in some cases -- also, do not use more than 2% Chamomile, as it is thought to become "pro-inflammatory at concentrations greater than this). One ounce of this formula is calculated like this: one ounce = 30 milliliters; 10% of this = 3ml, 3% = 1ml, 2%= 2/3ml. You may multiply these numbers up to make 2, 4, or more ounces. Measure the essential oils to an empty container first, then fill the bottle the rest of the way with your carrier oil (Jojoba is an excellent choice, with its long shelf life). This formula may also be made with Plai in place of the Helichrysum for a lower cost, yet still highly effective blend.
All the essential oils mentioned here have a track record for healing and inflammation reduction of soft tissue injuries. Many people find them far more effective than any pharmaceutical preparation they've ever tried. If you find yourself frequently nursing an injury incurred from sports, its really worth the effort to mix up one of these blends at least once and give it a whirl. Like so many users, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised with the results.
by: Tracy Waters
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