Transcript*

The Benefits of Gratitude

Hello dear friends,

The celebration of the American Thanksgiving holiday allows many to partake in a much-appreciated moment of pause from the regular hustle-and-bustle of life. Traditionally, this is a day intended to evoke a feeling of gratitude. Loved ones gather to count their blessings from the past year and share their hopes for the months ahead. To represent abundance, many will be breaking bread together and sharing a yummy, large, multi-course feast.

Besides allowing ourselves to be nourished physically, we also benefit emotionally from this practice. Science reports that gratitude can:

  • positively impact relationships
  • motivate beneficial actions
  • enhance sleep
  • affect wellness outcomes, such as improving heart health

Yet, although many will be cheerful, there are those who will struggle from losses, family crises, isolation, or overwhelm from the additional expectations of the holidays. This makes it difficult to muster up an emotion of thankfulness.

So, in this clinical tip, I’d like to share with you a blend of essential oils that I suggest to my clients, and use with my own family, to boost the feeling of gratitude.

This combination is preblended, as I am not a licensed aromatherapist. Still, I will explain the effects of each of the oils within it and you can choose to diffuse them or find a similar mix from your favorite manufacturer.

As always, all the links to the references, resources, and past clinical tips will be at the end of the video transcript.

So, let’s get started.

 

How Essential Oils Support a Mind-Body Shift

First, let’s review how essential oils support brain health.

Essential oils uniquely impact cognitive function through the direct interaction of their aromatic molecules with our cellular receptors. This results in:

(1) modulating hormones and brain signaling patterns

(2) modifying brain electrical activity

3) protecting the nervous system (neuroprotection) – Essential oils contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Furthermore, essential oils’ constituents have the ability to hijack the negative cascade of stress at the source. While their biological properties work in harmony to rebalance the nervous system and hormonal milieu, a profound and instant shift in our emotional brain and our perception also occurs.

Recent advancements in clinical pscyhoaromatherapy have proven how essential oils can be used to support mental health. This application of essential oils can be merged with naturopathic and functional medicine to offer comprehensive brain health support and address the root causes of psychological disorders.

 

An Aromatic Blend to Boost Gratitude

Now that we know how essential oils influence our mood, I will review a combination of them that can enhance gratitude. The synergy of aromatic effects is soothing to the mind, eases tension in the body, and promotes a refreshing and alert state.

This Gratitude Blend is a lovely mix of the essential oils of:

  • Frankincense and Myrrh- These sacred oils of the Bible have been used for uplifting religious and spiritual traditions for centuries. These precious oils are also proving to be a powerful duo physically and emotionally in modern science. Both essential oils contain sesquiterpenes, a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units. These molecules have calming properties, act as antioxidants, offer immune support, and assist in cellular repair. Furthermore, there is some evidence that these constituents have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier to benefit neurological health.
  • Fir and Spruce -These oils contain phytoncides from conifer trees which can enhance well-being, decrease stress, and support immune function.
  • Bergamot – This oil has many clinical studies supporting its effect on mood and calming our physiology.
  • Coriander – In a 2015 literature review of coriander published in Filoterapia, it was stated, “…. coriander seed and herb essential oils have been actively investigated for their chemical composition and biological activities including antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering), hypolipidemic (lipid lowering), anxiolytic (reducing anxiety), analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant and anti-cancer activities, among others.”
  • Ylang ylang – This is one of my go-to oils for relaxing the nervous system and keeping blood pressure in a healthy range. It also positively influences brain activity.
  • Vetiver- This earthy oil has been studied for its effects in vivo on calming and creating a “refreshing, alert” state.
  • Geranium- As a beautiful, harmonizing floral scent, geranium has been associated with the ability to decrease tension, balance hormones, and enhance a state of peacefulness.

 

Summing Up on Using Essential Oils for Elevating Gratitude

In summary, this gratitude blend decreases our stress, enhances our health, and awakens our sense of well-being. This is accomplished with the addition of conifer tree blends, ylang ylang, coriander, bergamot, and geranium oils. By adding the holy oils of frankincense and myrrh, both high in sesquiterpenes, our brain and neurological system are further supported. This synergy of scents permeates our spirit and uplifts our moods so we can experience more gratitude.

Many blessings for a beautiful Thanksgiving and holiday season ahead.

Let me know your experience with using essential oils for boosting gratitude below.

 

If you like this content, please spread the word by subscribing to my YouTube channel and newsletter. This will allow us to reach more people and help to empower them with natural health information and safe, evidence-based essential oil education.

As a subscriber yourself, you’ll stay up to date on my latest clinical tips, blogs, news, and podcasts. You will also be the first to hear about the release of my upcoming brain health program!

 

Resources

*Transcript has been edited for grammar and ease of reading.

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Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)

This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.

Thanks Pixabay and Canva.