Treat Yourself Like the First Olympians with an Aromatherapy Massage

I love watching the Olympics especially when my home country England is hosting! So with all the awe and wonder of the Olympians I thought it fitting to discuss how the ancient Olympians looked after their bodies.

There’s a spa scene in Homer's The Odyssey, one of the first stories ever recorded. It's true. You remember Odysseus, the Greek guy who spent much of his life sailing around the world trying to make his way back home. Well, when he arrives on Circe's island, she gives him an incredible spa treatment that he wouldn't soon forget:

“When the bright copper [cauldron] was boiling, she sat me down in a bath and washed me with water...mixed with cold to a comfortable heat, sluicing my head and shoulders till all the painful weariness was gone from my limbs. My bath done, she rubbed me in olive oil, and clothed me in a fine tunic…”

See, I told you. Ancient Greeks and Romans used massage and aromatherapy to keep their Olympic athletes and VIP’s in top form.

 

If you’re looking for an Olympic treat, try a massage that uses aromatic oils from ancient Greece. 

Here’s a list of essential oils and their healing properties that may have been used in the ancient Greece that still can be found in spa, beauty and massage treatments today.

Basil: Add to massage oil to relax, encourage a good night’s sleep, lift depression, help digestion, calm nausea, and tame cold symptoms.

Bay Laurel: Add sparingly to massage oil to relax muscles, reverse insomnia, soothe muscle aches and pains, strengthen breathing, smooth cellulite, and improve digestion.

Black Pepper: Add to massage oil to relax, inspire romance, soothe muscle pain, detoxify, aid digestion, bring heat, reduce arthritic pain, and calm muscle cramps.

Chamomile: Add to massage oil to relax, get to sleep, prevent nightmares, lift depression, soothe muscle pain, and strengthen breathing.

Clove: Add sparingly to massage oil to relax, inspire romance, soothe muscle pain, lift depression, relieve headaches, add heat, add scent and for antioxidant and anti-fungal properties.

Doesn't this just make you want to schedule an aromatherapy massage right now?

In home spa tip : Cooling lavender compress.

A lot of us are experiencing extremely high temperatures right now so here's an aromatherapy recipe to help you cool down.
 

Cooling Lavender Compress

Ingredients:
4 cups of cool water
12 drops lavender essential oil
9 drops peppermint essential oil
3 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 soft facial cloth

Directions: Combine water and oils in a small basin or bowl. Swish with cloth, ring out excess, and alternate placement on neck and forehead.

Tips: Refresh the cloth often, and add a few ice cubes to water to boost the cooling effect. Avoid getting in your eyes.

When you try this leave a comment to let us know how it worked for you!

Aromatherapy natural stress reliever

Aromatherapy is one of the easiest, most natural ways to relieve stress. Based on the belief that smell is an important part of healing, this traditional therapy has been used since ancient times to soothe both body and mind.

When essential oils are inhaled there is an immediate link created between the smell and the limbic system of the brain via the olfactory nerve. They can provide almost instant relief. Some essential oils in particular are especially helpful at combating stress:
Basil

Reduces mental fatigue and any form of intellectual negativity, characteristics that are common in a stress-filled working environment.

Eucalyptus

Produces a very soothing aroma that helps clear out any blockage in your nasal passages. Battles any feeling of sluggishness, restlessness, or confusion.

Cinnamon

Exudes a sweet and warm aroma, helping to eliminate any mental anxiety. The initial relief leads further to a more effective stress-fighting mechanism and enhanced optimism.

Lavender

The sweet floral aroma produces a calming and relaxing effect when inhaled during stressful situations. Other proven effects are the regaining of balance, clarity of mind, and a feeling of relaxation.

Rosemary

Quite effective in waking up your senses, increasing vibrancy, and reducing any form of strain (mental or physical) that is produced after long hours of work at the office.