Have you ever seen that hilarious experiment where they line up a group of people with their dogs and try to guess which dog belongs to which person? Although there are usually a few surprises, it’s generally pretty easy to tell who belongs to who. And recently, in my office, I encountered a similar phenomenon with a patient and her dog…and it led me to a perfect human/canine treatment plan. 

My patient had anxiety and insomnia, and she mentioned during our conversation that her rescue dog also suffered from anxiety and incessantly barked for no apparent reason. This was the perfect opportunity to share one of my favorite medical studies titled: The influence of olfactory stimulation on the behavior of dogs housed in a rescue shelter which was published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science in 2005. The study involved using a diffuser to infuse different essential oils into an animal rescue shelter and observe the effects of the oils on the behavior (and barking) of the dogs.  The results of the study indicate that the essential oil of lavender has a calming effect on dogs, and results in significantly less barking. There was no doubt that in this case, my treatment plan included diffusing lavender oil in the bedroom for them both! 

To learn more about how diffusing essential oils can help you (and your pets)…my team at UpWellness has put together a most useful how-to guide. Take a deep breath and enjoy! 

-JL

Much of the benefit from essential oils comes from their aromatic qualities, which makes a diffuser one of the best ways to enjoy both the smells and medicinal properties of essential oils. 

How to use a diffuser

There is some debate on whether a cold air diffuser or warm air diffuser is best for releasing the oils into the air. Some users feel that the heat may damage the beneficial properties of the oils. Either way, the usage process is the same. However, with a cold diffuser, a small amount of water is added to the diffuser along with the oils. 

Basic instructions are as follows:

• Add 5-10 of your chosen drops to the diffuser plate. 
• With a cold water diffuser, you will also need to fill the water reservoir.
• Plug in the diffuser and let the magic happen!

Diffuser Blends to Get You Started

These diffuser blends are a great place to start when you are just getting the hang of essential oils. 

Odor Eliminator

When you need to get rid of odors fast, use this blend:

• 2 drops of lemon
• 1 drop of tea tree oil
• 1 drop of lime
• 1 drop of grapefruit

Focus-Power

If you need to buckle down and focus, this is the way to go.

• 2 drops orange
• 2 drops peppermint
• 1 drop grapefruit

Immune Booster

When there is sickness in the house, diffuse with this recipe to keep illness at bay:

• 2 drops peppermint
• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops lemon or lime

Stress Away

Feeling stressed and too busy? This essential oils blend recipe will help you slow down and smell the roses.

• 1 drop ylang ylang
• 1 drop lavender
• 1 drop bergamot
• 1 drop lemon

Clean House Smell

Didn’t have time to clean? No worries, diffuse this blend and your house will instantly feel cleaner without any effort at all.

• 2 drops rosemary
• 2 drops lemon
• 2 drops orange

Breathing Aid

If you have trouble breathing from asthma, allergies or simple congestion, this is the recipe for you:

• 1 drop rosemary
• 2 drops peppermint
• 1 drop lemon
• 1 drop eucalyptus

Citrus Lovers

If you can’t get enough of that citrus smell, then this is the blend for you:

• 1 drop lemon
• 1 drop lime
• 1 drop orange
• 2 drops grapefruit 

Flower Explosion

Want your house to smell like a florists shop? This is the recipe for you:

• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops rose
• 1 drop geranium

Woodsy Invasion

With this recipe, your house will smell like an ancient forest.

• 2 drops cypress
• 2 drops sandalwood
• 2 drops pine

Bug-B-Gone

Use this blend to ward off bugs from your patio or during an open-door party:

• 1 drop lemongrass
• 1 drop thyme
• 2 drops peppermint
• 1 drop eucalyptus

Tea Takeover

If you want your house to smell like a tea shop without making tea, diffuse this recipe:

• 3 drops chamomile
• 2 drops clove
• 1 drop ginger
• 1 drop cardamom

Kid’s Choice

Even kids who dislike strong smells should approve of this blend:

• 2 drops lemon
• 1 drop vanilla
• 2 drops grapefruit

Anti-Nausea

If you’re feeling a bit on the nauseated side, diffuse this blend:

• 2 drops peppermint
• 1 drop ginger
• 1 drop eucalyptus
• 1 drop lemon

Stress Away

If you’re feeling particularly stressed, this recipe blend can help:

• 2 drops bergamot
• 2 drops frankincense
• 1 drop lavender

Sweet Dreams

If you have restless nights, you may want to try this blend right before you go to sleep:

• 2 drops chamomile
• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops vetiver

 Endless Energy

Need to get things done fast? Diffuse this:

• 2 drops orange
• 2 drops lemon
• 2 drops cinnamon

Candy Fun

Want your house to smell like homemade candy? Your kids will:

• 2 drops wintergreen
• 2 drops orange
• 1 drop lemon

 -The UpWellness Team