Hormones & Health
As the weather gets warmer, we’re naturally drawn to spend more time outdoors doing activities such as gardening, walking, running, swimming or playing sports. Exercise is not only vital to keep our body in optimum health, it also gives us a natural ‘feel-good’ boost due to a cocktail of hormones being released. During a work-out, our body releases a complex mix of hormones to manage energy, repair tissue, reduce stress and lift our mood, although the specific mix depends on the type and intensity of the activity undertaken. Key hormones include:
Endorphins: These ‘feel-good’ hormones act as natural painkillers, helping us to push through discomfort and lift our mood.
Dopamine: Released when we hit fitness goals by activating our brain’s reward system, increasing motivation.
Serotonin: Regulates mood, sleep and appetite by boosting a sense of well-being, helping to manage stress and anxiety.
Adrenaline & Noradrenaline: The ‘fight or flight’ hormones, which surge during a work-out, pumping blood to muscles and releasing immediate energy.
Glucagon: Increases blood sugar levels by prompting the liver to release stored glucose, providing muscles with more fuel.
Cortisol: Aids in fat metabolism and energy production, released during longer or more intense exercise.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Produced by the pituitary gland, helping repair tissues, build muscle mass plus manages fat and sugar metabolism.
Irisin: Released by muscle tissue during physical activity, helping to convert white fat to brown fat, boosting energy and stimulating brain health.
Aromatherapy Relief for Aches & Pains
However, if we overdo some activities, such as running, without an adequate warm up or preparation, it can have an adverse effect on our body. We’ve all experienced aches and pains due to over-stretching our muscles due to exercising too vigorously. Even over-doing yoga stretches can result in strained joints and muscles if we are not careful. Wrong posture also creates stress, especially when habitual, which effects the body in all sorts of way.
When the body is strained or overstretched, muscles tense up – a reflex reaction to stress – which is the body’s way of guarding against injury and pain. Musculoskeletal pain in the low back and upper extremities has also been linked to stress, such as the strain of sitting for long periods, crouched over a screen. This not only results in chronic fatigue, but tense and knotted muscles which typically leads to neck or back pain. Both tension-type headache and migraine headache are also associated with chronic muscle tension in the shoulders, neck and head.
Stress affects all systems of the body, but we are well equipped to handle it in small doses, it is only when the stress becomes chronic, that it has a negative effect. Relaxation therapies, such as gentle yoga and especially aromatherapy massage, have been shown to effectively reduce muscular tension and decrease the incidence of certain stress-related disorders, such as headaches, plus increase our sense of well-being.
I formulated our Aches & Pains relief oil, based on the classic combination of lavender, rosemary, juniper and black pepper to bring pain relief to aching joints and to simultaneously soothe the muscles. Regular stretching during the day can also help to ensure the muscles are adequately flexed and applying a muscle-relaxant massage oil can also help to avoid tension build up. Massage is well known as an aid in limbering up the body before sporting activities and professional athletes regularly use massage to ease muscular tension after an event.
Aromatherapy Massage for Muscles & Joints
Muscle and joint pain respond well to aromatherapy massage due to the physiological effects of specific essential oils on the tissues, alongside the psychologically healing and relaxing effects of massage. Essential oils, when combined with a suitable carrier and applied to the skin, pass through the skin’s barrier and enter the bloodstream, due to their small molecular structure. Once in the bloodstream, essential oils have a wide range of physical effects on the body – anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic – being some of the most helpful actions for relieving musculoskeletal pain and tension.
Stiffness, cramps, and general aches & pains caused by muscular tension or due to sitting too long at a desk requires the muscle tendons to be soothed and gently released. Essential oils recommended for pain caused by overuse of muscles are warming, such as black pepper, and analgesic, such as lavender.
For chronic conditions of larger areas, such as the back, a 3% blend of essential oils in jojoba oil, is recommended. Jojoba is naturally anti-inflammatory and used for treating arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, so is useful for relieving chronic muscle and joint conditions. If the pain is more localised, a concentrated 5% mixture can be applied as an aromatic rub. Stimulating oils, such as rosemary, help to relieve local pain by improving the circulation to the affected area, particularly in cases of stiffness and stagnation in the muscles and joints .Acute sprains and strains require a slightly different approach, requiring analgesic, anti-inflammatory and cooling treatments.
The aromatherapy approach to treating sprains and strains is primarily to help reduce swelling and pain through the gentle application of anti-inflammatory and analgesic essential oils. Since temperature has a role to play in the reduction of swelling, it is best to also apply a cool ice pack or cold compress, for example by soaking a flannel in witch hazel, which is astringent and cooling by nature. Local massage of the affected area should be gentle but strong enough to ensure absorption of the oil, whether due to a sprain, strain, muscular tension or simply stiffness.
Essential Oils for Sprains & Strains:
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) – anti-inflammatory, instant pain relief, relaxing, soothes muscles and induces a calm state of mind.
- German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) & Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) – classic soothing & relaxant oils, with the German (or blue chamomile) having more pronounced anti-inflammatory properties due to the chamazulene content.
- Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – cooling, offering pain relief, good for sprains and strains.
- Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) – stimulating & warming, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, promotes circulation, good for overworked muscles & stiffness.
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – stimulating, invigorating, relieves muscle tension & pain by bringing blood to the affected area.
- Marjoram (Origanum majorana) – a relaxant oil, good for muscular pain & tension, soothing the nervous system as well as muscle tissue.
- Melissa (Melissa officinalis) – analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, calms the nerves & muscle tissues.
- Cardamon (Elettaria cardamomum) – warming & stimulating, recommended for fibromyalgia, best used in small amounts in blends.
A multi-faceted aromatherapy approach to treating musculoskeletal complaints is often the best. Body or massage oils are generally best applied after a warm bath or shower to ensure the oils are absorbed fully. A handful of Epsom salts added to the bath is well-known for speeding up muscle recovery, reducing inflammation and for post-workout recovery. There are masses of inspiring recipes for specific healing bath blends, massage oil recipes and muscle rubs in my book ‘Mud, Salt & Medicine’ – such as the salt soak shown below – also our June newsletter for recipe
Aches & Pains Seaweed Salt Soak Recipe:
Rosemary is one of the best essential oils for all kinds of aches, pains & stiffness. Lavender essential oil is valuable for reducing inflammation and joint pain, having an overall soothing effect. Seaweed is rich in a variety of minerals and helps to relieve aches and pains as well as rheumatism and arthritis.
Like rosemary oil, seaweed is also good for the circulation. This recipe combines several types of salt in high proportions since they are all valuable in helping to ease joint pain and muscular stiffness, especially Epsom Salts.
Ingredients:
- 150gms Epsom Salt
- 100gms Dead Sea Salt
- 100gms Coarse Sea Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Seaweed powder
- 5 drops of Rosemary essential oil
- 5 drops of Lavender essential oil
Directions:
- Fill a bath with hot water
- Add all three salts and ensure they have dissolved by agitating the water
- Add the seaweed powder
- Add the essential oils and stir
- Soak in the hot water (35C) for up to 20 minutes
- Wrap your entire body in a towel and relax for 15 minutes after bathing; to allow for the complete absorption of minerals and nutrients into the skin.
- Drink a large glass of water or herbal tea to rehydrate the entire body