Description

Cypress Aromatherapy

“Cypress allows the mind to collect itself and takes people out of sorrow and depression;

 it regulates female hormones and helps with ovarian cysts”

says Light Miller and Bryan Miller in their book Ayurveda and Aromatherapy.

Plants belonging to the cypress family called Cupressaceae are denoted as cypress. The term cypress has been derived from the old French word ‘cipres’ that was imported from Latin ‘cyparissus’. While most species of cypress are trees, some are also shrubs. These plants are conifer of the northern temperate regions. The essential oil enclosed in the cypress plants is extracted from their leaves, flowers and occasionally from the small branches by distillation. The essential oil obtained from cypress plants has been used over centuries as it offers several benefits for our health. In aromatherapy, cypress essential oil is primarily used in instances when there is an extreme loss of body fluids owing to conditions, such as chronic diarrhea, heavy perspiration or menstrual loss. This oil is also used in spas as an ingredient for effectively treating fluid retention, cellulites and insufficient blood circulation. Cypress essential oil is also an important element in the Chinese traditional medicine where it is used to diminish the effects of hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating). In addition, use of this essential oil is also believed to be advantageous for the health of the liver as well as treating disorders of the complete respiratory system, including asthma, bronchitis and coughing.

Cypress essential oil is obtained by a process known as steam distillation of the plant’s tender branches, needles, and stems. The cypress plants are coniferous and produce needles. These plants are generally found growing in the coniferous and deciduous regions and have a scientific name – Cupressus Sempervirens. Cypress essential oil encloses chemicals, such as alpha pinene, alpha terpinene, beta pinene, bornyl acetate, cedrol, carene, cadinene, camphene, linalool, myrcene, sabinene and terpinolene. The therapeutic properties of the cypress plant are attributed to these chemical substances enclosed by the plant. Ironically enough, often cypress trees are related to deaths as they are found growing in large numbers around cemeteries, the essential oil obtained from these trees are actually life saving, as they have the aptitude to protect from as well treat some of the malevolent diseases.

 

Cypress – medicinal properties

As mentioned before, cypress essential oil possesses numerous medicinal properties and is useful in treating several ailments, many of them malevolent. Here we present a brief discussion regarding the ailment-specific use of this essential oil.

• The astringent properties of cypress essential oil help to constrict muscles and, therefore, are helpful in strengthening the gums as well as the abdominal muscles. Cypress essential oil is useful in making the gums, muscles, skin as well as hair follicles contract. This, in turn, prevents the teeth and hair from falling and the skin and muscles from slackening.
• The anti-spasmodic properties of cypress essential oil facilitate healing almost all kinds of spasms and associated problems. This oil helps to effectively provide relief from spasms in the respiratory system, intestines as well as muscular spasms in the limbs. In addition, this oil also facilitates in healing convulsions, cramps, muscle pulls, spasmodic cholera that are a result of spasms.
• The anti-septic properties of cypress essential oil make the oil an excellent remedy for topical application on external and internal injuries. This property of the oil makes it an important ingredient in numerous antiseptic creams and lotions. The antiseptic property of cypress essential oil is attributed to the presence of camphene in it.
• Application of cypress essential oil brings about relaxation, soothes the tired body and has a tranquilizing effect on the mind as well as the body. This oil helps to get relief from nervous tension and anxiety. In addition, cypress essential oil is uplifting and its use helps to induce a feeling of happiness and well being when an individual is angry or gloomy. This particular property of this essential oil is especially beneficial for individuals who have suffered any setback or shock in his or her life.
• Cypress essential oil also has other medicinal properties. It helps in toning up the respiratory system and, at the same time, enhances the effectiveness of the lungs. This oil also possesses expectorant properties and facilitates the removal of phlegm amassed in the respiratory tracts and the lungs, thereby clearing congestions and making it easier to breathe. Use of this essential oil is especially beneficial for this purpose when one is enduring cough and cold.

Cypress essential oil possesses a peppery and masculine aroma that has the aptitude to simply substitute for the synthetic deodorants that contain loads of chemicals. In fact, the synthetic deodorants that claim to have a spicy and masculine fragrance are harmful for our body, especially the skin. While external application of this oil removes foul body odour, taking it internally also helps to get rid of foul breath as well as body smell because the volatile and potent elements present in this cypress essential oil has a tendency to break out from all the possible openings, including the mouth and the skin pores. This helps to get rid of the foul body smell. Using this essential oil is safe as it does not result in any adverse after-effects.

General properties

anticancer

anti-spasmodic

astringent

cooling

vasoconstrictor

Blends well with

juniper

lavender

pine

sandalwood

General uses

asthma

broken capillaries

cellulite

coughs and bronchitis

diarrhea

frigidity

glandular fever

grief

gum infection

hemorrhoids

impotence

irritability

jealousy

laryngitis

liver

lymphatic congestion

mature skin

menopause

menstrual problems

mylagic encephalomyelitis

nervous tension

oily and open pores

oversensitivity

perspiration

poor circulation

urinary infections

varicose veins

whooping cough

 

Precaution

The health benefits of cypress essential oil notwithstanding, caution needs to be exercised while using this oil. For instance, this essential oil should not be used by women during the initial four months of pregnancy.