Essential Oils for Heart Health & Cardiovascular Support

Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, we’re not finished talking about our hearts! Cardiovascular health is one of the most important things to maintain for overall well-being. The cardiovascular, or circulatory, system transports blood to the various tissues throughout the body. It is comprised of the heart and blood vessels—arteries, veins, and capillaries.

The cardiovascular system distributes necessary oxygen and nutrients to body tissues while simultaneously transporting carbon dioxide and waste materials to the lungs and excretory organs. The cardiovascular system also supports the immune system, allowing immune cells to travel in the bloodstream to cells to where they are needed in the body. Fluid balance and thermoregulation—the body’s ability to keep a constant temperature—are two other important functions supported by the cardiovascular system.

In short, keeping your heart healthy plays a big role in keeping the rest of your body healthy. Here are some tips on how you can use essential oils to strengthen your cardiovascular system.

Oils that are great for general cardiovascular support include orange, cypress, cinnamon, sandalwood, and thyme.

Circulation

Increasing your circulation allows blood and oxygen to flow better throughout your body. This process is vital in order to sustain life. If you struggle with circulatory problems, the following oils may be helpful: cypress, copaiba, thyme, peppermint, clary sage, wintergreen, rosemary. For a complete list, along with usage instructions, see Modern Essentials, 10th Edition, p. 267.

Here is a simple massage blend to help increase circulation and get you feeling better.

Circulation Massage Blend
5 drops eucalyptus
5 drops rosemary
5 drops cypress
5 drops black pepper
5 drops ginger
(30 ml) carrier oil

Combine the essential oils with your favorite carrier oil, and then gently massage the mixture onto your arms, legs, and chest every day.

Heart

Essential oils that are great for the heart itself include ylang ylang, marjoram, geranium, cypress, ginger, lavender, and rosemary. These oils should be applied to the carotid arteries, over heart, on feet, under the left ring finger, above elbow, behind left ring toe, and to reflex points on the bottoms of feet. Refer to Modern Essentials,10th Edition, for dilution recommendations and other uses.

Blood Pressure

Blood is circulated in the body through various blood vessels. Proper and healthy circulation and blood function is critical for health and for sustaining life. High or low blood pressure makes it difficult for blood to get where it is needed and can be very dangerous. Oils that are good for regulating blood pressure are lemon and lime.

Depending on whether you have high blood pressure or low blood pressure will change which oils you need to apply. Essential oils for high blood pressure include ylang ylang, marjoram, eucalyptus, lavender, clove, clary sage, lemon, and wintergreen. If you have high blood pressure, you should avoid rosemary, thyme and, possibly, peppermint. Essential oils for low blood pressure include rosemary and blue tansy. You can learn more about how to use these oils on page 257 of Modern Essentials, 10th Edition.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an important lipid that comprises part of cell membranes and the myelin sheath, playing a role in nerve cell function. Cholesterol is created by the body and is found in many foods we eat. An imbalance of certain types of cholesterol in the blood has been theorized to play a role in the formation of plaque in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. Oils that are good for cholesterol regulation include lemongrass, clary sage, helichrysum, dill, lavender, and juniper berry.

To help balance your cholesterol levels, combine 5 drops lemongrass and 5 drops dill with 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil in a small dropper bottle. Massage oil over stomach area and bottoms of feet daily. Add a small amount of this blend to a capsule, and swallow.

These are just a few examples of conditions that can damage your cardiovascular health. To learn more, consult your physician or Modern Essentials, 10th Edition.