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A
Beginner's Guide to Aromatherapy
Author - Susie
Cortright
Jasmine
Picture copyright Karen Bergeron 2007
Contemporary healers,
therapists, and marketing gurus are grabbing hold of a phenomenon
that insects and animals instinctively understand: the power of
aroma. Scientists pursue aromachology (the study of scent and
its ability to change human behavior) for its role in everything from
medicine to marketing, migraines to memory loss, and relaxation to
revitalization.
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A Brief History of Aromatherapy
The ancestry of aromatherapy goes back some 4,000 years. Ancient
Egyptians used aromatic botanicals for massage, embalming, medicine,
and cosmetics. Hippocrates himself might have been the first
aromatherapy spokesman 2,000 years ago, as he touted the benefits of
aromatic massage for physical and emotional well being. In the 10th
century, the Arabian world invented the process of distillation,
which allowed more efficient extraction of essential oils. For
centuries, cultures around the globe inhaled aromas, drank potions,
and wore aromatic amulets to protect them from harm.
In the early 1900s, France and England attempted to reintroduce
these ancient remedies and help them gain acceptance in the more
traditional medical community. This trend continues in France today.
Many French doctors prescribe aromatic remedies, pharmacies stock
essential oils, and insurance companies pay for the treatment. In
the United States, aromatic healing is gaining ground. |
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to treat ailments.
These conditions range from physical conditions to emotional
problems. From headaches to herpes. Dry skin to acne. Arthritis to
asthma. The essential oils of aromatherapy are extracted from
aromatic plants and herbs: from the flower, bark, root, twig, seed,
berry, rhizome, or leaves (generally through a process of steam
distillation.) These oils may be inhaled or massaged into the skin,
after combining with a vegetable, nut or seed oil. Massage with
essential oils is most commonly used to alleviate skin ailments and
muscle pain or tension. Lavender, orange, marjoram, and chamomile
are particularly effective aromas in the use of massage. Essential
oils can be inhaled with the help of a vaporizer, an electric
diffuser or an aroma lamp.
How Does Aromatherapy work?
Our sense of smell is more complex than you might think. Your
nose contains thousands of olfactory nerves. While your tongue has
the ability to taste sweet, sour, salt, and bitter, it is your sense
of smell that creates all the delightful flavors you experience. The
olfactory bulb is part of the limbic system in your brain. The
limbic system is not under conscious control. It also controls
digestion, libido, and
emotions, so it is not your imagination that scents evoke emotion.
Aromas actually trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that
create a feeling of well being. Scientists say a typical response to
an aroma takes just four seconds.
Which Essential Oils Are Right for You?
Essential oils are available in natural and synthetic forms.
Natural essential oils are not oils but non oily, non water soluble
substances,
which dissolve in alcohol and combine with true oils. Pure, natural
essential oils may be as much as 70 times more potent than the plant
source itself.
Some synthetics are derived from natural products. The exact
formulation of an essential oil is virtually impossible to reproduce
in the laboratory. Even the smallest variation can produce
significant changes its effect. Some synthetic oils fall into the
category of artificial fragrances, entirely made of petroleum
products. These products generally do not produce the same
therapeutic effects as essential oils.
Each essential oil is comprised of different hormones and vitamins,
which combine to create different effects. Furthermore, the effects
of each essential oil can vary depending on the botanical species
and where it is grown. The effects of particular aromas
can also vary among cultures and individuals, so the results of
aromatherapy are not universal. Still, aromatherapists have
developed a roster of scents with relatively predictable effects:
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Aphrodisiacs
Jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli
Energizers
Lemon, basil, bergamot, sweet orange, peppermint, eucalyptus,
tangerine
PMS
Cedarwood, clary sage, fennel, geranium, Neroli, Roman chamomile
Relaxation
Lavender, myrrh, cardamom, cedarwood, German chamomile, clary
sage, frankincenseClary Sage
Photo Copyright Karen Bergeron 2007 |
Susie Cortright is the founder of
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