Aromatherapy Introduction

What is Aromatherapy? You may have heard of it, but, you still don't know what it is. Well, let me tell you a little about it. There have been numerous books on the subject and people have spent a lifetime perfecting this craft. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils obtained from plants to promote health and well being. It has gained popularity recently with the resurgence of a holistic approach to health. It has been used for centuries in healing, religious ceremonies and in perfumes.

Aromatherapy was in one of the oldest known medical works relating to healing and preventative formulas using aromatic plants. It was written in Egypt around 1550 B.C. There were essential oils that were just as precious as gold. The resins from frankincense and myrrh were two of them. Today three of the most costly oils are Rose - around $15 for an 1/8th of an ounce, Jasmine - around $30 for an 1/8th of an ounce, and Neroli - around $40 for an 1/8th of an ounce. But don't let that scare you. Prices do vary. Most oils range in price from $3 to $10 per 1/2 ounce. One of the things to remember is you only need a couple of drops per application. So, a 1/2 ounce can last a long while.

You can use Aromatherapy for so many things. You can use it for Circulatory conditions such as High Blood pressure, Digestive conditions such as Appetite loss, Excretory conditions such as Urinary infections, General conditions such as Anxiety/ stress, Headache/Migraines, Menstrual conditions such as PMS and painful periods, Muscular conditions such as aches, pains and muscle cramps, Respiratory conditions such as Asthma, and for Skin conditions such as Acne.

How do they get the essential oils out of plants? Several different ways. It's according to what part of the plant used. You can get essential oils from the roots, bark, leaves, fruit, the wood itself or flowers. The properties of the oils will be different, from the same plant, using the different parts. The most common way is through steam distillation.

The difference between essential oil and oils like cooking oil, is that essential oils are volatile oils. In other words, they will evaporate quickly. The parfume industry has devised a categorization of essential oils into top, middle, and base notes, depending on their volatility of each oil. Top notes are the most volatile and are generally uplifting and awakening. The aroma from a top note may last for a maximum of 24 hours. Top notes include bergamot and lemon. Base notes are slower to evaporate, with the aroma lasting for about a week. On the whole base notes are calming and sedative. Base note oils include cedarwood and ylang ylang. Middle notes fall in between these two. They are often used to help relieve physical disorders. Middle notes include juniper and rosemary.

All essential oils, however, can have effects both on the mood ant the body of a person and the terms top, middle and base are important mainly in the making of a fragrance. The volatility of essential oils makes them ideal for room freshening, inhalation and creating a particular atmosphere, as they evaporate quickly and are easily inhaled.

Therapeutic properties of essential oils are demonstrated by the fact that they are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bactericidal, antiviral and antiseptic. Essential oils are also synergistic, which means that their effect is enhanced if two or three oils are combined. Up to five essential oils can be mixed together, but it is not recommended that a blend of more than five be used.

In addition to having these valuable therapeutic properties, Aromatherapy is well known for it's relaxing effects, particularly when used in combination with massage. Many books and articles on stress recommend the use of Aromatherapy and massage as ways of combating tension and promoting relaxation.

Less attention is given to the invigorating and refreshing properties of different essential oils which can help relieve fatigue and improve concentration. Some essential oils have been found to have normalizing or balancing effects, e.g.. geranium, lavender, clary sage.

You can use the oils in several different ways. You can use them in your bath, in non-volatile oils, such as sweet almond oil, for massage. In a device called a diffuser, which puts the oils into the air, or in a potpourri burner. You can also just smell them right out of the bottle.

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