Smell a rose,
peel an orange , or rub a mint sprig, and
we are aware of the potent effects of the
special scents contained within. But what
exactly are we smelling? It is the esential
oils contained within the petals, the peel,
and the leaf that contain these oils. These
oils can be found in all the parts of a plant;
the seeds, bark, root, stems, and wood.
Aromatherapy is a very enjoyable healing
art. There are few simple luxuries as pleasing
as soaking in a fragrant hot bath or being
massaged with wonderfully scented oils.
Aromatherapy is the enhancement of body,
mind and spirit with aromatic botanical essential
oils. These oils contain tremendous balancing
and enhancing properties. Most often used
in massages, baths and direct inhalation,
they are readily absorbed through the skin,
and when inhaled, they affect the brain and
its release of neurochemicals.
Since ancient times, essential oils have
been used to benefit the body, mind and soul.
Old manuscripts, which are used almost like
prescriptions, list fragrances from plants
as ingredients in charms, ceremonies, as
well as health remedies, cosmetics and even
food. Many oils have significant religious
aspects. Middle Age monks were renowned for
their brilliant cultivation of many different
herbs and plants as well as their knowledge
of their benefits to people. Juniper is still
burnt in Tibetan temples to purify, as Frankincense
is used in Roman Catholic churches. Chinese
medicine still uses ginger and opium, which
are both therapeutic and have a religious
base. And of course, Egyptians used oils
consistently, both for everyday use, as perfumes
and cosmetics, as tonics and potions, and
to embalm their dead.
Basically, the concentrated pure plant extracts,
fragrant as well as therapeutic, are what
we call Essential Oils. The use of essential
oils is Aromatherapy. Most of the aspects
of modern medicine came from herbalism, of
which aromatherapy is a part.
Some oils promote relaxation, some rejuvenation.
Many different oils can be used to treat
or prevent health problems, as well as help
to change ones mood and create a sense of
well-being.
You can experience the benefits of essential
oils in many different ways: by direct inhalation,
or breathing them in through the nose, or
absorbing them thought the skin. Some oils
are skin sensitive and can cause a reaction,
because they are so concentrated, so it is
best to make certain the oil is skin safe.
You can easily test this by placing a tiny
drop on the skin of your inner arm from the
wrist to the elbow. If a reaction occurs,
use as an inhalant only; do not use on your
skin.
There is a pointed difference between real
essential oil and what are known as essence
or fragrance oils, which are synthetic. Basically,
and essential oil releases different neurochemicals
in the brain that can tell our body to experience
different things, such as the release of
the natural body chemical, serotonin, known
for its relaxing and calming properties.
Essential oils gently activate your body's
natural healing energies. A fragrance oil
is simply a nice scent that may smell similar
to an essential oil, but cannot produce the
same effect on the body. Many products out
there claim they are Aromatherapy products,
and are made with fragrance oils only, and
therefore are not therapeutic. Check with
the manufacturer if you can, otherwise, the
prices can provide a good indication of this.
For example, Rose and Jasmine essential oils
are extremely expensive, and if the price
does not reflect this, they are probably
fragrance oils. A lot of companies are picking
up on the uses of aromatherapy and adding
them to their products; Lavender and Orange
oil are very popular today. However, again,
these may or may not be real essential oils.
Aromatherapy is an easy way to enhance the
quality of your life and improve your health
and well-being. The essential oils of Rosemary
can prompt your mind to work more effectively.
Tea Tree can help boost your immune system.
Eucalyptus is great for any respiratory ailment.
Lavender can help you unwind and relax. Peppermint
can energize you for a night on the town.
And Chamomile can help calm you or even a
restless baby to a soothing sleep.
A main use of Aromatherapy is to help manage
and reduce stress. No one is safe from modern
day stress, it seems, and anything that helps
reduce it naturally is a bonus to the strong
chemical medicines that not everyone needs.
Regular use of oils can help you control
stress, help alleviate anxiety and tension,
and minimize aches and pain in the body.
And aromatherapy treatments for the skin,
hair and body can add new dimensions to your
health and beauty regime. Help your dry skin
naturally, balance oily hair, clear problem
skin areas, and create a healthy glow. And
of course, use as a personal perfume, which
will stay on your skin and leave a lingering
and unique natural scent that most commercial
products cannot match.
Not only do their extracts help us live
better, but plants support the environment.
Without plants, we humans could not live.
Life giving oxygen is essential to our lives.
Plants use the carbon dioxide that we exhale
to manufacture this life-sustaining element.
Besides making the world a more beautiful
place to be, plants make the air a little
cleaner, reduce some of the effect of greenhouse
gases, and diminish global warming. And the
use of oils can help connect us with nature.
In these stress-filled times, we often forget
he importance of nature and its benefits
to the world in general. In fact, the neglect
of nature is significant to the current global
environmental crisis.
Depending on the essential oil used, Aromatherapy
can help you relax, stimulate, rejuvenate,
increase mental alertness and much more.
Scent is a very primitive, deeply moving
and yet subtle catalyst for the unconscious
mind. We depend and rely on this important
sense daily, and the use of scent in everyday
life has endless possibilities.
Properties and Histories of Some Essential
Oils
Cedarwood
- American Indians burned it to relieve
head cold and chest congestion, as well
as promote and stimulate childbirth deliver.
- Most pencils are made from cedarwood;
it tends to remind one of childhood due
to learned-association. Very popular in
men's colognes.
- Helps diffuse anger, aggression and fear.
Thought to be energizing and strengthening.
Particulary good for circulation.
- All-round tonic and stimulant; helps
both dry and oily hair complaints. It soothes
and softens skin, controls dandruff, and
stimulates the scalp and hair follicles.
Eucalyptus
- Also known as the Fever Tree; sick people
were relocated to Eucalyptus-populated
areas to improve their health.
- The leaves of the tree are well known
as a koala's only food.
- Well known as a treatment of respiratory
conditions; a great diffuser oil for asthmatics.
- Useful for wounds and insect bites; cooling
to the body, can relieve fever and skin
irritations.
Lavender
- All-around remarkable oil, it treats
lung, sinus, and vaginal infections, treats
digestive disturbances, including colic,
relieves muscle pains and inflammations,
helps boost immunity and is also an excellent
treatment for laryngitis and asthma, especially
combined with Eucalyptus.
- A cell regenerator that prevents scarring
and stretch marks, it has a reputation
for slowing wrinkles.
- Use on sun burns, wounds, rashes and
skin infections.
- Used traditionally during childbirth
as a soothing, loving, comforting room
scent.
- A great emotional healer, used to help
all types of stress, nervousness, exhaustion,
insomnia, irritability, depression and
even manic depression.
- Balances emotions and feelings of instability;
helps to inducea restful sleep (Try a couple
of drops on a pillow or in an evening bath).
Peppermint
- Well known as a stomach aid and breath
freshener.
- Helpful with all digestive problems;
relieves nausea and good for travel sickness.
- Cooling natural liniment for the skin;
soothes many aches and pains including
headaches.
- Clears emotions and invigorates the mind;
refreshing and uplifting.
- Rats and mice detest the aroma, making
it an effective vermin deterrent - good
around grain bags in barns.
Grapefruit
- A powerful weight loss aid, reduces cellulite,
balances body fluids and increases physical
strength.
- Noted for its cleansing action, used
to sterilize, and as a breath freshener.
- Reduces stress, it is energizing and
helps promote feelings of youthfulness
and anticipation.
Rosemary
- Burned during the plague to ward off
infection; a purifier and antiseptic.
- In Ancient Greece, students wore it in
their hair while studying to increase and
strengthen their memories.
- Europeans put a couple of drops in white
wine as a remedy for poor circulation.
- Once used to prevent baldness, still
very popular and helpful for the skin and
hair. Rub a few drop into the scalp.
- Vapours open sinus and breathing passages;
also improves digestion, circulation, metabolism
and mental clarity.
- Purifies body by removing cellulite and
lymphatic deposits; relieves aches and
pains.
Tea Tree
- Early European colonists made a healthy
and tasty tea, hence the name.
- Used by the legendary Captain Cook to
overcome scurvy and keep his men strong
and healthy.
- Medically proven to be an antiseptic,
antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic
and antiviral; used during WW2 for open
wounds and infections.
- Treats skin conditions including acne;
heals scrapes, blisters, absecesses, burns,
cuts and infections - a first aid kit in
a bottle.
- Powerful against bacteria, fungi and
viruses - it has attracted a lot of attention
in the medical world.
- Like its cousin, eucalyptus, it relieves
the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis, colds,
congestion, coughs, earaches, fevers, laryngitis,
sinusitis, sore throats, and tonsillitis.
Improves immunity and reduces the incidence
of colds, flu and other infectious illnesses.
How to use Essential Oils in your Everyday
Life
- Use a few drops on your Scent Ring placed
on a light bulb, or the dish of an Aroma
Lamp or Aroma Diffuser.
- Use as a direct inhalant, especially
for therapeutic use.
- Add 3-10 drops to your bath water. (Always
hand stir in just as you are about to enter
your bath to receive the full benefit of
the oils.)
- Use as a massage oil. (Add a few drops
to a tablespoon of carrier oil such as
almond, grapeseed or jojoba)
- Sprinkle any scent on potpourri to revive
and enhance the scent.
- Put a few drops on a cotton ball and
place in drawers, closets, pockets, cupboards,
etc.
- Add a few drops to the washing machine,
on the filter pad of your vacuum cleaner,
and in your humidifier.(Eucalyptus, Tea
Tree, and Sweet Birch will help to clean
and disinfect naturally)
- Place a couple of drops on the inside
cardboard of the toilet paper roll and
your tissue box.
- A few drops on your dishwater will make
the job more pleasant. (Any Citrus Scent
will aid in cleaning)
- A few drops rubbed into your hairbrush
will add a pleasant scent as well as help
the hair. Add a few drops of the same essential
oil to your shampoo or conditioner. (Try
one of these: Normal-Grapefruit, Dry-Lavender,
Oily-Cedarwood)
- Use a drop of Tea Tree on skin cuts,
burns, blisters, and blemishes.
© 2004 Ariel Jackson-Ross
|
Ariel Jackson-Ross took an
interest in Aromatherapy while she was st
