Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit. It is an art and science which seeks to explore the physiological, psychological and spiritual realm of the individual's response to aromatic extracts as well as to observe and enhance the individual's innate healing process. As a holistic medicine, Aromatherapy is both a preventative approach as well as an active treatment during acute and chronic stages of illness or 'dis'-ease.
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils, extracted from plants, trees, and herbs, for therapeutic purposes. Although aromatic plant oils have been used to treat various conditions for thousands of years, the term aromatherapy wasn't coined until 1928, when Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist first used it. Gattefosse had earlier witnessed the curative capabilities of essential oils when he used them to treat wounds during World War I. After the war, he continued to experiment with various oils, and eventually classified them according to their "healing" properties: antitoxic, antiseptic, tonifying, stimulating, calming, and so on. In 1937, he published Aromatherapie, which remains a classic book on the subject
Origin of the word Aromatherapy:
The term "Aromatherapy" was coined by Rene Maurice Gattefosse in 1928. He utilized the word to imply the therapeutic use of aromatic substances (essential oils). Since the beginning of Aromatherapy, the practice has encompassed human pathology and the treatment of different conditions (emotional and physical) with essential oils. As Aromatherapy developed into a practice it adopted an holistic approach which encompasses the body, the mind and the spirit (energy).
The Chinese may have been one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for well-being. Their practices involved burning incense to help create harmony and balance.Later, the Egyptians invented a rudimentary distillation machine that allowed for the crude extraction of cedarwood oil. It is also thought by some that Persia and India may have also invented crude distillation machines, but very little is known.
The sense of smell:
The nostrils open up inside the skull to form the nasal cavity, which sits directly beneath the brain. Embedded in the ceiling of the nasal cavity are the olfactory cells. Each cell has tiny, moist hairs that trap odour molecules. It is thought that an odour is translated into electrical impulses by these cells, then passed on to the brain via the two olfactory bulbs. The message is interpreted by a part of the brain called the cerebral cortex. The sense of smell is poorly understood, but we do know that it is linked to the oldest, most primitive part of our brain and seems to have a direct link to our emotions.
A considerable research shows that smell, the most acute of our senses, has a powerful influence on our bodies and minds. The scents from essential oils are believed to activate olfactory nerve cells in the nasal cavity, which then send impulses to the limbic system, the area of the brain associated with emotions and memory.Proponents of aromatherapy believe that the aromatic oils work both emotionally and physically. Emotionally, they may make you feel better by evoking a pleasant memory (the smell of lemons might remind you of a cake a favorite aunt once made, for example). Physically, they may help to relieve certain conditions by stimulating the immune, circulatory, or nervous systems.
The Benefit of Aromatherapy:
Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs are believed to offer both psychological and physical benefits; not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but the natural constituents (naturally occurring chemicals) of the essential oil are drawn into the lungs and can also supply physical benefit. If not done correctly and safely, however, the use of essential oils can also have severe consequences.
Things to know about essential oils:
-Essential oils should not be taken internally
-They are best stored away from light and heat
-They can be combined and still keep their individual properties
-They are best used in carrier oils such as avocado, jojoba or apricot kernal oil, or creams which are not made from animal or mineral sources.
-Do not use the oils directly on the skin unless that type of treatment has been recommended by a therapist
-Be careful using the oils while pregnant
-Do not use on babies less than 2 weeks old and then only one drop of lavender for children 2 weeks to 4 months old. At 4 months of age to 12 years use a quarter of adult dosages.
-Use with care on the elderly - use very little essential oil and seek advice from a qualified Aroma therapist
-Do not use animal products or mineral products (sorbolene)
-Do not use near eyes
-Do not use more than recommended doses
-Always use your conventional medicine if prescribed. Aromatherapy is not a replacement for your recommended treatment.
