Aroma Therapy: Treatment Using Essential Oils for Physical & Mental Well-Being

ABC of Aromatherapy

In Aromatherapy the aroma oils hold the miraculous properties to heal and care for our overall well-being.

Aromatherapy is the alternative branch of medicine, which, in literal sense, means Treatment through Fragrance! Aromatherapy is the modern name for a very ancient knowledge of healing and improving overall well being, using fragrant natural plant extracts. These plant extracts are called Aromatherapy Oils and can be extracted from the herbs, plants, flowers, fruits, bark, roots or the resin of some trees. These magical extracts from plants can amazingly affect the physical, mental, emotional and even the spiritual being. The essential properties of Aromatherapy oils provide relaxation to the body and mind soothes and heals the same, from various diseases.

Aromatherapy has become a rage in the modern times, as this pleasurable experience has become a part of the lifestyle for every person. The best part about it is that, more than one person can bath in the aromatic and effective experience at a time. This branch extends way back to ancient times and cultures of India and other developed civilizations. On the similar lines, aromatherapy in contemporary scenario is coming up as an extensive global phenomenon.

Aromatherapy has been around for 6000 years or more. Traditional Indian medicine - Ayurveda, has been practiced for more than 3000 years. One of its main aspects incorporates aromatic massage. Aromatherapy has also been used for many centuries in India. Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, uses dried and fresh herbs, as well as aromatic massage as important aspects of treatment. The use of therapeutic oils was spread throughout Asia and North Africa in ancient times, with India giving us a rich tradition of strongly perfumed oil such as sandalwood and patchouli. The Chinese are thought to be one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for good health

Later, the Egyptians invented a fundamental distillation machine that allowed for the crude extraction of cedar wood oil. Even in Greece, the use of aromatherapy was widely practised in those days. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, started its usage, as he used aromatherapy baths and fragranced massage. He practiced fumigations for both aromatic and medicinal benefit. The Roman Empire continued the knowledge of aromatherapy, built upon the knowledge of the Egyptians and Greeks.

During the earlier part of the 20th century, a French chemist by the name of Rene-Maurice Gattefosse became involved in the use of essential oils for their therapeutic use. The other highly respected 20th century aroma therapists include Jean Valnet, Madam Marguerite Maury and Robert B. Tisserand. The modern era of aromatherapy dawned in 1930 when the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse coined the term aromatherapy for the therapeutic use of essential oils.

From the late 20th century onwards into the 21st century, there is a growing resurgence to utilize more natural products including essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic and aromatic benefit. The use of essential oils never ceased, but the scientific revolution minimized the popularity and use of essential oils in one's everyday life. Today’s heightened awareness regarding the use of synthetics coupled with the increased availability of aromatherapy information within books and the Internet has refuelled the use of essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, fragrant and spiritual use.

But throughout recent history, there have been recorded instances of therapeutic healing oils being used to treat many complaints successfully, and today, aromatherapy has become an international industry. The modern multi-billion dollar aromatherapy industry has spawned a wealth of aromatherapy products, such as essential oils, creams, candles, soaps, air fresheners, and fragrance infused papers, textiles and novelties.

Aromatherapy oils have such widespread applications along with the natural benefit of good fragrance that they can be incorporated in every sphere of our daily life. The therapeutic properties of essential oils can benefit all the family members at one go. One can create an ideal atmosphere at home by using aromatherapy products like room fresheners and vapourizers, pot pourri and wood fires. Apart from these, many other products can also be made from the essential oils to clean the environments as disinfectants.

Even the healing power of aromatherapy during pregnancy is extremely helpful. Aromatherapy benefits can help to lessen the uncomfortable problems, such as nausea (morning sickness), swollen hands and feet, general aches and pains and fatigue. They can also help in relaxing and looking after the body as it slowly goes through changes. But do remember to consult your doctor if you are evenly slightly unsure of your health.

Aromatherapy for children can also prove very beneficial through massages. Though massage is the most common form of giving aromatherapy treatment to the child, there are many ways of giving aromatherapy treatment as well. Aromatherapy can be used for young babies while their baby baths and also as remedies for childhood diseases. Thus, there are many situations where aromatherapy for such young babies can work.

Elevating the moods by aroma oils and curing the diseases are the obvious preferences with essential oils. But there is one more application in which aromatherapy is gaining increased popularity. Today, millions of beauty parlours across the world are employing aroma oils in their beauty treatments including aromatherapy massages. These beauty treatments cover the beautification of women from head to toe. Thus, body care with aromatherapy includes the entire body care including Aromatherapy baths. The treatment can be as easy as taking a bath with aroma oils, where one can relax and rejuvenate at the same time.

Then there is the face care with aromatherapy which provides relief to all the possible facial problems. And lastly there is also skin care by aromatherapy, which takes proper care of skin and pampers it naturally. Such aroma oils can be employed to treat skin diseases and problems in different manner for different types of skin. Not only that, it can effectively fight wrinkles, cellulite and acne while having other holistic cures at the same time. Different aroma oils with different recipes are given for dry, oily, combined and mature skin.

Aromatherapy Oils

Aromatherapy oils have amazing effect on an individual, these oils are the aromatic and volatile constituents found.

Since ancient times aromatherapy has been an amazing choice. This alternative branch of medicine has changed the modern lifestyle and offered relief and eased tension. Aromatherapy oils are the aromatic and volatile constituents found in plants. These essential oils are used to strengthen the self-healing processes by preventative methods and indirect stimulation of the immune system. Aromatherapy oils perform a wide ranging activity that range from deep and penetrating therapeutic actions to the extreme subtlety of inimitable fragrance. These essential oils can be used to enhance health as well as the quality of life. In other words Aromatherapy oil is the inhalation and application of volatile essential oils from aromatic plants to restore or enhance health, beauty and well-being.

Aromatherapy oils are delicate, volatile liquids that are used by distillation, expression and solvent extraction. Essential oils interact with the body in multiple ways and affect the individual in many ways. The absorption can be through the skin layer. The aromatherapy oil penetrates in the epithelial tissues; these include the skin, nasal passages, bronchioles, lungs and gastro-intestinal tract. The aromatherapy oils take in the essence of all the active properties of the plant and are considered to be the soothing agents. Chemically, essential oils are made up of alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, terpenes, sesquiterpenes, ethers and esters. Aromatherapy Essential oils are the constituents that contain the essence of all the active properties of that plant. Aromatherapy oil families and characteristics are determined by the plant family to which the oil belongs.

The oil characteristics follow the common properties representative of their plant families.

The Aromatherapy oils are produced with special techniques of infusion, expression and distillation and these are excreted from special glands and pores of the plants. There are different methods of extraction for different plants and oils. Aromatherapy oils are produced mainly by steam distillation, cold pressing, CO2 hyperbarlic extraction, and solvent extraction. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages and produces a different quality of oil. Production methods for aromatherapy oils is therefore quite exhaustive. However, the preparation of the Aromatherapy oils is such that the essence of the oil is retained.

Aromatherapy oils combine over 150 isolated chemical ingredients. The excellent chemical composition of aromatherapy oils gives various effects on the body. Moreover, the essential oil can have different therapeutic properties also. Aromatherapy oils that are high in alcohols include Rose, Petitgrain, Rosewood, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Ginger. Furthermore, Aromatherapy oils are mixed with one another varieties that provide magnificent essence. There are ten blending of Aromatherapy oils that can be done. The mixes of oil that can be blended are Bergamot, Lavender, Chamomile, Neroli, Frankincense, Rose, Geranium, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and Jasmine. The men’s oil includes Basil, Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Patchouli, Pine and Sandalwood.

The basic essence of aromatherapy essential oils is its smell. The smell essential oils, the vapour stimulates small hair-like extensions of the olfactory nerve. The olfactory nerve is the only nerve in the body that directly contacts the external environment and goes all the way to the brain. The olfactory nerve stimulates the most primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system, also known as the saurian or reptilian brain. This is important in the processing of and reaction to emotions, desires, appetites and memories. This direct connection is the reason why aroma oils have such deep and forceful impact on our moods and overall being.

Properties of Aromatherapy Oils

It describes all the chemical and biological properties of the aromatherapy oils as well as their basic functions.

Aromatherapy essential oils are the aromatic and volatile constituents found in plants. These constituents contain the essence of all the active properties of that plant. Chemically, essential oils are made up of Alcohols, Aldehydes, Ketones, Phenols, Terpenes, Sesquiterpenes, Ethers and Esters. In the living plant, these aromatherapy essential oil components are used as hormones for growth and reproduction, plant pheromones for smells, which will attract pollinating insects, defence mechanisms protecting the plant from predators (herbivores and insects) and also protection against bacterial, viral, or fungal invasion. Aroma oils or Essential oils are subtle, volatile liquids that are extracted from plants, shrubs, flowers, trees, bushes, herbs, spices, woods and fibres, usually by distillation, expression and solvent extraction. Essential oils can be derived from all parts of the plant, which are given as follows:

(a) Flowers produce Aromatherapy oils that often have sedating, narcotic or relaxing effects on the body.

(b) The Resins, Woods, Barks and Exudates produce heating aromatherapy oils that actively move fluids in the body.

(c) The Leaves often have healing and cooling properties coming from the green colour of chlorophyll (very closely related to our hemoglobin structure).

(d) The Roots contain many of the earth properties of the plants and can be very grounding.

(e) The Fruits produce essential oils that are very expanding, opening and stimulating.

Care and Selection of Aromatherapy Oils

Like any other medicinal application, a proper use of Aromatherapy Oils is therapeutic, while an improper use may be extremely toxic and harmful. There are many oils that cannot be taken internally or some that should not be taken during pregnancy. And apart from certain mild oils, direct application on skin, or even direct inhalation should be avoided. Although care and precaution for all oils are different, there are certain general precautions that we can follow to avoid any disaster. These are:

1. Aromatherapy oils are light and sensitive, hence they should be stored in tightly capped amber or coloured bottles away from extremes of heat or cold. Anything being sold in a clear bottle is most likely not an essential oil. Clear glass, at the very least, can indicate distribution by people unfamiliar with essential oils.

2. Aromatherapy oils should be labeled with the botanical name of the extracted plant and information should be available about the method used to produce them.

3. Aromatherapy oils vary greatly in price due to production variables. It can take up to 2,000 pounds of rose petals to produce one pound of rose aromatherapy oils through distillation. 25 pounds