What is Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy Cautions
Essential Oils for Dogs
Pregnancy Cautions
Storing Essential Oils
Using Essential Oils
Oils for Ailments
Oil Descriptions
Aromatherapy Recipes &
Uses
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What
is Aromatherapy?
Peppermint,
lemon, pine, lavender, rose…think of these words and you’re
likely to think of the scents they create and possibly even
memories they evoke. Our olfactory membranes (scent detectors)
are made up of brain cells and are the only part of the central
nervous system exposed to the environment. They exist to smell
our fragrant world and tell us about it, but they are also linked
to the emotional centre of the brain. That’s why certain
smells can take us back to an exact moment with just the faintest
of whiffs. Different smells can bring forth strong emotions
– either positive or negative – and can envelope
us quickly. For me, whenever I smell grapefruit, I return to
my early teen years to the night before I moved from my childhood
home. I can picture the friend with me, the feelings overwhelming
me and even the warm summer air. It is perhaps the most vivid
memory I have and brings many emotions to the surface with just
a little of the scent. Perhaps you have a similar scent/memory
connection that can sweep you away. Aromatherapy
is the use of essential oils to promote the body’s natural
ability to achieve optimal health. Essential oils are the
highly concentrated extracts of aromatic plants. They are
so concentrated it is not unusual for 1 ton (and much more
for some plants) of raw material to create only one pound
of essential oil. Because they are so concentrated, the golden
rule of aromatherapy is less is more.
The use
of aromatic plants and herbs to heal body and soul was practiced
in many ancient cultures and is gaining respectability in
our own culture. While the effects are scientifically confirmed,
the essential oil also works within each individual’s
framework of the world and so is also very much an individual
experience. For example lavender, which has been proven scientifically
to promote a calm sense of well-being, can create much anxiety
for anyone who has had a traumatic and/or extremely unpleasant
experience associated with the scent.
This is
so because while inhaled and/or applied essential oils cause
the release of various neurochemicals in the brain, strong
memories do the same. Neurochemicals create physiological
changes felt both physically and emotionally. If you know
that a particular scent has negative associations for you
or you simply do not like it, it is best to avoid that particular
essential oil. For regardless of what properties it possesses,
your body and mind will likely keep it’s original imprint
of negative association.
Chemical
reproductions of various scents do not have the same biochemical
effects as essential oils and therefore it is important to
use a high quality product for aromatherapy. Synthetic reproductions
are just aromatic chemicals and some may come with the various
side-effects of chemicals including suppression of the immune
system (rather than the aromatherapeutic goal of enhancing
the immune system).
Pure essential
oils are extracted directly from various parts of plants.
Depending on the plant itself, the oil may come from the flowers,
the leaves, the rinds, the berries, the resin, the wood, the
roots, the bark or the seeds. Because the oils are extremely
concentrated, they require copious amounts of raw material
and can be quite costly, but quality should supersede all
other concerns. If a pure essential oil is too costly, one
is better off using a different oil or a blend rather than
an artificial chemical.
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