| Aromatherapy - What is it and can it help what ails | | | | The oils are then used to invigorate, relax, calm and |
| you? | | | | revitalize those that use them. |
| History of the Practice | | | | Aromatherapy has been used to be useful in treating |
| Aromatherapy means exactly what you might think. | | | | a wide range of ailments. Many have found by using |
| It's is getting the therapeutic benefit from the aroma | | | | these products they can reduce or eliminate aches |
| of several types of essential oils, herbs, flowers and | | | | and pains. They find them useful in treating injuries. |
| other types of plants. It is a well known process and | | | | Serious diseases have also been treated with these |
| used widely around the world to help people | | | | therapies eliminating a lot of the normal debilitating |
| overcome a number of ailments they may encounter | | | | and uncomfortable side effects found with normal |
| in their daily lives. | | | | courses of treatment. |
| First off, let's learn a little about aromatherapy and its | | | | The power of a single scent can trigger many |
| roots in civilization. It's not too far fetched to realize | | | | physical and emotional responses. The need to do so |
| the need for such a therapy in days of old since | | | | is so overwhelmingly apparent in the treatment of |
| modern medicinal techniques were centuries away | | | | Alzheimer's patients. A whiff of an essential oil or any |
| from being invented. | | | | scent for that matter can set the mind into motion. |
| The term "aromatherapy" may not be that old but | | | | Using aromatherapy on these patients can bring back |
| the practice of using the special oils and products | | | | thoughts, memories of people, places and situations |
| goes back centuries when first invented by the | | | | that have been long forgotten by the individual. |
| Chinese. History shows us that they used this | | | | These aromas trigger the receptor cells. They send |
| process after finding out about the natural ability of | | | | messages throughout all areas of the brain which in |
| these essential oils, herbs, plants etc., to heal ailments | | | | turn activate their thoughts and long lost memories. |
| of the body. | | | | During this process the pituitary will also receive |
| This feature became an offshoot practice of burning | | | | simulation and cause other messages to travel thru |
| incense which they felt created a singular | | | | the body via the blood system. This causes glands |
| atmosphere of a harmonious relationship between | | | | and organs throughout the body to produce physical |
| the world and a relaxed body. Although crudely | | | | responses to the stimulus that normally doesn't |
| accomplished at the time, as the years passed, | | | | happen because of the disease. |
| archeology has shown that the Egyptians were the | | | | The oils are very complex in nature but because of |
| one who advanced the art of aromatherapy. | | | | this a single concentrated drop can create quite a |
| Unearthed tombs and information from the tombs | | | | response and produce significant results. It is also a |
| shows they developed and refined the art of distilling | | | | quick process being absorbed thru the skin, nose or |
| the essential oils from the plant, herbs, flowers etc., | | | | even through foods that we eat. |
| allowing them to achieve further benefits of the | | | | As a natural treatment oils are a much safer |
| purest oils possible. | | | | alternative than many other therapeutic methods. |
| With the advent of these processes they continue | | | | There are hundred of different oils each providing |
| to develop uses for these scents and herbs. They | | | | their own healing properties. It is a great outlet at |
| were even included in the tombs of the most elite | | | | this time of the year to get thru all that Holiday |
| because of the value people placed on their healing | | | | Stress. A book to help you decide on the right oils |
| effects. The oils became medicinal for many | | | | for you would be the most appropriate way to learn |
| purposes and later were used in cosmetics as well. | | | | about them all, but here are some of the latest items |
| Other societies such as the Greeks used these | | | | of interest to help get started: |
| essential oils for medicines as well, and thought so | | | | 1. Peppermint has an uplifting effect on the body. |
| highly of them they would cook and preserve foods | | | | 2. Rose and Sandalwood are for relaxation. |
| with them. We know many people around the world | | | | 3. Alzheimer's residents respond to uplifting oils in the |
| also came to use them in their highest religious | | | | morning. They tend not to eat and this helps to |
| services. | | | | stimulate their appetites. They also pump up their |
| Oils and incense were so highly regarded, that to this | | | | energy levels when you diffuse them in the rooms |
| day they are used during the holiest of religious | | | | they normally stay in during the day. There is also |
| ceremonies from anointing people, to burning incense | | | | "sundowning" that occurs in the afternoon with a lot |
| during a funeral rite. The information found over the | | | | of patients that experience dementia. Using these oils |
| centuries only fortifies aromatherapy's place in | | | | can help this situation as well. They tend to reduce |
| history. | | | | anxiety and using these oils is better than using some |
| Today, people understand the benefits of | | | | of the drugs normally used to treat this symptom. |
| aromatherapy for health and wellness reasons more | | | | For example certain blends like Orange and Blue |
| than ever. For years these were specialty products | | | | Tansy have quite a calming effect on the patient.. |
| found in very few places outside of a health and | | | | 4. A little spray of lavender on a pillowcase can help a |
| beauty store. Now they are found everywhere with | | | | patient that might normally wander during the night. |
| people gaining more knowledge and uses for the | | | | Sometimes if you diffuse this oil in the room it can |
| products on a daily basis. | | | | help reduce cases of insomnia. |
| Types of Aromatherapy | | | | 5. There is also a blend called "Thieves". In the 1400's |
| 1. The most common and well know therapy today is | | | | during the bubonic plague, 4 men were captured and |
| to use scented candles. Scented candles are | | | | arrested for stealing from the hordes of people that |
| manufactured with the pure essentials oils necessary | | | | had died or were dying from the disease. In a plea |
| to generate the benefits we are talking about. The | | | | for leniency the magistrate agreed to be lenient if |
| most ardent people concerned about the "purest" | | | | they would tell him how they did not get sick doing |
| effect possible should only buy the candles made | | | | so. After explaining that they were perfumers and |
| from bees wax or soy wax. Although costing more | | | | spice traders they told of a blend that they had |
| money they burn much slower and don't contain | | | | made to protect themselves. This blend consisting of |
| paraffin which is said to reduce the effects of the | | | | Cloves, Rosemary, Lemon and Cinnamon was tested |
| oils. | | | | at Weber State University and found to be 99.96 |
| 2. The second most common form of aromatherapy | | | | percent effective against airborne bacteria. These oils |
| is aromatic massage therapy. Slightly warmed | | | | can be very effective during the cold and flu season |
| essentials oils are used to massage and relax the | | | | if diffused in a patients room. |
| body. Put on some soothing music and inhale the | | | | The final item in deciding about your aromatherapy |
| wonderful fragrance. This gets absorbed into your | | | | needs is the type of instrument you might use to |
| sensory systems and ultimately will affect heart rate, | | | | help get the most benefits from the oils and what |
| reduce your stress level and blood pressure. You feel | | | | you are looking to focus on. Aromatherapy can be |
| better and the actual massaging of the oils into your | | | | performed using some or all of the following items: |
| skin is a lot more effective. Injuries caused by sports, | | | | Diffusers, aromalamps, tea candles, clay hangings, |
| which are generally serious, can be treated this way. | | | | diffusers for cars, electric oil diffusers, aromastones, |
| Aromatherapy not only treats the physical part of | | | | aromatherapy jewelry, lightbulb scent diffuser rings, |
| the injury but the mental part as well. | | | | bottle and reed, aromatherapy scented candles, |
| Essential Oils | | | | aromatherapy scented wipes, lotions, aromatherapy |
| Aromatherapy is a form of herbal medication using | | | | kits of oils, aromatic eye packs, aromatic therapeutic |
| essential oils in the process. Essential oils are the | | | | footwear, lumbar packs, neck support pillow and |
| "natural" byproducts of the distillation. Steam is used | | | | others. |
| to infuse the products, flowers, herbs, plants and | | | | Thanks for reading! |
| trees so that the oils may be extracted from them. | | | | |