| There's a real difference in dabbling in aromatherapy | | | | body. These massages can help with stress with |
| and really using essential oils as medicine. Many folks | | | | some oils and techniques, or be stimulating using |
| will make use of lavender for rest or tea tree to | | | | others. Topical application in this way can also help |
| prevent infections of cuts and scrapes, yet remain | | | | with cold-care, as massaging the chest, sinuses and |
| unaware of the greater potential essential oils have | | | | lymph glands of the body can strongly support |
| to offer. One of the barriers is really not knowing | | | | immune system function. Some individuals are using |
| what to do with those great smelling little bottles of | | | | blends of frankincense and lemongrass in a carrier oil |
| oil. In Europe, their use has evolved into three distinct | | | | as a complementary cancer treatment, as these oils |
| methods of use -- hopefully by understanding these, | | | | have been shown to have anti-cancer activity in |
| you can embark on your own journey of using | | | | laboratory research. |
| essential oils as medicine. | | | | The English method doesn't technically involve |
| It's crucial to see beyond what is commonly | | | | therapeutic use of oils for skin care, though this is a |
| understood as aromatherapy in the U.S. The word | | | | rapidly growing area of essential oil use. Many oils |
| often conjures images of aromatic spa treatments, | | | | have exceptional properties for treatment of all sorts |
| with clients bathed in rose petals. But the true | | | | of skin conditions. Infections of all kinds are treated |
| definition of the word means something much more: | | | | with blends including tea tree. Acne can be |
| the entire branch of botanical medicine utilizing the | | | | effectively treated with tea tree or myrtle oils. |
| volatile aromatic constituents of plants. Really, | | | | Anti-aging and mature skin blends can be made with |
| aromatherapy is a major aspect of herbal medicine, | | | | frankincense, rose otto, sea buckthorn and many |
| with an incredible healing potential. | | | | more, using carrier oils rich in essential fatty acids. |
| As aromatherapy practice evolved in Europe, the | | | | Essential oils have potent antioxidant activity, and can |
| major methods of essential oil use became | | | | be excellent for use when one has spent a lot of |
| associated with its proponents in particular countries. | | | | time in the sun -- sandalwood oil has even been show |
| The German method embraces inhalation, the English | | | | to prevent skin cancer when applied before exposure |
| uses topical application via massage, and the French, | | | | to UV radiation. |
| where modern aroma-medicine originated, primarily | | | | Moving on the French method, by far the most |
| involves involves ingestion. | | | | controversial. While on one side of the argument we |
| The method favored in Germany is inhalation, | | | | have some saying "never ingest any essential oil", an |
| perhaps the most commonly imagined route of | | | | on the other the FDA lists most essential oils as |
| administration of essential oils. The applications are | | | | "generally recognized as safe" for ingestion. Not that |
| actually much more diverse than one would expect | | | | the FDA is a sound source of medical advice, but |
| purely from inhalation, however. At one end of the | | | | typically they're the ones stating how dangerous |
| spectrum, we have inhalation for affecting mental | | | | natural medicines can be. The truth is that the |
| conditions: reducing anxiety and improving rest. Oils | | | | essential oils that actually have therapeutic protocols |
| for this are generally soft and floral -- lavender is the | | | | created for the treatment of illness are safe to |
| primary culprit, and chamomile being so popular in | | | | ingest in the recommended amounts. |
| Germany that there's even a variety called "German | | | | The protocols used by French doctors involve very |
| Chamomile". Inhalation is also a wonderful way to | | | | small amounts of essential oils. These are in the range |
| receive healthy, natural stimulation that's been proven | | | | of one to three drops at a time, up to three times |
| to sharpen our focus. | | | | daily. This is different than tossing back a bottle like a |
| The German school of practice, while utilizing | | | | cocktail, which must be what some are imaging when |
| inhalation as the application method of the oils, also | | | | advocating oils never be ingested. The way the |
| focuses significantly on the medicinal aspect of oil use. | | | | doctor/patient/essential oil use worked until only |
| Treatment of infectious illness is readily accomplished | | | | recently (as the movement by big business and |
| via inhalation of essential oil vapors, especially if | | | | government has made using natural therapies more |
| high-tech nebulizing diffusers are used (these create a | | | | difficult, and in many cases illegal) one would see a |
| visible mist of oil, which disperses quickly in indoor | | | | doctor specially trained in the use of oils. They would |
| environments). By inhaling high concentrations of | | | | give you a prescription with a specific blend for your |
| diffused essential oil, the cells lining our respiratory | | | | condition, and a dosage regime that was used only |
| system are treated with their antimicrobial action. Oils | | | | as long as necessary. While this sort of treatment |
| have been shown in scientific research to have | | | | isn't available in the States, it's important to note that |
| antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and even | | | | oils can and should be used this way if this is the |
| immune-system stimulating effects, all of which are | | | | best method to treat an illness. |
| utilized through inhalation. | | | | Now you're a good bit more knowledgeable on the |
| The English method of aromatherapy involves topical | | | | major schools of the therapeutic use of essential oils. |
| application, and centers around aromatherapy | | | | This is important know-how for the beginning |
| massage. In a way, aromatherapy massage really | | | | aromatherapist, as it opens one's mind to the great |
| includes the inhalation of the oils as once cannot help | | | | range of possibilities of treatment with the very |
| smell the oils when they're being rubbed all over your | | | | potent medicines involved in aromatherapy. |