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Aromatherapy and Essential
Oils
Aromatherapy is the practice of using
essential oils extracted from plants for both physiological and
psychological treatment. Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that began
when people of early civilizations began discovering the healing
properties of plants.
The term "aromatherapy" was first used by
René-Maurice Gattefossé, a French chemist in 1928. Gattefossé was
working in his family's Operfumier business when he accidentally
discovered that lavender caused a severe burn on his hand to heal more
rapidly and without scarring. Another of his observations was that
essential oils in their whole state were more effective than synthetics
or any of the isolated active ingredients of the oils. Another French
scientist, Dr. Jean Valnet used essential oils to successfully treat
both medical and psychiatric disorders. The first actual aromatherapy
clinics were established in Paris, Britain, and Switzerland by Madame
Marguerite Maury.
Essential oils are not oils as we
generally think of oils. Most of them have a very light texture and
evaporate quickly. Essential oils are found in all the various parts of
plants including the bark, roots, leaves, flowers, seed, wood, resin,
and balsam. Some plants produce rather large quantities of oil, some
have very low content. Take for example one of the most popular oils,
rose. There is so little aromatic content in rose flowers that it a ton
of petals produces only 10.5 ounces (300g) of rose oil. It's important
to note that essential oils should virtually never be applied directly
to the skin until mixed in a carrier oil. Carrier oils are pure gentle
oils, such as sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil that "carry" the
essence to the skin.
Today, essential oils are extracted from
the plants used for aromatherapy, making them very concentrated. The two
basic ways aromatherapy is accomplished is by applying the oils to the
skin and by inhalation. The term "aromatherapy" can be a bit misleading
because it's not only the aroma that is therapeutic. The oils also
interact with body chemistry directly, thus affecting certain systems
and organs.
Recipes:
To treat irregular periods - mix the rose oil in a carrier oil and
massage the abdomen and lower back daily.
To treat depression - inhale, or use a rose oil in a carrier oil to
massage the chest, neck and face.
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