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Aromatherapy, How Far Does It Go?
from: Michael RussellAromatherapy has been a part of human history for centuries
past. It dates back to the Egyptian times when essential oils
where extracted from plants by soaking them for a while and then
filtering out the oils through a linen bag. Some records have it
that the procedure now known as aromatherapy was used by
Hippocrates and other historic Egyptian physicians. But it did
not become general knowledge until late in the 1920s when the
French scientist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse first used the
procedure in treating the wounded of World War I. The term
'Aromatherapy' was coined by this scientist. After continuous
researching, he discovered that certain essential oils have
different healing properties. He went ahead to classify these
plant essential oils into groups like antiseptic, stimulating,
calming, antitoxic, etc based on their healing properties.
However, aromatherapy has come along way from that starting
point. Interest has been increasing in this area of holistic
healing with many users claiming that aromatherapy encourages
stress relief and self-healing. One, therefore wonders, how does
aromatherapy works and how far can it realistically go with
self-healing and emotional/mental uplifting.
Basically, with aromatherapy, aroma-rich oils are extracted from
specific plants. These oils are mixed with other materials like
alcohol, oils, lotions etc to give the desired effects on the
body. These formulated oils are then applied to the body by
either massaging them into the skin, inhaling though air
disbursement or pouring into bath water for a soothing and
calming effect on the body.
When massaged to the skin, it is believed that the oils are
absorbed into the body through the pores on the skin and then
directly into the blood stream. The oils are believed to be
lipophilic in nature, making it easy to gain entrance into body
cells to exert their healing effects. Oils in the bath water
seem to follow this pattern too, except that the effect of the
oil water mixture tend to add an extra soothing and relaxing
feeling to the body. This would be understood better if you
think about what a cool shower does to a tired body on a hot
afternoon.
When inhaled, the aroma of the oils is believed to activate
cells in the nose, sending sensory signals to the limbic system
of the brain. This is the part of the brain that takes care of
higher sensory functions like emotion, thinking and
intelligence.
This would give you a clue into how aromatherapy works. It is
believed by practitioners that it can be used emotionally to
invigorate, calm and relieve stress and physically to help treat
or alleviate certain conditions by stimulating the body's immune
system, the nervous system or the circulatory system.
Although, not much scientific evidence is available to support
the claims, aromatherapy practitioners believe that aromatherapy
can be applied to a wide array of therapeutic treatments
including physical and mental conditions, burns, infections,
depression, sleep deprivation and high blood pressure.
The best advice is that, aromatherapy should be seen as an
adjunct to the normal body healing system. It should be used to
complement the body's immune function, but not as a replacement
for professional medical attention especially in people with
evident signs and symptoms of a medical condition. Aromatherapy
could be well effective in uplifting moods, relieving stress and
perhaps invigorating the mind, but the therapeutic powers of
these plant oils should probably not be over stretched beyond
these limits.
About the author:
Michael Russell
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