Welcome to Aromatherapy Guide
Organic Aromatherapy Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Aromatherapy: Revive Your Senses
from: Robert Thatcher
The art of aromatherapy had been practiced since the earliest times. Strong evidences were found to link aromatherapy to ancient traditions. Though aromatic oils had been used to treat and cure various ailments and conditions for who knows how long, the formal study on their properties only started in the year 1928.
In it's simplest form, aromatherapy is the use of essential plant oils for therapeutic purposes. They are normally employed to relieve a person from stress and a variety of stress-related conditions. And also for promoting an individual's general well being and in invigorating the body and the psyche.
Aromatherapy works by inducing the olfactory nerve cells with aromatic oils, which then carries out the message to the limbic system in the brain. Limbic system is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling memory and emotions.
Aromatherapy is concerned in both the workings of the physical and emotional aspects of the person under treatment. Physically, aromatherapy helps in relieving specific conditions trough the stimulation of the nervous, immune and circulatory system. In emotions however, they may evoke pleasant memories.
Yet, the medical circles do not agree if aromatherapy in itself is instrumental to the complete healing of a certain condition. But the idea of recovery through aromatherapy is widely accepted.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are derived from the distillation of the elements of a plant like the leaves, roots, flowers, stems and bark. They hold the true essence of the plants from which they originally came in high concentration. Though termed as oil, essential oils normally do not have the real properties of oil. Some essential oils are yellow like that of the lemongrass and orange and many are clear.
These oils are used in a variety of methods: through inhalation, by adding them in the bathwater and by the application of the diluted oil on the body.
The use of oil in aromatherapy is only restricted to those with unadulterated qualities. The purest of the essential oils alone have the therapeutic values.
The following is a list of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy. Some of which are used as carrier oils (also known as vegetable oils or base oils):
- Almond, Sweet
- Apricot Kernel
- Avocado
- Borage
- Cocoa Butter
- Evening Primrose
- Grapeseed
- Hazelnut
- Jojoba
- Kukui
- Macadamia Nut
- Olive
- Peanut
- Pecan
- Rose Hip
- Sesame
- Shea Butter
- Sunflower
Below are listed essential oils that are not advisable to use in aromatherapy, especially if not supervised by a professional aromatherapy practitioner.
- Ajowan
- Almond, Bitter
- Arnica
- Birch, Sweet
- Boldo Leaf
- Broom, Spanish
- Calamus
- Camphor
- Deertongue
- Garlic
- Horseradish
- Jaborandi
- Melilotus
- Mugwort
- Mustard
- Onion
- Pennyroyal
- Rue
- Sassafras
- Thuja
- Wintergreen
- Wormseed
- Wormwood
Aromatherapists put into practice the workings of aromatherapy in a spectrum of work environments including:
- private practice
- mobile visiting practice
- natural health clinics
- beauty therapy clinics
- health clubs
- hospitals
- hospices and
- nursing homes.
In spite of the lack of formal research on aromatherapy therapists and European physicians are often prescribing certain aromatic oils for a range of complaints including colds and flu, insomnia, sinusitis, migraines, digestive problems and muscle pains. It must be understood though that aromatic oils must never be taken orally and should be first tested to determine the degree of skin's sensitivity to some oils.
About The Author
Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides aromatherapy resources on http://www.about-aromatherapy.info.
Organic Aromatherapy News
Health quest inspired organic skin care line - The Daily Progress
Health quest inspired organic skin care line The Daily Progress Her studies started with nutrition, then branched out into herbalism, essential oils and aromatherapy. “I learned how to make tinctures, creams, poultices and different types of medicines,” said Stahl, who also works as a health consultant and creates ... |
Top 10 yoga retreats worldwide - Fox News
Top 10 yoga retreats worldwide Fox News Be as relaxed or as active as you like during your vacation with optional activities such as coastal hikes, mountain biking, kayaking, Spanish cooking lessons, or with a little pampering such as a massage or an aromatherapy facial. |
The Ecologist A to Z of beauty goodies - The Ecologist
The Ecologist A to Z of beauty goodies The Ecologist 'We apply over 250 synthetic chemicals to our skin everyday via the beauty and personal care products we use,' says organic beauty website Love Lula founder, Lula Braithwaite. 'Some of these chemicals are potentially toxic and can find their way into ... |
Alibi Picks: Smell-O-Vision - Weekly Alibi (blog)
Alibi Picks: Smell-O-Vision Weekly Alibi (blog) Aromatherapy is the ancient practice of using aromatic plant materials and essential oils to improve mind, body and overall health. Get a crisp feel for it during a winter aromatherapy class at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm (4803 Rio Grande ... |
Florame: an innovation per year and per segment! - Premium beauty
 Premium beauty | Florame: an innovation per year and per segment! Premium beauty Since its inception in 1990, Florame has become one of the major French specialists in essential oils, aromatherapy and natural cosmetics. Integrated to the Provence Nature Dévelopment Group in 2002, the brand is distributed in about 1200 outlets, ... |
Direct from Market: New York - Gifts & Decorative Accessories
 Gifts & Decorative Accessories | Direct from Market: New York Gifts & Decorative Accessories Ortolan, a selection textiles from pillows to throws created by a two-sister team, is made here in the USA using Candy Cottage organic cotton with water-based inks. Cottage Products introduced The Candy Cottage, an inventive idea based on the ... |
Phoenix Botanicals - The Dieline (blog)
 The Dieline (blog) | Phoenix Botanicals The Dieline (blog) Each has unique healing and aromatherapy benefits. My products are vegan with the exception of those which contain beeswax from kind local beekepers (the way I see it, without beekeepers there would be a lot less bees around!) And of course, tested on ... |