All About Aromatherapy

• Home

All About Aromatherapy

Saturday, July 11th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

What is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of pure plant essential oils to promote health and wellness.

Purity and Quality Purity and quality of the oils is a significant factor in anything used for health. Quality is dependent upon species, variety and variations in soils and climate. Purity is the result of handling. Organic growing without contaminants, and careful cultivation, harvesting and sanitary handling by humans, not machines are required for purity. Whether in the handling parts of plant material that do not belong to the essential oil type - waste or leaves instead of flowers, for instance, is another purity factor. The extraction process affects purity. Some process can leave traces of toxins. Also you must make sure the oil is not cut with a low quality oil or carrier to enhance the marketer’s profit.

Concentrated Potency Essential oils are so very concentrated. They are potent beyond compare with fresh or dried herbs. Consider how much dried oregano you use in a recipe in the kitchen. Now consider it may take a roomful of the oregano to get a small ounce of the oil. Use one drop of oil and how many plant leaves did it take - perhaps a bushel? Because it takes so many pieces of plants to extract even a very small amount of pure oil, makes essential oils - especially those from certain plants, very expensive. They also must be harvested and handled by human hand so as not to damage the plant and the delicate oils it carries.

Reliable Sources This is why you are not going to find high quality oils that are suitable for therapeutic use available over the counter in stores, and especially not in the large discount and drug stores servicing the everyday needs of the general public. You certainly will not find them in scented plug ins, air fresheners and cheap scented candles. Good quality products involve a lot of care and effort and they also cannot be blending in any toxic base without ruining them and creating an unhealthy, non-therapeutic product. So, in spite of the widely bandied about use of the term “aromatherapy” today, let the buyer beware - unless you are buying real therapeutic products from a professional source, it is not really aromatherapy. In fact if used to refer to a pleasant smell that uplifts the emotions just because you find it so, the proper term is perfume, air freshener or disinfectant.

Chemotype vs. Chemistry Aromatherapy is not scent. It is the effect of a chemotype on the body system through absorption and assimilation. A nice small can affect our mood, but moreover, an essential oil affect s mood (and other things) by interaction with our body chemistry on a physical level. The essence of the plant is the part containing the chemotypes, or the chemistry of the plant, that which can affect other systems and react with other chemistries.

Chemistry and Chemotypes The parts that pharmaceutical companies use. The essence is made up of many, maybe more than 100 chemotypes. In the essence, they work together for greater effectiveness. Pharmaceutical companies do not use the whole plant essence - the most effective thing. They take out the chemotype they want and they may use it or try to develop and chemical that does the same. This has benefits, such as potency of the single isolate, but lacks the combined effectiveness of the whole plant and the compatibility with our bodies.

Science is Good This is not to say that we should shun pharmaceutical products. Science has enabled man to increase potency, duration in the blood stream, timed release, sustained action and to more specifically target actions. Drugs give us more control. They also are far less expensive than natural essences and the quality is standardized to a degree which you cannot with natural products.

How Aromatherapy Works?

Holistic Multitasking The healing properties are physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, just as we are. By working on many levels of healing, they provide a means of bringing ourselves back into balance on all levels.

Across the Border Essential oils are absorbed into the body and enter the bloodstream where they are distributed thought the body to all organs and systems immediately. It only takes 7 to 10 seconds for the blood to have it distributed throughout the whole body. This is one ways in which essential oils are so effective - no waiting to be digested. The action is quick and direct. These exceptionally small molecules are even able to pass the blood brain barrier and interact with our neurochemicals to affect our mood directly - more than a pretty scent - a real mood adjustment. This ability to be so easily absorbed, be quickly distributed and to interact with our chemistry so directly means oils with different properties can be used effectively to treat all organ systems equally well. Essential oils can balance hormones, kill bacteria and viruses, and act as stimulants, anti-depressants or sedatives.

How are Essential Oils Used?

Professional Uses All forms of massage and bodywork are greatly enhanced by the use of essential oils. They enhance the experience for the clients and enable the therapist to do more effective work with less strain.

Benefits of Essential Oils in Massage reduction of inflammation muscle relaxation Toning organ systems increased circulation mental relaxation pain relief Relieve ki blockages Cleanse the lymph Cleansing -detoxification Breaking down scar tissue Help break down fatty deposits

Aromatherapy for Home Use Aromatherapy in the home is a wonderful way to care for yourself and your family. Use essential oils in real aromatherapy candles and incense (no synthetics). Treat yourself with aromatherapy body oils, lotions, body spray and bath salts. Tension will melt away.

Aromatherapy Blends Aromatherapists create blends called synergies, in which the essential oils work together synergistically, having a greater modified effect than they might have alone. They use the essential oils to balance, temper, and buffer or enhance other essential oils in the blend. They also create new synergistic effects through combinations.

Fun with Blends Aromatherapy is safe, fun and effective. Start by experimenting with different combinations to see which ones you like. Make some blends for your diffuser to enjoy in your home. You can make different scents for different rooms or moods. Make a body oil or bath oil. Start with having fun.

Use this Site as Your Resource All of the information that you need is on this site, and there are several recipes too. If you have questions, just contact the Alchemist on this site or the Health and Wellness Blog. If you do not find some information on this site that you want, just let me know. You are also welcome to contribute your own stories and recipes here. www.alchemistsroom.us/aromatherapy-recipes-share.php

The Alchemist’s Blends Over the years I have created many aromatherapy blends. There are so many possibilities. I group my blends as follows:

1. Therapeutic Blends 2. Meditation Blends 3. Therapeutic Perfumes.

Therapeutic Blends They may small lovely or not. They are meant for a specific complain or condition.

Meditation Blends There are various simple and lovely blends that can be used for meditation. The church has for centuries used the potent effects in services, without of course imparting knowledge to the populace of how they work - or that they actually do work! For centuries these precious essences have been valued for their spiritual and magical properties. For those who are consciously on a path of growth and awareness these blends can be of great value along the spiral path.

Aromatherapy of the Tarot For those who are familiar with the tarot you know that each card of the major arcane contain ns much symbolism and has an archetypal energy. Each essential oils has a spirit and by creating a blend to match the spirit of the card, we can evoke the archetype, to help us embody it and its lesson..

How to Use Meditation Blends Use mediation essential oils in diffusers, incense or in small vials for inhalation, mists, or dab a small amount on Chakra centers. They are great for enhancing and focusing energy work. You will find that you are drawn to the one that you need when you need it. You may be working on more than one at any given time. Use these for growth, as you meditate or just for enjoyment. They will support you no matter how you use them.

Therapeutic Perfumes Do not settle for just the scent when it can be helping your health and wellbeing in some way. Get double value out of your scent. Some of the added benefits you could get form a perfume include: weight loss, appetite suppression, hormone balancing, controlling anxiety, and strengthening the immune system, detoxify and cleanse your body. These are just a few. Also real perfume, the fine kind, is made from essential oils, make them the oils you need and you are on your way to better health, that easily.

Common Sense Use These oils and blends are all natural and so are not FDA approved. These are not medicines. They are very helpful though for helping us to regain our natural balance and for helping with ailments and aches.

* IMPORTANT: Do not ingest oils. Keep away from eyes. Keep away from children. Pregnant or nursing women should consult a clinical aromatherapist, such as The Alchemist, prior to using any essential oils; the same is true for children. Anyone with seizure disorder or nervous condition must consult prior to using. Several oils can be dangerous given such conditions. Keep all oils and blends tightly capped and away from sunlight and heat.

Should I do a Book? I am constantly being asked for the recipes to my special blends. Until this site, I did not give out my secret formulas. Perhaps I will just put them in a book - the truth shall unfold.

Copyright Native Enterprises, LLC 2009. All rights reserved.