The History of Aromatherapy: One of the best feelings is helping someone find balance in their life and helping them understand
their body's ability to heal itself. Aromatherapy isn’t a quick fix, or a way of treating or healing
medical conditions. However, it is a means of helping you to understand where your issues are
coming from and how to reduce the stress in your life. The use of aromatherapy dates back to
well over 3500 years ago. The Egyptians used oils for creating their own perfume and colognes,
as well as adding to the wraps of the deceased, so the stench of the decomposing bodies would
not fill the atmosphere. Their method worked so well that when some of the bodies were dug up
for scientific research, they could still smell the aroma of the oils. However, the term
“aromatherapy” was not coined until 1935 when chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse was severely
burned in a lab and used lavender essential oil to miraculously “heal” his wound. This method is
known as applying an oil neat on the body. However, I do not recommend this without the
supervision of a doctor or a clinically certified aromatherapist. This application is just one of the
many methods used in aromatherapy.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are extracted from different parts of a plant by either distillation, cold-press, or
solvent extraction. This makes the oil of the plant highly concentrated and not safe for direct skin
contact. So, how do we make them safe enough to apply to the skin? You can use any carrier oil
to blend with the essential oil, such as olive, sunflower, and the widely popular coconut. This is
called dilution and it needs to be done to a certain percentage so that it is safe for external use. It
is always important to know what is in your essential oil before using it with any method.
Essential oils are made up of chemical components that are known as constituents, and each
constituent can assist with many different things. I won’t go into the chemistry of oils, but I will
say it is very important to make sure the company you are buying from uses GC/MS reports and
tests their oils regularly. Robert Tisserand is widely known for the safe use of essential oils and
provides a chart online that is free for anyone to obtain.
How they work
As I mentioned above, essential oils are full of chemical components that provide them with
great benefits. Studies have shown that inhaling Lavendula angustifolia (lavender) can have
calming effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Have you ever gotten a whiff of a certain
scent and it takes you back to a specific memory, or maybe you felt instantly relaxed? That is
how essential oils work the olfactory system, which is what controls our sense of smell and sends
messages to our limbic system (ie: controls our breath, heartbeat, blood pressure, and our
memories). Just our breathing techniques alone have much more effect on our bodies than we
realize, but sometimes we need a little help to greatly impact our CNS. Inhaling oils straight
from the bottle is one of my favorite methods for relaxing. Just be careful not to inhale too many
at once. Using oils topically has benefits as well. Something like a stomach ache, or muscle
pain would work best with a topical application. The chemical components work through the
skin to get into the muscles and bloodstream to provide relief for discomfort. For this application, I would recommend a salve or roller bottle for applying the oil to the location needing relief.
Conclusion
As we have learned today, using essential oils can have great benefits for our overall health.
However, there are a few things I want you all to understand. Essential oils are not meant to
replace medications or recommendations from your doctor or medical provider. They are meant
to assist your body's natural functioning systems to aid in healing and relaxation. While oils are
safe to use, there are potential interactions with medications, vitamins, and certain chronic
illnesses. Children under 6 are more susceptible to overuse of essential oils which can lead to
respiratory issues, headaches, and nausea. Pregnant or nursing women should not use
anything that contains essential oils unless they are advised by their doctor or a certified aromatherapist. Now that we know the basics and safety concerns, aromatherapy can be a great start to your journey of health and wellness.
-Sarah Woods
Certified Aromatherapist
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