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Making
Scents of Aromatherapy
By Suzie Michelle Cortright
Once a year or so, I will catch a
most remarkable scent. One sniff of this warm yet energizing
aroma fills me with a fond nostalgia.
I call it "Mrs. Brower's perfume."
Mrs. Brower was my first grade teacher, and her chosen scent
evokes a flood of memories.
Contemporary healers, therapists,
and marketing gurus are grabbing hold of a phenomenon that
insects and animals instinctively understand: the power
of aroma.
Scientists pursue aromachology (the
study of scent and its ability to change human behavior)
for its role in everything from medicine to marketing, migraines
to memory loss, and relaxation to revitalization.
The ancestry of aromatherapy
The ancestry of aromatherapy goes back some 4,000 years.
Ancient Egyptians used aromatic botanicals for massage,
embalming, medicine, and cosmetics.
Hippocrates himself might have been
the aromatherapy's first spokesman 2,000 years ago, as he
touted the benefits of aromatic massage for physical and
emotional well-being.
In the 10th century, the Arabian
world invented the process of distillation, which allowed
more efficient extraction of essential oils.
For centuries, cultures around the
globe inhaled aromas, drank potions, and wore aromatic amulets
to protect them from harm.
In the early 1900s, France and England
attempted to re-introduce these ancient remedies and help
them gain acceptance in the more traditional medical community.
This trend continues in France today.
Many French doctors prescribe aromatic remedies, pharmacies
stock essential oils, and insurance companies pay for the
treatment.
Aromatherapy defined
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to treat ailments.
These conditions range from physical conditions to emotional
problems. From headaches to herpes. Dry skin to acne. Arthritis
to asthma.
The essential oils of aromatherapy
are extracted from aromatic plants and herbs--from the flower,
bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rhizome, or leaves--generally
through a process of steam distillation. These oils may
be inhaled or massaged into the skin, after combining with
a vegetable, nut or seed oil.
Massage with essential oils is most
commonly used to alleviate skin ailments and muscle pain
or tension. Lavender, orange, marjoram, and chamomile are
particularly effective aromas in the use of massage.
Essential oils can be inhaled with
the help of a vaporizer, an electric diffuser or an aroma
lamp.
How does it work?
Our sense of smell is more complex than you might think.
Your nose contain thousands of olfactory nerves.
While your tongue has the ability
to taste sweet, sour, salt, and bitter, it is your sense
of smell that creates all the delightful flavors you experience.
The olfactory bulb is part of your
brain's limbic system, which is not under conscious control.
The limbic system controls digestion, libido, and emotions.
So, it's not your imagination that
scents evoke emotion. Aromas actually trigger the release
of chemicals in the brain that create a feeling of well-being.
Scientists say your body's response to an aroma takes just
four seconds.
Which Essential Oils are Right
for You?
Essential oils are available in natural and synthetic forms.
Natural essential oils are not oils
but non-oily, non-water-soluble substances, which dissolve
in alcohol
and combine with true oils. Pure, natural essential oils
may be as much as 70 times more potent than the plant source
itself.
Some synthetics are derived from
natural products. The exact formulation of an essential
oil is virtually
impossible to reproduce in the laboratory. Even the smallest
variation can produce significant changes in the oil's effect.
Some synthetic oils fall into the
category of artificial fragrances, entirely made of petroleum
products. These products generally do not produce the same
therapeutic effects as essential oils.
Each essential oil is comprised of
different hormones and vitamins, which combine to create
different effects. Furthermore, the effects of each essential
oil can vary depending on the botanical species and where
it is grown. The effects of particular aromas also vary
among cultures and individuals,
so the results of aromatherapy are not universal. Still,
aromatherapists have developed a roster of scents with relatively
predictable effects:
Aphrodisiacs
Jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli
Energizers
lemon, basil, bergamot, sweet orange, peppermint, eucalyptus,
tangerine
Hair Care
(dry hair) cedarwood
(normal hair) lavender, ylang ylang
(oily hair) rosemary, lemongrass
PMS
cedarwood, clary sage, fennel, geranium, nerali, Roman chamomile
Relaxation
lavender, myrrh, cardamom, cedarwood, German chamomile,
clary sage, frankincense
Skin
Care
(all skin types) Lavender, geranium, ylang ylang
(dry skin) rosemary, rosewood, carrot seed, sandalwood,
peppermint, rosemary
(oily skin) basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemongrass,
ylang ylang, sage
Copyright 2003 Susie Cortright
Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of several books
for women and founder of the award-winning Momscape.com,
a website designed to help busy women find balance. Visit
http://www.momscape.com today and get Susie's *free* course-by-email
"6 Days to Less Stress" as well as the *free*
pdf ebook, "Spa Recipes for All Seasons."
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