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 what is aromatherapy aromatherapy is the practice of using volatile plant oils, including essential oils, extracted form flowers, bark, steams, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being. the inhaled aroma from these essential oils stimulate brain function. when oils absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the blood stream and can promote whole-body healing . in addition to essential oils, aromatherapy encourages the use of other complementary natural ingredients including cold pressed vegetable oils, jojoba (a liquid wax), hydrosols, herbs, milk powders, sea salts, sugars (an exfoliate), clays and mud s . the benefit of an aroma ~ inhaling essential oils essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer both psychological and physical benefits. not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but when inhaled into the lungs, the natural constituents (naturally occurring chemicals) can supply therapeutic benefit. diffusing eucalyptus essential oil to help ease congestion is a prominent example. hever, the use of essential oils can have severe consequences: the benefit of physical application essential oils that are applied to the skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream. the constituents of essential oils can aid in health, beauty and hygiene conditions. since essential oils are so powerful and concentrated, they should never be applied to the skin in their undiluted form. to apply essential oils to the skin, essential oils are typically diluted into a carrier such as a cold pressed vegetable oil, also known as a carrier oil. common carrier oils include sweet almond oil, apricot kernel a and grape seed oil other benefits in addition to therapeutic benefit at the emotional and physical level, essential oils are helpful in other applications. essential oils can be used in household and laundry cleaners. some oils act as a natural insect repellent and pesticide. you may recall using citronella candles during the summer to keep mosquitoes away. citronella essential oil is the ingredient in the candles that is responsible for repelling the mosquitoes. essential oil blends essential oils can be blended together to create appealing and complex aromas. essential oils can also be blended for a specific therapeutic application. essential oils that are carefully blended with a specific therapeutic purpose in mind may be referred to as an essential oil syngery. a synergistic essential oil blend is considered to be greater in total action than each oil working independently. modes of application the modes of application of aromatherapy include: 1- aerial diffusion: for environmental fragrancing or aerial disinfection 2- direct inhalation: for respiratory disinfection, decongestion, expectoration as well as psychological effects . 3- topical applications: for general massage, baths, compresses therapeutic skin care . history of aromatherapy in brief, aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. although the term aromatherapy was not used until the 20th century, the foundations of aromatherapy date back thousands of years. the use of essential oils in particular date back nearly one thousand years. the chinese may have been one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for well-being. their practices involved burning incense to help create harmony and balance. later, the egyptians invented a rudimentary distillation machine that allowed for the crude extraction of cedarwood oil. it is also thought by some that persia and india may have also invented crude distillation machines, but very little is known . oils of cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and myrrh were used by the egyptians to embalm the dead. when a tomb was opened in the early 20th century, traces of the herbs were discovered with intact portions of the body. the scent, although faint, was still apparent. although the cedarwood the egyptians used was distilled by a crude distillation process, the other oils the egyptians used were most likely infused oils. the egyptians also used infused oils and herbal preparations for spiritual , medicinal, fragrant and cosmetic use . egyptian men of the time used fragrance as readily as the women. an interesting method that the men used to fragrance themselves was to place a solid cone of perfume on their heads. it would gradually melt and would cover them in fragrance. the greeks learned a great deal from the egyptians, but greek mythology apparently credits the gift and knowledge of perfumes to the gods. the greeks also recognized the medicinal and aromatic benefits of plants. hippocrates, commonly called the "father of medicine" practiced fumigations for both aromatic and medicinal benefit. a greek perfumer by the name of megallus created a perfume called megaleion. megaleion included myrrh in a fatty-oil base and served several purposes: (1) for its aroma, (2) for its anti-inflammatory properties towards the skin and (3) to heal wounds. the roman empire built upon the knowledge of the egyptians and greeks. discorides wrote a book called de materia medica that described the properties of approximately 500 plants. it is also reported that discorides studied distillation. distillation during this period, however, focused on extracting aromatic floral waters and not essential oila major event for the distillation of essential oils came with the invention of a coiled cooling pipe in the 11th century. persian by birth, avicenna invented a coiled pipe which allowed the plant vapor and steam to cool down more effectively than previous distillers that used a straight cooling pipe. avicenna s contribution lead to more essential oils and their benefits. focus on within the 12th century, an abbess of germany named hildegard grew and distilled lavender for its medicinal properties. within the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born. this event encourages great distillation of essential oils. it is also reported that discorides studied distillation. distillation during this period, however, focused on extracting aromatic floral waters and not essential oila major event for the distillation of essential oils came with the invention of a coiled cooling pipe in the 11th century. persian by birth, avicenna invented a coiled pipe which allowed the plant vapor and steam to cool down more effectively than previous distillers that used a straight cooling pipe. avicenna s contribution lead to more essential oils and their benefits. focus on within the 12th century, an abbess of germany named hildegard grew and distilled lavender for its medicinal properties. within the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born. this event encourages great distillation of essential oils. during the 16th century, one could begin purchasing oils at an "apothecary," and many more essential oils were introduced.during the 16th and 17th centuries, perfume starting being considered an art form, and it was more clearly defined as its own field. during the 19th century, perfumery remained a propserous industry. women would have their jeweler create a special bottle to hold their treasured perfume. the 19th century also was important scientifically as major constituents of essential oils became isolated.during the 20th century, the knowledge of separating the constituents of essential oils was used to create synthetic chemicals and drugs.. it had been believed that by separating the major constituents and then using the constituents alone or in synthetic form would be beneficial therapeutically and economically. these discoveries helped lead to "modern medicine" and synthetic fragrances. this actually weakened the use of essential oils for medicinal and aromatic benefit during the earlier part of the 20th century, a french chemist by the name of rené-maurice gattefossé became interested in the use of essential oils for their medicinal use. previously, he focused on the aromatic use of essential oils, but his interest in their medicinal use grew after an accident heightened his curiosity. the closest liquid which happened to be a large container of lavender essential while working, he burned his arm rather badly. by reflex, he plunged his burned arm into oil. it had been believed that by separating the major constituents and then using the constituents alone or in synthetic form would be beneficial therapeutically and economically. these discoveries helped lead to "modern medicine" and synthetic fragrances. this actually weakened the use of essential oils for medicinal and aromatic benefit during the earlier part of the 20th century, a french chemist by the name of rené-maurice gattefossé became interested in the use of essential oils for their medicinal use. previously, he focused on the aromatic use of essential oils, but his interest in their medicinal use grew after an accident heightened his curiosity. the closest liquid which happened to be a large container of lavender essential while working, he burned his arm rather badly. by reflex, he plunged his burned arm into oil. austrian madam marguerite maury is remembered as a biochemist who avidly studied, practiced and taught the use of aromatherapy for primarily cosmetic benefit. robert b. tisserand is an english aroma therapist who is responsible for being one of the first individuals to bring knowledge and education of aromatherapy to english speaking nations. he has written books and articles including the highly respected 1977 publication the art of aromatherapy. the art of aromatherapy was the first aromatherapy book published in english.from the late 20th century and on into the 21st century, there is a growing resurgence to utilize more natural products including essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic and aromatic benefit. the use of essential oils never ceased, but the scientific revolution minimized the popularity and use of essential oils in one s everyday life. today s heightened awareness regarding the use of synthetics coupled with the increased availability of aromatherapy information within books and the internet has refueled the use of essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, fragrant and spiritual use. essential oil safety information essential oils are highly concentrated liquids that can be harmful if not used carefully. implementing aromatherapy into your lifestyle shouldn t cause paranoia or undue worry. by treating essential oils as medicines and following the steps outlined below, you will be well on your way to safely enjoying the many benefits that aromatherapy can offer. these safety guidelines are not a complete safety reference for the proper use of essential oils. when in doubt, consult your physician and/or a qualified and trained aromatherapy practitioner. 1- essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. 2- some oils can cause sensitization or allergic reactions in some individuals. 3- some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy or by those with asthma, epilepsy, or with other health conditions. 4- less is more. when using essential oils, use the smallest amount of essential oils that will get the job done. if one dropinging will get the job done, for example, don t use two dropingings. 5- never let children use essential oils without the presence of an adult knowledgeable about their use 6- not all essential oils are suitable for use in aromatherapy. wormood, pennyroyal, onion, camphor, horseradish, wintergreen, rue, bitter almond and sassafras are some of the essential oils that should only be used by qualified aromatherapy practitioners, if ever at 7- essential oils should not be taken internally. 8- essential oils are flammable .keep them away of fire hazards . essential oil uses easy inhalation - place 3-4 dropingings of essential oil on a tissue. place the tissue near your nose and inhale. when trying an oil for the first time, use only one dropinging to ensure that you do not have a sensitivity or reaction to the oil . steam inhalation - boil 2 cups of water. pour the water into a bowl and add 3-7 dropingings of oil to the water. use fewer dropingings if you are using an oil that may cause irritation to your mucous membranes (i.e. cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary, pine, thyme, cajuput, etc.). place your nose about 12" away from the bowl and inhale. room freshening - use the steam inhalation method noted above but don t directly inhale into the bowl. use up to 10 dropingings of oil. use fewer dropingings if you are using an oil that may cause sensitization general household freshening - add a few dropingings of oil to your trash can, laundry wash, drain, vacuum bag filter, or on a tissue for placement in your drawers. bug repellent - many essential oils including citronella, lavender, and peppermint act as a natural repellent against insects. sprinkle a few dropingings of essential oil on to tissues or cotton balls and place near your door ways and windows to help repel insects. massage - add up to 20 dropingings of essential oil to 1 ounce carrier oil such as sweet almond oil and massage onto yourself or partner. keep away from eyes and genital areas. do not apply essential oils to the skin without first diluting them. bath - add 5-7 dropingings essential oil to 1 ounce carrier oil. add this blend to your running bath water and mix well before getting into the tub. be sure to read the safety data for the essential oils you choose to use. other uses essential oils can be used in making homemade lotions, facial toners, shampoos, perfumes, soaps, shower gels, and other natural products. additionally, essential oils are often blended for their therapeutic synergistic abilities. essential oils of some plants used as carminatives like anise, coriander, fennel, mint, thyme, basil oils.essential oils of some plants used as anthelmentic like chenopodium oil.essential oils of some plants used as condiments & spices as cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper, clove, coriander. lemon oil is uplifting and anti-stress/anti-depressant .
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