There has been a surge in interest in aromatherapy lately. So what is the history that defines aromatherapy? Have you ever heard the term “aromatherapy” and wondered just what is aromatherapy? In this article, I’m going to answer that question for you in a way you will understand. Hopefully, it will inspire you to try aromatherapy for yourself.
The origin of aromatherapy can be traced back to the prehistoric period, in the countries of Ancient Egypt, the Far East, and China. The concept aims at the holistic treatment of the human body by making use of the essential oils obtained from various herbs and plants. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants to promote mental and physical well-being and health. The process of inhaling the scents produced by these oils is what gives rise to the term “aroma”. The scents are inhaled for the therapeutic properties of the oils.
You can get an idea of the intended effects of aromatherapy if you have ever used a product like Vicks Vaporub. Although this is not aromatherapy in the strictest sense, this product uses camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol to clear chest and sinus congestion. It’s the same concept as using other essential oils. The different essential oils all affect the body and senses differently, so they can stimulate various results.
The practice of aromatherapy has been around for centuries. Only in the 20th century was the term aromatherapy coined. The first recorded use of scents from plants to promote healing was found in ancient Chinese texts. These texts reference the burning of incense and other plant parts for healing purposes. The Egyptians used the oils from certain plants to treat the bodies that were mummified. They used essential oils from plants as perfumes. Later, in Europe, plants were burned and aromas were used in attempts to ward off the plague. Later research produced many books dealing with the use of scents and oils for medicinal purposes as well as in perfumes.
Around 1928 a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse was working in his lab when he received a burn to his arm. He had some essential oil from the lavender flower nearby and placed his arm into the oil to cool it. In this way, he accidentally stumbled onto the fact that lavender essential oil can be used in the treatment of wounds. He found that the burn healed quickly without leaving a scar. After this discovery, lavender essential oil was used in the treatment of wounds for many years. He wrote about essential oils and their uses, and it was he who began to use the term aromatherapy in his writings.
Today we see the use of essential oils growing due to the green movement. The desire for natural remedies that help protect the environment is growing. Many people wish to avoid medications that can have undesirable and sometimes fatal side effects. Many people find the results of using natural essential oils for medicinal and cosmetic purposes to be less taxing on the environment, as well as having fewer side effects. Some people have found that using essential oils for their mood-enhancing capabilities has prevented them from having to resort to medications for such things as depression or anxiety. This is not to say that you should not seek professional medical advice for any ailment. It is simply for information so that you can be aware that there are alternatives that may work for some people. If you like, you can use aromatherapy in conjunction with traditional medical treatments. Once again, you should inform your doctor if you intend to do this.
The essential oils are normally obtained from the various parts of specific plants extracted by distillation and applied to the skin along with carrier oils such as almond oil, coconut oil, etc. The oil content in many of these plants is so low that it takes huge quantities of plant parts to yield smaller quantities of essential oil. For example, around 440 pounds of fresh lavender flowers are required to produce a meager 2.5 pounds of essential lavender oil. That is one of the reasons essential oils can be somewhat expensive. Avoid synthetic oils at all costs. They simply provide the fragrance of the essential oil but do not have the therapeutic benefit of the pure form of the oil. Essential oils can be expensive. However, this is due to the amount of plant parts needed to extract a small amount of oil.
The use of essential oils becomes a lifestyle and they take care of the health and well-being of the entire family. These oils have, since ancient times, been very popular in various parts of the world. Though the aromatic plants used to produce these essential oils were known and put to use since ancient times, the term aromatherapy is of recent origin. Let’s examine the use of essential oils as a scent to alter mood and the general atmosphere in your surroundings.
Aromatherapy, or treating with scents, is growing in the area of alternative medicine. It is used in hospitals and homes to treat everything from labor pains to cardiac rehab. Although used in other countries for centuries, aromatherapy is making its way into the everyday lives of people around the US.
Safety With Essential Oils
Unfortunately, there is no regulatory body that regulates the quality of essential oils. It is totally up to the consumer to find a reputable dealer to purchase essential oils. It is completely up to you to research the oils and read the ingredients to ensure you are getting pure essential oils without fillers or added fragrances. If you want to get the most benefit from aromatherapy, only pure essential oils should be used.
When purchasing essential oils you should only purchase oils sold in dark amber or blue bottles. Light can break down essential oils and make them less effective. Many people buy wooden boxes to store their bottles of essential oils to prevent light from reaching the delicate oils.
Even though they are called essential “oils” most are not oily at all. A test to find out how pure your essential oil is involves placing one drop on a piece of paper. If the oil dissolves into the air quickly and doesn’t leave an oily spot on the paper, you can be reasonably sure it is pure essential oil. Most essential oils are volatile and dissolve into the air quickly. That is why most recipes for use in massage therapy consist of carrier oil mixed with only one or two drops of essential oil.
Essential oils are very powerful in undiluted form. Follow the recipes carefully when diluting with carrier oils. Essential oils should not be taken internally unless directed by a physician. Some oils are extremely toxic when taken internally.
You need to be aware that it is not recommended to use full-strength essential oils in most instances. Although there are a few essential oils that can be used at full strength, the rule of thumb is to know what you are working with and only use essential oils in the manner intended. Get information from a trusted source and then try it out on a small area of your skin before using it on a large area.
You may be allergic or have a skin reaction to the oils so it is best to try them out on a small area and wait for 24 hours to ensure you can use them. You should always do what is known as a patch test before using aromatherapy oils on the skin. Place a small amount of the diluted oil mixture on a gauze or cotton ball. Place a small amount on your skin and wait 24 hours to ensure that no allergic rash develops. If nothing develops indicating an allergy, you should be safe to use that particular essential oil. You will need to do this with any other essential oils you intend to use one at a time.
Aromatherapy Massage
Getting a massage can be a relaxing and calming experience. When you combine massage with essential oils you get the added experience of aromatherapy massage. Aromatherapy massage combines all the benefits of a massage with the benefits of whatever essential oil or combination of essential oils are in the massage oil. Different essential oils are used for differing effects in aromatherapy. There are also combinations of essential oils that can elicit different effects on a person.
You can go to a massage therapist for a massage, or you can choose to give or receive a massage with your partner. The choice is yours to make. I am going to be focusing on aromatherapy massage for those who want to share the experience with a partner at home.
When you choose the right combination of essential oils for the intended purpose you can promote relaxation, stress relief, healing, or romantic feelings.
The first thing you need to do is purchase or mix your massage oils. If you purchase massage oil just be sure the ingredients are carrier oils and pure essential oils, not simply fragrances added to the oil. This will not have the same effect as massage oil made with pure essential oils.
If you are going to mix your own massage oils there are many recipes freely available on the internet. Be sure and use a cold-pressed carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba oil. You will also need dark amber or blue glass bottles to store your massage oils when not in use to preserve them. The light will degrade the essential oils in the mixture.
Here are a few recipes I located online. These use 1 oz. of carrier oil in the mixtures:
- For Sore Muscles- To 1 oz. of carrier oils mix in 5 drops of Eucalyptus oil, 4 drops of Peppermint oil, 2 drops of Ginger oil, and 1 drop of Black Pepper oil.
- For Sleep- To 1 oz. of carrier oils, mix in 5 drops of Roman Chamomile oil and 5 drops of Lavender oil.
- For Stress- To 1 oz. of carrier oils mix in 6 drops of Clary Sage oil, 3 drops of Lavender oil, and 2 drops of Lemon oil.
- For Romance- To 1 oz. of carrier oils, mix in 8 drops of Sandalwood oil and 2 drops of Lavender oil.
Giving your partner a relaxing aromatherapy massage can show how much you care for them. It can bring you closer together and using the aphrodisiac blend for romance mentioned above, it just might bring a new spark into your love life.
Recipes
If you’re new to the idea of using aromatherapy to help reduce the stress in your life, then start with something simple such as a lavender bath or other lavender essential oil product. Here is a simple and wonderful recipe that you can try at home in your bath before bed.
Lavender Calming Bath Salts
1 cup Epsom salt
10 drops of Lavender essential oil
1 drop of food coloring
Shake all ingredients in a Ziploc bag until coated. Store in a bottle or bag.
Creating your own bath salts is a terrific way to enjoy aromatherapy at home. Surprisingly, bath salts are very affordable to make and require no harsh ingredients. The main ingredients in bath salts include baking soda, table salt, and Epsom salt. Each of these is commonly found in a local grocery or retail store and is safe to use. Certain bath products may contain harsh ingredients that can irritate your skin. The advantage of creating your own bath salts to use as aromatherapy will ensure that you know what ingredients are going into your product and the peace of mind of knowing they are safe to use.
You can make your own aromatherapy bath salts by starting with a large mixing bowl and a spoon or other similar utensil. The next step is to add 3 cups of Epsom salt, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of table salt into the mixing bowl. Once each of the ingredients is added, begin mixing them with your hand or the spoon. Once mixing is complete, slowly add food coloring to the mixture. Normal food coloring will work fine and should be added according to the color that you prefer your bath salts to be. Adding more drops will darken the color and adding fewer will make it lighter. Some individuals enjoy mixing the colors in order to get a unique hue, but mixing colors should be done prior to placing the coloring into the mixing bowl with your other ingredients.
The final step is to add essential oils until the desired scent is achieved. The best way to determine when the scent is perfect is simply by using your own judgment. Bath salts should be strongly scented in order to allow for fewer salts to be required for each bath, which will enable them to last longer.
Using the steps and ingredients as noted above, you can also use a bowl with a lid and shake the mixture, food coloring, and essential oils until it is perfectly blended. This will save you time from stirring but, otherwise, the procedure of creating your own aromatherapy bath salts is the same.
Another common form of aromatherapy is the use of scented candles. Popular fragrances include vanilla, lavender, cinnamon, etc. These candles are commonly found at any retail store, online specialty shops, and craft fairs. Depending on the size of the candle, scented aromatherapy candles may last for up to one week with limited burn time. It is recommended that individuals select a candle that is in a jar in order to avoid hot wax runoff and/or the potential for flames coming into contact with nearby items.
Aromatherapy candles are made with the essential oils of plants. Lighting the room is only a secondary feature of these candles; the primary use is in stimulating yourself physiologically and therapeutically. It is well known that aromas and fragrances are effective for evoking moods and emotions. So if you are looking forward to a romantic evening, try using aromatherapy candles and see how your night turns out.
The marketplace has a wide range of options for you to choose from in aromatherapy candles. Choose from floating, pillars, gel, votive, and jar candles. If you are free and want to do something creative then go for designing aromatherapy candles for yourself. It is easy. You must be aware of the basic preparation method and have a knowledge of essential oils. But with a little effort, you can make your own candles exactly how you like them.
Lavender is the most popular oil used in the preparation of these candles. Light a candle when you are taking a bath. Or place a candle by the dining table. Lavender has stress-relieving features and will keep you stress-free for the entire day.
You have a large choice of fragrances too. Just understand the mood you want to set and make your choice. If you are suffering from sleeplessness, you can use Clary Sage, Chamomile, and Ylang Ylang. Looking for an uplifting mood, use Rosemary or Grapefruit infused aromatherapy candles. Similarly, there are candles with aromas of Eucalyptus, Geranium, Peppermint, and many more.
The wax used for the preparation of the candles must preferably be natural. The soot released from paraffin candles has been associated with many diseases. Vegetable-based wax like soy, palm, and beeswax burn clean and for longer than paraffin-based candles. They also release less soot.
Another wonderful way to use aromatherapy to relieve stress is to apply a lovely lavender-scented body lotion to your sore aching muscles. Apply this easy-to-mix lavender lotion after your bath, or if you’re lucky enough to have a partner who is willing, request a relaxing massage before bed. The calming scent of lavender works for fussy babies, why not stressed moms? Here is a simple recipe for a lavender lotion that you’ll love.
Lavender Lotion
1 oz. vegetable glycerin
30 drops of lavender essential oil
Put ingredients in a clean glass bottle and shake well. Refrigerate.
When life makes you crazy, remember, you have the power to create a calming oasis in your own home. Take a few minutes for yourself and relax. And now you know all about aromatherapy and the aromatherapy definition.