As a natural therapy, the principle of Aromatherapy is to strengthen the self-healing processes by preventative methods and indirect stimulation of the immune system. This field of activity ranges from deep and penetrating therapeutic actions to extreme subtlety of unique fragrance. Simply put, essential oils can be used to enhance health as well as well-being. Aromatherapy is an ancient yet relevant modern approach to total well-being that is in tune with nature.
Essential oils are aromatic essences extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruits, bark, grasses and seeds with distinctive therapeutic, psychological, and physiological properties, which improve and prevent illness. There are over 150 essential oils. Most of these oils have antiseptic properties; some are antiviral, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antidepressant and expectorant. Other properties of the essential oils which are beneficial in aromatherapy are their stimulation, relaxation, digestion improvement, and diuretic properties. To get the maximum benefit from essential oils, it should be made from natural, pure raw materials as synthetically made oils are not effective.
For a long time, oils from plants have been used to lubricate the skin, purify air and repel insects. Essential oils were used in ancient Egypt for bathing and massage and were used in ancient Greece and Rome for treating infections. The origins of todays aromatherapy can be traced to a French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, who, after pouring lavender oil onto his hand after accidentally burning himself, believed that the pain, redness and skin damage healed far more quickly than expected. He then began to study the effects of oils on the body.
There are many essential oils used in aromatherapy, including Roman chamomile, geranium, lavender, tea tree, lemon, cedarwood, and bergamot. Each type of essential oil has a different chemical structure that affects its aroma, how it is absorbed, and how it is used by the body. Even varieties of plants within the same species may have chemical structures different from each other because they are grown or harvested in different ways or locations.
Another aromatherapy product called an "absolute" is often confused with essential oils. Absolutes are not pure essential oils but are precious fragrances from plants that do not create enough essential oil to collect. These fragrances are made by dehydrating the flower petals to remove the water and to create a concentrate which is then washed in an alcohol solvent which takes on the fragrance. The alcohol is distilled off and the remaining product is the absolute. This is a pure plant fragrance and retains certain therapeutic properties but is not an essential oil.
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