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What
is aromatherapy?
 Aromatherapy
is the modern name for this very ancient knowledge and skill. It
is the art of using essential oils from aromatic plants to promote
health and well-being by use in massage, in the bath or as an airborne
inhalant. It is an holistic therapy which means it works on the
mind, body and spirit, taking into account all aspects of your lifestyle.
The
history of aromatherapy
All
of the ancient civilisations used essential oils from plants for
healing or mood altering, as well as in aphrodisiac perfumes and
cosmetics. Medical texts from over 3,000 years ago detail therapeutic
uses of essential oils. Even primitive peoples used the aromas in
magic and religious rituals, as incense and as embalming fluids.
How
aromatherapy works
Almost
all of us know what powerful effects aromas have and what very vivid
memories they can conjure up. The evocative smells of roasting coffee
or of baking bread, of new mown grass or the invigorating aroma
of freshly squeezed lemon or orange; each has its own, very different
effect upon us.
When
an odour is inhaled it is carried to a membrane (the olfactory mucous
membrane) from where 20 million nerve endings carry signals to the
brain. There they are interpreted as smell. A passage (the buccal
cavity) links the air in the mouth and nasal areas. This is why
the sensations of smell and taste are not always easily distinguishable.
The
aromas are analysed by various centres in the brain for memories,
emotional and other responses. Essential oils can be classified
by their effects as stimulants, euphorics, sedatives, regulators
or aphrodisiacs. The oils can be in more than one of these categories
(eg stimulant and aphrodisiac).
- Euphoric
odours (eg jasmine, grapefruit) stimulate
a gland called the thalamus to release pain-killing hormones (enkephalins)
which give an uplifting feeling of well-being.
- Sedative
odours (eg lavender, chamomile) cause secretion of the "happy
hormone", serotonin, the one that makes us all love chocolate
so much!
-The
really important odours, the aphrodisiacs (eg jasmine, ylang-ylang),
stimulate the (pituitary) gland to secrete hormones (endorphins)
which can induce sexual feelings. Endorphins are also painkillers
which can cause feelings of euphoria.
When
the potent essential oils are combined with massage, one of the
most natural ways to
de-stress, it can be a very powerful therapy.
Who
can do it?
Although
there is no adequate substitute for a qualified practitioner, anyone
can use the principles of Aromatherapy when bathing or as airborne
inhalants. Even Aromatherapy massage can be beneficially and pleasurably
performed on partners as long as some basic rules are followed and
that any medical conditions are taken into account.
What
are the benefits of aromatherapy?
The
essential oils have powerful healing properties which affect the
body physically and psychologically. The aromas help to strengthen
the immune system, loosen muscles and reduce stress, tension and
anxiety, thus helping with insomnia and depression. Muscular and
rheumatic pains and menstrual and menopausal problems can also be
greatly reduced with Aromatherapy. All
in all, it's not something to be sniffed at!
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