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Aromatherapy
As the word Aromatherapy suggests, it is the art of putting in use theessential oils obtained from aromatic plants and herbs to get theremedial effect and improvement of beauty and well being of theindividuals. Prior to 1920s nobody was aware of the term Aromatherapyas such. A French chemist Ren Maurice Gattefoss accidentally discoveredthe healing properties of essential oils and coined the termAromatherapy later on.
Actualhistory of the use of the essential oils can be traced back to ancientEgyptians and Indians. Egyptians used the essential oils to embalm thedead bodies while Indians and some other civilizations used theessential oils to get the remedial effects against pain relief withgreat success. There are many ways to extract essential oils from theplants, but the most popular method being distillation through alcohol,as this is a very simple method and alcohol is freely available.
The application of aromatherapy mainly practiced in three ways:
by inhalationby topical application andby oral intake Inhalation is the fastest to react and provide thenecessary remedial effect for the respiratory disinfection,decongestion and expectoration etc. The molecules of the volatileessential oils get in contact with the olfactory nerves located in theupper part of the inner nose. After that these molecules are carried tothe brain in the limbic system. Limbic system of the brain remainsalways in contact with the part of the brain which controls rate ofheart beats, blood pressure, breathing, hormonal balance and stresslevel control etc. The molecules cause the secretion of certainbiochemicals to affect our mood, state of mind or trigger the remedialeffect. To get the best results from the inhaling method the essentialoils are either spread on a tissue or added to the water for bath ordefused in a vaporizer.
Topical application is used forthe general massage, baths, compresses, therapeutic skin care, rectal,vaginal interfaces for infection, congestion, parasites etc. Most ofthe essential oils are not greasy and gets readily absorbed by theskin. The route of the absorption is usually through the hair folliclesand sweat gland openings from there they travel to the blood stream andreach to the affected part of the body. These oils not only kill theviruses and the bacteria but at the same time they strengthen theimmune system of the body to prevent further attack and start a speedyrecovery process. Each essential oil has distinct set of properties andbenefits. The essential oils are applied to the skin always in dilutedform since the application of raw essential oil can harm you. Thedilution is achieved by mixing appropriate quantity of raw essentialoil in carrier oil. It is always better for the people with delicate orsensitive skin to test the reactivity of the essential oils beforestarting the application.
Oral intake is practicedrarely as some of the essential oils are toxic in nature and besidesthat intake of raw oils may harm you therefore it is advisable that ifyou are going to opt for the oral intake, then it should be done underthe expert supervision only. Generally oral application of theessential oils is done for the problems relating to the denture andgums and the oils used are clove, tea tree, myrrh, thyme andpeppermint.
There are host of benefits from the aromatherapywhich you can avail during your normal day to day life. First of themis the aromatherapy bath, it is a very pleasant and soothing way torelax your tired and overstressed bodies. The essential oil present inthe water cleans up the pores of the skin and allows it to breathenaturally and relaxes the muscles too. The next inline is thearomatherapeutic massage it doubles up the benefit of the massage andaromatherapy. The massage revitalizes and stimulates the organs whilethe essential oil gets penetrated deep inside into the blood stream toclear the toxins out.
There is one more plus point ofaromatherapy; it does not offer any side effect as compared to theconventional medications. May be that is the reason more and morepeople are coming under aromatherapy. Its popularity has grown toimmensely in the recent time so as it has been accepted as one of thealternative medicine in many countries.
If you have not tried it yet, then you are really missing something. So give it a try today.
Leanne Kemp is the Managing Director for Wotaboutme.Look online to find a day spa, haircut, aromatherapy massage anywherein . Perfect for gifts for him or gifts for her. For updates, check outthe Wotaboutme Blog
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