|
All About Aromatherapy
what are essential oils
olfactory benefits
blends
essential oil safety tips
extraction methods
faqs
Aromatherapy is a way to improve the quality of life on a
physical, emotional and spiritual level. Aromatherapy is already a part of our
lives, although we may not have associated the name with the experience.
Everyone has emotional responses, both pleasant and unpleasant, to certain
scents. The idea behind aromatherapy is, first, to find the scents, unique for
each individual, that evoke positive sensory feelings and emotions; and then to
introduce those scents into our everyday life to enhance well-being. Natural
scents keep us connected to the earth, sparking memories and emotions.
Aromatherapy History
Aromatic medicine, the ancient beginnings of the art of
aromatherapy, was recorded in both Egypt and India more than 4,000 years ago.
The Egyptians used aromatic plants to create massage oils, medicines, embalming
preparations, skin care products, fragrant perfumes and cosmetics. Plant
aromatics were also utilized in India as part of the ancient medical practice
known as Ayurveda. Many of these practices are still in existence today.
At the beginning of this century, particularly in France and
England, a movement by noted doctors and scholars in the naturopathic and
medical communities prompted a reawakening to the benefits of natural medicine
and aromatherapy. Today in England and the United States, aromatherapy is a
commonly accepted alternative medicine. In France, it is common to find doctors
who practice aromatherapy, pharmacies that sell essential oils and health
insurance companies that reimburse for treatments using these approaches.
The Practice of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses pure essential oils, extracted from many
parts of the plant (flower, leaf, resin, bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rind and
rhizome) to relax, balance and rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. Aromatherapy is
both an art and a science. Aroma therapists, armed with a technical
understanding of an oil's constituents, artfully blend essential oils to produce
new aromas.
The results of aromatherapy are very individual. While there
is general agreement about the actions of certain oils, aromatherapy texts vary
in their descriptions of the properties and characteristics of an essential oil.
No two persons are affected by the same essential oil in exactly the same way.
Even the same person can be affected differently by the same oil depending on
surroundings, time of day or mood.
Essential oils are the highly concentrated, volatile, aromatic
essences of plants. Scientists agree that essential oils may perform more than
one function in living plants. In some cases they seem to be a part of the
plant's immune system. In other cases they may simply be end-products of
metabolism. Essential oils contain hundreds of organic constituents, including
hormones, vitamins and other natural elements that work on many levels. They are
75 to 100 times more concentrated than the oils in dried herbs.
All the countries of the world provide essential oils, making
aromatherapy a truly global therapy. The purest essential oils come from
carefully cultivated and wild grown plants from climatic and geographic regions
throughout the world. Information on specific essential oils can be found in the
Essential Oil Directory.
Not all Oils are Created Equal
Some plants, like rose and jasmine, contain very little
essential oil. Their important aromatic properties are extracted using a
chemical solvent. The end product, known as an absolute, contains essential oil
along with other plant constituents. Though not a true essential oil, absolutes
are commonly used for fragrancing cosmetic products like fine perfumes.
There are also significant differences between synthetic
fragrance oils (made possible by recent advances in chemistry) and pure
essential oils. Synthetic fragrance oils are produced by blending aromatic
chemicals primarily derived from coal tar. These oils may duplicate the smell of
the pure botanical, but the complex chemical components of each essential oil
created in nature determine its true aromatic benefits. While synthetic
fragrance oils are not suitable for aromatherapy, they add an approximation of
the natural scent to crafts, potpourri, soap and perfume at a fraction of the
cost.
Aromatherapy practitioners need pure essential oils of the
highest quality. Important criteria to consider when selecting essential oils
include the following: 100 percent pure and natural, country of origin, growing
season, extraction
method (e.g., distillation, expression), plant part used and the reputation of
the company providing the oils.
Gems of Nature
Pure essential oils, like precious jewelry or fine wine, are
the gems of nature - the quintessential life force of aromatic plants, sometimes
called the "soul" of the plant. People who truly appreciate the qualities of
pure essential oils consider each drop a precious jewel to be savored, enjoyed
and protected.
Essential oils absorb into the fluid surrounding the cells
beneath the skin's surface for a variety of effects including deep cleansing,
nourishing, rejuvenating and balancing. Essential oils also diffuse into the air
to provide
olfactory benefits like purifying, refreshing and relaxing.
We perceive odors through thousands of olfactory nerves in our
nostrils, which contain bundles of highly sensitive nerve cells. Unlike other
nerve cells, these cells regenerate every 30 to 40 days. Specific aromatic
molecules of essential oils react with specific nerve receptors, which in turn
trigger electrochemical impulses that are conducted directly into the brain.
Aromas are transmitted to the limbic system, a part of the
brain which perceives and responds to memory, pleasure and emotions. Odor
triggers the limbic system to release brain-affecting chemicals known as
neurochemicals. Enkephalin reduces pain and creates a feeling of well-being.
Endorphins also reduce pain and induce sexual feelings. Serotonin helps relax
and calm. Because the olfactory nerves are a direct extension of the brain's
limbic system, recognition of smell is relayed immediately, whereas recognition
of taste, sound and touch is not as immediate.
The olfactory system of the human brain has a lock and key
mechanism for remembering scents. This creates an individual perception of
aroma, different preferences for scents and specific memory responses. The lock
is the actual smell memory; the key is the scent which opens the mind to the
memory. In aromatherapy, the brain responds to the aroma of an essential oil by
retrieving a past memory associated with the aroma. If the aroma is unfamiliar,
the brain creates a new memory response. The memory responses can be relaxing,
balancing, energizing, uplifting, etc. The sense of smell has the longest recall
of all senses, so we tend to retain memories associated with aromas for quite
some time.
What are Aromatherapy Blends?
Once you're using pure essential oils, it's natural to try
blends of different oils to enhance their aromas and achieve specific
aromatherapy benefits, such as relaxation and mental clarity. A successful blend
requires knowledge about the properties of essential oils and experience in
balancing the different aromas to achieve the desired result.
Aura Cacia's unique essential oils blends have been created to
help take the guesswork out of aromatherapy -- the blending has been done for
you. Our blends are a combination of 100% pure essential oils working
synergistically to provide specific aromatherapy benefits -- perfect for
individuals new to aromatherapy, or those wanting the convenience and savings
that pre-blended essential oils provide.
How are Aromatherapy Blends Used?
Use Aura Cacia essential oil blends anywhere you want to add a
touch of scent:
- Enhance your beauty care products -- just combine one to
three drops of your favorite Aura Cacia blend with one teaspoon of unscented
shampoo, conditioner or lotion.
- Try your hand at perfumery. Dilute ten drops of an
aromatherapy blend on one ounce of high-proof vodka.
- Add two to three drops to the rinse water when hand-washing
clothes.
- Use the blends to scent air fresheners an sachets.
The possibilities are almost limitless. Just remember
essential oils are very concentrated and most personal applications require
drops rather than ounces. Always handle oils carefully and follow the
safety
precautions.
| Format> |
BLEND NAME
Aromatherapy benefits
Essential oils used
WARNINGS |
Warnings:
SKIN - Dilute well. Skin irritant.
SUN - Avoid use in sun.
PG - Avoid if pregnant.
BP - People with high blood pressure should avoid.
EP - People with epilepsy should avoid.
ENERGIZE
Rejuvenating, vitalizing
Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sweet Orange
SKIN, SUN, PG, BP
EUPHORIA
Uplifting, mood enhancing
Bergamot BF (Bergaptene-free), Amyris, Ginger, Ylang Ylang III
SUN, SKIN
HEART SONG®
Romantically inspiring, emotionally soothing
Lavender, Rosewood, Geranium, Rose Absolute
INSPIRATION
Mental clarity
Lemon, Bergamot BF, Balsam Fir Needle, Sweet Basil, Rosemary
SKIN, PG, BP
LAVENDER FIELDS
Relaxing, balancing
Lavender, Lavandin, Spike Lavender
LEMON ORCHARD®
Refreshing, invigorating
Lemon, Lemon Eucalyptus, Petitgrain
SKIN, SUN
RELAXATION CITRUS
Relaxing
Sweet Orange, Tangerine, Lemon, Bergamot BF, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Ylang
Ylang III, Sandalwood
SKIN, SUN
RELAXATION FLORAL
Relaxing
Lavender, Lemon, Bergamot BF, Geranium, Ylang Ylang III, Balsam Peru, Rose Otto
SKIN, SUN
RELAXATION FOREST
Relaxing
Balsam Fir Needle, Atlas Cedarwood, Tangerine, Bergamot BF, Rosewood, Vetiver
SKIN, SUN
SOOTHING HEAT
Penetrating, warming
Balsam Fir Needle, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Juniper Berry, Myrtle
SKIN, SUN, PG
TRANQUILITY
Soothing, calming
Lavender, Balsam Fir Needle, Patchouli, Palmarosa, Geranium, Roman Chamomile
Essential oils are very concentrated, so it's important to
handle them with care. Please read these cautions carefully.
- Always read and follow all label warnings and cautions.
- Keep oils tightly closed and out of the reach of children.
- Never ingest essential oils.
- Don't use undiluted oils on your skin. (Dilute with vegetable oils.)
- Skin test oils before using. Dilute a small amount and
apply to the skin on your inner arm. Do not use if redness or irritation occurs.
- Keep oils away from eyes and mucous membranes.
- If redness, burning, itching, or irritation occur, stop using oil immediately.
- Avoid use of these oils during pregnancy: bitter almond,
basil, clary sage, clove bud, hyssop, sweet fennel, juniper berry, marjoram,
myrrh, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sage, thyme and wintergreen.
- These oils can be especially irritating to the skin:
allspice, bitter almond, basil, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, sweet
fennel, fir needle, lemon, lemongrass, melissa, peppermint, tea tree, wintergreen.
- Angelica and all citrus oils make the skin more sensitive
to ultraviolet light. Do not go out into the sun with these oils on your skin.
- Sweet fennel, hyssop, sage, and rosemary should not be used
by anyone with epilepsy.
- People with high blood pressure should avoid hyssop,
rosemary, sage, and thyme.
To extract essential oils in the most effective manner, while
preserving their therapeutic benefits, they are either distilled or expressed.
The two methods are briefly explained below.
Distillation
Pure essential oils are most commonly extracted from plants
through the process of steam distillation. In this process, steam is introduced
into a distillation chamber which contains the plant material. The steam breaks
down the plant tissue, causing it to release its essential oil in a vaporized
form. The vaporized essences, along with the steam and other substances, pass
into a pipe through cooling tanks. The vapors return to liquid form and are
separated from the water and captured as pure essential plant oil.
Expression
Expression, also known as cold pressing, is done exclusively
with citrus oils. In this method, the oil-containing outer layer of the fruit is
pressed and filtered to yield pure essential oil.
It takes 50 pounds of eucalyptus, 150 pounds of lavender, 500
pounds of rosemary, 1,000 pounds of jasmine and over 2,000 pounds of rose to
make a single pound of essential oil! The price of each essential oil is
directly related to the amount of plant material needed for distillation.
|