The History of Aromatherapy dates back at least to 4000 BC, although the term “aromatherapy” was first used in the 1920s by the French chemist René Maurice Gattefossé, who accidentally discovered in a laboratory that lavender relives pain and assists in healing burns. The word “Aromatherapy” is a compound Greek word made up by the word fragrance (aroma) and the word treatment (therapy).
It is historically proven that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Persians used aromatherapy oils. Most probably, aromatic plants were also known in ancient China, but the Chinese are very good at keeping their ancient secrets. There is historical evidence in the Bible for the use of plants and oils for therapeutic healing and prayer. In ancient Egypt, plant oils were widely used for cosmetics, spiritual relaxation, as well as for embalming and mummification of their dead.
What is Aromatherapy?
It is a gentle massage using essential oils and means treatment using scents. A gentle massage using essences extracted from flowers, bark, leaves and seeds of certain plants. These oils are known to have therapeutic properties. Aromatherapy is practiced by a diverse set of lay people and practitioners including: naturopaths, nurses, massage therapists, independent aromatherapy consultants, occupational therapists, estheticians, reiki practitioners, social workers, psychologists, reflexologists, and at times and in some countries, by medical doctors.
Aromatherapy can be used to reduce anxiety and agitation, to heal wounds, reduce the impact of stress on the physical body, reduce pain and inflammation, and to expectorate mucus from the lungs. Aromatherapy is applied in hospice environments to increase quality of life, in maternity wards to support the delivery process and relieve postpartum stress, and in bodywork practices to enhance the therapeutic benefits of the bodywork technique itself.
Even a simple inhalation of these essential oils can give you physical and psychological benefits, because the sweet aroma of these oils immediately reacts with your brain, soothing different conditions. Blending different essential oils is believed to be more effective as opposed to using only one type of essential oil.
Essential oils are the heart of aromatherapy. They have been used to:
- Heal wounds
- Energize
- Improve skin tone
- Relax muscles
- Regulate hormones
- Reduce inflammation
- Relieve menstrual cramps
- Improve sleep
- Stimulate the immune system
- Kill fungal & bacterial infections
- Decrease congestion
- Aid digestion
- Relieve tension headache
- Aid blood circulation
Stress Relief
In today’s hectic world, stress is something almost everyone is struggling with. As long as we continue to work, stress is likely to set in. It is also common knowledge that stress causes various diseases therefore it is very important to find remedies to reduce stress. Aromatherapy assists in relieving stress while helping you stay healthy.
There are a few essential oils that specifically deal with stress and many other health conditions causing or resulting from stress.
- To deal with high levels of anxiety, try essential oils such as Lavender, orange, Roman chamomile, ylang ylang and the blends: RutaVala, Valor, Hope, Peace & Calming, Joy, Present Time, Citrus Fresh, Surrender, and Believe.
- To handle depression, try Frankincense, lemon, sandalwood, geranium, lavender, angelica, orange, grapefruit, ylang ylang and the blends: Valor, Motivation, Passion, Hope, Brain Power, Present Time, Envision, Sacred Mountain, Harmony, Highest Potential, or Joy.
- For Insomnia, try lavender, cedarwood, Roman chamomile, mandarin, and the blends: Peace & Calming, Harmony, Dream Catcher, Valor, Gentle Baby, and Trauma Life.
Mood enhancement
Aromatherapy is also excellent for setting moods. It can ignite romance, enhance meditation, create an environment for studying, or kick up your energy. Essential oils are environmentally friendly and are a great alternative to aerosol sprays.
Improve immune, circulatory and respiratory systems
Aromatherapy is best known to strengthen your immune system. It cleanses the blood and improves blood circulation. Aromatherapy also stimulates respiration, improves the functioning of respiratory system and helps protect the body from respiratory diseases.
Are there any side effects of aromatherapy?
When using therapeutic-grade oils, adverse reactions to the oil generally do not occur. However, some people still report rashes, skin outbreaks, and other allergic reactions. This is because essential oils trigger cleansing, forcing out toxins lodged in the body, which can contribute to a small-scale cleansing crisis such as a rash or a headache. In most cases, these symptoms can be alleviated by increasing your intake of water.
Aromatherapy can trigger an emotional release, positive and/or negative memories. Someone might say, “I hate that smell!”, followed by a negative memory from childhood when the smell was present. Even in this case, the problem is a toxin in the body, not the essential oil – the toxin just happens to be emotional rather than physical.
Oil Safety
The best way to ensure safety, be sure to use only therapeutic-grade essential oils (such as those from Young Living Essential Oils). Always enlighten your Doctor of any medicines or homeopathic remedies you may be using. Alcohol should be avoided before and after treatments.
I encourage you to do your own research and discover the powerful modality of healing through aromatherapy. I did. And now my family reaches for essential oils first, before considering other medicinal and/or household products.
***Young Living’s essential oils are guaranteed pure, unadulterated and therapeutic- grade, and meet the highest world standards. This information is not intended and shouldn’t be relied upon as a substitute for medical diagnosis, advice or treatment. Use only guaranteed pure, unadulterated, therapeutic- grade essential oils, and follow the directions of the manufacturer. ***