AROMATHERAPY

When you walk into a grocery store or past a bakery, the scents of the
cookies and cakes are probably going to make you hungry and they will often
make you feel happy.

This is just a simple example of what aromatherapy is.
Developed over the years, beginning with the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans, aromatherapy takes into consideration one of our primary senses –
smell – and uses it to affect other parts of our lives and health.
Aromatherapy is thought to help with these conditions:
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Pain
• Infections
• Nausea
The principle behind aromatherapy is that the use of smells helps to
'communicate' with the brain's various regions. When you stimulate these
regions, it can cause your body to respond in different ways.
Aromatherapy can also work when the essential oils are applied directly to
certain parts of your body to affect the body in various ways.
The brain controls everything that happens in your body, so when you affect
the brain, you affect the body – to put it more simply. And while there are
those who believe that aromatherapy is baseless, the growing number of
aromatherapy products on the market begs to differ.

There are a variety of things that go into the aromatherapy treatments for a
patient:
• Essential oils
naturally derived from plants, herbs and flowers
• Carrier oils
essential oils need to be placed into carrier oils (almond, grapeseed,
etc.) in order to dilute them so that they can't hurt the skin
Oils may also contain the actual pieces of the herbs and flowers for
decoration or to add to the long term concentration of the preparation.
You might use aromatherapy solutions in a number of manners:
• Concentrated essential oils
These would be oils that are not directly applied to the skin, but rather
are used in an oil burner or applied to another material to be smelled.
• Diffusion
You might find essential oils in an atomizer or an aerosol canister that
can be sprayed into a room or onto clothing for enjoyment.
• Topical
Other essential oils can be applied directly to the skin to help with
infection or rashes. (This is very rare so never apply undiluted
essential oil to the skin unless you know this is safe. Safe for direct
skin application are very few oils only such as lavender, chamomile and
tea tree – but never on broken skin)
• Candles and incense

By lighting a candle or a stick of incense that has been scented with a
particular oil, you can spread the healing effects around a larger area.
Aromatherapy is a very convenient form of alternative medicine because
anyone can use it at any time. While there are aromatherapy professionals
who are trained in making specific preparations for clients and who also can
advise clients as to what oils to use, at home use is still the most popular
choice.
Applying essential oils to your pulse points will help to radiate the scents in
your environment while spraying your clothing or a piece of fabric with an
essential oil allows you to have an item to sniff whenever you feel the
therapeutic preparation is necessary.
You can use aromatherapy in a variety of ways:
• During a headache or other pain
• To prevent stress and anxiety
• As a topical ointment to prevent infection after you've been cut

Here are some of the most popular aromatherapy essential oils:
• Lavender
works well for anxiety and stress relief
• Rose
helps enhance mood and romantic feelings
• Clove
works on the skin to help prevent pain
• Tea tree
works as an antiseptic, can also help reduce acne as it is anti-bacterial
• Basil
works for depression
• Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang
aphrodisiacs
• Eucalyptus
works for colds and upper respiratory infections; boosts energy levels
• Mint
energizing
• Yarrow
joint pain
But there are plenty of other oils you can use as well. It might help to find a
book that described the various uses of particular essential oils to help guide
you to the ones which are right for you.

Aromatherapy has a number of benefits:
• No side effects
• The more you use, the better
• Can be used to prevent or to treat
• Can be used by all ages
• Even works on animals
It will also help you to know that aromatherapy items can be made from
things you already own. Try adding a few drops of essential oil to your
favorite body lotion, for example. Or you might want to soak in a tub with a
few drops of essential oils.