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.

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Head Pain

There are a number of different things that you can do which can help to alleviate headaches.  One that is often overlooked, however, is aromatherapy and you would probably be surprised with exactly how effective this particular technique can be.  The real secret lies in understanding why aromatherapy works so that you can make wise decisions along the way.  If you're able to do so, you can often use this technique to remove your headaches rather quickly and whenever you do it regularly, you may be able to stop the headaches from occurring in the first place.

The first thing that you need to understand is that not all aromatherapy products are created equal.  As a matter of fact, some of them contain dangerous chemicals on the inside and although they may smell good, you are, in effect taking bad things into your body.  Some people even have violent reactions as a result of some of these aromatherapy products, including headaches.  The last thing that you would want to do is to make your headaches worse in an effort to make them better.  Always make sure that you are using all-natural aromatherapy products and that you test them completely before jumping the whole way in with both feet.

Some of the most effective scents that you could use for aromatherapy would include such things as chamomile, rose hip and lavender.  There are also many others that you may want to try, as experimentation is one of the best ways for you to discover exactly which ones you should be using.  There may also be times whenever you can utilize two or more of these at the same time in order to increase the effects.  Again, trial and error is one of the best things as far as this is concerned.

You can either sit in a room with these aromatherapy products and relax for a while, something that most of us do or you can also get proactive with them.  For example, if you are able to use these aromatherapy products in conjunction with the massage, perhaps even mixed with the massage oils, you can increase the amount of relaxation that you experience and reduce the amount of headaches that you have even further.  It's just another thing to keep in mind which may help you to be able to get rid of your headaches, once and for all.

Aromatherapy Essential Oils

How to use Aromatherapy oils for reducing stress and stress free:


• In the bath – just add a few drops
• Inhale – You can add one drop to your hand and inhale
• Massage – make sure its diluted
• Vaporization – using a burner, this will bring the smell into your entire room


Tips:


• Always dilute essential oils to a 1% or 2.5% solution
• Do not apply essential oils directly to the skin.
• Always read the precautions on each bottle before using them


Cautions

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE - avoid Cypress, Clove, Nutmeg, Pine, Rosemary, and Sage & Thyme.

LOW BLOOD PRESSURE - avoid the use of Sweet Marjoram and Ylang Ylang.

EPILEPSY - avoid Fennel, Hyssop, Peppermint and Sage.

INSOMNIA - avoid peppermint, Basil, Lemon Verbena, and Rosemary.

GASTRIC PROBLEMS - avoid Cinnamon, Clove, Garlic, Oregano and Parsley Seed.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE/URINARY PROBLEMS - avoid Juniper Berry, Eucalyptus, Parsley Seed, and Black Pepper.

ESTROGEN PATCH WEARER - avoid Geranium.

SUN EXPOSURE - before going into the sun or using tanning beds, avoid Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, and Orange.

SKIN IRRITANTS - use a maximum of 3 drops when using the following oils in a bath: Basil, Lemon, Lemon Grass, Nutmeg, Peppermint, and Thyme.

CARDIAC FIBRILATION - do not use Peppermint and rosemary.

ASTHMA - some essential oils can help but proceed with caution.

PREGNANCY – Consult your doctor before using essential oils



Here is a list of some relaxing essential oils:


• Bergamot – soothing, uplifting and good for tension and depression
• Chamomile – calming, suitable for insomnia
• Jasmine – a stimulant or a sedative, excellent antidepressant and aphrodisiac
• Juniper – good for fatigue and building self-esteem
• Ylang ylang – calming; used as an aphrodisiac and good for panic attacks
• Rosemary – refreshing and stimulating
• Lemon balm – balances emotions
• Sandalwood – used as an antidepressant and aphrodisiac
• Vetiver – balances the nervous system, good for insomnia
• Lavender – a very useful and popular oil, used for relaxing and as an antidepressant and pain killer
• Basil – uplifting