Aromatherapy is the art of using the aromatic carbon compounds found in plants: essential oils. Ancient cultures in Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, China and Persia all extracted essential oils to access the healing value of plants. In the1900's European chemists rediscovered essential oils and coined the term "aromatherapy." Aromatherapy is used extensively in Europe to treat conditions of the genito-urinary tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory system, the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system. It is most effective for treating infections and preventing disease, and quite successful in treating neuro-psycho-endocrine issues such as stress, depression and insomnia. Aromatherapy is an excellent tool for letting go of stress and enhancing well-being.
Aromatherapy is still very new to the United States, known chiefly through products. The genius of aromatherapy is found in the intricate and natural composition created by plants themselves, developed over eons of evolutionary testing. Some even refer to essential oils as the 'life force' of the plant. Many aromatherapy products are primarily laboratory-engineered aromatic compounds due to cost-effectiveness and consistency; they are not subject to the conditions (agricultural, distillation processes, political, economic, etc.) that can alter both the chemistry and aroma of an essential oil. While synthetics lend themselves to mass marketing, they offer a very limited experience of aromatherapy. Inspect labels for 'essential oil' content, plant names in Latin, and be aware that the term 'fragrance' often means laboratory-engineered. The absence of plant-derived components bypasses the greatest benefits of aromatherapy.
We live and work in a world that requires us to produce, think and verbalize at optimum levels. Aromatherapy is an opportunity to enter an organic biological environment. Here we learn through smell and literally through osmosis how to thrive as members of Earth's living community-a community with priorities such as wellness, interdependence, artistry and mastery.
Aromatherapy is exquisitely aromatic, and it is much more. The practice of this art involves both the inhalation of essential oil vapors and application of essential oils to the skin. Aromatherapists blend not only for conditions such as headaches and anxiety; they blend for each individual taking into account disposition and lifestyle. Results are experienced immediately during the consultation and through using aromatherapy self-care. The body eliminates essential oils within four to six hours, but their physiological effects last longer.
Smell is a major part of aromatherapy. You are probably familiar with the idea that our sense of smell is intimately linked in the brain with memory and emotions. The age-old olfactory nerve (with only one synapse) leads to the limbic areas of the brain and to the frontal lobe. The limbic system, a hypothetical grouping of core brain structures, encompasses the formation of emotions and their integration with learning, thought and behavior. The frontal lobe of the brain is correlated with olfaction as well as abstract thinking, sexual behavior, voluntary movement, aggression, and sound articulation including speech.
Perhaps even more significantly, essential oils enter our bodies through the skin and interact with our very chemistry. Made up of very small carbon-based molecules, essential oils are readily drawn through the pores and have a unique ability to penetrate cell membranes. Many essential oils have structures similar to our own hormones and interact with the endocrine and nervous systems to affect our moods and attitudes. The work of Dr. Candace Pert, research professor of Biophysics and Physiology at Georgetown University's School of Medicine, suggests that the mind and the emotions actually have chemical substance (ligands) which course throughout our body tissues.
We now have essential oils from over 300 plant species. Both essential oils and hydrosols are obtained through distillation of plant materials (leaves, resins, seeds, flowers, roots or stems). A few essential oils are obtained via cold pressing from a fruit peel and others via solvent extraction or a combination of the above methods. Carrier or base oils are fixed oils cold-pressed from fruit, nut or seed sources. Many vegetable oils can serve as carriers; sweet almond is a popular choice as are hazelnut and grape seed oils. The carrier oil is used to dilute essential oils prior to application on the skin. Use fresh carriers free of rancidity or other toxins because they are drawn into the body by essential oils. The body eliminates essential oils within four to six hours, but their physiological effects last longer.
You can use essential oils in lots of ways: diffuse into a room; incorporate into bath water or a steam inhalation or facial; massage into the soft tissues; wear as a fragrance; mix with water and spray onto fabrics; use to clean and disinfect; mix into skin care products such as bath gels and moisturizers; add to hot or cold compresses; or even blend with arrowroot to make your own scented powder. Generally, a dilution of 2-5% essential oils is recommended. This would be equal to 6 to 10 drops of essential oil in 10 ml or base (oil, lotion, gel, powder, etc.). Interestingly, many essential oils are actually more effective in weaker dilution.
The procurement of quality essential oils is no small task. Acquiring a knowledgeable source sensitive to the requirements of aromatherapy-grade quality is important. The quality of an essential oil cannot be solely judged by smell or 'feel'; it requires technologies such as gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy to reveal the composition of unaltered essential oils. The best quality essential oils are taken from healthy plants organically grown or wild-crafted, harvested and distilled at just the right time when the essential oils are at their peak. The distillation process alone requires great skill akin to that of a master vintner. There is a movement to empower indigenous growers to acquire the technology and skills to produce their own essential oils and therefore reap maximum value from their agricultural products. Suppliers of premium quality (sometimes called 'guaranteed and authentic') essential oils have to have connections worldwide and access to scientific testing.
For many people finding a trusted supplier will simply entail finding a trusted aromatherapist. Often this will be a health provider with additional training: doctors, nurses, chiropractors, naturopaths, psychotherapists, estheticians, or bodyworkers. Many will be working in a clinic or spa setting. There is no regulating agency or required training for aromatherapists in the United States at this time.
About the Author
Cameron Babberney, RMT is certified by the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy and practices in Austin, Texas. Her specialties include Swedish massage, respiratory massage, shiatsu, Touch for Health (a Western acupressure system), structural bodywork, structural acupressure, sports massage and essential oil therapy. For more detailed information on aromatherapy, essential oils, and massage.
