| Product: |
Aromatherapy |
| Date: |
12/01/02 (85 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Great to help many ailments or just promote well being, Used for many many years, Interesting hobby as well as therapy
Disadvantages: Can have some side effects if you are not careful, Can be quite complicated to get to grips with
Many of you who know me through dooyoo will know that I have been ill for the last 13 months with pain that they don’t know how to treat. This has made me become interested in many alternative and alternative remedied as I seek anything to provide me with relaxation and pain relief. One thing that has been of particular interest to me is aromatherapy and the use of essential oils.
So, I shall tell you a little about aromatherapy and essential oils in general and then go on to tell you other things that I have discovered and the best way to go about getting started yourself.
~~~What is aromatherapy and how did it get started??~~~
For most of us if we get sick or have a problem the doctor will be our first port of call. We believe that more often than not we will find our answers there. However, you have to think that modern medicine is all quite knew and that for many hundred of years previously people relied on other methods to make them better, this was the case for homeopathy and also aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy dates back to around 1000AD so I am told. It started with a Persian doctor who distilled fragrant oils from plants and them mixed them with olive or castor oil to make lotions to sooth people. However, the so called “father of aromatherapy” is a French Chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse who in the early 1900’s used lavender oil to treat a burnt hand and after noticing the speed that it healed he was propelled to look further into the therapeutic qualities of oils. Indeed by the 1960’s many French doctors were starting to use aromatherapy alongside traditional remedies. So, it looks like we have something to thank the French for after all. Indeed today in the 21st century aromatherapy is sighted at being one of the most soothing and therapeutic alternative therapies around.
To many people though the thought of an oil being able to aid and sooth them is a little strange and so there re
main many sceptics, as well as those who embrace and recommend it.
~~~So, how may aromatherapy help???~~~
Ok, I am not going to sit here and preach how essential oils and aromatherapy will cure all your ailments, indeed it is not as simple as that. Yet, I believe, as do many people, that it benefits everyone, even if not eradicating the problem. I have to hold my hands up and say that the chronic pain in my face has not gone because I have used aromatherapy, however, it has benefited me in many ways, including relaxing and soothing me, promoting good sleep and making me less stressed. All these things alone can aid the healing process and set you on your way to recovery.
One of the best examples of aromatherapy in use is with stress. A common problem in society today. Essential oils can really help this. You can come home at the end of the day and relax in a bath with some oil. The tension will soon sooth away. This allows oils to be inhaled through the nose and they get to the nerves (or olfactory receptors) which are closely related to the mood centres in the brain.
In addition to be inhaled essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, so aromatherapy massages are of great benefit too. I often rub a little oil onto my temples to ease headaches and stresses.
~How do I use the oils then??~~~
Essential oils are really simple to use at home and there are a number of ways to use them.
*Massage
This is one of the more popular ways of using the oils and one which has multiple benefits. In addition to soothing any ailments and worries you may have, they can be used as an aid to your relationships and as a way of getting close to a partner (if you get my drift), practical and functional, but potentially erotic too.
It is very important that you do this correctly though. Diluting essential oils with massage oil base is tricky as you need to get the correct proportions, else ther
e can be problems. They recommend that you dilute 5 drops of essential oil to 10ml of the carrier oil. Carrier oils are easy to buy and are a necessity in aromatherapy. Boots do an excellent one, of which I have a couple of bottles. This contains grape seed, jojoba, peach kernel and wheat germ. It can cost between £4-£15 depending on the size of bottle. As a cheaper alternative I use baby oil/ regular skin oil, especially when I use a lot as it works out a lot cheaper. Dilution is important as applying essential oils direct to the skin can cause irritation. As I discovered myself once when I applied tea tree oil direct to the skin and no matter how many showers I took I could not stop the itching. WARNING!!
*In the bath
As previously mentioned aromatherapy oils can also be used in the bath. This is very effective as not only are you inhaling the oils, but they are being absorbed through the skin. Dilute 6-8 drops of essential oil into 10ml of carrier oil and then add to your bath. Mix thoroughly around in the water and then lie there relaxing for about 15 minutes to ensure that the oils have long enough to take effect. I issue another warning here as the bath may be very slippy with the oil and so care is needed to ensure that you don’t slip and cause yourself an injury. You can also buy ready made aromatherapy bath oils which are very effective and it saves you having to calculate the proportions of oil to oil.
*As an inhalation
Inhalations are very effective, particularly when you have colds and flu symptoms. You need to put 3-4 drops of essential oil in a bowl of hot, but not boiling water. You then cover your head with a towel and inhale the vapour.
Additionally you can sprinkle 2-3 drops of oil onto a hankie and inhale it. Very useful to carry around with you.
I also read somewhere that you can dilute oils in water and put them in a spray bottle to use as an air freshener. I thought that was qu
ite interesting.
As you can see there is a great deal of flexibility in the way that you can use essential oils. Some needing more preparation that others. The most important thing which does need emphasizing is the important of diluting the oils regardless of how you are using them.
Increasingly chemists and manufacturers are offering pre-blended oils and so the whole process is becoming a lot easier. I kind of still believe in doing it for yourself though.
~~~How do I know which oils to use???~~~
This is by no means an easy question to answer as there are over 70 types of essential oils. Of these 40 are more commonly used. The best way is to buy a book and read up on all the different types of oils as this will give you a better idea. Indeed I bought an A-Z guide to aromatherapy on Amazon.co.uk and it only cost me £10, but it has everything I need to know in it. Additionally though there are many good websites which can give you lots of information and will tell you all about the different oils, as well as recommending treatments for different ailments.
Some of the common oils include:
*Lavender
This is known for its comforting, calming and relaxing properties. It induces a relaxed mood and soothes the nerves. It relieves tension and stresses, as well as headaches and can help with promoting good sleep. This also blends well with many other oils.
*Tea Tree
Many people will associate this one with helping spot prone skin. Indeed it is an antiseptic oil with stimulating properties.
*Eucalyptus
One again this oil has antiseptic properties, yet more importantly is head clearing and cooling. You will often find this in cold and flu remedies as it helps to clear the head and stimulate your senses. However, this must not be used on young children.
*Geranium
Known for its comforting and balancing abilities thi
s helps to promote a harmonious atmosphere. Use this when you need to feel revitalised.
*Ylang Ylang.
This is one of my favourite uplifting oils and one I regularly use in the bath. Good for the stresses and strains in life!
*Clary Sage
This is soothing and relaxing and good for times of stress. They say it helps get you into an untroubled frame of mind. However, there is something else that this is good for and something many of you may be interested in. Mix with some oil into a massage oil and use all over your body to help the cellulite battle. I have heard many good reports on this.
One thing that you will notice as you get into aromatherapy is that the essential oils can vary in price, with some being very expensive indeed. For example, oils like eucalyptus are very cheap as they come from the leaves and twigs of the plant, which are easy to produce. However, some oils are harder to obtain and so are expensive.
When you see many oils of the same price you have to be careful. Take the Radox aromatherapy oils for example, as this tends to imply that they have been mixed with other less expensive oils. This should be pointed out on the packaging though. Boots Botanicals aromatherapy oils are a good brand to choose surprisingly as they pride themselves on being 100 % pure. They also adhere to environmental principals and only use plants and trees that are not guaranteed to be renewable.
Note: You want 100% pure essential oils wherever possible as these are guaranteed to come solely from the source.
~~Some Cautionary notes about aromatherapy~~~
Although Aromatherapy may be very useful and widely used, there are some important things to note and consider:
Never take oils internally and never apply oils directly to the skin as it can cause irritation.
If you are a sufferer of epilepsy, skin allergies or are pregnant always seek advice from your doctor before going ahead. <
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Be careful when using such oils on children. Many oils are not suitable for very young children.
Pure essential oils are flammable and must be kept away from fire.
Asthmatics should not directly inhale essential oils.
Citrus oils should not be used before exposure to sunlight or sunbeds.
~~~Some extra thoughts from me~~~~
I have been so surprised at how much there is to learn in aromatherapy. The more I learn the more I want to learn as well. There are so many books and internet sites dedicated to just that.
A good starting point is the Boots Botanicals starter aromatherapy kit which retails at £15. It comes in a nice wooden box and contains a bottle of carrier oil, 3 widely used essential oils, a pre-mix oil for relaxation, a mixing bowl and stirrer and empty bottle and labels for your mixtures. This is also a great gift in my opinion.
Building your collection is slow, but can be part of the entertainment. Aromatherapy has turned into a hobby for me, but it can also be really useful as well.
Oh, it can be surprising what ailments aromatherapy can help as well. I suffer from quite bad mouth ulcers and nothing can help them, however I read that the best thing is to rub some tea tree on them. I did this and it really provided me with relief. Warranted it didn’t taste too good though and it did tend to linger.
For more information please contact the Aromatherapy Organisations Council at PO BOX 19834, London, SE25 6WF or call them on 0208 251 7912. or, alternatively check out the many good sites on the web.
Definitely a worthwhile alternative therapy and one which many people seem to be cottoning on to. It may not have gotten rid of my pain, but it has helped make it more bearable.
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