Personal Aromatherapy - The Basics

Aromatherapy: Personal Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy was first practiced thousands of years ago. It has only been in recent years that is has been making a come back. The main reason it is on its way back is because we have entered into a time of the holistic lifestyle. This means we are now taking the connection of the mind, body and spirit into account where health and wellness are concerned.

Research today has shown and continues to show the benefits both emotionally and physically that aromatherapy provides. Today we actually get those benefits without realizing it sometimes. For instance, when we buy fragrant candles we are using aromatherapy. Or when we take a walk in a fragrant garden or path we are using aromatherapy once again.

Now we can take the occasional benefits of burning candles or walking through fragrant gardens and utilize them in our everyday life. We do this by becoming familiar with the different aromatherapy scents and how they will help in our bodies and minds.

Today there is a whole host of illnesses that are plaguing our society. Medical science has made tremendous breakthroughs in many areas however there are still so many area left without treatment options or answers. This is where we can apply our new aromatherapy knowledge.

One way to utilize aromatherapy for ourselves is to get acquainted with essential oils. Essential oils are the concentrated essences from aromatic plants. You have probably heard of some of these aromatic plants like Lavender, Oregano, Yarrow, and Echinacea for example.

Ok, now stay with me here, the essential oils from the aromatic plants can be used alone or in combination with each other to produce the desired results. Let's take Lavender for example.

Lavender's effect is calming and therapeutic. Its properties include: Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, antiseptic, diuretic, insecticide, sedative. Some of the things you would use Lavender for would include but are not limited to: Acne, anxiety, bronchitis, burns, circulatory problems, colds, dandruff, flu, and headaches.

The essential oils used in aromatherapy come from different parts of the plant. For instance the flowers, twigs, leaves, barks, and the rind of the fruit. Some examples are: roses you would find the essential oils in the flowers, basil you would find them in the leaves.

Because it takes a large quantity of the plant to produce essential oils they have become very expensive. However, they are highly effective. For example you would only need a drop or two of the essential oil to produce a positive result.

Now that we've covered those aspects of Aromatherapy, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Essential oils work because they have an immediate impact on our sense of smell. Therefore when we take in a whiff of an essential oil the olfactory receptor cells in our body are stimulated and the impulse is transmitted to the emotional center of our brain or the "limbic system."

The limbic system is connected to areas of the brain linked to memory, breathing, and blood circulation, as well as the endocrine glands that regulate hormone levels in the body. The properties of the essential oil and its fragrance determine which of these areas are stimulated and how.

Owen Walcher is a freelance writer, writing health and fitness articles such as Aromatherapy Basics You can find more Aromatherapy articles here: www.livehealthier.info/