BENEFITS OF ESSENTIAL OILS & AROMATHERAPY
Enhance your Spa services by experiencing Aromatherapy with every treatment! Essentials oils can help reduce stress, calm the body and mind, enhance well being, help with insomnia, energize the body, and have anti inflammatory anti-fungal properties! “Essential oils are used for psychological and physical well-being. Although the term aromatherapy was not used until the 20th Century, the foundations of aromatherapy date back thousands of years. The use of essential oils in particular date back nearly one thousand years.”
Lavender, peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, sage, clarey sage, eucalyptus, bergamot, cedar wood, grapefruit oil and chamomile are a few of the most common essential oils used today.
Tea Tree Oil :“A lot of fresh cosmetics just like hair conditioners, ointments along with soaps have become such as herbal tea tree oil among their primary elements, since it has been seen to experience a large amount of optimistic essential oil properties.”
“Also referred to as Melaleuca alternifolia, teas shrub oil is most beneficial recognized for its antiseptic along with anti-fungal essential oil qualities. It is extremely good for preventing bacterias that can induce pores and skin difficulties, for instance pimples and also dry skin. Even so, you shouldn’t use green tea tree oil in their best form as this can cause critical discomfort and also using up.”
“Rosemary”“The essential oil properties associated with rosemary oil, mint are quite varied since it is great being an antiseptic, a good astringent, plus a stimulant. Rosemary oil, mint essential oil is additionally ideal for dealing with stress as well as fatigue, as well as for improving your memory space.”
“An essential oil is a liquid that is generally distilled (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word "oil" are not really oily-feeling at all. Most essential oils are clear, but some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass are amber or yellow in color. ““Essential oils contain the true essence of the plant it was derived from. Essential oils are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way. “
“The chemical composition and aroma of essential oils can provide valuable psychological and physical therapeutic benefits. These benefits are usually achieved through methods including inhalation and application of the diluted oil to the skin.”
“Careful inhalation of the oils can also provide therapeutic benefit as the oil molecules enter the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream.”
“The Chinese may have been one of the first cultures to use aromatic plants for well-being. Their practices involved burning incense to help create harmony and balance.” “Later, the Egyptians invented a rudimentary distillation machine that allowed for the crude extraction of cedarwood oil. It is also thought by some that Persia and India may have also invented crude distillation machines, but very little is known.”
“Oils of cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and myrrh were used by the Egyptians to embalm the dead. When a tomb was opened in the early 20th century, traces of the herbs were discovered with intact portions of the body. The scent, although faint, was still apparent. Although the cedarwood the Egyptians used was distilled by a crude distillation process, the other oils the Egyptians used were most likely infused oils.”
“The Egyptians also used infused oils and herbal preparations for spiritual, medicinal, fragrant and cosmetic use. It is thought that the Egyptians coined the term perfume, from the Latin per fumum which translates as through the smoke. Egyptian men of the time used fragrance as readily as the women. An interesting method that the men used to fragrance themselves was to place a solid cone of perfume on their heads. It would gradually melt and would cover them in fragrance.”
Although the Greeks attributed the plant extracts into oils as a gift from the gods, the Greeks, Romans and Germans soon followed in the path of distilling oils.
“Within the 12th century, an Abbess of Germany named Hildegard grew and distilled lavender for its medicinal poperties. “ “Within the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born. This event encourages great distillation of essential oils. ““Within the 15th century, more plants were distilled to create essential oils including frankincense, juniper, rose, sage and rosemary.” “Paracelcus, an alchemist, medical doctor and radical thinker is credited with coining the term Essence and his studies radically challenged the nature of alchemy and he focused upon using plants as medicines.”“During the 16th century, one could begin purchasing oils at an "apothecary," and many more essential oils were introduced.”“During the 16th and 17th centuries, perfume starting being considered an art form, and it was more clearly defined as its own field.” “The 19th century was an important scientifically as major constituents of essential oils became isolated.”
“During the 20th century, the knowledge of separating the constituents of essential oils was used to create synthetic chemicals and drugs. It had been believed that by separating the major constituents and then using the constituents alone or in synthetic form would be beneficial therapeutically and economically. These discoveries helped lead to "modern medicine" and synthetic fragrances. This actually weakened the use of essential oils for medicinal and aromatic benefit.”
“During the earlier part of the 20th century, a French chemist by the name of René-Maurice Gattefossé became interested in the use of essential oils for their medicinal use. Previously, he focused on the aromatic use of essential oils, but his interest in their medicinal use grew after an accident heightened his curiosity. While working, he burned his arm rather badly. By reflex, he plunged his burned arm into the closest liquid which happened to be a large container of lavender essential oil. The burn he suffered healed quickly and left no scar. Gattefossé is credited with coining the term aromatherapy in 1928 within an article where he supports the use of using essential oils in their whole without breaking them down into their primary constituents. In 1937, Gattefossé wrote a book called Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales that was later translated into English and named Gattefossé's Aromatherapy. It is still in print and widely read.”
“From the late 20th century and on into the 21st century, there is a growing resurgence to utilize more natural products including essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic and aromatic benefit. The use of essential oils never ceased, but the scientific revolution minimized the popularity and use of essential oils in one's everyday life. Today's heightened awareness regarding the use of synthetics coupled with the increased availability of aromatherapy information within books and the Internet has refueled the use of essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, fragrant and spiritual use.”
ALL INFORMATION WAS RESEARCHED AND COLLECTED BY THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES
www.womenhealthtips.net/properties-and-uses-of-natural-essential-oils.html
www.aromaweb.com/articles/history.asp
Work Cited
Price, Shirley. Shirley Price's Aromatherapy Workbook. London, UK: Thorsons, 1993. ISBN: 0-7225-2645-8.
Tisserand, Robert B. The Art of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1977. ISBN: 0-89281-001-7.
Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Rockport, MA: Element Books, Inc., 1995. ISBN: 1-85230-721-8.
Manniche, Lise. Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy & Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0-8014-3720-2.
Gattefossé, René-Maurice. Gattefossé's Aromatherapy. Saffron Walden, UK: The C.W. Daniel Company Limited, 1993. ISBN: 0-85207-236-8
Australasian College of Herbal Studies. AT 201 Certificate in Aromatherapy Course Book (version from 1999). Lake Oswego, OR.
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