Aromatherapy: what is an essential oil?


        AROMATHERAPY: WHAT IS AN ESSENTIAL OIL?
Essential oils are the volatile or end product of the plant metabolism. They are generated and stored by the plant in special cells and are extracted by steam distillation, cold pressing or effleurage - a form of extraction using fats. Scent globules can be found in different parts of the plant and this will influence the method of extraction such as flowers-rose, jasmine, neroli, roots-angelica, vetiver, seeds-anise, coriander, caraway, leaves-sage, geranium, thyme, bark-cinnamon, fruit rind- citrus oils and resin-sandalwood, frankincense.
Essential oils have various properties - antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and one should not think that a higher dosage means better success in treatment. Essential oils can have negative side effects if over dosed. For treatments it is therefore advisable to make a blend from herbs which are beneficial for the illness. Every herb works at a different level and when you mix, for example four or seven herbs in a blend to treat an illness, the benefits of all herbs are combined and possible negative side effects of a single herb are reduced or eliminated.
Essential oils are fat soluble - when applied via the skin, through massage the essential oils can reach organs to be treated through the connective and lymphatic tissues, also the circulatory system . The molecular structure of essential oils is very fine and as such is able to penetrate the cell walls of the skin. They work very quickly. For example, garlic oil rubbed on the soles of the feet will be expired out by the breath 10 minutes later.
Plant oils and essences interact with certain areas of the brain which stimulate, balance, or have a sedating affect. They have shown to have a similar effect on the energy field that surrounds all of us. When an odour is inhaled it goes directly to the left side of the brain. The sense of smell is the only sense that is not filtered through other organs but goes directly to the limbic system in the brain via the olfactory bulb along the olfactory tract.
The limbic structures influence our survival and sexual responses, creativity and intuition.
There are many methods of application, vaporising in water, baths, footbaths, sprays, inhalations and massage. All these various methods have been of assistance in the treatment of depression, sleep disorders and stress just to name a few.
Essential oils work well as an adjunct to other types of treatment and compliments Flower Essence Therapy such as Bach Flower and Australian Bush Flower Essences. They can greatly enhance the effectiveness of some medical procedures and in some cases have reduced the dosage of prescribed medication.
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