Introduction and benefits of aromatherapy
How to integrate aromatherapy in your daily life to improve your overall well-being. Learn the safety rules, how they effect your body and find the best way for you to use them.
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The origins of aromatherapy
Aromatherapy has been practiced for thousands of years in different cultures. It dates back to the ancient Egyptians, where essential oils were used for religious ceremonies, beauty treatments, and embalming the dead.
The Greeks and Romans also used aromatherapy for its therapeutic benefits. In the Middle Ages, aromatherapy gained more popularity and was widely used in Europe for medicinal purposes, such as during the Plague, where essential oils were used as disinfect the aire and prevent the spread of diseases.
Paracelsus, a Swiss physician, introduced in the 16th century the concept of using of "like cures like" in medicine, which paved the way for the use of essential oils.
The modern era of aromatherapy began with the work of René-Maurice Gattefossé, a French chemist. In 1910, he accidentally burned his hand while working in his laboratory and instinctively plunged it into a container of lavender oil. To his surprise, the burn healed wuickly without scarring. This opened the doors to him to study the therapeutic properties of essential oils and develop the term "aromatherapy".
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are extracted from different parts of plants, including flowers, leaves, bark, tools and roots through distillation or cold-pressing. They contain the natural scent and therapeutic properties of the plant and are highly concentrated, which makes them potent and effective.
Each essential oil has its unique properties, and some can be used for multiple purposes. For example, lavender oil is known for its calming and relaxing properties and is often used to promote restful sleep or reduce stress and anxiety. Lemongrass oil, on the other hand, is known for its energizing and invigorating properties and can be used to improve focus and concentration. Understanding the properties of different essential oils is essential to using them effectively. To use essential oils safely, it's important to understand their potency and how they should be diluted before use.
How essential oils are made
Distillation
A popular method for the extraction of essential oils is steam distillation. During distillation, the hot steam pulls out the oil from the plant, goes into the condenser, and turns into liquid. As oil and water do not mix, the essential oil is separated. This process has a disadvantage due to the heat, where therapeutic properties can go lost. This is why we use cold-pressed essential oils whenever possible; for some, only distillation is possible.
Cold-pressing
Cold-pressed oils are a preferred choice as this process keeps the plant's therapeutic properties. During cold-pressing, no heat is applied, but the pressure is to extract the oil from the plant. This can either be done with a mechanical press or a mortar. With a mortar, you cannot extract the same amount of oils as with the machine, but it is widely used for personal use. First, you pestle the plant material in the mortal, which then can be mixed with a carrier oil and continued to mix in the mortar to allow the oil and therapeutic molecules to get into the oil.
Aromatherapy positively affects your well-being as it promotes relaxation, stress, and pain relief and can help with insomnia. Different oils have different effects on our bodies, and it is crucial to know which oils react well with your body to achieve the positive impact you are looking for.
For example, you can use essential oils for your mental health, such as bergamot and frankincense, that promote calmness. Or use chamomile and peppermint for pain relief as they have anti-inflammatory properties to improve your sleep health with cedarwood and lavender.
Inhalation & Diffusion
When inhaled, the oil molecules can affect the limbic system, which regulates emotions, mood, and behavior. As a result, certain essential oils can help to promote relaxation, reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being. The body's physical reactions when inhaling or topically using essential oils can vary depending on the specific oil and the individual.
As a result, inhaling essential oils can have a powerful effect on the mind and body, promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and improving mood.
Topical use of essential oils
When applied to the skin, essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream through the pores and interact with the body's chemistry, producing a range of therapeutic effects. Depending on the oil, they can have various effects, from reducing inflammation and pain to improving skin health and boosting the immune system.
It's worth noting that while some essential oils are safe for internal use when properly diluted, most should only be used topically or through inhalation. This is because topical use of essential oils mainly produces local effects, meaning they affect only the body area where they are applied.
In general, essential oils can be a natural and effective way to support overall health and well-being. However, it is important to know that they can be very potent as essential oils are highly concentrated oils extracted from plants and flowers. Therefore, we always recommend consulting a healthcare specialist for individual treatment.
Skin allergy test:
It is always recommended by experts to perform a skin patch test before using essential oils. To do so, dilute your essential oil in any carrier oil like jojoba oil, coconut oil or avocado oil. Gently rub that mixture on your skin and allow it to absorb completely. Wait for the next 24 to 48 hours to see any sign of an allergic reaction. If no response happens, then it should be safe to use. We always recommend doing a skin allergy test with a healthcare specialist.
The essential oil concentration should be at most 5 percent so that you can add 30 drops in 30 ml of carrier oil.
Essential Oil Sets
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