Aromatherapy

Most of us have experienced the sudden and vivid flashback of a memory initiated by a scent. Maybe it was a whiff of Celebes coffee that reminded you of a certain afternoon in a college cafe, or the scent of lilac sparks memories of playing in the front yard one spring day as a child. Your nose and its chemoreceptors is the most direct route to the limbic system deep in your brain where your emotions, motivations and behavior are centered. In the case of essential oils, the concentrated extraction of plants, the limbic system registers the oil molecule and the brain then releases chemicals in response to relax or stimulate the nervous system. In a nutshell, this is the essence, pun intended, of aromatherapy.

The term 'aromatherapie' was first coined in 1928 by a French chemist, Renéattefossého plunged his badly burnt hand into a barrel of lavender oil which then healed with virtually no scarring. History, however, is rich with details about the uses of plants and their essential oils in healing dating back thousands of years. Plant lore has developed over the centuries from observing the effects of berries, roots and leaves. Religious ceremonies still often include incense as a spiritual tool to help open the mind to the experience and of course, two of the gifts of the magi were frankincense and myrrh, once worth their weight in gold. During the plagues of the 17th century people burned lavender, cedar and sage to purify streets and homes and made bouquets of herbs to protect them from disease.

During World War II when a shortage of medicine caused physicians to look for alternatives essential oils proved to be very effective. Research has shown that essential oils can be antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial amongst many other healing properties. Most of us are familiar with tea tree oil renowned for its antifungal qualities but you may not know that tea tree oil is estimated to be 100 times more powerful than carbolic acid and yet is non toxic to the skin. Pure tea tree oil is so effective as a topical healing ointment that it is standard issue with the Australian military. During this wartime and subsequent research the therapeutic benefits of massage with carrier oils infused with specific essential oils became popular. The nose is by no means the only avenue by which the healing properties of essential oils can be administered as the oils can be absorbed through the skin and into the circulatory system or inhaled via steam direct into the lungs.

Essential oils are extracted from shrubs, trees, seeds, flower petals and resins by a variety of methods including steam distillation, effleurage and pressing. The oils are composed of a complex structure of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, phenols, acids and esters, keytones and lactones. The cost of extracting these plant essences varies but can be enormous, for example it takes 60,000 pink roses, picked in the cool of the morning before 8:00 AM, to extract one ounce of rose oil at a cost of $2,500 per pound! Is it worth it when there are synthetic scents that approximate the real thing? Once you have experienced true rosa damascena you will never again be fooled by a counterfeit. More importantly, if you are one of the many afflicted by perfume allergies or have to avoid the scented soaps and lotions aisles when shopping, then the answer is a resounding yes! While essential oils are an integral ingredient of the world's finest perfumes it is often the synthetic aldehydes also used which cause many allergic reactions.

My own foray into aromatherapy began almost eight years ago when I had an urge to make soap. As a lifelong sufferer of acute and chronic asthma I was unsure what to scent my soaps with and tentatively tried essential oils purchased in .5 oz or .25 oz containers. Happily, no adverse reactions took place but it was still a year before I ventured beyond the world of aromacrafting, creating and developing my own blends and scents, to aromatherapy, taking into account each oils unique properties and benefits. As my soapmaking expanded into a business I started buying essential oils by the gallon and the pound, by far the best way if you can manage it. While I am lucky enough not to react negatively in the presence of essential oils, if you are allergic to Vitamin C or citrus there is no reason to believe that you will not also react to lemon or orange oil, the same holds with cinnamon a common fragrance allergen.

Aromatherapy is a part of French medical tradition and more and more hospitals and medical professionals in the United States are recognizing its virtues in holistic health care and treating their patients with aromatherapy. There are certain essential oils that should be a part of every home first aid kit, but it is important to note that essential oils are pure and highly concentrated and a very little bit goes a very long way. Less is best and while tea tree oil as mentioned above, lavender oil or rose oil can be used on the skin straight or neat as they say in aromatherapy, most must be diluted in a carrier oil, such as olive or grapeseed oil. In later articles we will talk more about specific essential oils and their characteristics, how and when to use them, where to find them, even how to cook with them.