What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy, the art and science also referred to as Essential Oil therapy, is a type of alternative medicine practice that utilizes fragrant or aromatic essential oils that are derived from a wide variety of healing plants. The natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant, are mixed with another substance (such as oil, alcohol, or lotion) and then put on the skin, sprayed in the air, or inhaled.

In many cases, aromatherapy has been appreciated for its ability to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, ease depression, boost energy levels, speed up

the healing process, eliminate headaches, boost cognitive performance, improve skin health, induce sleep, strengthen the immune system, reduce pain, induce sexual stimulation, improve digestion, and increase circulation.

The benefits of Aromatherapy

Many essential oils exist and as stated earlier, they are made from different parts of a plant and are used for different aromatherapy purposes:

Essential oils like lavender, chamomile rose, vetiver and ylang-ylang, for example, can help people who feel stressed, anxious to relax or suffer

insomnia, can benefit from this sleep-inducing essential oils.

Citrus oils have antiseptic properties that help cleanse the air of bacteria, fungus and mold that can contribute to respiratory problems, such as

congestion, coughing or sneezing.

Aromatherapy oils, such as ginger, turmeric, grapefruit, peppermint, lemon, chamomile and eucalyptus, can help curb acid reflux, ulcers, nausea,

indigestion, morning sickness or stomach aches due to PMS.

Diluted essential oils such as Tea tree oil, lavender, clary sage, lemon, orange, frankincense, and so on, can be applied to the skin or scalp to

reduce acne, dandruff, cellulite, toe fungus, itching, and inflammation from bites, rashes or to improve wound healing. These oils have antibacterial,

antiseptic, antifungal and other cleansing qualities.

Aromatherapy has a long history of use for raising energy through increased blood flow and treating sexual dysfunctions. Popular aromatherapy oils for improving hormonal balance, “feminine power” and sexual health include clary sage, sandalwood, rosemary, geranium, ylang-ylang

and neroli.

How to use the essential oils

The most important thing in the how is to find a good and well experienced Aromatherapist. Aromatherapy can be carried out by;

Inhalation of aroma from essential oils, through diffusers or humidifiers and

Direct application to the skin, through massage, rubbing on skin, or adding the essential oil into one’s bath.

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Diffusers and Humidifiers

They are both used for diffusing the essential oils into the air for aromatherapy purposes.

Oil diffusers are designed for vaporizing a fine dry mist using the essential oils with a cold effect to aromatize the room area. There are four types of essential oil diffusers: ultrasonic, nebulizing, heat and evaporative.

A humidifier maintains a level of moisture in the room area. Moisture is needed more in dry. People tend to have more issues when it is dry and that can cause concerns with skin dryness, bacterial and viral problems triggered because of ambient air dryness.

The Danger of Aromatherapy

The wrong application of essential oils can lead to toxicity from inhaling large amounts, skin irritation, sunlight sensitivity and so on.

Always make sure to use the best quality of essential oils and to follow the safety guidelines.