The use of
the word “aromatherapy”
began in 1928 by a French chemist and
perfumer by the name of Rene-Maurice
Gattefosse, who became fascinated by
the therapeutic possibilities of essential
oils after discovering that lavender
was able to rapidly heal a severe burn
on his hand and helped prevent scarring.
However, essential oils and herbs in
all of the different possibilities of
forms have been used for centuries.
The word
“aromatherapy” can actually
be misleading because it suggests that
it is a form of healing that works exclusively
through the sense of smell, and on the
emotions. This is not the case, for
apart from its scent, each essential
oil has an individual combination of
constituents that interacts with the
body’s chemistry in a direct manner,
which then in turn affects certain organs
or systems as a whole. For example,
when the oils are used externally in
the form of a massage treatment, they
are easily absorbed via the skin and
transported throughout the body.
There are
many ways to use and apply essential
oils, and just as many ways that essential
oils affect the different systems of
the body.
Here
are just a few FACTS & FIGURES to
tantalize your senses!
1.
With 6 million smell receptor cells,
we can distinguish approximately 10,000
different odors. Essential
oils enhance our body's natural abilities,
and work with our olfactory system to
communicate with the central nervous
system, effecting changes in the body
and the mind.
2. Synthetic smells
decrease our body's
natural abilities. Most fragrances today
are 90% synthetic
in origin.
3. Some desired outcomes
of using essential oils in the office
are improving alertness, increasing
productivity, and relaxation in the
workplace.
4. Almost all essential
oils are antibacterial and enhancing
to the immune system.
5. Less is more: The
actual amount of essential oils needed
to induce a positive effect on us and
the surrounding environment is quite
small. Even if we do not consciously
perceive the scent, our central nervous
system continues to respond. The goal
is to perceive a background scent, not
an overwhelming aroma.
6. For energizing:
All Citrus smells are energizing and
combat anxiety and depression (often
associated with stressful work days!).
The other benefit is that they are generally
the least expensive of all essential
oils.
7. For truly clean,
immune-enchancing and fresh smelling
air:
| Orange |
Lavender |
Tea Tree |
| Lemon |
Rosemary |
Ravensara |
| Grapefruit |
Peppermint |
Hyssop |
| Pine |
Eucalyptus |
Cypress |
"Dr.
Jean Valnet demonstrated the bactericidal
properties of Euclyptus oil, when a
2% dilution in spray form killed 70%
of the airborne staphylococcal bacteria."
8. Lavender essential
oil can be added to most aromatherapy
blends to complement the mixture. It
can almost be called a "potentiator"
in that it virtually always "adds
to" the blend it is part of; it
soothes the nervous system and has a
healing, balancing, and anti-inflammatory
effect on the skin.
BOOKS
The best
and easiest way to learn more about
essential oils is through books. We
sell a number of aromatherapy books
in our boutique.
