Medical aromatherapy harnesses the therapeutic potential of essential oils to relax, rejuvenate, balance, restore, revitalize and revive the mind, body and spirit. It is a fragrant alchemy and the art of healing the body, by invoking its sense to heal itself through indirect stimulation of the immune system.
Essential Oils:
Essential oils are the best ones that form the base for the discipline of aromatherapy. These oils are plant essences extracted from flowers, trees, fruits, bark, grasses and seeds. Each essential oil has distinctive therapeutic, psychological and physiological properties which either help prevent illness or are curative in nature. There are many essential oils that are applied to the skin are believed to be absorbed into the bloodstream. The components of the various oils are believed to aid in a variety of health, beauty and hygiene conditions.
An essential oil is a liquid that is generally distilled from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word oil, are not really oily at all. Most essential oils are clear, but some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass are amber or yellow in color.
Essential oils are antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, analgesic and more. They provide a system of healing, which is not only in total bio-chemical harmony with the body is also non-invasive. They stimulate the immune system, circulatory system and neurological functions.
How Aromatherapy Works:
Essential oils work their way into the body either through the nose or through the skin. Each fragrance molecule attaches itself to specific receptor cells at the nerve endings. The molecules absorbed, generate electrical impulses that are transmitted to the limbic system of the brain. This enables these impulses to be transmitted to the various parts of the body depending on their type and function. The methods of application of essential oils vary with the kind of ailment, other medicinal intake and the response rate of the patient. Massage, inhalation and ingestion are the modes of application.