|
Aroma Therapy
Aroma Therapy refers to a specific form of holistic healing involving
the inhalation or application of pure essential oils to promote physical
health and emotional and mental well-being. Most essential oils are
considered to be at least 50 times more potent than the herbs from which
they are derived--one drop of essential oil often represents the potency
of one ounce of raw plant material. More importantly, essential oils
contain the plants' most valuable therapeutic and nutritional properties.
Aroma Therapy offers many advantages over conventional drug treatment.
Foremost, aroma therapy is a gentle, non-invasive form of healing therapy
that can provide near instantaneous effects both mentally and physically.
The use of essential oils through inhalation or application can positively
affect the mind and relax and heal the body, without the negative and
often severe side effects associated with drug treatment. There are two
primary methods for using essential oils: inhalation and application.
Inhalation is the simplest and quickest method, having the most
significant impact on the emotions and mood. Application of essential oils
involves the actual penetration of essential oil molecules through the
skin and into the bloodstream for circulation throughout the body. How
the sense of smell works The sense of smell is also known as olfaction.
The function of smelling begins when essential oils or other odors are
inhaled as airborne molecules. Once inside the nasal cavity, odor
molecules stimulate the olfactory nerve endings which are attached
directly to the brain and are responsible for sending odor messages in the
form of electro-chemical impulses to the brain's olfactory bulbs. From
there, the impulses are transmitted to the limbic system, which is the
part of the brain that controls human instincts, learning, memory and
emotion. The receival of odor messages then triggers changes within the
limbic system, which in turn, stimulates physiological responses in other
parts of the body. How essential oils enter the bloodstream.... Essential
oil molecules can directly enter the bloodstream through surface
capillaries in the nose. They are also effectively absorbed through the
mucous membranes of the mouth and respiratory tract. In addition, inhaled
oil molecules enter the lungs and are diffused across the alveoli (tiny
air sacs) into surrounding blood capillaries. The oil molecules then enter
the systemic circulation and are transported to other parts of the body
via the heart-lung circulatory system. Essential oils are also quickly
and easily absorbed through the skin. The skin's natural oiliness further
enhances their penetration. Essential oils penetrate human tissue
approximately 100 times faster than water.
The ease and speed with which essential oils are absorbed into the
bloodstream makes them particularly fast-acting–certain oils can be
detected in the breath within minutes following topical application. Yet,
although essential oils act quickly, they may take up to several hours
before being eliminated from the body.
Click here to see a list of the essential oils and their uses.
|
