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The Nose

Knows Healing

Aromatherapy Can Be Physically
And Psychologically Beneficial

BY KARSEN PRICE

here was a time in the Western world when taking care of your health was downright simple. People who got sick went to family doctors who prescribed traditional medicines to remedy the problem. End of story. However, simple doesn’t always mean better. These days, it is becoming increasingly common for patients — and doctors — to consider the healing properties of a wide range of therapeutic practices, from acupuncture to massage to homeopathic remedies.

Of these various approaches to healing, aromatherapy is not only one of the most promising, but one of the most pleasant. And while you might think that aromatherapy is akin to walking through the department store’s perfume section and inhaling deeply, thumb and middle finger forming Zen-like Os, in reality, there is more to it than just the nose on your face.

“Aromatherapy with pure essential oils can offer health benefits and has been used for thousands of years for relaxation, health maintenance, and healing,” says Dr. Nelsa Ciapponi, owner of Optimal Health Medicine Center in Charlotte, which provides holistic and integrative care. “It is considered part of mainstream medicine in Europe, and is frequently used in conjunction with massage therapy here in the United States.”

A Scent-illating Discovery
While the use of natural oils has been in practice for thousands of years, the word “aromatherapy” originated in the 1920s in France, with chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé. As the story goes, Gattefossé was researching the healing properties of botanical oils when a fire started in his perfume lab, setting his arm ablaze. In a panic, he submerged his arm in a nearby container of liquid, which happened to be a vat of lavender oil. Surprisingly, he experienced immediate pain relief.

This accidental self-discovery embarked Gattefossé on a journey of experimentation that was later continued by Jean Valnet, who used essentials oils to heal gangrene in World War II soldiers. Today in France, aromatherapy is incorporated into mainstream medicine. And nearly 100 years after Gattefossé’s discovery, aromatherapy is becoming more common in America, where it is employed by massage therapists and aestheticians to help alleviate emotional stressors such as depression and anxiety. It is also used by holistic physicians to help relieve a variety of physical problems, including migraines, sore muscles, and skin irritations.

Oil Change

Essential Oils To Boost Your Mood

Aromatherapy can help to restore your emotional equilibrium. These essential oil therapies are suggested to address specific negative states of mind:

Anxiety: Try cedarwood, frankincense, geranium, mandarin, or sandalwood.
Fatigue: Try basil, black pepper, cypress, ginger, peppermint, or sandalwood.
Fear: Try cedarwood, lemon, orange, or vetiver.
Grief: Try cypress, neroli, rose, sandalwood, or vetiver.
Irritability: Try lavender, or mandarin.

As always, check with a doctor before experimenting with aromatherapy, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.

Source: www.aroma.com

“Certain oils are known to have antiseptic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties,” Dr. Ciapponi says. “When particular essential oils are inhaled, physiologic changes occur and affect parts of our brain that control emotions and memories.”

The Sweet Smell Of Successful Therapy

Essential oils are naturally occurring chemicals, which tend to evaporate quickly, making the oil molecules easy to inhale. The inhalation of these natural elements provides triggers to the brain that can be conducive to better health.

Susan Brown, a licensed aesthetician at Image 51 salon, routinely incorporates aromatherapy into her facials. She has witnessed firsthand the favorable effects essential oils have on the body, especially when combined with massage. “You can utilize different scents to induce calmness, to relax muscles, or to soothe irritated skin,” she says.

Dr. Ciapponi agrees, with one caveat: Oils that produce positive health effects are 100-percent pure botanical extracts, and “not chemical reproductions.”

Brown experiments with many different products, but she has found that lavender oil, in particular, provides tried-and-true results for most clients. She uses it during massages, and with oxygen treatments for facials.

Not all essential oils can safely be applied directly to the skin. Certain types are specifically created to be mixed in solutions; others should be used with diffusers, which allow the extract to slowly evaporate, sending the released scent molecules throughout the room.

Although aromatherapy has still to gain credibility in much of the medical world, these days, it is found in arenas outside the spa environment. “There are doctors who see the value of aromatherapy in massage, and even some facial treatments,” Brown says. “There really are health benefits related to aromatherapy. It’s not just fluff!” TCW

Click here for a look at how various scents are tied to memories!