Aromatherapy: An ancient practice of healing through the use of essential oils.

Essential oils: Highly concentrated, volatile liquids distilled from plants (‘volatile’ means that they evaporate quickly when exposed to air).

Aromatherapy is a healing modality used by practitioners around the world. Although it may seem a modern innovation, aromatherapy has been used by health practitioners since ancient times. Its origin dates back to more than 6,000 years ago in Egypt, where sophisticated pharmacies were stocked with oils of myrrh, frankincense, rose and jasmine. The Romans and Greeks used aromatic herbs and oils for their healthy, rejuvenating effects in religious ceremonies and in bathhouses. During the Middle Ages, people who worked to create the popular perfumes of the day showed evidence of a boosted immune system function, not falling ill with plagues common to the era.

By the end of the 19th century much re-search had been done on the many benefits of essential oils, but it only served to increase commercial attempts to mimic their healing properties. People began to create synthetic chemical equivalents and the pure essential oils fell by the wayside until the early 1900s. It was then that French chemist Dr. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, who coined the term “aromatherapy,” revived interest in the use of essential oils when he discovered their immense advantage over their synthetic counterparts. Dr. Gattefosse's interest and subsequent research in essential oils began with a personal experience. While in the lab one day he suffered a serious burn to his hand and plunged it into a barrel of what he thought was water. That barrel was actually filled with lavender oil. The oil provided immediate pain relief and ultimately healed his hand without leaving a scar. This experience inspired his work in the clinical use of essential oils.

Aromatherapy can be used in many different forms because essential oils are very versatile, being both medicine as well as fragrance. Essential oils are extracted from various parts of a plant including the seeds, bark, root, leaves and flowers. The quantity of the extracted amounts of essential oil varies from plant to plant and explains why some oils are so very expensive. For instance, it takes one hundred and fifty pounds of lavender to make one pound of lavender oil, and two to three thousand pounds of roses to make one pound of rose essential oil. But other plants contain an astonishing amount of essential oil; for example, eucalyptus trees. “During the heat [of an Australian] summer, eucalyptus trees [which require a scant fifty pounds of plant per pound of essential oil] can appear shrouded by a blue haze as [the] essential oil evaporates from the leaves…” This phenomenon, known as the “blue forests of Australia,” illustrates how profuse some oils are within a certain plant.

Essential oils have many different therapeutic properties. These properties make the use of essential oils a valued, natural way to address respiratory ailments, muscular problems, skin conditions and even emotional situations. They can be antiseptic (tea tree), anti-inflammatory (Roman Chamomile), decongestant or expectorant (eucalyptus), antidepressant (bergamot) or calming and sedative (lavender).

Essential oils should not be confused with other oils, such as carrier oils (sometimes called fixed oils or base oils). Carrier oils typically have a vegetable base and can include olive, canola, sweet almond, jojoba, and apricot kernel. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils in the manufacture of products such as massage or bath oils. It is equally important to differentiate essential oils from simple fragrance oils. Fragrance oils have neither healing nor medicinal properties and are strictly for fragrancing purposes. Companies operating with integrity will make this distinction on their product packaging, website or catalog. It is important to ask the company what you are buying if you have any doubts.

Although it is misleading and unethical, some manufacturers adulterate their oils to bring down the price. This is accomplished by diluting an essential oil with a carrier oil or another, less expensive substance. Buying from a reputable source reduces the risk of purchasing an adulterated oil. Pure essential oils should always come in dark bottles (such as amber or cobalt blue), and the ingredients label will state “essential oil of…” Additionally, the Latin name of the oil should be listed there.

Finally, many products labeled as “aromatherapy” really are not. A true aromatherapy product will list the Latin names of the essential oils along with the other ingredients. Products that list “fragrance” alone or in combination with essential oils are not authentic aromatherapy products. “Fragrance” is an ambiguous term and should not be considered a reliable way to determine the product's quality.

Aromatherapy can be practiced in the home quite simply. Essential oils can be used in massage, the bath or diffused as fragrance into a room. Essential oils can also be a beneficial additive to dish or laundry water. You can even make up your own sanitizer to spray on kitchen counters and hard surfaces by utilizing an oil that kills bacteria. The possibilities are endless.

In a world filled with synthetic chemicals, pollution and health compromising additives, aromatherapy enriches our environment with essential oils that please our sense of smell and offer a natural way to achieve health and beauty.

Barb Chaloupka is the owner of Connection Earth, a company providing aromatherapy and other earth-based products. She is certified in Homeobotanical Therapy and Aromatherapy. Barb makes her own line of aromatherapy products and is available for classes on aromatherapy and other holistic therapies. For more information, please visit www.connectionearth.com or e-mail connectionearth@bge.net.