Aromatherapy BenefitsDoes Aromatherapy Work? - In a short answer: yes! Not only are there plenty of stories from people who have experienced aromatherapy benefits, but there have also been many scientific studies showing the positive effect of using essential oils. This type of therapy goes back as far as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Since we in the western world have been conditioned to believe that modern pharmaceuticals will cure all of our ills, there is hesitance to accept what other cultures have known for thousands of years. How does aromatherapy work? - Most of us can relate to the positive effects of essential oils applied directly to the body to improve a skin condition, cleanse a wound or even relieve pain. Absorbing the oil through the skin is a therapy that we are familiar with. However, what raises many eyebrows is the suggestion that smelling something can have a positive impact on our health. Most people have had both positive and negative experiences with smell. For some of us the smell of bread baking may give us positive feelings of childhood, or the smell of the ocean may provide pleasant feelings brought on by memories of a vacation at the beach. In the same way we can experience aromatherapy benefits by smelling the fragrance of essential oils even if it is not related to a memory. The scent has an effect on our brain, and our brain impacts our body. Different essential oils have different effects on the brain. And just like other therapies, the level of effectiveness may be different for different people. What are some examples of aromatherapy benefits? - My 5 year old son regularly has "growing" pains in his joints at night. Now instead of asking for medicine, he asks to have lavender oil rubbed on his knee or ankle. He knows that will quickly stop the pain and allow him to go to sleep. When my 8 year old daughter had a nagging nightime cough from a cold, and doctors were advising not to use over the counter cough medicine for children, we rubbed her chest with some lavender massage oil that also contained peppermint. She didn't cough the entire night and slept great! (Do you see why I'm passionate about lavender?) In some scientific studies, lavender has been shown to relieve stress and help people sleep better. Tea tree oil is wonderful for healing skin problems such as ringworm, sunburn, acne, and more, not to mention that it works great in natural cleaning solutions for the home. It has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. Chamomile is valued as an antiinflammatory. Rosemary is a mental and physical stimulant. Eucalyptus is used in treating coughs and colds and as a decongestant. Lemon oil is used as a water purifier and in treating insect bites. The list truly goes on and on. The essential oils that have been mentioned here have many more uses, and there are many more essential oils that provide an incredible variety of aromatherapy benefits. Purchasing a good book on aromatherapy and essential oils, along with a few basic oils will get you started. Alternatively there are many high quality products available that allow you to gain some of the benefits of this therapy without having to measure and mix the oils from scratch. Many of these products are handmade in small cottage businesses.
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