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What are Essential Oils? The Art
of Aromatrherapy Aromatherapy is the art and practice of using essential oils extracted from aromatic plants and herbs to restore or enhance health, beauty and well being. The basic intention of aromatherapy is to bring together the scientific achievements of man with his intuitive understanding for the treatment of illnesses with the most effective and useful natural essential oils. Aromatherapy is
a unique branch of herbal medicine that utilizes the medicinal properties
found in the essential oils of various plants. Through a process of
steam distillation or cold pressing, the volatile constituents of the
plant's oil (its essence) are extracted from its flowers, leaves, branches
or roots. According to Dr. (rer. Nat.) Kurt Schnaubelt, Director of
the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy, the term "aromatherapy"
is somewhat misleading, as it can suggest an exclusive role for the
aroma in the healing process. "In actuality," says Dr. Schnaubelt,
"the oils exert much of their therapeutic effect through their
pharmacological properties and their small molecular size, making them
one of the few therapeutic agents to easily penetrate bodily tissues."
According to Dr.
Schnaubelt, "The chemical makeup of essential oils gives them a
host of desirable pharmacological properties ranging from antibacterial,
antiviral and antispasmodic, to uses as diuretics, vasodilators and
vasoconstrictors. Essential oils act on the adrenals, ovaries and the
thyroid and can energize or pacify, detoxify and facilitate the digestive
process." The oils' therapeutic properties also make them effective
for treating infection, interacting with the various branches of the
nervous system, modifying immune response and harmonizing moods and
emotions. Aromatic molecules that interact with the top of the nasal cavity give off signals that are modified by various biological processes before traveling to the limbic system, the emotional switchboard of the brain. There they create impressions associated with previous experiences and emotions. Because the limbic system is directly connected to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels and hormone balance, scientists have learned that oil fragrances may be one of the fastest ways to achieve physiological or psychological effects. John Steele, Ph.D., of Sherman Oaks, California, and Robert Tisserand, of London, England, leading researchers in the field of aromatherapy, have studied the effects on brain wave patterns when essential oils are inhaled or smelled. Their findings show that oils such as orange, jasmine and rose have a tranquilizing effect and work by altering the brain waves into a rhythm that produces calmness and a sense of well-being. In the same way, the so-called 'stimulating' oils - basil, black pepper, rosemary and cardamom - work by producing a heightened energy response. Inhaling the fragrance
of certain essential oils can help clear sinuses or free congestion
in the chest, as well as alter the neurochemistry of the brain to produce
changes in the mental and emotional behavior. Even aromas too subtle
to be consciously detected can have significant effects on central nervous
system activity, sometimes to the point of cutting in half the amount
of time needed to perform a visual search task.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
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