Although aromatherapy seems to be a recent addition to modern alternative medicine, the practice of using essential oils (the oils extracted from certain plants) to enhance health and beauty dates back nearly to the beginning of civilization.

• The ancient Chinese may have been the first to experience the benefits of aromatherapy by burning incense in the belief that the aromatic fragrances created balance between the physical and psychological.
• Ancient Egyptians used oils of cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and myrrh in embalming. In fact, on the opening of one Egyptian sepulcher, traces of aromatic fragrance still lingered.
• The "father of medicine", Hippocrates believed in both the mental and medicinal benefits of fumigation with aromatics.

While it doesn't take the place of traditional health care, as well as being used in salons and at home, hospitals and clinics increasingly use aromatherapy as an adjunct to traditional care.

How does Aromatherapy work?

Amazingly, aromatherapy works in three ways to improve our physical health as well as our mental and spiritual well-being.

1. The olfactory nerve carries the aromas of essential oils to the parts of the brain that regulate our hormones.
2. Inhaling aromatic fragrances lets our lungs have a part in distributing physical benefits to our bodies.
3. Application of essential oils to skin allows tissues to absorb essential oil properties.

However, because aromatherapy essential oils are the concentrated extracts of plants, never apply them full-strength! Products, like aromatherapy body oils are diluted with a carrier oil such as sweet almond, apricot kernel, or grapeseed oil. Even so, some of them should be used only under the supervision of a qualified medical professional or aromatherapist.

For an example of the strength of essential oils, recall the smell of the chest rub (camphor) your mom used when you were a child or the citronella candle you use in the summertime to repel mosquitoes. Camphor and citronella are both essential oils.

Essential Oils Commonly Used in Aromatherapy

Essential oils are the aromatic essences of plants and depending on the plant may be extracted from the flowers, fruits, stems, bark, leaves, or seeds of the plant. Although essential oils are made from plants, not all plants have essential oils. It is also important to note that although some perfume oils are made from essential oils or a blend of essential oils, fragrance oils are not always the same as essential oils. Some of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy include:

• Eucalyptus
• Ylang Ylang
• Geranium
• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Clary Sage
• Tea Tree
• Roman Chamomile
• Rosemary

Essential oils that should be used only by qualified aromatherapists and medical practitioners include wormwood, pennyroyal, onion, camphor, horseradish, wintergreen, rue, bitter almond and sassafras.

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) is a professional organization that promotes educational guidelines for the aromatherapy profession and is also a good resource to find detailed information on essential oils and essential oil blends.

Essential Oil Cautions

Never use full-strength essential oils on skin. Even when first trying a diluted oil or new oil blend, do a skin patch test to be sure you won't have an allergic reaction.

Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy or by those with asthma, epilepsy, or other chronic health conditions. If you have an on-going health problem, consult your medical practitioner before undergoing any type of aromatherapy or essential oil application.

Always use the smallest amount of essential oil that works. For instance, one drop in a bath may be enough. It that's the case, don't use two.

Keep essential oils away from children. They smell good enough to drink, but essential oils never should be taken internally! Like any strong medicine, before using essential oils on children, consult your health practitioner.

Like any oil, essential oils are flammable. Keep them away from open flame.