It is likely that when someone hears the word "aromatherapy" for the first time, people might not know exactly what it is, or have many misconceptions about it. For instance, probably by just hearing the word, "therapy," one might make the assumption that it is a treatment that is used only in the psychology field and with the presence of a licensed psychologist. Aromatherapy, however, is a simple and inexpensive technique that can bring many positive benefits to someone's life.
Aromatherapy is using
the sense of smell to inhale special fragrances, also known as essential oils,
which come from therapeutic plants that help improve one’s physical, emotional,
and mental well-being. Aromatherapy is
most often associated with having the ability to heal since the essential oils
that are used for this form of treatment come from, “flowers, bark, stems,
leaves, roots or other parts of a plant,” that are known to have positive
effects on an individual. Aromatherapy is a form of treatment that has been used for centuries and has been getting more attention in the medical field as a type of alternative medicine.
Have you ever
peeled an orange and gotten stunned at the crisp and tangy smell that made your
mouth watery? Well, whether you realized it or not, that smell that heightened your
appetite for an orange was an essential oil which derived from the natural
orange plant. Probably one of the biggest misconceptions about essential oils
and aromatherapy is that smelling any type of fragrance oil or perfume will
have the same effects as essential oils have. However, that is not the case. In
fact, essential oils are liquids that are distilled from different parts of plants
that are best known to have therapeutic benefits. Fragrance oils and perfumes are
artificially made and contain different chemicals which don’t give the same therapeutic
benefits as the essential oils that are distilled from plants do
(aromaweb.com). There are many different types of essential oils and each has a different effect on the human body. Inhaling essential oils during aromatherapy has proven to heal people both mentally and physically.
Aromatherapy can date back to 7000-4000 BCE so it is hard to
determine its exact origins. However, there are three origins in which
aromatherapy may have derived from: fire, water, and fat. First up: the burning
of fragrant woods like cypress and cedar may have been the propeller in piquing
our interest in aromas. No wonder why the word for perfume in latin is per
fumum, which translates to “through smoke”. Next up is water. Water mixed with
alcohol and essential oils were used both topically (as perfume and as a
complexion enhancer) and internally (ingested to relieve body maladies). Last up,
and probably most odd: fat. Remember in Fight Club when they steal fat from a
liposuction facility to make high end soap? Well, people have been using fat
like that since the invention of the wheel! It is to be believed that while
cooking, fragrant leaves or flowers may have fallen into the cooking meat and
solidified with the fat. It was then discovered that this fat was very helpful
in treating skin problems.
As for
its geographical origins, it is debated on whether or not the aboriginals in
Australia began to use fragrance first or the Egyptians… or the Chinese… or
Indians…. (or perhaps all at the same time?). Again, it is difficult to pinpoint; however,
the Egyptians really helped bring aromas to the forefront so I will talk about
that. Ok, prepare yourself for this chain of events… So, the Egyptians started
using aromatherapy to treat illnesses (the first person that wrote about
aromatherapy is indeed Egyptian—Tisserand) but, the Greeks saw how the
Egyptians were using aromatherapy and were like “Cool!! We want this too!” So
then the Romans began to import Egyptian fragrances to Europe. Then, Rome, who
was really into baths and highly influenced by the Greeks, implemented and
perfected the usage of aromatherapy in the bath houses. Fragrance introduction
to Europe then lead to further research and implementation during the Middle
Ages and the rest is history.
What are the different types of aromatherapy?
Although the name implies it, aromatherapy is not just related to scent; Inhalation is only one aspect of it. Aromatherapy is a form of herbal medicine that stems from the essential oils. These oils can be inhaled, taken by mouth or applied topically. When you take the oil topically, the body enters the oil as well as becomes inhaled by the person.
How does aromatherapy work?
On a purely biological perspective, essential oils release organic molecules into the air, called esters, that are inhaled. Smell receptors in your nose recognize the specific scent and sends that information to your brain. Your brain then reacts by releasing chemicals that effects your mood, feelings, blood flow, etc. In addition, essential oils are extracted from plants, usually through a method called steam distillation. This separates the plant oils from the hydrosol (water portion of plant). The amount of oil extracted depends on the type of plant, but, there is usually a very small yield. For example, it takes 220 lbs of lavender to make 1 lbs of lavender oil, making essential oils very concentrated. The oils in the plants serve as antimicrobials (they help the plant's defense system). Therefore, some scientists argue that essential oils work as antimicrobials for humans too. In addition, there is a psychological element in the effectiveness of aromatherapy. It is often seen as a form of holistic alternative medicine (like acupuncture). If you believe that it will work, then it will have a better effect than someone who does not believe it works.
By: Ivan Gonzalez, Elizabeth Li, and Steph Marron
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References
"Aromatherapy
Information." TLC. Web. 28 May 2012.
<http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/aromatherapy-information.htm>.
"What Are Essential
Oils?" What Are Essential Oils? Web. 28 May 2012.
<http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/whatare.asp>.
"History." History. Creighton University. Web. 28 May 2012.
Keville, Kathie. "History of Aromatherapy." TLC. TLC. Web. 28 May 2012.
"History." History. Creighton University. Web. 28 May 2012.
Keville, Kathie. "History of Aromatherapy." TLC. TLC. Web. 28 May 2012.
Just testing to see if the comments work!
ReplyDeleteSo, essential oils are the natural oils and scents found in specific parts of plants and not those synthetic fragrances for decor. But I am curious, can essential oils be synthesized themselves? Are essential oils purely limited to being harvested naturally?
ReplyDeleteI knew that aromatherapy was used to help someone mentally by calming his or her nervous system. What interested me the most is the fact that aromatherapy can heal people physically. It surprised me that aromatherapy can be in the form of oils that can be taken by mouth or applied topically. Also, I loved the way you connected the origin of aromatherapy to the word “perfume”. I had absolutely no idea that perfume is translated into “through smoke” because perfumes today has nothing to do with smoke. Moreover, the scientific explanation of how aromatherapy works was very intriguing. How the molecules trigger certain receptors in your nose that sends information to your brain, which then releases chemicals that effects your mood. Then it made me think, do people get addicted to aromatherapy just like drugs? They are similar in a way that they can make someone happy so it is possible right? Furthermore, it isn’t surprising to guess that Egyptians were the first ones to begin using fragrances because Egyptians have the reputation for using odd chemical stuff.
ReplyDeleteI have been looking forward to talking about Aromatherapy this entire quarter as I am very interested in the field of alternative medicine. I think a lot of the therapeutic aspects of smells can also be related to our previous discussion of smell and identity; we choose to wear or expose certain scents to achieve a specific mood/feeling/identity/perception. I knew that Aromatic practices were old, but I had no idea they dated back as far as you claim! I think it is even more fascinating, though, that it seems like these practices really haven’t changed that much since their origination. This must mean that it’s working, right?! I wanted to bring up a number of things in your blog that I found to be really interesting and provoked thought:
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that one could take oils by the mouth and be considered Aromatherapy. I take capsules very day with different natural oils in them, so does that mean I participate in Aromatic practices every day? Interesting. Also, I thank you for your reference to Fight Club and the use of fat. I have seen that movie probably a dozen times and still never knew exactly why they had to steal human fat for their soap products. Now I know why! Finally, it is important for people to realize that Aromatherapy does collaborate with human biology and psychology. I think that too many people have a misconception or undirected idea about whether Aromatherapy and other herbal practices are effective or just a “spoof” or a “way to make a profit.” Compared to the medications we are prescribed at the doctor (like antibiotics and anti-inflammatories), which only interact with the biological human, Aromatherapy is involved in both the biological AND psychological human. Perhaps as time goes by and alternative medical practices continue to gain popularity, more people will realize this.
This was a great blog/introduction to Aromatherapy. Look forward to the rest of the posts on the blog! Thanks!
Does aromatherapy only work when you are aware of it? For example, would jasmine have the same affect (and to the same extent) if you smell it while you're getting a massage or if you smell it in nature? And with that, is there a definite length of time or amount you have to smell for it to take affect? And if there is, is it the same for everyone? Because obviously one little whiff of jasmine won't make you tired.
ReplyDeleteI never considered the fact that your brain could override the affect of the aromatherapies because, I guess, I don't knowing have a bad thing associated with a type of aromatherapy. I do, however, have a "stress" candle, and after reading this I was interested in what in it is supposed to relax me (because it does in fact work). It says: "eucalyptus essential oils clears the mind while spearmint essential oils uplift." It's interesting that they could both work at once...
It makes you wonder how else the body can be manipulated through scent. What other ways can we manipulate our mood/being through the intake of oil essence? Are these connections with essential oils and their organic compounds a subconscious reaction, or are they culturally created voluntary reactions to the inhalation of oils?
ReplyDelete