Why is Aromatherapy Effective? | Herbarium Digital Library


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Why is Aromatherapy Effective?

Category: Articles
Date Posted: 2006-04-01

Aromatherapy, which involves taking various essences at certain hours of the day is especially effective if applied along with correct diet, exercise and deep breathing.

Healing with essential oils works because it is in harmony with the principles of natural healing. Let?s take chamomile oil, for instance. This essence contains Azulene, a substance which is an effective anti-inflammation agent. It has a deep blue color. In color therapy, blue is used to reduce inflammation. Essential oils are ?liquid vibrations?, each one of which has a particular correspondence with particular color and sound. Cinnamon oil, for example, corresponds with the color orange and it stimulates the heart and circulation.

Essential oils are plant hormones and they have a biodynamic and ionizing potential when used therapeutically to treat human diseases. They are highly concentrated and powerful, and should be used with great care and properly diluted.

Facts About Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is the use of volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or health.

Theory

When aromatherapy is used for the treatment or prevention of disease, a precise knowledge of the bioactivity and synergy of the essential oils used, knowledge of the dosage and duration of application, as well as, naturally, a medical diagnosis, are required. In France some essential oils are regulated as prescription drugs, and thus administered by a physician. In many countries they are included in the national pharmacopeia, but up to the present moment aromatherapy as science has never been recognized as a valid branch of medicine in the United States, Russia or Germany.

Fragrances can have a relaxing effect measured as an increase in alpha brain waves.

One of the best known essential oils for aromatherapy is lavender, which is recommended by practitioners for treating wounds, to enhance memory, and to aid sleep by combating anxiety and insomnia. Other popular scents include eucalyptus, rose, jasmine and bergamot.

Aromatherapy is among the fastest growing fields in alternative and holistic medicine. Aromatherapy is sometimes used in clinics and hospitals for treatment of pain relief, for labor pain, for relieving pain caused by the side effects of the chemotherapy, and for the rehabilitation of cardiac patients.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Aromatherapy".