Aromatherapy

Photo by uniquegarden on Flickr

You may be wondering what this topic has to do with clean living, but as you will see, essential oils are a great alternative to chemicals in personal products, cleaning, and making things smell good.

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for psychological and physical well-being. Essential oils are the pure essence of a plant.

History
It's hard to believe that even though the science of aromatherapy has been used for thousands of years, the term didn't originate until 1928. It was french chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, who defined this word in hopes of using it for medicinal reasons. Many cultures have used aromatherapy throughout history.

• The Chinese may have been the first to use it by burning incense to create harmony and balance.  They use more plants for medicinal reasons than any other culture.
• Hindu medicine is based on plants and is called "Ayurveda".  They use over 700 substances in medicine, with plants being the dominant source.
• Egyptians used aromatherapy as a way of preserving a corpse.
• The Romans developed spas, which were public baths perfumed with plants, flowers, and resins used to benefit health.

Ways to Use Aromatherapy Today
There has been a growing interest in using essential oils with natural products for therapeutic, aromatic, and cosmetic reasons.  Essential oils are more powerful than people may realize and can offer more than just a "scent". The highest quality oils come from organically grown plants. They may offer antibacterial, antiviral, relaxation, or even immune enhancing properties. Some basic ways to use essential oils:

• Inhaled on a tissue
• Inhaled through steam
• To freshen a room
• Household freshening
• Massage
• Bath
• Homemade natural products

Safety Concerns
Although essential oils are a natural substance obtained from different plant parts, there are some important safety concerns as well. They should not be used full strength.  Essential oils are usually diluted with water or carrier oils. They should not be used internally or near the eyes. They should be kept out of the reach of children and animals.  Finally, certain oils should not be used by those who are pregnant, or have heart disease, high blood pressure, epilepsy, diabetes, or cancer. 

Photo by Nina Nelson on Flickr

How to Get Started 
Here are a few good basic essential oils to start with: lavender, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, and lemon.  You may find these oils at a health food store or online.  Be sure to look for good quality, organic oils.

Here are a couple of easy ideas to get you started:

• Headache help:  Use 3 drops of lavender OR 2 drops of peppermint essential oil on a folded up tissue.  Take 3 long deep breaths, then take a break, then 3 more deep breaths.  Do this up to 3 times.  
• To relax and improve sleep:  Use 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil on a tissue and place inside your pillow.  
• Room freshener:  Use a clean 4 oz. spray bottle (glass or metal is best, but you can use plastic).  Add 3 oz. water and 20 drops of essential oil (a good combination is 15 drops of lavender + 5 drops of lemon).  Shake before each use and avoid spraying on furniture or open drinks.

Questions?
If you have a question, leave a comment.  I am a certified aromatherapist, so I would be happy to help!

Sources:
Huete, Anna.  Aromatherapy.  Old Saybrook: Konecky & Konecky, 2007.  Print.
Robbins, Wendy.  AromaWeb.  AromaWeb, LLC, 2014.  Web.  27 Nov 2014.