| Derived from plants and offering life-enhancing | | | | extracted or distilled from plants not treated with |
| practical benefits, the advantages of essential oils | | | | pesticides, herbicides, irradiation, or any other type |
| become apparent. These oils are a by-product of | | | | of unnatural treatment. Non-organic oils may |
| the plant's metabolism and thought to be their | | | | contain toxic and unnatural substances that can |
| immune system. They are extracted by steam | | | | be harmful or cause allergic reactions. You will pay |
| distillation, which is the purest way, from various | | | | more for oils distilled from organic plants because |
| parts of the plant such as the petals, stems, | | | | of the higher cost of growing with organic |
| seeds, leaves, bark and roots or by expression | | | | means.Purchasing Essential Oils or Making Your |
| from citrus peels.These oils, contrary to the word | | | | OwnIt is important to check out the information |
| describing them does not have an oily feel to it. | | | | provided by the merchants for their products. |
| Most are clear although some are diluted with | | | | Ultimately the decision is yours and based on your |
| carrier oil such as sweet almond, apricot kernel or | | | | research you can find the blend best suited to |
| grape seed.What is Aromatherapy & Essential | | | | your needs.Important oils can often be bought as |
| Oils?Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils | | | | blends. However, there is no control over the |
| to improve physical and mental well being. It is a | | | | blend when not mixing it yourself. Essentially the |
| process of diffusing pure essential oils which is | | | | advantages of making your own are the savings |
| then absorbed through the skin and through | | | | realized by not buying every essential oil |
| inhalation. Smell has a profound effect on how we | | | | individually. However there may be a problem |
| react physically, emotionally, and mentally to our | | | | reliably doing your own |
| surroundings.Many every day scents remind us of | | | | blending.HistoryAromatherapy is widely thought to |
| the different seasons, a location or situation and | | | | have originated in Egypt. Medical writings dating |
| happy times. Thus essential oils may also have an | | | | around 1555 BC give remedies for many kinds of |
| effect on our physical, mental and emotional | | | | illnesses and methods of application that are used |
| well-being. The inhaling of these oils can also | | | | in aromatherapy and herbal medicine today. It is a |
| influence the release of brain chemicals such as | | | | believed that the ancient Chinese civilizations were |
| serotonin.How Are They Used?Every oil is unique | | | | using some form of aromatherapy at the same |
| with various ways of applying. They can be used | | | | time as the Egyptians. Going back to about 2700 |
| in an electric or candle-type diffuser, mixed with | | | | B.C an herbal book written by Shen Nung is the |
| water to use as a spray, blended into carrier oil | | | | oldest surviving medical book in China. It contains |
| for use on the skin, or added to soaps, lotions, | | | | information on over 300 plants.The Egyptians |
| and other body care products.Help for stress, | | | | extracted oils from aromatic plants and incense |
| depression and fatigue can be found in geraniums, | | | | was one of the earliest ways of using aromatics. |
| bergamot and lavender. Eucalyptus stimulates and | | | | Frankincense was burned at sunrise as an offering |
| along with oregano is a good antiseptic and | | | | to the sun god, Ra and myrrh was offered to the |
| antihistamine. Neroli from orange blossoms is good | | | | moon. Many fragrant oils were used after bathing |
| for insomnia and rosemary is a good physical and | | | | and for massages.The Greeks also used aromatic |
| mental stimulant as well as for relaxing at the end | | | | oils for medicine and cosmetics. Taking much of |
| of a long day.How Long Do They Work?After | | | | their medical knowledge from the Greeks, Rome |
| inhalation or absorption through the skin they | | | | was known as the bathing and massage capital of |
| efficiently leave the body through exhaling and | | | | the world and they went on to use and improve |
| perspiration in about four hours. Therefore, there | | | | aromatherapy.Trade routes began opening up to |
| is no residual build-up or any side effects that can | | | | East India and Arabia so new products were being |
| often be associated with pharmaceuticals.How Are | | | | imported to Rome. It took several years to |
| Essential Oils Stored?Care must be exercised in | | | | perfect the process, but the physician Avicenna |
| their storage. Keep them in dark, air-tight, glass | | | | who lived from A.D 980 to A.D. 1037 is thought |
| bottles away from exposure to heat or extreme | | | | to have first used the distillation process to obtain |
| temperature fluctuations. Handle with great | | | | the rose essence. About that same time, the |
| respect and responsibility because these are | | | | Arabs discovered how to distil alcohol making it |
| concentrated oils. Keep them out of the reach of | | | | possible to produce perfumes without a heavy |
| children.Organic or Non OrganicOrganic oils are | | | | oily base. |