Aromatherapy

 History of Aromatherapy

 

In its exact definition, aromatherapy is the process of using volatile plant oils in order to treat not only the physical well being of a person but also his or her psychological and mental health.

From decades past, apothecary drawers have been filled with essential oils that have been used in the treatment of diseases and other health problems. In fact, the practice of using oils has been in place for nearly a thousand years. It was however only in the 20th century when the term aromatherapy was used.

 

It started with the Chinese and indians, who are among the first cultures to incorporate the practice into their traditions. They use plant oils and incense to help create balance within the body and harmony with nature.  

 

Later on, the Egyptians adopted the practice and created an old distiller prototype which extracts cedarwood oil crudely. The oils that they extract from the plant are then sold in markets in their country. There are some that claim that Persia and India were the ones that invented the distillation process but of course nothing has been proven yet.

 

As time passed, the Egyptians started to extract oils from different plants. In addition to cedarwood, they use clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and myrrh. These oils were also used in the embalming of their dead. In fact, when an Egyptian tomb was opened back in the early 20th century, remains and traces of these plants were seen in some parts of the body. Archaeologists were even able to smell the scent. 

 

The Egyptians also used the scents and the oils in some of their rituals, especially those that are spiritual in nature. Some also used the oils as medicines while the women used them as perfumes and cosmetics. In fact, the word perfume is thought to have come from the latin word fumum, which means smoke. There are claims that men also use fragrance like women but they have an interesting method of doing it. They will place a solid cone of perfume on their heads, which they will gradually melt until the perfume and scent cover their whole bodies. 

 

The Greeks also used perfumes but of course everything was credited to the Gods of their mythology. Still the use of plant oils as perfume took a life of its own and soon Megallus made a perfume from myrrh, which is a fatty-oil. His perfume called the Megaleion not only had aromatic benefits, it can also heal wounds and has an anti-inflammatory property towards the skin. It was also the Greeks that established the medicinal purposes of plants. In fact, the father of medicine, Hippocrates, practiced the use of plants for its aromatic and medicinal benefits.

 

Armed with the knowledge that they have gotten from the civilizations of the Egyptians and the Greeks, Roman Discorides wrote a book called De Materia Medica, which essays the different properties of as much as 500 plants.

 

In the 11th century, a process called coiled cooling pipe was invented. This had a large impact on the distillation of essential oils. Avicenna, a Persian, was the one who created the prototype, which allowed steam and vapor from the plant to cool down so that it can be extracted better and faster than other distilling machines. Because of this invention, the focus once again went to the benefits of essential plant oils.

Information that Aromatherapy-enthusiasts should know

With the fad on new age activities on the rise, interests in aromatherapy are building up once again. Judging from the spa houses and massage parlors that have been opening up in every street corner, the use of plant extracts particularly oil and scents for relaxation is quickly gaining a huge fan base. 

But before you plunge in on the aromatherapy fad, make sure that you know some important points about it. Below are just some of the things that you should take into heart. Read on and you might learn something that might help you. 

Perfume oils are not the same as essential oils.

For those who are just buying these oils for the first time, make sure that what you are buying is the only you truly need. What makes an essential oil different from a perfume oil is the fact that it has therapeutic benefits and not just aromatic ones. This means that an essential oil will not only serve as fragrance in your home, it can also relax you and release unwanted energies.      

Rubber no-no.

Never ever buy essential oils that are being used with rubber dropper tops or buy oils with rubber dropper tops. This is because the rubber has some properties that can ruin the oil. The extreme concentration of the oils can turn the rubber into a gum. 

Read about it. 

It is not enough that you ask for people that are selling the oils. You’ll never really know if what they are telling you are truths that can help you with your self-therapy. The best way to learn about aromatherapy is to read books and articles about the topic. This way, you are being given an objective view about it and some of the products that you’ll be buying. In choosing a service or a product it is also a good idea to look for those with good reviews from newspapers and magazines. 

Another topic that you should read about is the safety of therapy. Actually, it is a required reading before you start on the therapy. There are also websites that are devoted solely to the process of aromatherapy. Search on these sites as they contain hundreds of articles that can 

help you get started. 

Choose your store.

Although new stores may also offer quality products, if you are not familiar with aromatherapy 

yet, it is good to stick with the brands that are already established. Remember that 

aromatherapy has safety issues that you should also take heed. After which, when you know enough about the business and the products, you can switch to less established ones but with good reviews. 

Also, avoid buying essential oils in street fairs and bazaars or from any company that do not have any permanent working address. This is not to say that products in events like this do not 

have quality; it is just a warning just in case you buy something that you have to return. 

Learn comparison.

Teach yourself the art of shopping for oils and scents. It is good to know what scent goes to what essential oils. You should also learn to compare scents. It also helps if you are familiar with some of the most common essential oils in the market. That way, it will be easier for you to buy what you want.