Wednesday, July 8, 2009

How Aromatherapy Can Benefit You And Your Family

By Linda Wight

Every where we turn there are products that promise certain results based on the fact that they contain a specific scent or aroma, including candles, oils, and even shampoos. The question becomes, is aromatherapy just fluff aimed at selling products? Or is it based on science?

Aromatherapy has been around for many centuries and dates back to when the Egyptians were walking the planet. But, as individuals we are experiencing this phenomenon in our everyday lives, and are all not aware of it. There are probably a good deal of times that you have walked down the street or gone into a room and suddenly smelt something that brought back wonderful memories, or simply made you feel great and energized. Each time that this happens to you, you are experiencing aromatherapy; something that occurs passively in your daily life.

The bottom line is aromatherapy is indeed based on science and more specifically the science of psychoneuroimmunology which studies the interactions between the psychological, neurological and immune system. Research has shown that there is a very strong correlation between positive and negative experiences and our immune system as well as our psyche. Further more the old adage mind over body is indeed recognized by science and the modern medical field. With this being said, anytime you can give your mood a boost creating a more positive outlook through the use of aromatherapy you are ultimately strengthening your body, mind and spirit.

You will find that aromatherapy actually works because it utilizes your sense of smell, which is your strongest sense. Dislike other, your sense of smell has a path that leads directly to the brain, but more importantly that it has a direct path to your limbic system.

It has been scientifically and medically proven that through this direct portal, aromas are able to directly affect conscious thought and your reactions, because the limbic system is responsible for our memories (from short to long term), learned responses, and our emotions and feelings.

You will find that although aromatherapy does utilize a person's sense of smell, by triggering some specific areas of the brain, it will also work by directly absorbing some essential oil molecules into the body. It will do this whether through the bronchial tract (if using steam distillation) or through massaging or soaking the skin with the oil.

For instance, peppermint as an oil has been known for its ability to calm a person's digestive problems and will work best for this specific instance when it is inhaled, yet others work best when they are massaged into an individual's skin.

It is important also to recognize that although certain essential oils have specific benefits they do not work equally for each individual. For instance Lavender is considered to be very effective in calming the mind, body and spirit however if you do not like the fragrance of Lavender it will not have the same effect on you, therefore it is important to work with the essential oils that you enjoy.

You won't find this task particularly difficult either, as you will experience that finding essential oils to meet your requirements will be simple as most have similar or overlapping benefits. Therefore, you will be left with feeling relaxed as you have a range of different options to choose. Also, you will find that there are a number of other options to choose from too, which is to mix different essential oils together to create your own fragrance. There are a few individuals who choose this option because they will ultimately receive benefits. - 14130

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