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In the midst of all the alternative medicine treatments that you've heard about recently, you may have noticed aromatherapy mentioned a few times. Many dismiss the idea of using scents to bring medical results as quackery, and that's understandable in many ways. There's a lot of information about aromatherapy that comes from people who speak about it based on their spiritual beliefs and a paucity of information that comes from detailed medical studies. As a medical treatment in Western nations, it's still a little new, so there's still much to learn about it. Let's take a look at some of the ways that aromatherapy does help people so you know how to better incorporate it into your life.

As A Medical Practice

The basis of aromatherapy comes from the use of essential oils, which are taken from plants using distilling processes, resulting in concentrated liquids that are often very fragrant. In France, where aromatherapy is used in concert with traditional medical practices, but it's for the antiseptic properties of the essential oils more than anything. In France, essential oils are sometimes prescribed and administered by a physician to target harmful organisms that might lead to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections.

If you're wondering where the "aroma" part of aromatherapy comes in, there are traditional medical practices in the United States in which the scents of various compounds result in an alleviation of symptoms of illness. The approach most people are familiar with is the use of things such as Vicks VapoRub or Halls cough drops to help drain clogged sinuses and throats. Aromatic chemicals such as menthol and eucalyptus bring an alleviation of those symptoms, which are often associated with colds.

As Stress Therapy

When you start to venture out of such applications and begin to talk about alleviating stress with aromatherapy, then you start to get into ideas that come less from observed scientific evidence than from common theories. Aromatherapy is often suggested as a way to reduce symptoms of stress in people and for other effects. For instance, basil oil is often suggested to ease the effects of depression and to help you to focus, while lavender is used for relaxation.

Although many of these supposed effects aren't determined through scientific study, it's easy enough to notice that pleasant scents can make people feel cheerier. In that respect, it wouldn't hurt to practice a little aromatherapy at home; at best, it really will help and at worst, you still end up surrounded by enjoyable scents. So, whether you're using it for medical purposes or just to relax, aromatherapy offers something for you.

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Aromatherapy is making a positive impact in the world today, and as it becomes popular more and more people are starting to believe in the power of aroma and smell to heal illness and disease. So by using liquid plant extract (essential oils), we can change a persons mental or physical health in a very positive way. The different plant extracts can be blended together to help many types of illness, including stress.

The three basic styles of aromatherapy:

1. Home aromatherapy.
2. Clinical.
3. Aromachology

We will discuss each of these 3 types of aromatherapy in this article and this will hopefully serve as an overview of this topic.

Clinical aromatherapy:

A knowledge of plant extracts and their synergistic effects on the body is required for making decisions in the clinical use of aromatherapy.  It is very important to know the correct dosage and duration of the oil in terms of which essential oils to use for a treatment.

However, aromatherapy it is regarded as an "alternative or complementary treatment" to the main stream medical practices, and is not seen as valid healing science by many doctors. It is also very unlikely that aromatherapy will be used as a treatment in any major clinical facilities,  It is more likely you will find it in use at some of the more holistic healing centers in your area. At this time it would probably be better to only use aromatherapy as a complement to excepted medical treatments, until the medical proof is established to enable it to be used as a comprehensive treatment.

Using aromatherapy in the home:

The statement "home aromatherapy" is used to describe the use of the essential oils and other materials in a very basic way. This is often the technique used when a person is stressed and is in need of relaxation,  aromatherapy massage will most definitely help here. Some of the oils used in home aromatherapy include essential oils such as lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, grapefruit oil and also absolutes. Absolutes are oils extracted from aromatic butter’s, one that is very well-liked and successful is rose absolute. Rosewater is a further well-liked essence used in aromatherapy at home. This is known as a hydrosol because it is the by product in aqueous form from a distillation process.

Aromachology:

This is described as the study of how a variety of plant extracts used in aromatherapy actually affects the brain and the physiological makeup of the human body. Simply put, it is about how we act and react to individual fragrances and how our body and brain reacts when we experience them.

For that reason, by studying the effects that smell and aroma has on a individuals behavior, aromachology can verify what benefits will be presented to modern medicine in the future. The medical field already know that some plants act as stimulants while other create a relaxing affect.

Aromatherapy as a practice dates back to the ancient Egyptians and has experienced a resurgence in the west in recent years. The science behind aromatherapy is known as psychoneuroimmunology which studies the interactions between the psychological, neurological and immune systems. Research has shown that there is a very strong correlation between positive and negative experiences and our immune system as well as our psyche. This premise is recognized by the fields of science and medicine giving credence to the old adage mind over body.

Aromatherapy utilizes the strongest of our senses which is the sense of smell. The sense of smell is unique because it has a direct path to our brain and more importantly it has a direct path to our limbic system. Through this direct portal aromas are able to directly affect conscious thought and reactions as the limbic system is responsible for our memories (turning short term to long term), learned responses, emotions and feelings.

The use of aromatherapy oils to promote relaxation has become very popular by the mainstream population. For this purpose essential oils can be applied in several different ways including baths, diffusers, direct inhalation, or through a massage to name just a few. How you choose to use your aromatherapy oils is a personal preference as long as enjoy the process.

The number of different essential oils on the market is vast leaving the decision of which one to try somewhat daunting. It should be noted that each essential oil has many specific therapeutic applications and many of these are similar with other oils, which allows you to choose an oil that will give you the desired benefits as well as an aroma you enjoy. For instance their are several oils that are known for there powers to relax, so the choice becomes a personal one.

1. Ylang ylang is known for its strong, sweet exotic scent and is extracted by steam or water distillation for the fresh flowers of the tropical tree Canago odorata better known as the Ylang ylang tree.

2. Neroli has a very feminine sweet floral smell and is extracted by enfleurage or steam distillation from the orange blossom petals of the orange tree Citrus auratium. Neroli essential oil is generally sold in a cut form (with another oil) and is one of the more expensive oils on the market.

3. Jasmine is another oil that can be described as having an exotic, sweet floral scent. Jasmine essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the plant Jasminum officinale.

4. Lavender is one of the most versatile essential oils as its benefits and applications are vast. This lightly floral scented oil is extracted by steam distillation from the plant Lavandula augustifolia.

5. Sandalwood is has a sensual musky or woody scent and has been used for thousands of years. This essential oil is extracted by steam or water distillation from the heartwood (nonliving central wood)
and roots of the tree Santalum album.  

This is by no means a complete list of the aromatherapy oils that can be utilized for the purpose of relaxation, it is instead a sample of the vast number to choose from. When choosing an aromatherapy oil try to find one that you can use for several desired benefits and more importantly find one that you find pleasing to smell. If you do not like or enjoy the scent of your oil chances are it will not give you the results you are looking for.

For thousands of years the human race has used herbs in a variety of ways. These uses can be categorized into three distinctive groups; religious, culinary and medicinal. In the following article we shall examine each of these categories in order focusing upon medical uses and essential oils.

Throughout history there have been other uses of herbs which we will not be looking at here and these include them being used as currency (instead of money), as a disinfectant and as a perfume or powerful smell to mask bad odors. Herbs originate from various parts of the globe and each race often had unusual uses for them. It is interesting to note that the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek and Sumerians, the Romans all wrote about them in detail and other writings exist from Ancient India and China. We shall be focusing on modern uses.

Religious Uses Of Herbs

Herbs are still used in various religions across the globe.  Many Christians will recognize myrrh from the Nativity (myrrh is the dried sap of Commiphora myrrha). Hindus will be very familiar with the Tulsi plant, which is a form of Basil, as it is grown by many and worshipped as a Goddess. In Pagan and Wiccan religions herbs are used extensively in spells, rituals as well as for healing.

Culinary Uses of Herbs

The leaves of various plants are used in cooking but there is a distinction between leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, and a herb, such as sage, in that the latter are used in very small amounts due to their distinctive, and powerful flavor. Virtually every person in the world has benefited from the these amazing plants which are capable of lifting the blandest meal into the realms of a culinary masterpiece.

Medicinal Uses of Herbs

As well as being powerful in flavor a herb can also have a profound effect upon the human body. Some types are used as recreational drugs, such as cannabis, which can cause legal problems as they can also have useful medical properties which are still being scientifically researched.

Essential Oils

An essential oil is the concentrate extracted from a variety of plants. Essential oils are usually produced by the method known as distillation but some require a different method such as expression or solvent extraction.

Essential oils have a variety of uses, such as perfumes, bath oils, flavorings, burning (for scent) and in cleaning products. However most folk know of their use in medicine and especially in aromatherapy and other forms of alternative medicine. I use lavender oil in a variety of ways, I add it to my mixture for my oil burner to make the room smell nice but I also use about three drops in a bath when I suffer from achy legs. When my legs are very painful I massage it into the muscles but only when it is mixed with a carrier oil. As well as helping to relax the muscles it also helps me sleep more soundly.

Herbs should be handled with care as some can be extremely toxic to the human body (in large quantities). Special care should be taken if you are pregnant as something that sounds safe can be problematic, such as peppermint oil which should be avoided completely in its dilute form. However spearmint and a few other mild oils can be used but to avoid the risk of miscarriage I would avoid all herbs and essential oils unless I know for certain they are safe.

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