Did you know that our sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than our sense of sight? What we smell affects our memory, our emotions and even our sexuality. The olfactory sense is the least understood of our 5 senses, but not for long. One of the oldest ways of healing the body and mind involves smelling and wearing the scents from mother nature.
Aromatherapy is the use of plant oils or essential oils to heal and beautify the body. Essential oils are extracted from the roots, leaves, resins, bark, flowers, seeds or fruit rinds of plants. Breathing and applying essential oils to the body enhances physical, mental and emotional well-being. Aromatherapy nourishes our bodies, minds and spirits in a vital, restorative way.
Aromatherapy is healing and beautifying both for people and for the planet. Your enjoyment of Aromatherapy is also an action toward helping our fragile eco-system. The cultivation of plants to make essential oils helps the planet by encouraging the oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange which counters the ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect.
So how exactly can you practice Aromatherapy in your home? Begin by planting one flowering plant in a terrace pot or in the ground. You will be able to harvest your own aromatic bouquet to scent your home. You can purchase essential oils in the health food stores and make a room freshener by adding ten drops of any essential oil to a two-ounce spray bottle of water. Set a mood of your choice with different essential oils: lavender is very soothing and calming; Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose and the exotic Ylang-Ylang are sensual and romantic scents; Basil clears the mind and increases mental alertness.
Another way to scent your room naturally is to rub a few drops of essential oil over the light bulbs before turning on the lights. The heat from the bulb will diffuse the scent into the room. Simply rubbing your candles with an essential oil or a blend of oils will scent the room as the candles offer their soothing light. Even your closets and drawers can be touched with Aromatherapy: better than moth balls is Cedar or Eucalyptus essential oil on a cotton ball. Grandmother’s calming Lavender sachets can be duplicated with a few drops of Lavender oil on cotton balls and left wherever the scent of summer is wanted.
Aromatherapy is an effective way to calm or to stimulate the mind, to relieve stress and tension in the muscles, and to rejuvenate the skin. The beauty industry is finally beginning to encompass the whole person. Rather than simply “looking good” beauty is defined by one’s sense of inner health as well. Aromatherapy skin care products have proven to soothe, smooth, refresh and nourish the skin. Research is showing that the natural preservation properties of essential oils have a life extension effect on skin cells. In addition to their regenerating effects they have very high anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
There are many ways to apply Aromatherapy to the body. A few drops of essential oils in a bath is a healthful and effective way to wind down the day. Revive your skin and senses with an Aromatherapy facial or massage which take an hour or so and provide many hours more of stress relief and skin rejuvenation.
Alexandra Avery has been a writer and expert with The All Natural Beauty Website for several years. She is the author of the book, Aromatherapy & You. Alexandra lives and works in Hawaii giving facial treatments and creating and selling her luscious all-natural perfumes.
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Alexandra Avery has been a writer and expert with The All Natural Beauty Website for several years. She is the author of the book, Aromatherapy & You. Alexandra lives and works in Hawaii giving facial treatments and creating and selling her luscious all-natural perfumes.
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