"The Art of Aromatherapy" is the title of the first aromatherapy book published in English. Written by Robert B. Tisserand in 1977, the book is still one of the foremost references for aromatherapists. Aromatherapy uses essential oils, which are extracts from the leaves, seeds, flowers and roots of plants, for medicinal purposes. As an alternative therapy with few side effects, aromatherapy makes an excellent complement to traditional medicine.
History
According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, recipes for medicinal uses of essential oils appear in the Old Testament. Ancient Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used essential oils for health as well as cosmetic reasons. In the early 20th century, René-Maurice Gattefossé, a French chemist, began to study the properties of essential oils after he burned his hand in his laboratory and treated it with the nearest salve, lavender oil. Gattefossé experimented with the use of essential oils to treat soldiers in World War I with burns and skin infections. In 1928, he officially founded the practice of aromatherapy. In the 1950s, Austrian biochemist Madam Marguerite Maury began to apply essential oils to the nerve endings as the start of massage and aromatherapy. She was the first to prescribe specific combinations of essential oils for patients.
Aromatherapy and Inhalation
When you sense aromas, you activate the amygdala and hippocampus, the regions of your brain that house memory and emotion. This area, part of the limbic system of the brain, controls the autonomic nervous system, which monitors heart rate, digestion, blood pressure, breathing and stress hormones. Although scientific research cannot explain how scents reduce stress, they do interact with the body's systems affected by anxiety. An aromatherapy practitioner can use fragrance to effect emotion and enhance mood. When you inhale molecules of essential oil, they also interact with your respiratory system. For example, inhaling eucalyptus vapors can ease mucus buildup in the lungs.
Aromatherapy Application and Intake
Aromatherapy includes swallowing essential oils and also applying them on your skin. You should never swallow essential oils without the guidance of a knowledgeable aromatherapist, as many essential oils are toxic. Dilute essential oils before applying them directly to your skin. For a massage solution, create a 1 percent solution by adding essential oil to a carrier, such as avocado oil, at a ratio of one drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil. Massage makes an effective form of application because you inhale the scent of the essential oil, absorb it into your skin and receive the relaxing effects of the massage.
Research
Although there have been few clinical research studies on aromatherapy, trials are under way in the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Japan. Most blind studies use a control group that receives a placebo. Finding a neutral scent for use as a placebo can be problematic, as people often have personal emotions associated with aromas. One randomized controlled trial completed in 2008 at The Ohio State University found no change to immune status or pain control among subjects exposed to two scents. The report, published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, did find that subjects exposed to lemon felt uplifted, while those exposed to lavender had no significant emotional reaction.
Misconceptions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate essential oils. As a result, essential oils are not standardized and can vary in potency according to their method of harvest, processing and storage. Many cosmetic products contain synthetic oils that resemble essential oils but which lack their strength. A shampoo or lotion that claims to be aromatherapeutic will probably not have the same results as a consultation with a certified aromatherapist.
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