Alternative medical therapies can become mainstream treatments, depending on where you hang your hat. Sandalwood powder and rosewater have been used traditionally in the healing systems of India and ancient Greece, and modern research confirms their usefulness as remedies for common ailments.
Anti-Aging
Sandalwood has been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as an anti-aging tool for centuries. One of the ways sandalwood is thought to slow the aging process is through natural anti-inflammatory properties that improve circulation throughout the body. This is accomplished by clearing pitta, one of three Ayurvedic body types that has to do with excess heat in body systems. Rosewater made from rose hips is also on the forefront of alternative therapies to slow aging and a treat range of diseases through anti-inflammatory action.
Calming
The aromatic effects of sandalwood and rosewater are harnessed by aromatherapists to calm the effects of nervous system imbalances. In ancient Greece, rosewater was believed to be the scent of Elysium, or heaven. As a sacred scent, rose was added to Greek baths and commonly worn as perfume. Aromatherapy uses the calming effects of rose and sandalwood to ease head tension, stress and nonchemical depression.
Antiseptic
Rosewater and sandalwood are often used by alternative healers as topical antiseptic agents. A 2009 article published in the "Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery" reported that sandalwood also had promising results against hospital-acquired infections like staphylococcus, or staph, and antibiotic-resistant infections during in vitro studies. Sandalwood and rose can also help to stifle viruses and make an effective remedy when combined in poultices treating minor cuts and scrapes and seasonal colds and flu.
References
- Herbal Ayurveda: Sandalwood
- Daily Mail: Rose Hips Could Help Tackle Inflammatory Diseases
- "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy"; Valerie Ann Worwood; 1991
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