History of aromatherapy
The oldest and most ancient civilizations such as China, India, Egypt and Greece used essential oils to make cosmetics, perfumes and medicines. Likewise, in Central America the essences of plants and flowers were used especially for body baths.
It was in the early Middle Ages when the way to extract essential oils from plants was first discovered. Aromatherapy, as it is known today, took off at the beginning of the 20th century with the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, who studied the effects of essential oils on many kinds of diseases and was the one who coined the term aromatherapy. . Between 1980 and 1990 the popularity of this technique grew in Western countries in parallel with the increase in interest in complementary and alternative medicine in these countries.
What is aromatherapy?
- Technique derived from herbalism that uses plant compounds and essential oils extracted from aromatic plants to improve health and mood by inhaling or applying the oils to the skin.
- Since the curative effect of this technique on various diseases for which its use has been widespread has not been scientifically proven, it is not considered part of conventional medicine, and therefore becomes part of complementary therapies or alternative medicine.
For what do you use it?
- Cure of diseases: Although there is no scientific evidence of its operation, there are those who use this therapy as a cure for multiple diseases such as arthritis, muscle and joint pain, rheumatism, bronchitis, cramps, colds and colds, cellulite, hangover, dermatitis, constipation or poor circulation. According to scientists, the relationship between aromatherapy and the cure of these diseases is probably reduced to a mere “placebo effect.”
Supportive treatment
- For example, in the case of cancer, aromatherapy is often indicated as a supportive treatment to relieve the symptoms of cancer or the side effects caused by aggressive treatments to treat this disease.
Psychological effects
- Essential oils have supposedly relaxing, balancing, stimulating, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, and mind-stimulating psychological effects.
essential oils
- Also known as volatile oils, they are the basic components of aromatherapy that are made from the fragrances and essences found in many plants. It is made from special plant cells, usually under the surface of the leaves or bark, using the energy they obtain from the sun and the elements of air, earth and water. If the plant is squeezed, it releases its unique essence and fragrance. When these essences are extracted naturally, distilled with steam or water, or in a mechanical press without the need for chemical processes, what are considered true essential oils are obtained.
- The essential oils most used for aromatherapy are Roman chamomile, geranium, lavender, tea tree, lemon, cedar and bergamot. These oils are very concentrated and very volatile, they evaporate quickly when exposed to air.
How does aromatherapy work?
- Aromatherapy is based on the sense of smell. The aromas enter through the nose reaching the olfactory mucosa, where the olfactory sensory cells, supporting cells and basal cells are located. The aqueous mucus is responsible for transporting aromas to the cilia, small mobile appendages of regular length found in the cells and which transform odors into chemical signals. Aromatic signals are conducted by special receptor cells to the Limbic System (It is made up of parts of the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, cerebral amygdala, corpus callosum, septum and midbrain. The Limbic System interacts very quickly with the endocrine system and the peripheral nervous system.) and to the hypothalamus. After a short time, a large part of the odor signal reaches the cerebral cortex and makes us aware of the perceived odor.
- These perceptions produce different stimuli in the human brain, they can cause relaxing stimuli or even awaken a certain memory, since smells are managed in the Limbic System, the place in the brain where emotions are processed.
How are the treatments applied?
- One of the main ways is the application of essential oils by diluting them in hot water so that the water vapor mixed with the essences is absorbed through the respiratory system. This inhalation can be directly or indirectly, through environmental diffusion.
- Another possibility is through the skin, indirectly applying a few drops of one or more essential oils combined with carrier oils according to need. The skin protects from the harmful effects of plant chemicals and at the same time absorbs the active ingredients. If essential oils come into direct contact with the skin, they can cause reactions such as burns or irritation because they are so concentrated.
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