Aromatherapy is an alternative medicine which involves the use of a range of plant materials in the form of volatile oils to treat different types mental and physical health conditions. The oils used in this treatment process can be inhaled aromatically or absorbed by the skin and they are believed to improve the state of the mind and body, thus curing the condition naturally. Aromatherapy is not a new field, mention of the processes of aromatherapy can be found in the old Indian scriptures. However, the process involves separation of the volatile plant materials through steam distillation, and widespread practice of the process became possible only after steam distillation was discovered in the 11th century.
There are various components involved in aromatherapy, all of which are derived from plants and plant parts, including the flowers, seeds, bark and leaves. The components most commonly used in aromatherapy include essential oils, carrier oils, herbal distillates, phytoncides, vaporizer oils, absolutes and others. These components are often blended with each other in certain percentage to increase the potency of a particular component and to make it more effective in treating a particular condition.
Aromatherapy has been found to be highly effective to promote better physical and psychological health. The benefits of this process on the human mind and body include,
Relieves stress
In the modern world, increased amount of stress in daily life is a common factor for everyone. High work pressure, coupled with tension and lack of sleep often limits the ability of our nerves to relax, which causes even more stress. Stress works as one of the primary reasons of many physical and mental ailments. Starting from increased level of blood pressure and blood sugar; extreme and continued stress can even harm the nerve cells of the brain. Aromatherapy gives a simple yet effective way to relieve stress and to relax the nerves. Essential oils that are used for stress relief include lavender oil, lemon oil, geranium,ylangylang essential oil and others. These oils have been noted to control mood swings and temper effectively.
Fights depression
Depression is one of the most dreaded diseases of the modern world. It eats up a person from inside and the number of young patients suffering from this mental condition is increasing rapidly across the world. Aromatherapy improves mood which can cure depression naturally. The best thing about treating depression with aromatherapy is that it does not involve use of any anti-depressant that can have other side effects on your body or can hamper your regular lifestyle due to increased amount of sleep. Aromatherapy components that are commonly used to fight depression include lavender oil, chamomile, sandalwood oil and others.
Helps in sleep
Insomnia is quickly becoming very common in all the societies. Improper sleep can impact one’s mental as well as physical state, reducing his efficiency and ability to focus. Improper sleep also increases stress and can fuel depression. Aromatherapy can be highly effective to induce sleep by relaxing the senses naturally. Many of the essential oils like jasmine, chamomile, neroli, sandalwood and others are believed to work as natural sedative without side effects.
Boosts overall health
A number of essential oils are believed to have the ability to increase blood circulation in the body. Many of these oils are able to stimulate the mind naturally which can be helpful to feel more energetic. The best thing about these components of aromatherapy is that they come without any side effects of the artificial nerve stimulants and make your mind and body more active in a natural way by improving blood circulation in the body. Some of the essential oils known for their ability to improve blood circulation and promote overall wellbeing include cinnamon, cardamom, tea tree, rosemary and black pepper oils.
Slows down degeneration of brain cells
Aromatherapy has been found to be affective for reducing the rate of progress of conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These diseases cannot be cured with aromatherapy treatments but these natural stimuli can make the rate of progression of these conditions much slower. Even the current allopathic medicines for treating these conditions only concentrate on slowing down the progress of the degeneration and they come with many side effects. You can attain more or less the same results without side effects through proper aromatherapy treatments.
Improves immunity
A stronger immunity system can keep you away from any disease or condition. Aromatherapy, when used in the right way, is believed to boost the natural immunity system of the body, without over-taxing it. Essential oils used in aromatherapy provide anti-bacterial as well as anti-fungal effects and can be really effective to keep you safe from infections. The essential oils which are extensively used for boosting immunity include lemon oil, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon, peppermint and others. By improving the natural immunity system of the body and through increased blood flow, aromatherapy can also be helpful to quicken the natural healing process of the body.
Apart from the above, aromatherapy and many of its components also have extensive applications in hair and skin care. They can be used effectively to fight scalp infections, hair fall and immature greying as well as to fight signs of aging on the skin.
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Originally posted in Beauty & Health Tips
