Aromatherapy, Essential Oils and Benefits

Aromatherapy uses essential oils for their remedial properties. All essential oils or essences can be divided into three classes: (i) terpenic (ii) oxygenated and (iii) sulphurized. All have antiseptic, healing and anti-bacterial properties and above all different chemical structures.

Essences are not only useful because of their bacterial action but also due to their healing effects obtained by means of a range of activities. They are also used in beauty products like soap, shampoo, perfumes and lotions. These aroma products with remedial properties help to treat acne and other skin disorders.

Essences can be divided according to these activities: antispasmodic or spasmolytic, stimulatory, hormonal and anti-fermentative. In this connection it is remarkable how the traditional use of certain plants has now been justified by qualitative analysis of their essences.

In old days people sprinkled themselves with the essence of rosemary, sage, thyme, and other fragrant plants as a protection against contagious diseases during epidemics.

It has been proved that many plants for example, produce substances with hormonal qualities similar to the female ovarian hormones and therefore behave in the same way. Sage, willow, hops, and liquorice have long been popular remedies to increase the milk flow of a nursing mother or to correct and stabilize the menstrual flow. There are most likely many other types of plant that produce such hormones or others that are akin to them. It is important, therefore, that these valuable natural resources should be discovered, classified and used under strict medical control to avoid dependence on ill-tolerated synthetic preparations.

Many people have the personal experience of the anti-putrefactive and anti-fermentative uses of certain essential oil-producing plants such as funnel, coriander and anise, which are especially effective remedies against such complaints as gastritis and colitis.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

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