Aromatherapy: how much do you know?

i had the opportunity to attend a workshop in our school on Aromatherapy.

Jon , a certified aromatherapist shared with us how use essential oil appropriately and how to differentiate from fake essential oil to natural ones.

History of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy had been around for 6000 years or more. The Greeks, Romans, and ancient Egyptians all used aromatherapy oils. The Egyptian physician Imhotep recommended fragrant oils for bathing, massage, and for embalming their dead nearly 6000 years ago. Imhotep is the Egyptian god of medicine and healing. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used aromatherapy baths and scented massage. He used aromatic fumigations to rid Athens of the plague.
The modern era of aromatherapy is dawned in 1930 when the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse coined the term aromatherapy for the therapeutic use of essential oils. He was fascinated by the benefits of lavender oil in healing his burned hand without leaving any scars. He started investigating the effect of other essential oils for healing and for their psychotherapeutic benefits.
During world war II, the French army surgeon Dr. Jean Valnet used essential oils as antiseptics. Later, Madame Marguerite Maury elevated aromatherapy as a holistic therapy. She started prescribing essential oils as remedy for her patients. She is also credited with the modern use of essential oils in massage.

How Does Aromatherapy Work?

Essential oils stimulates the powerful sense of smell. It is known that odors we smell have a significant impact on how we feel.It is believed that smells enter through cilia (the fine hairs lining the nose) to the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls our moods, emotions, memory and learning.

(find out different components in different essential oil)http://holisticonline.com/Aromatherapy/aroma_how.htm

Some tips on using essential oil:

Essential oils are highly concentrated and very potent substances that can be harmful if not handled properly. Therefore, some precautions should be taken in order to avoid damaging effects and enjoy aromatherapy benefits.

1)Never apply essential oils undiluted to skin,except for lavender.most essential oils need to combine with another base oil.

2)Use small quantities of oils. use 6-8 drops at one time. remember to drink water after aromatherapy massage, as dehydration may occur.

3)Beware of potential allergic reactions.Dilute only 1 drop of the essential oil with carrier oil and apply the mix on your skin. Wait at least 24 hours to verify whether it is irritating for you or not.

4)Aromatherapy and children.Children may use essential oils only under the careful supervision of an experienced adult. Consequently, it is wise to keep the aromatherapy kit out of children’s reach. Moreover, special caution should be taken when using aromatherapy products for babies and children.

5)Aromatherapy and medical conditions. Special care should be taken in cases of health problems such as asthma, epilepsy and high blood pressure. Asthmatics and people suffering from respiratory disorders must avoid inhalations.

how to store essential properly?

Essential oils should be stored in a cool dark place or in the fridge. Try to keep temperature fluctuations as less as possible in order to preserve their therapeutic attributes. Essential oils are usually sold in small dark yellow, violet or blue glass bottles. The dark glass protects the essential oils from ultraviolet rays which may deteriorate their potency. Remember to close tightly the bottles’ lids because essential oils are volatile substances. Properly stored oils have 6 months minimum lifetime and 2-5 years maximum.

(extract from http://www.aromatherapypoint.com/aromatherapy-safety/)