24 Aug aromatherapy
Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years and evidence of the use of essential oils has been found in many of the earliest civilisations in India, China, Greece and Egypt. Plants and the oils obtained from plants were used in a variety of ways from religious ceremony, food flavouring and perfume as well as for medicinal use. Aromatherapy has its origins in traditional herbal medicine, and each essential oil has its own unique therapeutic properties.
Aromatherapy today is very different, as medicine has advanced and allowed scientific testing of essential oils and promoted a greater understanding of how different plants affect physical and mental health. Research through clinical trials, case histories studying patient outcome data and has shown us that Aromatherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for many conditions, either in its own right or alongside medical treatment, when carried out by a qualified practitioner.
Aromatherapy is a very popular form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and is one of the most popular treatments I do. I also use essential oils in a lot of my other treatments, for example in my Reflexology Treatments I soak the feet in a warm Aromatherapy footbath first. I also use them in Indian Head Massage, Ear Candling and Hot Stone Treatments as a lovely way of enhancing the treatment.
The true art of Aromatherapy lies in the choosing and blending together of several good quality essential oils, depending on the individual needs of the client at that particular time. One of the most common way of using essential oils is in Therapeutic Massage, where several oils are blended together with a carrier oil and applied directly to the skin. Soothing and relaxing, the treatments I carry out are not just something to make time for if you feel unwell or have aches and pains, but a wonderful treat to have to keep you feeling less stressed and more healthy.
Essential oils can also be used in steam inhalation, in an oil burner/diffuser or in the bath, but must always be diluted and not applied directly to the skin, as they are extremely concentrated. Essential oils should never be ingested or taken by mouth in any form.
The quality of essential oils is important if you want to achieve a good result, as usual you get what you pay for! The low cost aromatherapy “kits” with an oil burner and two or three bottles of essential oil are fine to fill your home or work space with a nice smell, however these will usually contain artificial perfumes and would not generally be of good enough quality for therapeutic use.
Good quality essential oils are certified by the Aromatherapy Trace Council (ATC), who regulate both the quality and safety of essential oils. All the oils I use are from ATC approved retailers, I mainly use Neal’s Yard Organic at Poppy Therapies as I have found their quality to be excellent.
If you need any advice of have any questions, or you would like to purchase Neal’s Yard Organic Essential Oils or book in for a treatment, you can contact me using the “Contact Me” tab above.
© Carol Bailey 2021
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