We are all familiar with chamomile tea, having been read The Tale of Peter Rabbit,
Chamomile has been used for centuries for its fragrance, relaxing properties and flavor profile. In the next several posts, we will be looking at how chamomile can be used in…
- aromatherapy
- beverages
- cosmetics and skincare
- household care, such as by repelling insects
- orally
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What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy has been described both as an art and a science…an art, because it requires a creative and skilled use of hands and eyes to figure out which essential oils, hydrosols, and carrier oils to combine together for what benefits….and a science because aromatherapy requires know the scientific aspects of the each plant and oil.
Aromatherapy is a type of holistic healing…more specifically a field referred to as phytotherapy, meaning plant therapy,
This type of holistic healing is know for using the smell of essential oils not only their physical benefits, but also for emotional health and well being,
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What are essential oils?
So what are essential oils…and where do they come from?
Essential oils are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant—such as the flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit,
The oil from these is call essential oil because “essence” that is extracted from plant material its fragrant smell.
Making essential oil requires more plan material that you would think….in fact, it takes over two hundred pounds of lavender flowers to make one pound of lavender essential oil.
Essential oils come in many different varieties…including lemon, chamomile, lavender, cedarwood, and bergamot...(more on this next post)…each with its unique smell and benefits.
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How does aromatherapy work?
So how does aromatherapy work?…Why even bother?
Essential oils directly affect the deepest parts of the brain that are responsible for basic instincts, thoughts and emotions whenever they are inhaled,,,the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain…and the hypothalamus,,,the part of the brain responsible for proeufcing chemicals such as serotonin.
