Essential oils are fast becoming more popular as natural healing treatments, but the concept of “aromatherapy” has a long way to go to being accepted in many circles. If you’re like many people into natural health, you’ve heard of essential oils, but not quite sure of the possibilities aromatherapy might hold. That whole fancy spa treatment thing doesn’t really seem like medicine. Well, we’re here to clear up a few things — like what aromatherapy really means, and the incredibly vast healing potential that essential oils might have for you and your family. You might be surprised these little liquid gems have been scientifically validated as antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory, and even have anticancer effects. Got your attention?
The term “aromatherapy” is very misleading. It implies “aroma” is always involved in the “therapy”. But this is true only in the minority of the time! Aromatherapy is actually the entire branch of botanical and herbal medicine that utilizes the volatile natural chemical compounds extracted from plants for therapeutic use. And is so happens that these volatile aromatic compounds, the “essential oils”, are very diverse in their makeup. Some are made up of hundreds of individual molecules — and these molecules are very compatible with our own physiology. They are easily absorbed by our bodies, and remarkably have an incredible array of healing actions, just “solid” herbs and plant medicines would — just in a very concentrated form.
The foremost medical aromatherapists of our time believe the greatest potential for mankind’s use of essential oils lay in their strongly anti-infectious nature. The same way they prevent diseases for plants, they also prevent diseases for humans. It’s not that plants and humans are so much the same, but the microbes that our immune systems defend us against are similar: viruses, fungi and bacteria. There are many, many papers published on this subject freely available on the web though portals which publish the abstracts of peer-reviewed scientific research. You’d be amazed the depth of the research noting essential oils’ efficacy in combating HSV-1 and 2, along with an extensive list of bacteria and fungi.
There are many ways the home practitioner can use the oils for immune system support and illness prevention. In the “flu-season” (or anytime someone is sick at home or at work) immune-supportive and antiviral essential oils can be diffused in the air around you. Inhaling “nebulized” oils enhances the immunity of the respiratory system, and the vapor has been shown to directly inactivate “live” viruses. Practitioners will also massage essential oils (diluted in a carrier oil — must for topical application in most cases) into their feet or even their lymph nodes. The feet are a very receptive area for the activity of the oils, as they contain endpoints of meridians of the body. It is thought that different organ systems, including the respiratory system, can be treated application of oils to these “reflex” points, a practice called “reflexology”. MANY people find that if they have been treating themselves consistently with essential oils, they are the only ones who do not get sick when friends, family or co-workers do.
Along these lines are the antiseptic applications in aromatherapy. “Antiseptic” simply means an “antimicrobial” used on the skin’s surface. The most simple application is the use of Tea Tree in place of products like Neosporin, alone or in a 50/50 blend with Lavender (this is choice for use with children). Tea Tree is a very broad spectrum antiseptic, and has a wide variety of uses. It’s excellent for acne, used in a 5% concentration based either in a carrier oil like Grapeseed or Hazelnut, or aloe vera gel. Tea Tree is excellent for athlete’s foot and other mild skin infections, as are Palmarosa, Geranium and many other essential oils. All these make great smelling, healthier choices than pharmaceutical preparations.
We’ve all seen fancy skin care products with ingredients which list “botanical extracts”. Know what they’re talking about? Yes, essential oils. Because of the molecular shape of the oils, they are very readily evaporated by the skin. So much so that a “carrier oil” is always recommended to slow this absorption down, and spread it over a larger area. The beauty here is that for very little money (relative to the crazy cost of high-end skin care) you can make a formula perfectly suited to your skin’s needs. Eczema? Try German Chamomile in Tamanu. Sensitive skin with broken capillaries? Try Lavender, Helichrysum and Blue Tansy. Want help with reducing wrinkle appearance? Use the scientifically proven Rose hip seed, in conjunction with Lavender, Rosemary, Carrot Root, Frankincense and, well, this list really goes on. There are so many great oils for skin care, it’s impossible to list them all here — though it is really fun finding out which are perfect for you and how to put them together for that perfect personal recipe.
Many people are looking of alternatives to either over-the-counter or prescribed pain relievers. Aromatherapy oils again offer an array of effective solutions. Wintergreen oil is the old stand by, being the natural chemical equivalent of “liquid aspirin” (and should be used cautiously for this same reason!). Ginger and Black Pepper oils have both gentle warming actions, as well as COX inhibitors which have been shown to be potent inflammation reducers in laboratory research. Sweet Marjoram is also an excellent analgesic oil included in many arthritis and sports massage formulas. And at the pinnacle of pain relief is Helichrysum, also known as Immortelle or Everlasting. Distilled from a tiny yellow flower native to the Mediterranean, this essential oil manages to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and stimulate cellular regeneration all at the same time. Users swear it is the most effective topical pain reliever they have ever used.
And now for the really interesting stuff: Laboratory research is finding certain oils have a significant anticancer action. Frankincense, a material with one of the longest histories of medicinal use by mankind, has an amazing ability to kill cancer cells specifically, while leaving “healthy” cells alone. And it manages to do this “targeting” in the tissues of several different organs — so it’s not just potentially effective for one type of cancer, but for many. Lemongrass has a similar effect, and is the second-most researched oil for this purpose. Interestingly, one group of researchers reported the single essential component “linalool” was very potent against a certain strain of liver cancer. What’s interesting here is that many oils contain linalool, not just few. Really piques one’s interest in the potential of these natural medicines!
This is just a cursory review of the many medicinal applications essential oils are being used for by practitioners around the world. This is in addition to their stress-relieving, invigorating, and/or mind sharpening aromas — the “classic” idea of aromatherapy. Maybe one or more of these uses will give you reason to venture into the world of natural medicine by way of essential oils. They truly have a wonderful array of healing potentials for you and everyone in your family.
More aromatherapy information is available at Ananda Aromatherapy, such as in-depth scientific reasearch reviews and the history of therapeutic use of organic oils.