Nature has its own mysterious way of helping us on our day-to-day basis. They give us sustenance for us to feast, shelter for us to take cover and most definitely clean air for us to live. Not only that, but we also consciously breathing in natural scented aroma that is being produced off by flowers all around us and that has its own benefit. From the brightest red of the rose to the yellowest of sunflower, these consist of aroma that could help soothe some of our health concerns. The term we called nowadays is, Aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is a type of phytotherapy that makes use of aromatic herbs' volatile active components. These are plants that can synthesize an essence with the help of sunlight and photosynthesis. The use of essential oils for medicinal, curative, or preventive purposes is the emphasis of this science. The essential oils are mostly extracted via steam distillation from a part of the plant (such as the leaves, flowers or bark).
Aromatherapy dated way back to the ancient civilization. Aromatherapy has a long history dating back to 3500 BC. Aromatics were used for religious, perfume, and medicinal purposes at the period. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist, coined the term "aromatherapy" in 1935 after claiming to have successfully cured a burn using lavender essential oil. Since then, the word aromatherapy has been a huge hit till this day.
How to extract oil from plants?
Steam distillation
Is the most common process for extracting and isolating essential oils for use in natural products. This occurs when steam vaporizes the volatile compounds in the plant material, which then condense and accumulate.
Cold pressing
When delicate flowers like roses and orange blossoms are exposed to steam during the distillation process, they clump together, hence the most successful way of extraction is to submerge fragile plant material in pure boiling water instead. The water prevents overheating of the extracted oil. The separated condensed liquids cool down and separate. Hydrolate, hydrosol, herbal water, essential water, flower water, or herbal distillate are some of the names for the leftover water, which can be scented.
Different type of natural oil
There are a variety of essential oils being produced and all of each has its own purposes! We have lavender oil to help calming the mind and putting you to sleep, we have roman chamomile to ease headaches and to treat the eczema or itchy-related skin condition. We have rose to help with anxiety and help treat acne and improve complexion and the list just keeps on going!
The benefits of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is beneficial to your mental health. It can aid in the relief of depression and anxiety symptoms. Aromatherapy has also been linked to relief in children with ADHD, according to certain research. Aromatherapy and its benefits have been practiced since ancient times. Traditional medicine has been around longer than this method of treatment. Because it is generally understood, many plants and herbs are also available.
An aromatherapy massage can help you relax your muscles and forget about your worries. Honestly, sounds heaven right about now . Those who suffer from stress, depression, or anxiety can benefit greatly from this form of massage.
The disadvantages of Aromatherapy
The disadvantage is the possibility of an allergic reaction. Some people are also allergic to the smell and are unable to utilize it. Another disadvantage of aromatherapy is that many essential oils aren't pure. When you go to a spa for an aromatherapy massage, the oils are usually pure, but finding good oils on your own might be challenging. If the oils aren't pure, the massage's effects may be limited.
When shopping for aromatherapy oils, you may discover that some of the higher-quality, pure oils are quite expensive. This is true for some, but not all, versions. Pure oils can also be found for a reasonable price.
While more research is needed to completely back and support essential oils as a strategy to address various health conditions, there are still several advantages worth investigating. Before applying essential oils to the skin, remember to dilute them in a carrier oil. Essential oils should not be swallowed. Some are poisonous. Essential oils have a wide range of possible advantages, from bug bite relief to making your home smell great.