Experience the effect of aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, as the name implies, is therapy through smell or scent, or to be more precise, aroma. But the therapy known as Aromatherapy, does not use each and every aroma that exists, but only the fragrance of essential oils that have been prepared under very careful conditions. It is not necessary to be massaged with essential oils to experience the effects of Aromatherapy; many people burn or vaporise oils or soak handkerchiefs or other items that will allow the scent to be experienced fully and still other people experience the relaxing, therapeutic effects of Aromatherapy in conjunction with massage.

Essential oils are extracted from organically grown plants. The parts of the plant used depends upon the oil to be extracted, that is, it could be the roots, leaves, stalks or the whole plant. The oils thus extracted can be broken down into various chemicals, which have therapeutic properties. The training of an Aromatherapist centres on understanding the effects of these chemicals; it should be noted that in some cases they could be toxic when not applied correctly.

The scent of the oils enters the body via the skin (as in being applied during massage) where they enter the blood stream and act directly on the nervous system. Or, they enter through the nose where they act on the olfactory bulb and in turn on the hypothalamus (the main endocrine (hormonal) system gland the controls all other glands) located in the brain. In this way, Aromatherapy can affect the nervous and endocrine systems and, as a result, affect all bodily functions or systems. From this, it can be seen that such conditions as stress and depression can be helped which implies that many other related conditions can also be helped.

For infants and children, Aromatherapy may be able to help with: eczema; impetigo; coughs and colds; bronchitis; asthma; earache; mouth and gum infections; mumps; chicken pox; measles; influenza; fevers; anxiety. Parents can learn to massage their babies and children with "Baby Massage". This gives an ideal opportunity for mothers and fathers to bond with their children, over the age of six weeks, as well as cope with problems such as hyperactivity, insomnia, colic and stomach ache. Babies that are massaged are said to be more alert, gain weight faster and be less anxious which means that they will sleep more soundly.

For adults, Aromatherapy may be able to help with: skin disorders; heart and circulation problems; breathing/respiratory problems; digestion system problems; disorders due to a suppressed immune system; calming the nervous system (stress, insomnia, depression, headaches, etc.).