A specific alternative method we researched about Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is defined as the use of aromatic essential oil to promote health and wellness of body, mind and emotions.


It’s Origins
It is believed that Aromatherapy originated in Egypt, around the 4,500 b.C. Aromatherapy was already used. It may be possible that the ancient Chinese civilizations were using some form of aromatics at the same time as the Egyptians. The use of aromatics in China was linked to other ancient therapies such as massage and acupressure.
Egyptians began to practice aromatherapy using the method of infusion to extract the oils from aromatic plants, which were used for their medicinal and cosmetic values as well as embalming. It is believed that Egyptians were the ones who later on built a distiller that allowed the extraction of essential oils. Hippocrates, the first Egyptian to dismiss the widespread belief that illness was caused by supernatural powers, is believed to have studied and documented more than 200 herbs.
It was later developed in India, Rome, and Greece. However, the term Aromatherapy was not used until 20th century, during the 1920’s by Réne-Maurice Gattefossé.
He was a chemist from France, who got intrigued with the use of essential oils for medicinal purposes. One day, the chemist burnt his hand by accident and plunged his arm into the nearest liquid, which was lavender essential oil. It helped him heal faster and without any scar. So he came with the idea of essential oils as antibiotic and antiseptic tools. He is credited for bringing the medicinal uses of essential oils back into focus and also for coining the term “Aromatherapy”.


How Aromatherapy Works
It works by synergistically using the properties of the chemicals in the essential oil for their correct application, which gives each essential oil its characteristic smell.
The essential oils also have different effects on the psychological and spiritual self. They help in curing the mind, body soul thus making it a holistic form of healing.


Aromatherapy works by invoking flavorings memories. The fact that a fragrance has the power to generate an emotional reaction confirms that aromatherapy has the ability to influence or affect our system. Memories carry some emotion allowing us to “relive the memories.” This causes brain through our memory to recreate the emotion related and allow us to remember what was already lived.


The therapy works in two ways: Inhalation and skin absorption. Inhalation: Is through the olfactory nerve, from where they diffuse across tiny air sacs (alveoli) into the surrounding blood capillaries and eventually find their way into the systemic circulation from where they exert their therapeutic effect. Skin absorption: the skin is a two way street capable of both absorption and excretion.
It is all processed by the olfactory system: When we smell something, the tiny particles go straight to the upper part of the nose, where they registered the information received by the cilius, and transmitted to the brain.

​
The Brain is an important factor because the information the cilius received sends electromagnetic messages to specific brain sections. This action triggers the production and liberation of certain neurochemicals.
Essential oils are the main ingredient for Aromatherapy. They are extractions from plant. They can be taken from the leaves, roots and stems as well as flowers, fruit and trunks. Essential oil is what gives plants their characteristic odor. To get a small amount of essential oil requires much plant material. More or less, on a scale of 1 to 10 tons to obtain a liter. Therefore we can deduce that they are concentrated, and because of this concentration, only a few drops are enough to achieve the desired effect.
​

The Oils are extracted several ways:
Steam distillation: oil released through evaporation and condensation is collected during.
Cold extraction: this system is more common in citrus. To extract the oil fruit press and then subjected to a centrifuge, where it is easier to take.
Effleurage: It is about putting grease on glass, put a layer of flowers and then cover glass to seal conn. The goal is that the fragrance concentrates in the fat and the longer you leave and repeat better becomes the quality of the oil.
Carrier Oils
This type of oils allows the topic application of the essential oils, which are really concentrated. Carrier oil is an odorless vegetal oil, like olive or sunflower seed oil.
The most common carrier oils are:
-Almond oil
-Olive oil
-Grape seed oil
-Sunflower seed oil
There are various ways of applying Aromatherapy.
Massage: it is a primary factor for aromatherapy.
Take a bath: you can apply aromatherapy while take a shower or a bath with hot water.
Sauna: adding some drops to the vaporized water will have great results.
Inhalation: is the most common and simple way to use aromatherapy. Yuo just have to inhale the essencial oil.
Diffusion: involves electronic devises specially designed to this task.
Humidifiers: just put some drops in a little plate and heat it slowly, a candle will do,this will work both as a vaporizer and a humudifier.
Environmental sprays: dilute a few drops in water makes it much easier to use, you only need a stir at the time.
Perfume: you use essential oils as a normal perfume.
This Table shows the most important and common essential oils and their functions within the therapy.