Aromatherapy And Essential Oils

It might not get someone to fall in love with you, but it just might get you to sleep better at night.

"It" is aromatherapy, the art of using essential oils to bring about emotional and physical changes.

Essential oils are the liquids plants release when crushed or distilled. They are called "essential" because they are believed to hold the essence of the plant's healing properties. They usually enter the body through inhalation or skin absorption.

Though wonderfully fragrant, essential oils should not be confused with perfumes or fragrance oils. The latter are created in a laboratory. They might incorporate essential oils into their formulas, but the concentrations are too diluted to retain any aromatherapy healing properties.

That is not to say more is better when it comes to essential oils. When applied in pure form, they can cause mild to severe allergic reactions. Think of what happens when you brush against poison ivy and get its oil on your skin. Not a pleasant image, is it?

Aromatherapists therefore dilute essential oils either with water or "carrier" oils, such as cold-pressed olive oil, before applying them to the body. Reliable brands will have dilution and safety instructions printed on their packaging for handy reference.

Aromatherapy experts believe essential oils work by triggering specific beneficial reactions in the body. Many times, the reaction is an emotional response. Lavender, for instance, is used for stress or insomnia because it induces a relaxed feeling. Orange, on the other hand, invigorates and energizes. It is used to counter feelings of sadness or anxiety.

Essential oils are also used to treat physical conditions. That orange oil used above to relieve sadness? It can also be prescribed for digestive problems, including diarrhea and constipation.

This multi-purpose concept is what causes aromatherapy critics to raise their eyebrows. How can orange or any other essential oil cure so many problems, including those that seem diametrically opposed?

Because little scientific research exists to back their claims, aromatherapy advocates rely upon anecdotes and personal testimony for evidence. The jury, therefore, is still out on this aspect of aromatherapy.

Despite this lack of scientific evidence, many commercial interests use what could be called "Aromatherapy Lite" to their benefit. Shopping malls infuse their ventilation systems with orange fragrance to refresh tired shoppers. Japanese banks use lemon to keep tellers alert. Cold remedies include eucalyptus to help break up sinus congestion. Everything from first-aid remedies to hair care products makes use of tea tree oil's antibacterial properties. Candles, infusers and soaps - you can even find fragrance-releasing CDs on store shelves now - all promote themselves as aromatherapy products.

As a result, aromatherapy's value for many people is likely to be what Vanderbilt University's Tom Hildebrandt calls "esthetic" rather than medicinal.

"It intends to make you happy or help you relax in use with mediation," Hildebrandt reports in his paper, What Do You Really Want to Know About Aromatherapy? (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_p sychology/aromatherapy.htm).

"Some oils also claim to be aphrodisiacs," he adds.

Aphrodisiacs?

Maybe there is something to that idea of a love potion after all.