Benefits of Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy Benefits The Economy Sometimes, you may be experiencing aromatherapy benefits without even realizing it. Just by walking into the cosmetics section of a department store, you are sampling the myriad fragrances on offer behind the counters. It purveys a spirit of decadence, a desire to own the products you can smell. Or, while pushing the shopping cart through the supermarket, the aroma of fresh bread wafts from the baked goods section, enticing you to buy wholesome, grainy goodness for your family. On a balmy summer night, the air can be heady with scents of jasmine and cut grass, triggering reminders of happy childhood holidays with the family. Insomnia costs the U.S. a mint! Sometimes, you may be experiencing aromatherapy benefits without even realizing it. Just by walking into the cosmetics section of a department store, you are sampling the myriad fragrances on offer behind the counters. It purveys a spirit of decadence, a desire to own the products you can smell. Or, while pushing the shopping cart through the supermarket, the aroma of fresh bread wafts from the baked goods section, enticing you to buy wholesome, grainy goodness for your family. On a balmy summer night, the air can be heady with scents of jasmine and cut grass, triggering reminders of happy childhood holidays with the family. Aromatherapy benefits should never be underestimated. Our olfactory senses serve as important cue-givers for significant events, frames of mind and danger alerts. Applying these principles proactively is the practice of aromatherapy, a kind of mild hypnosis through the nose, where your emotions and bodily health can be influenced by what you smell. The beauty industry has boomed on the back of selling aromatherapy benefits to clients looking for something other than manicures and body waxing. Whereas a visit to the salon was considered part of a woman’s essential grooming regime (albeit a very enjoyable one), it has become a relaxing time to escape for a while. Beauty salons don’t call themselves that anymore. They’re now “day spas” or “sanctuaries”, welcoming havens that offer whole experiences, rather than individual services. It could be argued that taking advantage of aromatherapy benefits helps to alleviate the burden on the medical system. Wrongdiagnosis.com reports that thirty-two million people (roughly one eighth of the population) in the United States suffer from insomnia. According to the World Health Organisation, the estimated direct cost of the condition in the U.S. in 1995 was US$13.9 billion. Imagine if all those victims of sleepless nights doused a handkerchief with soothing oils of chamomile, bergamot and clary sage, tucked it into their pillow and didn’t miss work due to exhaustion, didn’t visit the doctor for pills and didn’t require evaluation by sleep specialists. Relief from stress, depression, low energy, headaches and other health disorders can all be listed as aromatherapy benefits. The inhalation of herbal infusion blends can induce a calming effect on hardened work warriors and children alike. In fact, youngsters respond very well to the use of fragrance to allay fears and calm nerves. The use of lavender, orange and nutmeg as a room spray before bedtime can keep “monsters” at bay, or before school and onto clothes can result in a more relaxed child heading off for math tests or school band auditions. The healing properties of fragrant materials such as essential oils are well documented and widely recognized as valid. While they may never replace modern medicine as the number one method of treating certain conditions, aromatherapy certainly has a role to fulfil in a society constantly seeking less intrusive health solutions. Who knows? There may come a time when it isn’t an apple a day that keeps the doctor away, but a diffuser in the corner of the room emitting healing, natural scents.

It is a proven fact thar aromatherapy can help many ailments ranging from pain to insomnia. Nature put these flowers and plants out there and I figure why not use what mother earth gave us!

In a website (http://www.aworldofaromatherapy.com/aromatherapy-origins.htm)i just visited in order to reply to this discussion, i learned that Aromatherapy, as it is practiced today, began with the Egyptians, who used the method of infusion to extract the oils from aromatic plants which were used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes as well as embalming. The Greeks acquired most of their medical knowledge from the Egyptians and used it to further their own discoveries. They found that the fragrance of some flowers was stimulating while others had relaxing properties. The use of olive oil as the base oil absorbed the aroma from the herbs or flowers and the perfumed oil was then used for both cosmetic and medicinal purposes. thanks for posting this discussion. i've learned a lot from this.

How very interesting. Thank you for sharing this information. I always thought aromatherapy was just another marketing ploy to get us to buy new products and scents. I will have to look into this in more detail now.