The technique uses essential oils to improve physical and mental health
Aromatherapy is a therapy that uses essential oils, extracted from plants, flowers, fruits, roots, resins and barks. The technique balances, harmonizes and promotes physical, mental and emotional health well-being. It is currently recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a complementary therapy. It is even offered by the Unified Health System (SUS) as a National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices.
Purpose of aromatherapy
According to aromatherapist Solange Lima, aromatherapy is a integrative practice which helps balance and harmonize physical, mental and emotional health, offering well-being and balance. When combined with massage, acupuncture, reiki, psychotherapy or energy techniques, for example, it can enhance the effect of essential oils and bring about short-term results.
benefits of aromatherapy
Some benefits of using essential oils:
- Helps relieve stressful situations;
- Fighting irritation and aggression;
- Generates calming effects;
- Helps to elevate self-esteem and self-love;
- They can improve an emotional, family and professional relationship;
- Brings emotional balance and a sense of well-being;
- They help in states of anxiety and depression;
- Relieve the symptoms of diseases;
- Amenify chronic pain;
- Improves the quality of sleep, bringing calm and tranquility;
- Contribute to the functioning of the immune system.
“Remembering that it is a work that integrates medical care, through emotional balance and acting on the emotional cause of diseases,” Solange Lima points out.
How essential oils are used
One of the ways to use essential oils occurs by inhalation. Aromatherapy demonstrates that there are links between smell and sensations. When you inhale aromas, your olfactory channels send messages directly to your limbic system, which is the part of your nervous system responsible for emotions. For this, nasal inhalers, air fresheners, electric and ultrasound diffusers and personal aromatic necklaces can be used.
“Smell is the sense most connected to brain regions involved in emotions and memories. Certain smells can activate the hypothalamus, resulting in the production of hormones that control physiological functions such as appetite and sexual behavior,” explains Solange File.
Another way to use essential oils is to apply them to the skin. However, they must be used in the form of natural cosmetics based on vegetable oils and essential oils, such as creams, shampoos, soaps, facial products, foot baths, among others.
“Never use a pure oil on your skin. Therefore, care should be taken when using them [os óleos] just diluted vegetable oils, neutral bases of moisturizer or grain alcohol. Only aromatherapists can indicate the correct quantities and dilutions for an individualized treatment”, underlines the specialist.
Essential oils and memories
Another brain region activated by essential oils is the hippocampus, which is important for the formation of olfactory memories. A smell can, for example, evoke memories of our childhood or positive or negative experiences.
“We do not erase memories, once they are recorded, they will become part of our lives, as they are recorded in the brain. It is there that we can work, with the use of essential oils, emotions related to these memories. There are many essential oils suitable for clean old emotions, which can contaminate our memory,” says Solange Lima.
Contraindications of aromatherapy
Solange Lima makes that clear, even though she’s one natural practice, there are contraindications. For example, pregnant women, children and the elderly must be careful when using essential oils. “Since essential oils are concentrated and each drop can have more than 200 chemical components in its composition, they can in fact have different contraindications, it will depend on the individual,” she points out.
Ylang-ylang (oriental flower) essential oil, for example, has a strong, exotic aroma. Therefore, it should be avoided by those with low blood pressure. “Some oils, such as rosemary, cannot be used for hypertension and epilepsy. [há] the importance of always following an aromatherapist, who is the most suitable professional”, adds the specialist.
history of aromatherapy
The term “aromatherapy” was first used in the 20th century by Maurice René Gattefossé, a French chemist. However, the principles on which the technique is based date back to very ancient times. There are 40,000 BC, the Australian aborigines already used aromatic plants, such as Melaleuca alternifolia (Also known as tea tree), which has antiviral and antibacterial action.
aromatherapy in asia
India is one of the richest regions in aromatic plants. More than 7000 BC, the famous “aromatic waters” have been used in Ayurvedic medicine. In China, 4500 BC, the Red Emperor Shen Nong wrote the oldest treatise on herbal medicine, in which he mentions numerous aromatic plants.
Use of aromatic herbs in Ancient Egypt
In Ancient Egypt, considered one of the cradles of medicine, aromatic plants were also used. In the embalming technique, for example, aromatic essences and alchemical anointings were used to preserve the bodies of pharaohs and priests. In addition, much knowledge of the uses of herbs and essential oils has been recorded on the papyri. Some of them are even exhibited in the Leipzig Museum in Germany.
“Cleopatra was the first aromatherapist in history, who used jasmine, patchouli and roses, with the intention of seducing. It is said that she filled containers of water with rose petals and dipped the pigeons, then released them into the environment and, while fluttering their wings, they perfumed the environment. In this way, she seduced men,” says the aromatherapist.
Solange Lima
Integrative therapist and numerologist. For over 10 years she has been involved in holistic therapy, associated with natural techniques: chromotherapy, aromatherapy, reiki and flowers to help soothe and balance emotions.
Source: Terra
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