Aromatherapy is a form of herbal medicine, in which healing effects are ascribed to the aromatic compounds in essential oils and other plant extracts. Many common essential oils have medicinal properties that have been applied in folk medicine since ancient times and are still widely used today. For example, many essential oils have antiseptic properties, though some are stronger than others. In addition, many have an uplifting effect on the mind, though diffe ...

See also:

Essential oil, Essential oil - Production, Essential oil - Perfumery, Essential oil - Aromatherapy, Essential oil - Popular uses, Essential oil - Dangers, Essential oil - Raw Materials

Read more here: » Essential oil: Encyclopedia II - Essential oil - Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy, commonly associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is the use of volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs), and other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or health. The word was coined in the 1920s by French chemist René Maurice Gattefossé. The main branches of aromatherapy include: Home aromatherapy (self treatment, perfume & cosmetic use) Clinical aromatherapy (as part of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy) Aromachology (the psycho ...

Including:

• Aromatherapy - Materials
• Aromatherapy - Theory
• Aromatherapy - Application
• Aromatherapy - Therapeutic effects
• Aromatherapy - Criticism

Read more here: » Aromatherapy: Encyclopedia - Aromatherapy

When aromatherapy is used for the treatment or prevention of disease, a precise knowledge of the bioactivity and synergy of the essential oils used, knowledge of the dosage and duration of application, as well as, naturally, a medical diagnosis, are required. In the Anglo-Saxon world, even among "natural" practitioners like herbalists or naturopaths, aromatherapy is regarded more as an art form than a valid healing science. At best, it is viewed as a complementary and seldom the only treatment prescribed. On the continent, especially in Fran ...

See also:

Aromatherapy, Aromatherapy - Materials, Aromatherapy - Theory, Aromatherapy - Application, Aromatherapy - Therapeutic effects, Aromatherapy - Criticism

Read more here: » Aromatherapy: Encyclopedia II - Aromatherapy - Theory

aromatherapy

The art of healing and wellness using essential oils and oil blends. Depending on the remedy, application may be internal, external or as an inhalant

(See also: Aromatherapy , Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

AROMATHERAPY: uses essential oils from flowers, trees, roots, herbs, berries and fruits, to treat emotional disorders such as stress and anxiety as well as a wide range of other ailments and to promote physical, mental and emotional wellness. Oils are either massaged into the skin in diluted form, inhaled, placed in baths, or applied on and around the body.

Aromatherapy is often used in conjunction with massage therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, herbology, chiropractic and other wholistic healing.

What is aromatherapy?

It is the controlled use of natural essential oils in the process of physical and emotional healing. You may have discovered that in some ways, you've been experiencing aromatherapy most of your life without even knowing it.

We have all experienced memory recall triggered by a particular scent; perhaps the scent of a favorite flower, or the perfume your grandmother used to wear, or an aunt's linen closet. The event can produce positive or negative memories. Certain scents may trigger negative thoughts of a person or place in your past. Whatever the case, the importance of scent in our lives is quite profound and in some ways, unique to each of us. Aromatherapy is a way to enjoy a controlled use of natural oils to enrich and benefit your life.

What are essential oils?

Whole, pure essential oils come from nature; they are the "essence" of plants. They are droplets of water-like fluid contained in the leaves, stems, bark, flowers, roots and/or fruits of different plants, and give the plant its unique scent. Essential oils are volatile, whereas they easily transfer from a liquid to a gaseous state at room temperature or higher. The amount of essential oil found in most plants is 1 to 2%, but can contain amounts from 0.01 to 10%. They can change in composition and location with a particular plant. For example, orange trees produce neroli oil in their blossoms, orange oil in their citrus, and petitgrain oil in their leaves. Essential oils are also very concentrated and extremely potent, and sometimes 75 to 100 times more concentrated than say, the herb it is present in. This is all the more reason to use these oils with thorough knowledge of their potency.

How are essential oils extracted?

There are two common procedures for extracting true essential oils:

1. Steam distillation
2. Expression

 The process of steam distillation has 5 steps:

1. Steam plant material
2. Collect steam carrying aromatic molecules
3. Cool in cold-water bath
4. Produce floral water and essential oil
5. Separate essential oil, then bottle

This process is also the most popular for obtaining the essential oils from plants. The steam is forced into a vat containing the plant material, which ruptures the oil glands and releases the oil. The volatile oils are cooled, separated from the water content, and bottled. It may take hundreds or thousands of pounds of plant material to distill a single pound of the essential oil. Bulgarian Rose oil requires about 4,000 pounds of hand-picked flower petals to make 1 pound of oil, obviously making this one expensive oil!

The second method, extraction, has 4 major steps:

1. Have citrus peels
2. Machine press
3. Obtain essential oils and fruit waxes
4. Separate oils, then bottle

This method is primarily used in the perfume and food industries, and does not produce a 100% pure essential oil. Solvents are used in the process to pull out the soluable molecules; therefore making them incomplete oils. Resins, concretes, absolutes, and pomades result from this method.

How are essential oils taken in?

Essential oils are absorbed into the body two ways; through the skin and through nasal inhalation. Our sense of smell, controlled by the olfactory system, is some 10,000 times greater than any other sense. The olfactory system is directly linked to the limbic system, which is responsible for our emotional state, memory, and certain regulatory function.

Essential oils also penetrate the skin, or the integumentary system. Because essential oils have a low molecular weight and are organic in nature, they are absorbed through the pores and hair follicles of the skin, and unlike synthetic chemicals, they do not accumulate in the body. Absorption can take place anywhere from 15 minutes to 12 hours, and take from 3 to 6 hours to be metabolized in a healthy body. Excessive fat or toughened skin may slow down the rate of absorption; whereas heat, water, exercise, or broken skin may speed it up.

How are essential oils used?

Aromatherapy is used to self-heal and soothe common, everyday health challenges. It is by no means a replacement for the opinion of a licensed physician, and should always be used with respect.

As with all things derived from nature, some essential oils are considered hazardous, and under certain circumstances, should be avoided. Some are phototoxic, neurotoxic, or carcinogenic, and safety precautions should always be considered when working with and administering any essential oil.

Here are common-sense safety points to note:

1. Avoid essential oils deemed as hazardous
2. Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children.
3. Remember essentail oils are very potent.
4. Do not take orally.
5. Follow dilution guidelines carefully. Never use an oil without first diluting.
6. Use 1% or less dilution during pregnancy.
7. Be aware of others with sensitivities or allergies.
8. Do not use on or near the eyes.
9. Do a skin patch test if prone to sensitivities.
10. Use extra care on broken or damaged skin.
11. Avoid phototoxic essential oils if history of skin cancer.
12. Keep them away from light and heat sources.
13. Use only therapeutic genuine and authentic essential oils.

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

vibrational medicine (energetic medicine, energetics medicine, energy medicine, subtle-energy medicine, vibrational healing, vibrational therapies): Healing philosophy whose main tenet is that humans are dynamic energy systems (body/mind/spirit complexes) and reflect evolutionary patterns of soul growth.

Its principles include the following:

(a)   Health and illness originate in subtle energy systems.

(b)  These systems coordinate the life-force and the physical body.

(c)   Emotions, spirituality, and nutritional and environmental factors affect the subtle energy systems.

Vibrational medicine embraces acupuncture, aromatherapy, Bach flower therapy, chakra rebalancing, channeling, color breathing, color therapy, crystal healing, absent healing, Electroacupuncture According to Voll (EAV), etheric touch, flower essence therapy, homeopathy, Kirlian photography, laserpuncture, the laying on of hands, meridian therapy, mesmerism, moxibustion, orthomolecular medicine, Past-life Regression, Polarity Therapy, psychic healing, psychic surgery, radionics, the Simonton method, sonopuncture, Toning, Transcendental Meditation, and Therapeutic Touch.

The expressions energy healing, energy work, and energetic healing work appear synonymous with vibrational medicine.

(See also: Vibrational medicine , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

aromatherapy (aromatic medicine, conventional aromatherapy, holistic aromatherapy): Branch of herbal medicine that centers on using fragrant substances, particularly oily plant extracts, to alter mood or to improve individuals' health or appearance. The benefits of aromatherapy range from stress relief to enhancement of immunity and the unlocking of emotions from past experiences. Although aromatherapy has ancient roots, proponents did not call it aromatherapy before the 1930s. It derives from the French word aromathŽrapie, coined by RenŽ Maurice GattefossŽ, a French chemist whose book of the same name was published in 1928. After a lab explosion GattefossŽ conveniently plunged his badly burned hand into a vat of lavender oil. He noticed how well it healed, and thus began the development of modern aromatherapy, which French homeopaths Dr. and Mme. Maury revived in the 1960s.

In aromatherapy substances are essential oils (oils that are volatile, aromatic, and flammable) from flowers, fruits, grasses, leaves, roots, and wood resins. Manners of use of such oils include sniffing, ingestion, addition to bathwater, and application to the skin (typically with massage). One of aromatherapy's principles is that essential oils have a spiritual dimension and can restore balance and harmony both to one's body and to one's life. One of its principles, the doctrine of signatures, holds that a plant's visible and olfactory characteristics reveal its secret qualities. For example, because the configuration of the violet suggests shyness, aromatherapists hold that its scent engenders calmness and modesty. Some proponents have characterized essential oils as the soul or spirit of plants.

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

 A study at The Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, England, demonstrated the health benefits of Aromatherapy through the practice of aromamassage. Thirty-six patients in the ICU and CCU were given massages, some with aroma oils and others without. The results showed a 91% reduction in heart rate for the group treated to aromamassage, a 51% reduction in the other massage group receiving unscented oils, and only 41% in the control group which received "standard care" treatments.

Read more here: » Aromatherapy: It All Makes Scents

AROMATHERAPY: Aromatherapy is a unique branch of herbal medicine that utilizes the medicinal properties found in the essential oils of various plants.

Through a process of steam distillation or cold-pressing, the volatile constituents of the plant's oil (its essence) are extracted from its flowers, leaves, branches or roots.

According to Dr. (rer. nat.) Kurt Schnaubelt, Director of the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy, the term "aromatherapy" is somewhat misleading, as it can suggest an exclusive role for the aroma in the healing process. "In actuality," says Dr. Schnaubelt, "the oils exert much of their therapeutic effect through their pharmacological properties and their small molecular size, making them one of the few therapeutic agents to easily penetrate bodily tissues."

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

This is a sitemap for Alternative Health - A . Click on a link and you will find multiple definitions and articles related to the word.

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Alternative Health Dictionary

Alternative Health Dictionary - A, Alternative Health Dictionary - B, Alternative Health Dictionary - C, Alternative Health Dictionary - D, Alternative Health Dictionary - E, Alternative Health Dictionary - F, Alternative Health Dictionary - G,Alternative Health Dictionary - H, Alternative Health Dictionary - I, Alternative Health Dictionary - J,Alternative Health Dictionary - K, Alternative Health Dictionary - L, Alternative Health Dictionary - M, Alternative Health Dictionary - N, Alternative Health Dictionary - O, Alternative Health Dictionary - P, Alternative Health Dictionary - Q, Alternative Health Dictionary - R, Alternative Health Dictionary - S, Alternative Health Dictionary - T, Alternative Health Dictionary - U, Alternative Health Dictionary - V, Alternative Health Dictionary - W, Alternative Health Dictionary - X, Alternative Health Dictionary - Y, Alternative Health Dictionary - Z,

Also see these pages:

Sanskrit Dictionary , Theosophy Dictionary , Hinduism Dictionary , Spiritual Dictionary, Mysticism Dictionary .

Read more here: » Alternative Health Sitemap I - A

Aromatherapy: Herbal medicine, use of essential oils from plants, flowers, trees and herbs to achieve health, vitality and rejuvenation of the body, mind and spirit.

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

Aromatherapy - The treatment of disease through the use of various aromatic herbs, volatile oils, and similar preparations.

(See also: Aromatherapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

The pursuit of prosperity is a constant driving force and desire for most of us and most requests for spell-work that come my way involve love or prosperity.

To begin, let me state outright that you can not simply burn a candle and sit back like a couch potato and expect a windfall. You must be taking some action outside "the circle" to draw good fortune to you. While karma does play a role in this as in all matters, you can facilitate the attraction of abundance. Here are some of my favorite ways to draw prosperity into your life.

Read more here: » Prosperity: Spells, rituals and other techniques to attract prosperity

Flower essences are an alternative healing remedy that is used specifically for emotional healing. Flower essences, also called flower remedies, are made from the blooms of specific flowering plants and trees. Flower essences are so useful for emotional sensitivity that it is almost as though they were made exactly for the issue of empathic ability.

Read more here: » Flower Essences: Emotional Healing with Flower Essences

The Herbal Dictionary

A herbal dictionary with definitions.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

About dreams and how we can improve our dream recalling abilities.

Read more here: » Meaning of Dreams: Remembering Your Dreams

Of course there are as many ways to perform magic as there are people doing it. This is my own personal opinion and preference. There are no rights and wrongs in magic, so do what feels right for you. Magic should not be performed for fun or to fulfill wishes. It should be performed to improve your life and the lives of those you love by solving NEEDS.

Read more here: » Magic Spells: How To Cast a Spell - A Simple, Easy Guide to Creating Magic for Beginners

Acupuncture and acupressure are two non-drug therapies which are making their presence felt in the complementary medicine scene. And acupressure and reflexology are getting the crowds because of ease of practice. But how do these gentle systems work?

Read more here: » Acupuncture and Acupressure: How do Acupuncture and Acupressure work?

AROMATHERAPY: 

1) use of various flower, herb, oil and incense fragrances and smells.   

2) HOLISTIC AROMA: uses massage and smell. 

3) MAGICKAL AROMA: uses smell and visualization.

(See also: AROMATHERAPY , Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary

AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy has been practiced in one form or another since the beginning of civilization. Almost every part of the world has some history of using aromatherapy in their health care system. Modern-day aromatherapy began with the work of a French chemist, Maurice Gattefosse (1881-1950). He studied the psychological and physiological effects of essential oils on many patients from the First World War. Essential oils were found to promote wound healing and recovery, and prevent infection. 

Aromatherapy is the art and science of using oils extracted from aromatic plants to enhance health and beauty. The essential oils used in aromatherapy are sometimes called a plant's "life force", because they are essential to the plant's biological process, as well as being the substance that gives it its scent.

Apart from the physical benefits, essential oils can have subtle effects on the mind and emotions. Synthetic oils, even if chemically similar, will lack all the natural elements and the vital life force that make essential oils so valuable therapeutically. Many clinical conditions can be helped through the use of essential oils.

Clinical aromatherapy uses essential oils to achieve specific outcomes. Psycho aromatherapy can improve mood and perceptions through smell. Aromatherapy can improve breathing and eliminate nausea. Essential oils can ease muscle pain. Aromatherapy is enjoyed by ill children and the elderly and is very safe when a skilled aroma therapist provides the instruction.

(See also: AROMATHERAPY , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Aromatherapy Dictionary