How Aromatherapy can fight stress. Part III

Scientific studies have proven that a severe stress can affect the immune system in a way that can trigger physical problems that can affect your mental health.
Pure Aromatherapy puts into action the brain waves and the Central Nervous System (CNS), stimulating them with diverse fragrances that allow people experience happiness, pleasure and other sensations with just inhaling the aromatic ether of herbs and flowers, demonstrating in this way that mind is very related to the concept of wellness.

Frequently, stressed people experience headaches, stomach problems or infections. In a parallel way, they are anxious, irritating, or have sleep disorders.
Aromatherapy Pure works at a mental and emotional level, considering the individual in a holistic way, that is, entirely.

The brain records aroma faster than pain. Smell is the only sense that trespasses the bloodstream right to the central nervous system.

Just by smelling the molecules of essential oils there is a direct access to the limbic area of the brain, the emotional center and memory.

Past and recent tests indicate that aromas act over the CNS, suggesting that aromatherapy can increase the levels of work performance, data retention, and relaxation. It instills positive feeling in people that influence in physical changes.

How Aromatherapy can fight stress. Part II

A more natural way the body has to get distressed is aromatherapy, which uses pure essential oils, non-adulterated, nor-diluted, to ease anxiety and improve states of mind. All the old formulas it is based might have been already effective but nowadays, supported by scientific research, it recovers a new vigor.

Ancient Greeks used to cure over 80 diseases with products extracted from plants. To obtain from plants an essential oil, leaves, roots, flowers, resins and wood chips are distilled, achieving through this way a concentrated that is enhanced with a carrier oil, a pure vegetal oil used for dilution.Quality and purity of this mix is what allows the therapeutic effect, where senses play an important role.

The patient just has to inhale the aromatic steams, which molecules are transformed into a signal that goes from the smell bulb to the limbic system and the hypothalamus (brain). Here, neurochemicals are activated (serotonin, endorphins, noradrenalin, etc.) that when are liberated, produce an infinite number of results, pain relief and other effects that favor the general wellbeing of the patient.

How Aromatherapy can fight stress. Part I

In these hectic days, most of us live surrendered by the daily grind, the fast changes of modern life, the pressure of our jobs and our family environment.
The action and effect of all that has a result a real epidemic called stress, where the reaction of your organism towards an adverse situation demands a lot from us in every aspect.

To overcome with this, medical and health researchers have come up with single or combined anti stress methods and treatments.

Among these, we can find traditional treatments, sports, healthy diet, Oriental disciplines, corporal treatments (Pilates) able to liberate tensions and other problems entailed by stress.

New places have also become anti-stress referents like the spas, where take relevance body care and relaxation. Gyms, that thanks to fitness took many people into the work-out fever.

Now, in the anti-stress world there is a new perspective concerned about mental wellbeing and physical health, called Wellness. Along with it, comes Coaching that deals with dissatisfaction and resolving fears and conflicts in the personal, professional and love aspects.

Likewise, Reiki, an oriental discipline is in very much practiced to recover balance, as well as other disciplines like music therapy and Bach Flowers.

Aromatherapy methods

The methods by which we can make enjoy of the benefits of essential oils are:

Bath: We can pour some drops of essential oils in a bathtub filled with warm water and then sink in it during 15 to 20 minutes. By this method, we will be inhaling the steam of essential oils and let them penetrate through our skin. If you prefer, you can mix 3 to 5 drops of essential oil with 3 teaspoons of honey before pour it into water.

Inhalation: We can pour some drops on a handkerchief and smell it, or pour from 6 to 12 drops in a pot of boiling water, then place a towel to cover our head and pot, and inhale the steam during several minutes. Be careful of not approaching too much to avoid burning.

Diffusion: There are plenty of products to fill the space of a room or office with the aroma of essential oils. These products are diffusers or atomizers, which spread essential oils all around forming a cloud of small particles.

These diffusers can be of great utility for respiratory problems or to fill the air with a soothing and stimulating fragrance.

Fragrance: In the mid’s of XX century, the French Marguerite Maury reintroduced the use of essential oils in the practice of massage. Essential oils, when applied over the skin can have a variety of effects. Some are relaxants and other stimulants. Other are used to ease pains and muscular ailments. Some massage professionals also use them to cleanse toxins away from the lymphatic system.

The use of essential oils is very common in Swedish massage, the type of therapeutic massage most used in the Western.

However, the use of essential oils can help increasing the sensation and effects of any type of massage.

Stupes: These can be cold or hot. They are used to ease headaches and muscular discomfort. You can add from 5 to 10 drops of essential oils in 4 ounces of water. Dip a towel in this solution and apply it on the aching area.

How to use aromatherapy. Part I

Besides working through smell, aromatherapy can be applied directly over you skin. Essential oils are comprised of very small molecules that penetrate easily through your skin, even reaching the bloodstream. The absorption of essential oils is facilitated when these are applied slightly hot. However, be careful of not heating up too much oils together or they might loose their properties.

Essential oils application has many uses, among them the treatment of injuries, burnings, and headache.

Aromatherapy is also combined with massage. Actually, friction produced by massage helps the penetration of the oils through your skin. To the oils traditionally used in massage as almond, sesame and olive, you may add essential oils that provoke a wellbeing sensation, ease stress, and improve blood circulation.

When applying essential oils over skin, it is better to use a soft towel to cover the area. This diminishes the evaporation of essential oils in the air and its skin absorption.

In some places in Europe, there are doctors that use esseential oil is suppositories, and administrate them orally. You must be careful with the internal use of essential oils because they produce adverse reactions. Generally. the internal use of essential oils can only be done under expert supervision.

Drop therapy or soap therapy. Part II

Another way to practice soap therapy is just washing your face with soap and some scent, applying the idea of the drop therapy.

For women, Ylang Ylang is a harmless scent that can be applied many times a day. This is one of the most seductive substances, and it is a great anti stressant and relaxant. Ylangf Ylang can be used for hair treatment too.

As you can see these are very affordable aromatherapy mixes that have great results and are easy to get at any aromatherapy store.

We want to emphasize that one drop in aromatherapy and soap therapy is a drop only. For instance, 1 ml is equivalent to 20 to 25 drops, and that at every application just one drop is needed.

The interesting thing about this is that all this goes beyond the mere fragrance, since these fragrances fulfill all the benefits of aromatherapy and a great mental and spiritual pleasure.

Drop therapy or soap therapy. Part I

This new aromatic therapy made it into the scene around 1995. It came up in such a simple way as pouring a drop of lavender on soap and make foam of this blend. That is right, as simple as this.

This can be applied on your face, hair, and body, always with the simple concept: Applying on a neutral or vegetal soap two or three drops of scents and proceed to the body application.

For hair, you can use scents of chamomile, rosemary or cranesbills; for your face you can apply chamomile, sandalwood or lavender; and for the rest of the bod6 you are free to choose.

If you are in those hard days full of work and /or academic assignments that produce to you a lot of stress and energy worn-out, then you will need rosemary scent to give you strength. In addition, to avoid that something or someone gets you out of your nerves, a good choice will be lavender or sandalwood.

But be careful on the scents you are going to use for the parts of your body with sensitive skin like the face (some scents may be too aggressive); it is recommendable to use smooth scents as lavender, chamomile, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, etc.

If you are doubtful about this, you can make a little anti-allergy test that consists of:
Mixing 10 drops of an essential oil you do not know you are allergic to and 1 drop of the suspicious scent on a sensitive area as the internal part of the forearm. Cover this part with a neutral band-aid. Check it every two hours and if in 24 to 48 hours, you do not notice any irritation, you can be sure that scent will not give any problem.

However, if you want to be 100% sure you can repeat the test after a week.

Try not to use citric scents or other photosensitive scents to avoid any eventual spots on the face skin or any uncovered parts of the body, in case of a later sun exposure.