Are all the claims and is all the hype about holistic aromatherapy
true?
This is a question I have received many times, however the answer does
depend on the claims that you have personally heard.
So many products, often incorrectly, use the term aromatherapy on their
products. Some media reporters and vendors even refer to aromatherapy
as a "new discovery" thus giving a false sense of hype to aromatherapy
and promoting inaccurate information about aromatherapy.
The practice of aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils, including
essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. Holistic
aromatherapy does not include the use of fragrance oils or unnatural
products. Unfortunately, many sellers of so-called aromatherapy products
just use the term aromatherapy to sell their pleasant-smelling product
and sometimes even go so far as to "hype" unfounded claims.
Below are a few common questions and answers that will help clarify
what aromatherapy can and can't do.
Can aromatherapy cure my major illness or psychological problem?
If you expect or hope that aromatherapy will in itself cure a major
illness or actually cure "stress," you will probably be in for a disappointment.
But if you expect that aromatherapy can help with a physical condition,
can help with symptoms, can effect your mood, or help alleviate or temporarily
eliminate stress or other psychological factors, you may be delighted
with the results that you experience.
For example, aromatherapy will not cure serious illness such as cancer
or AIDS. Aromatherapy, however, can help enhance a cancer patient's
quality of life by enhancing the patient's mood, calming fear and can
help ease nausea during chemotherapy treatments. For AIDS patients,
aromatherapy can also help enhance the patient's quality of life psychologically
and essential oils can help improve one's immune system and thus potentially
assist an AIDS patient that way.
Aromatherapy is a complimentary alternative health modality. It's current
use is not intended to replace standard medical care, but is meant to
compliment it. Aromatherapy can offer an alternative choice to taking
prescription or over-the-counter chemical drugs. Aromatherapy can offer
practical benefit for a variety of common ailments or symptoms such
as assisting with cuts, wounds, bruises, inflammation, indigestion,
acne, skincare, haircare, hygiene, PMS, menstruation, and for providing
mental and emotional assistance with such issues as stress, fatigue,
anxiety, fear, and the list goes on and on!
The very first aromatherapy blend that I ever attempted to create and
try was for arthritis. I have arthritis in my knees and it can get extremely
painful. I wasn't sure what to expect of this very first blend that
I had made. To my skeptical amazement, I had relief. The relief did
not occur instantaneously, nor was the relief permanent. Regular use
of the blend, however, did – and still does – help to a large degree.
This story is merely one example of the realistic results that you may
experience by introducing aromatherapy into your lifestyle. I use the
word "may" because everyone is different and everyone's experiences
can vary.
Aromatherapy does have valid and extraordinary uses. It can improve
one's lifestyle tremendously. But, as with anything in life, sensibility
comes into play. Do not fall prey to any claims that aromatherapy can
cure major illnesses or can cause miracles to happen. Aromatherapy can
be play a beneficial role in assisting with major illnesses, but it
cannot be depended upon as a cure for serious issues.
Why is aromatherapy gaining so much press and exposure now if
it's been in practice for thousands of years? Aspects of aromatherapy has indeed been in existence for thousands of
years. The term aromatherapy, however, was only introduced earlier in
the 20th century. I believe the surge in awareness of aromatherapy is
threefold:
(1) Society today is more health conscious and is now more receptive
to natural alternative health modalities including aromatherapy. The
media has been actively covering the trends in increased health awareness
and alternative medicine. The media has made a point to include the
aromatherapy "buzzword."
(2) The internet has made it easier for individuals to access and share
aromatherapy information. This ability to network has had a positive
effect on the growth of aromatherapy and aromatherapy businesses.
(3) Lifestyles of today are now more hectic and stressful. Since aromatherapy
can assist in reducing the symptoms of stress and help one energize
or relax, society is taking notice. If you go to many stores that sell
any kind of candles, bath or beauty products, you'll most likely see
products labeled with the word "aromatherapy." In my personal experience,
most times I see the word "aromatherapy" on products not sold by reputable
aromatherapy retailers, the word is used incorrectly. So, the surge
in awareness of aromatherapy is both positive and negative. Unfortunately,
there is a lot of misinformation about aromatherapy and mislabeled products
around.
The above comments are not based on fact; they are my theories to this
surge in popularity in aromatherapy.
Some companies claim that for best results, I should use essential
oils on my skin at full strength . Others claim I should never use essential
oils on my skin at full strength. Which is it? Essential oils are concentrated liquids and are very powerful substances.
They should not be consumed internally without personal counsel from
a trained aromatherapist and should not be applied undiluted on the
skin because they can be extremely irritating in full concentration.
I speculate that companies that claim you can use oils undiluted are
making this claim so that you use your oils up faster thus increasing
your need to buy more for them.
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