As the interest in aromatherapy grows for those interested in alternative health, wellness, and fitness, many folks ask “what are essential oils” and “how do they differ from other oils like olive oil, coconut and the like”? This brief primer should help clarify the matter, and get you started in the wonderful world of aromatherapy. Essential oils are concentrated volatile aromatic compounds produced by plants - these are the easily evaporated essences that give plants their wonderful scents, more akin to an alcohol than what we commonly think of as an oil . Each of these complex precious liquids is extracted from a particular plant species. Each plant species originates in certain regions of the world, with particular environmental conditions and neighboring fauna and flora. The result is a very diverse library of aromatic compounds, with some essential oils being made up of more than one hundred distinct organic chemicals.
Essential oils are extracted from oil ’sacs’ in flowers, leaves, stems, roots, seeds, wood and bark. They differ significantly from the well-known vegetable, nut and seed oils which are made up of various fatty acids (essential oils are not). Essential oils are used by the plants in somewhat the same way they are by humans - they fight infection, contain hormone-like compounds, initiate cellular regeneration, and work as chemical defense against fungal, viral, and animal foes. Despite their foliar origins however, essential oils have a similar structure to some compounds found in blood and tissues, allowing them to be compatible with our own physiology.
Distilling pure essential oils of therapeutic grade is a delicate process. Steam distillation is the most common method, where steam is passed through a vessel containing fresh plant materials. The steam is captured and cooled, the resultant oil and water separated. To make an oil of the highest quality begins with the finest plant materials, followed with a close attention to the time, temperature and pressure of the distillation process. To much or too little of any factor can produce an oil of inferior quality and aroma, and one with lesser therapeutic properties. To chose an essential oil supplier, sample products from several companies - you can usually tell right away which oil will have the most profound uses for natural health and wellness simply by the beauty of the aroma.
The use of essential oils by man dates back many thousands of years. Their earliest use is thought around 4500 BC, though it was the ancient Egyptian civilization that developed essential oil production on a grand scale. Roughly 350 liters of oil were found in King Tut’s tomb, and essential oils played a significant roll in the embalming process. The Christian Bible contains hundreds of references aromatic oils and incense - perhaps the most well-known being the anointing of the feet of Jesus with Spikenard by Mary Magdalene before his crucifixion. Anointing for spiritual and purification purposes is often mentioned. Other references make note of these oils being used to heal the sick - a testament to the knowledge of the natural healing powers of essential oils.
Modern use of essential oils in natural health, wellness and fitness programs began with the discovery of Lavender’s healing properties by a French scientist in the middle of the last century. Lavender was found to have effective healing properties for skin wounds, strong anti-inflammatory properties, and wonderful calming effects when inhaled. Further research has confirmed superior efficacy of essential oils for a broad range of physiological conditions.
The most promising use of essential oils is in the treatment of infectious illness. Most essential oils display antibacterial effects, some also with strong antiviral properties as well. They can be used to fight infectious illness, or support the immune system to prevent the onset of illness in the first place. It does take a qualified practitioner, or a significantly strong knowledge to choose the right oil for each condition, however. Some oils are particularly effective in treating certain illnesses and not others; these ‘other’ illnesses will have their own best essential oil (or combination of) for treatment. Beyond infectious illness, certain essential oils have strong anti-inflammatory properties, other oils can stimulate the regeneration of tissues, others can help cleanse and purify the body, and still others can reduce muscular and joint pain while increasing circulation. As you can see, essential oils can play a significant role an any natural health, wellness and/or fitness program - the important part is proper education of the user.
Using essential oils is very easy, fun, and can be extremely rewarding. Employing oils is most commonly done using one of these methods: inhalation, topical application, and in certain instances ingestion. Diffusing essential oils with a cold-air nebulizer is best for inhalation, as these units make a fine mist of the oils which are easily absorbed in significant quantities. This method is effective both for psychological effects and support for the respiratory system. Topical application usually involved the dilution of essential oils in a carrier oil to a 5% or less concentration to be used with certain massage techniques. Massage is often used for relief of muscle and joint pain, and also with calming and uplifting psychological results. Topical application will frequently take the form of blends for healing various skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and even revitalizing aging skin. Finally, ingestion - which should only be done with very detailed knowledge from a qualified professional - is often used in the form of oil placed in gel capsules. Peppermint oil is frequently used this way for digestive complaints. There is such a wonderful variety of uses for essential oils; to get the most from them, educate yourself further through courses, texts and knowledgeable practitioners. Most of all, be safe, have fun, and welcome this new edition to your alternative natural health regimen.
