Aromatherapy
Ah, those wonderful aromas! The scents around us have the incredible ability to evoke memories, create a sense of peace and wellbeing or, in the worse cases, totally turn us off. Aromatherapy is that wonderful science of smell, or rather scents and their role in healing. It is the practice of using volatile plant oils to promote a sense of wellbeing.
The history of aromatherapy dates back thousands of years. The Chinese burned incense to create a sense of peace and harmony. The Egyptians used the oils of spices such as, myrrh, clove, and cinnamon for embalming. However, the word aromatherapy was not used until the 20th century. They also used scents, distilled from plants and spices for medicinal, spiritual, and cosmetic purposes.
Since the latter part of the 20th century, aromatherapy has become a household word. A trip to any department store will yield thousands of choices for aromatherapy from candles to pillows.
Please understand that the United States government does not regulate the use of the phrase 'aromatherapy'. It can be put on anything that has a scent to it. Beware of buying aromatherapy oils that are not pure essential oils, check the ingredient label.
continue to Aromatherapy Part 2