What is Aromatherapy? According to WebMD.com, "Aromatherapy may promote relaxation and help relieve stress. It has also been used to help treat a wide range of physical and mental conditions, including burns, infections, depression, insomnia, and high blood pressure. But so far there is limited scientific evidence to support claims that aromatherapy effectively prevents or cures illness." Aromatherapy is based on general principle. Aromatherapy uses oils extracted from flowers, seeds, leaves, roots, fruit and twigs for special effect. These essential oils are formulated to work in harmony with the body and have an ability to affect a persons well-being. Coming directly from the parts of plants or trees, essential oils possess a complex nature that is difficult to reproduce outside of nature. In fact, some oils contain substances that dont occur anywhere else naturally. Aromatherapy History Essential oils have been used for thousands of years. Aromatherapy is the century-old practice of using volatile plant oils, also referred to as essential oils, to support overall health and well-being. It is part of the holistic healing spectrum that, in addition to essential oils, also utilizes other natural ingredients like vegetable oils, jojoba (a liquid wax), herbs, sea salts, clays and muds. Aromatherapists apply aromatherapy oils directly to the skin via aromatherapy massages, but they also use the oils to freshen the air of their living spaces via sprays or diffusers. The oils can also be inhaled directly, although one should be careful not to swallow or consume the liquid oils. "Practitioners of aromatherapy believe that fragrances in the oils stimulate nerves in the nose. Those nerves send impulses to the part of the brain that controls memory and emotion. Depending on the type of oil [the scent], the result on the body may be calming or stimulating." (WebMD.com) - See more at: /blog/natural-health-tips/essential-oils-aromatherapy-guide#sthash.BW5XMkMZ.dpuf ealth

　　Benefits of Aromatherapy

　　aromatherapy human body detect smellsTake a whiff of the air around you. What do you smell? Are you immediately put in a good mood with the smell of fresh cut flowers? Suddenly craving pie with the smell of baked apples and cinnamon wafting through the halls? Or feel like gagging after being blasted with exhaust from the bus?

　　Its easy to see how our sense of smell impacts our feelings. The sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Your body can distinguish about 10,000 different scents. But, aromatherapy isnt just about appealing smells; it also offers many health benefits including the following:

　　Relaxation and stress relief

　　Mood enhancement, balance and well being

　　Relief of minor discomforts

　　Boosting the immune, respiratory and circulatory systems

　　Aromatherapy can be a great, natural, complementary health treatment in a variety of situations. Its certainly not a replacement for traditional medical treatments or prescription medications because it doesnt cure major illnesses, but it is effective at alleviating many of the discomforts associated with them.

　　To find out which scents may help you, find an aromatherapy book at your local library or do some online searching to find out about popular essential oils and get recipes for mixing your own rejuvenating scents.

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