Aromatherapy - The History behind the Therapy

Article by Toby Russell

Aromatherapy involves the use of plant oils to provide physical and psychological benefits. The actual term aromatherapy did not begin to be used until some time during the 20th century; however, the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefits has been around for quite some time. In fact, the actual practice of aromatherapy dates back almost one thousand years.

It is believed the Chinese may have been one of the first peoples to be using plants known for their aromatic properties for the purpose of therapeutic benefits. These plants were used during the burning of incense to establish balance and harmony. The Egyptians began to experiment with the practice of aromatherapy sometime later and even created an early distillation machine to extract oils. The oils most commonly used during these early civilizations included clove, nutmeg, cedarwood, cinnamon and myrrh. They were generally used for embalming purposes; however, other oils were used for medicinal, spiritual and even cosmetic purposes.

The Greeks later picked up the practice of aromatherapy and used essential oils for aromatic and medicinal purposes. The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, often used essential oils for medicinal treatments. By the Middle Ages, a wide variety of plants were being distilled across large portions of the world to provide therapeutic benefits, including rosemary, sage, rose and juniper.

It was not until the 19th century; however, that many scientists in Europe began to experiment with aromatherapy and the possible effects of essential oils. The term aromatherapy was actually coined by a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse during the 1920's while he studied the properties of plants.

Today, aromatherapy is still used for a wide variety of purposes and benefits including healing physical disorders, relaxing, relieving anxiety and stress, soothing a tired mind and body and as an aphrodisiac.

Although ancient practitioners of aromatherapy found it cumbersome and! difficu lt to distill the essential oils from aromatic plants, today it is possible to find a wide variety of quality pure aromatherapy essential oils. Whether you're looking to relax away stress of want to set the right mood for a romantic evening at home, aromatic essential oils are just a click of a mouse away.

About the Author

Toby Russell aims through his website http://www.benefitwitharomatherapy.com to offers help, advice and tips regarding the health benefits of aromatherapy.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take enough amounts of MSM supplements and keep your body clean and healthy.

Image
by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Article by Mike Sulphur is one of the basic elements of life and is known as the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It helps to maintain the proper acid alkaline balance of the body and also plays an important role in the creation and regeneration of the body tissues. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is found in, and used by, every cell in the human body. Our skin, hair and nails contain sulphur and you can even smell it if you have ever burnt your hair. Sulphur has a beautifying effect on the skin and causes acceleration of hair growth that it can be considered as the most beautifying of all nutrients and the best cosmetic in the world. Even though small amounts of MSM are available in foods like eggs, milk, meats, raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds the heat from cooking or pasteurization may destroy MSM in them making it useless t
Keep reading

Beating Psychological Erection Problems Increase Libido - Chinese Holistic Herbs That Work Quickly

Image
by MarkinDetroit Article by keriquintyne The ability to produce large amounts of semen when you ejaculate is something most men think is only possible in porno movies! Not true! This article will give you a few tips for increasing semen volume and help you develop an increased sense of virility in the bedroom. A big penis has always been a symbol of male fertility and masculinity. Men haven't started to think about penis male enlargement in recent years men have thought about it for thousands of years. There is no question that women find men with big penises as more sexually attractive and if you have a smaller manhood then you got every reason to worry about it. Every guy wants a bigger penis. Fact! From the second that they start puberty to the moment they hit manhood they are looking and hoping for a way to make their penis grow just that little bit more. Many questions t
Keep reading

Global Food Consumption [Interactive Infographic]

Image
It should come as no surprise that people in developing countries consume fewer calories than the developed countries of the world. Also unsurprisingly, the income level of inhabitants of developing countries is far lower than in the developed world. However, the disparity of the percent of household income spent on food may surprise you. Food Service Warehouse , a restaurant equipment and supplies web store, put together an interactive display that explores global food consumption and income spent on food. Click below to check it out: After working on a more light-hearted graphic about the world of competitive eating , Food Service Warehouse (FSW) took interest in the average caloric consumption around the world. While no countries are consuming anywhere near the estimated 20,000+ calories that Joey Chestnut ate in a hot dog eating contest, many of the high-consumption countries are well above the average recommended daily amount (according to the FAO, roughly 2,400 calories per d
Keep reading