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The rising popularity of
alternative or holistic therapy can be
gauged from the fact that today the sense of
smell is also being used as a therapy to
treat an amazing variety of ailments
including stress.
Flowers, plants, herbs
and spices, everyday items in our gardens or
even our food, are natural antidotes to
variety of ailments. Preventive treatments
like aromatherapy are using a combination |
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of modern science and
ancient wisdom to produce curatives, which
also double as cosmetic aids. In fact, the
recuperative and soothing effects of
flowers, plants and herbs have been known
for centuries.
Rose petals were
considered the secret of Empress Noor
Jehan’s fabled beauty. Incense used in
religious rituals also possessed the
properties to soothe the mind, as did Indian
myrrh and dhup made from juniper shrubs,
used extensively in temples. All these
performed a dual role – religious and
therapeutic. Now, with a
growing demand for natural cures and
remedies, aromatherapy is flowering again,
this time packaged in attractive tubes and
bottles and promising to cure everything
from rheumatism to diabetes and
psychological problems.
Aromatherapy is a holistic healing process
for the body and mind. The basis lies in the
essential oils contained in plant materials.
These can be found in leaves, flowers,
roots, seeds, bark and resin. These oils are
highly concentrated and when extracted, can
either be used in a pure form or diluted /
blended with other oils to produce the
required strength. Essential oils are
medicinal and fragrant and travel through
the bloodstream reacting with hormones and
enzymes. Physiologically, the oils sedate or
stimulate the system. When the fragrance is
inhaled, the nerve – ends in the nose
transmit pleasurable signals to the brain
which reacts to the positive power of the
fragrant aroma inducing pleasant memorizes,
restoring emotional balance and encouraging
relaxation and energisation. Many of these
fragrant oils have antiseptic and antitoxic
qualities and often act as an antidote to
viral infection, to inflammation, aches and
pains.
In India, Ayurveda embraced herbs and
aromatics as an important part of the
philosophy of healing, using fresh herbs,
dried herbs such s tea, or herbs compounded
into pills, using fresh plant juices. In
early times essential oil extraction
involved pounding and grinding of fresh or
dried herb and subsequent extraction to the
essential oil.
Trade and wars brought many new herbs to
India from the Far East, the Middle East,
Egypt and Africa. Distillation expertise
from Arabia allowed for the making of
attars, using a co distillation method in
which a very light volatile essential
component, such as jasmine, could be
distilled with a very heavy essential oil
component like sandalwood, where the heavier
component trapped the light flowery aroma.
Today essential oil production continues to
be an important industry in many small
villages where distillation apparatus
designs have not changed for 3,000 years.
Aromatherapy has regained popularity only
two decades back. Various products based on
essential oils and natural ingredients are
available designed to alter or enhance moods
and treat a range of ailments from migraine
to hypertension and, arthritis.
At various beauty saloons a variety of
creams, conditioners and moisturizers made
from essential oils are used in beauty
treatments. |
