romatherapy has made a huge comeback.  We are learning to treat the whole body, not just the symptoms.  People are turning back to nature when it comes to healing themselves because with the natural herbs and their essential oils (very concentrated distilled herb oil), you do not experience side effects.   

Medicine has tried to duplicate the healing powers of herbs by isolating the active ingredients and manufacturing synthetic forms of it. While that is helpful in getting higher doses of "healing power", scientists are, as yet, unable to duplicate all the complex structures of the herbs.  Nature is pretty perfect and herbs contain complex structures that are natural buffers. The human body accepts these healing properties as a whole and usually does not have negative side effects.  An important thing to remember: if it pleases you, then use it. If you do not like the scent, then you should look for a different herb with similar qualities. Most of all, use your common sense and intuition when using herbs and essential oils.  I would urge you to be cautious when using herbs as responses will vary from person to person. If you are pregnant or nursing please be particularly careful.

Aromatherapy implies therapy exclusively through the sense of smell and this is misleading. Aromatherapy incorporates the use of herbs and their essential oils in many ways.

Four Methods of Aromatherapy:

Tea

All tea is beneficial to the body whether it is herbal, black or green. Tea contains trace minerals and nutrients that are beneficial to the different systems of the body. Green, oolong and black tea provide fluoride and contain polyphenols. Research indicates tea may actually help prevent different types of cancer including breast, colon, lung and skin cancer. Herbal tea varies quite a lot. Some aid the digestive system, some calm the nervous system, while others help ease depression and even breathing difficulties.  Make sure to boil the water and then added the herbs.  You might want to steep for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the strength you desire. 

Bathing

In this method your body absorbs the healing qualities directly through the skin. A bath should last about 20 minutes to allow for total saturation of the skin. A nice thing about herbs in the bath is that you also inhale the steam and the healing properties go directly into your lungs.   Directions for bathing with herbs: Use a muslin bag or a 3 inch mesh bath ball to hold the herbs. Fill with 1/4 cup or more of dried herbs. Hang under your faucet to allow the hot water to flow through the herbs. When the bath is drawn, place bag or ball in the water to steep. 

Inhalation

Inhalation is hard for some to understand as a way of healing. When you study how the systems of the body work in detail, it is easy to see exactly how this form of natural healing works. The sense of smell is mostly subtle. Unless an odor is offensive or overpowering, you usually don't give it a second thought. There are many ways to inhale herbs. A lot of herbs and essential oils have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Using essential oils in a spritzer is a terrific way to kill airborne bacteria, freshen the air and lift your spirits. Studies show it even increases your alertness and productivity. Diffusers have become very popular and for good reasons. The diffusers allow the molecules to be released into the atmosphere where they are inhaled and disperse throughout the body.

Massage

Massage has been one of the most popular and accepted forms of herbal healing for a long time. It is an easy, pleasant way to receive the healing benefits of essential oils. However, essential oils are very concentrated and should always be diluted with a Carrier Oil such as almond, sunflower, even olive oil will do.

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