Aromatherapy, seemingly completely fad trend - mixing and production of essential oils as a kind of hobby became popular some decades ago. In fact, aromatherapy - it is an ancient art of healing aromas: essential oils - is not just a pleasant-smelling essential oils of herbs and flowers, but, in fact, still healing agents acting on the body and the mind.

What is Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy relates to the field of alternative medicine and is a method of exposure (on mood, intelligence, cognitive function and overall health) using volatile substances (ie, essential oils). The basis of aromatherapy is the principle of knowledge of the properties of each essential oil: some of the oils contribute to a rush of energy, while others soothe, and some help to deal with very specific diseases. For example, tea tree oil, is widely used in aromatherapy has a pronounced antibacterial effect and therefore used to fight fungal, bacterial and viral infections.

Some of the medicinal properties of the essential oils were known in ancient Greece and Rome, but the real heyday of aromatherapy began, as so often happens with scientific discovery - in the eleventh century AD, the famous physician Avicenna invented a way to isolate the essential oils through steam distillation. As a separate field of medicine aromatherapy began to develop in the twentieth century: the French surgeon Jean Valnet became one of the "pioneers" targeted application of essential oils in medicine during the Second World War.

The healing properties of essential oils

Various oils have different effects on the organism and human health. Human perception properties of aromatherapy essential oils is also different. In general, one of the most useful properties of the essential oils used in aromatherapy are:

• Antidepressants: essential oils of bergamot, sage Sage - useful properties do not count , Lavender, neroli, orange.
• Antiseptics: essential oils of bergamot, cinnamon, cloves, lavender, lemon, parsley, rose, sandalwood.
• The bactericidal properties: the essential oils of basil, lavender, lemon, myrrh, neroli, rose, tea tree.
• Diuretics: essential oils of carrot seed, cedar, cypress, eucalyptus, juniper, lavender, lemon, pine, sandalwood, violet.
• Suppressors headache Headache : Essential oils of basil, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, lemon balm, peppermint.
• Suppressors of muscle pain and spasms: the essential oils of black pepper, chamomile, sage, peppermint, rosemary.
• Sedatives: the essential oils of bergamot, cedar, sage, jasmine, lavender, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood, ylang-ylang.

Aromatherapy at home

Enjoy the benefits of essential oils and experience the effects of aromatherapy can be in the home - not necessarily to use the services of a qualified therapist, even if we consider that practitioners in the field of aromatherapy in the post-Soviet space not so much. But at home, you can use essential oils, in fact, as you wish: to prepare medicinal baths for body Bath for the body pleasant therapy   and baths for hands and feet with essential oils, steam baths for the face, it is beneficial to the skin, medicated masks and creams for the face and body.

Of course, the easiest way to independently assess the benefits of aromatherapy in everyday life - it's simple to prepare a bath with essential oils and a handful of sea salt, which is also very useful for the skin condition. Preparing a bath, you need to consider a few basic rules: First, you need to clearly know the aromatherapeutic properties of essential oils and indications for their use (not all oil, for example, are suitable for pregnant women, the elderly and people with high blood pressure), and, the second is not to overdo it. To assess the beneficial properties of essential oils, the amount should not be abused - just a few drops of essential oil will not only create a pleasant, fragrant atmosphere in the bathroom, but will act favorably on the body.

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