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What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person’s mind, mood, cognitive function or health. Aromatherapy originated in Europe in the early 1900s and has been widely used since this time. With many people concerned about their health and looking for alternatives to western medicine, aromatherapy is becoming a popular form of healing. Essential oils are extracted from a plant’s flowers, leaves, bark, or roots from a complex extraction process. The oils are mixed with carrier oils and then applied to the skin by massage or rubbed on the bottom of the feet. Essential oils can also be inhaled directly or through a diffuser or mixed with pure alcohol (I use vodka) and sprayed in a room.
Essential oils are now being used in many skincare products, perfumes and candles. Using organic or therapeutic grade oils is essential to producing the best results. These oils are in their purest forms and have not been diluted with other oils. The higher quality oils also don’t require more than just a drop of use for the desired result.
For a really great gift idea, I found these amazing eye pillows. These pillows are great to use during yoga savasana, to relax and unwind, to refresh and increase your mood, to help with eye strain or stress, for a mild headache or sinus pressure or to block out light when sleeping. The pillows come in 2 really cool designs and can be heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer to be used as hot/cold packs.
*Remember: Always consult your doctor before using essential oils if you are pregnant or nursing.* A great resource for Aromatherapy is the book “The complete book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy“