Healing Garden Aromas: Essential Oils And Their Benefits

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Essential oils are plant extracts made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. These oils are used in healing gardens to enhance the experience through the sense of smell and skin absorption. The olfactory area of the cerebrum in the brain receives impulses from the olfactory nerves in the nose and interprets them as a smell. The aroma of roses, for example, may be pleasant to some but could remind others of something unpleasant. Similarly, different people may prefer different aromas in their healing gardens, such as floral scents like rose, hyacinth, and lilac, or herbaceous scents like mint, rosemary, and thyme.

How essential oils are made

Essential oils are natural plant extracts with medicinal and therapeutic properties. They are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant, such as flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit, to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil.

The process of making essential oils is both an exact science and an art form. Manufacturers and fragrance engineers work hard to create new scents and formulations, relying on raw input materials of exceptional purity. The raw-plant-to-ingredient-produced ratio varies based on factors such as the growing season, moisture content, growing method, and plant processing method.

There are several methods for extracting essential oils from plants, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The five most common essential oil extraction methods are:

• Water/steam extraction: This is the most common method used by manufacturers worldwide. It is considered the highest-yield process and is ideal for aromatic plants like lavender and roses. Steam extraction can be done through direct steam extraction or hydrodistillation.
• Cold-pressed extraction: This method is typically used on citrus fruits as it preserves the freshness and aroma of the oils. The peels of the fruits are ground down and spun to separate the aromatic compounds from other materials.
• Solvent extraction (concretes and absolutes): This is the most complex extraction method, resulting in concentrates and absolutes. Solvent extraction involves exposing the plant material to a solvent, usually hexane, to create a waxy concrete ideal for solid perfumes. Absolutes are the by-product of the concentrates finishing process and are the most concentrated form of aroma materials.
• CO2 extraction: This method involves converting CO2 gas into a liquid and then reheating and pressurizing it to a supercritical state, exhibiting the density of a liquid and filling space like a gas. This substance is then moved through a chamber filled with raw hemp material, resulting in a thick substance.
• Enfleurage: This ancient method was used by the early Egyptians and served as the basis for the nascent perfume industry in France. It involves harvesting specific flowers, like jasmine, and exposing them to oils for days to create a thick pomade, which is later heated or exposed to alcohol to create an aromatic extract.

The extraction method chosen depends on the quality of the ingredient and the desired outcome. Steam distillation and cold-pressing are considered the two most natural ways to extract essential oils, while solvent extraction requires chemicals and results in absolutes instead of essential oils.

Aromatherapy and its benefits

Aromatherapy is a healing treatment that uses aromatic essential oils to enhance physical and emotional health. Essential oils are plant extracts, made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. They have been used for therapeutic purposes for nearly 6,000 years, with ancient cultures in China, India, Egypt, and elsewhere incorporating aromatic plant components in resins, balms, and oils for medical and religious purposes.

The practice of aromatherapy involves using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain, particularly impacting the amygdala, the emotional centre of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin, added to baths, or used in massage therapy.

Aromatherapy is thought to have numerous benefits, including improving sleep quality, reducing stress and anxiety, treating headaches and migraines, fighting bacteria and viruses, and improving mood and relaxation. It is also said to alleviate side effects of chemotherapy, ease discomfort during labour, and improve hospice and palliative care.

Some of the most popular essential oils include lavender oil, which is often used to relieve stress and anxiety and promote good sleep; tea tree oil, which is useful for acne, athlete's foot, and insect bites; and peppermint oil, which can help with irritable bowel syndrome and tension headaches.

While aromatherapy has gained recognition in science and medicine, it is important to note that the quality of essential oils varies greatly, and they should be used safely and with caution. They should not be ingested, and it is recommended to consult a trained professional for guidance on their use.

The history of aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a branch of phytotherapy that uses the volatile active ingredients of aromatic plants. The history of aromatherapy dates back over 5,000 years, with the use of aromatics first recorded in human history around 3500 BC. At this time, aromatics were used for religious purposes, perfume, and medicine. Ancient civilisations burned aromatic herbs, scented woods, and barks to drive out 'evil spirits' from sick people. The ancient Egyptians burned incense made from aromatic woods, herbs, and spices to honour their gods, believing that the smoke carried their prayers directly to the deities. The development of aromatics as medicines laid the foundations for aromatherapy.

The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and Indians all used essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, or ritual purposes. Pure natural oils played an important role in Egyptian ceremonies, used to purify the air or as sacrifices to the gods. They were also used for medical purposes in the form of baths, ambient perfumes, and massage oils. One of the most famous users of essential oils was the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. The Greeks and Romans absorbed knowledge from the Egyptians about extracting oils from medicinal plants and used distillation processes to obtain essential oils.

The Greek physician Hippocrates, often regarded as the 'Father of Medicine', advocated for the use of essential oils for medicinal purposes. He prescribed pleasant-smelling incense and hot wraps to cure certain illnesses. The Persian doctor and alchemist Ibn Sina, known as Avicenna, invented a condensing coil for steam distillation, making the distillation of essential oils more effective. In the 15th century, the range of plants used to produce essential oils expanded, including juniper, rose, sage, and rosemary.

In the early 20th century, the French chemist and perfumer René-Maurice Gattefossé accidentally discovered the therapeutic effects of essential oils when he burned his arm during a chemical experiment. He immersed his arm in a barrel of lavender oil, and the burns quickly healed without leaving any scars. Gattefossé coined the term "aromatherapy" in 1935 and devoted the rest of his life to researching pure natural oils for therapeutic, medical, and aesthetic purposes. Aromatherapy has since become increasingly popular, with growing recognition of the effectiveness of essential oils for improving health and well-being.

How to use essential oils

Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from the leaves, flowers, stems, seeds, bark, roots, and rinds of plants. They are used for their medicinal and therapeutic properties, as well as their pleasant scents.

Inhalation

The most common way to use essential oils is to inhale them. This can be done directly from the bottle, or by using a diffuser or humidifier. For the steam method, place a few drops of essential oil in a bowl of hot water, cover your head with a towel, and inhale the steam. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to a cotton ball or fabric and hold it to your nose, or place it in your pillowcase or shirt collar.

Topical Application

Essential oils can be diluted with a carrier oil, such as olive, jojoba, or coconut oil, and applied to the skin. They can be used for massage, focusing on areas of muscular pain, tightness, and tension. You can also gently rub the oil into pressure points such as your temples, wrists, and third eye. Avoid using essential oils near sensitive areas such as the eyes, ears, and mouth, and do not apply them to broken, inflamed, or irritated skin. Always do a patch test before use to check for potential skin allergies.

Bath or Shower

Add a few drops of essential oils to your shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. You can also add a few drops of diluted essential oil to a warm washcloth and use it for inhalation and gentle exfoliation. For a bath, dilute a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil before adding it to the bathwater, or use an essential oil salt bath or bubble bath product.

Aromatherapy Accessories

Essential oils can be used with necklaces, bracelets, and keychains made with absorbent materials. Apply essential oils to these accessories and sniff them throughout the day.

Precautions

Essential oils should not be ingested. Do not use them internally unless directed by a trained herbalist. They can be harmful if used in excess and may cause adverse reactions in some individuals. Consult a doctor before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have any health concerns, or are taking any medications. Keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

Precautions and side effects

Aromatherapy is generally considered safe, but there are some precautions and potential side effects to be aware of when using essential oils.

Precautions

Pure essential oils are highly potent and can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, so they should always be diluted with a carrier oil before being applied to the skin. A patch test is recommended before full application. Citrus oils, in particular, can cause photosensitivity, so exposure to sunlight after application should be avoided.

Essential oils should not be ingested unless under the guidance of a trained specialist. They can be harmful to children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with weakened immune systems, and seniors, so extra caution and medical supervision are advised for these groups. People with high blood pressure should avoid stimulating essential oils, such as rosemary and spike lavender.

Side Effects

In rare cases, aromatherapy can induce side effects such as rashes, asthma, headaches, liver and nerve damage, and harm to a fetus. Oils high in phenols, like cinnamon, can irritate the skin. Animal studies suggest that certain essential oils may also interact with medications, reducing their effectiveness. For example, eucalyptus may interfere with pentobarbital and amphetamine.

Frequently asked questions