Aromatherapy Guide (Home)

Treating Common Ailments with Aromatherapy

How aromatherapy could be used to treat common ailments

Treating Common Ailments with Aromatherapy

The philosophy of natural medicine holds that the body has the ability to heal itself. It also holds that biological substances found in nature contain a life force that is an integral part of the healing process. Together, these two forces stimulate healing while maintaining balance and the homeostasis of bodily systems, without disturbing natural functions.

The life force, the molecular vibration of the plant energy, cannot be imitated by science. Even with the advances of modern medicine, many plant-derived substances cannot be reproduced in a laboratory. Science still relies on plant derivatives for 80 percent of pharmaceutical drugs. Nor can essential oils be duplicated. For example, essential oil of rose contains 500 chemical compounds, 490 of which are in proportions of less than 1 percent. All of the constituents of rose oil are known, but chemists are unable to reproduce the fragrance successfully. It is the synergy of the whole oil, including the most minuscule components, that creates the power to heal. Each plant from which essential oils are distilled has different medicinal properties, unique unto itself.

Natural remedies often have a beneficial effect on more than one system of the body. This multi-action effect makes plant-based remedies far more useful for common ailments than synthetic pharmaceuticals that have a single action with unpleasant side effects. Aromatherapy works on many levels of the mind and body - one essential oil can affect the psyche and the physical body simultaneously. For example, chamomile oil is indispensable for childhood conditions because of its broad range of action: It is anti-inflammative and a general digestive aid, reduces cramps, relieves gas, and calms the nervous system.

Working in harmony with the body offers many therapeutic benefits. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, therapy with essential oils is free of unwanted side effects. For instance, the side effects of antibiotic treatment disturb the natural flora that live in the lining of various organs, causing candida (yeast) overgrowth, whereas essential oils reduce candida overgrowth. Harmful microorganisms mutate and become resistant to drugs, causing the rise in infectious diseases once thought to be under control using drug treatment. Aromatherapy, on the other hand, fights infection without creating resistance in disease-causing microorganisms.

Aromatherapy is one of the most powerful forms of botanical medicine because it incorporates the use of highly concentrated substances - large quantities of plant material are used to make just a few drops of oil - and it is effective in treating almost every aspect of health. In this chapter, you will learn many easy and effective treatment methods using a variety of essential oil formulas. As you learn the basic principles of aromatherapy, you can create, blend, and customize therapies to suit particular needs.

More About Aromatherapy