Aromatherapy
90% of items sold as Aromatherapy have
nothing to do with the actual practice of aromatherapy –
the therapeutic use of essential oils.
Actual aromatherapy involves the use of essential plant oils, and is a recognized medical specialty in England and France. Medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in every culture. For example, tea tree was used by Australian aboriginees to painlessly relieve warts or cankers. Frankincense has been used in many religious traditions from the Catholic church to Hindu temples, for its ability to allow the mind to focus on the spiritual and meditate. Lavender is an excellent and mild sleep inducer without the typical side effects, and also an excellent burn remedy.
The wonderful thing for the consumer is that the basics of using aromatherapy for stress reduction, boosting the immune system and even making your own perfume, can be easily learned by consulting with a fully trained aromatherapist. Incidentally, it is far cheaper to make your own bath blends, massage oils or cold rememdies than to buy commercial substitutes for the real thing.