Aromatherapy is all the craze in 2018 for a good reason. Essential oils have healing properties powerful enough to adjust mood and heal wounds. Here are three things you need to know about essential oils before you start your own aromatherapy practice.
Not all aromatherapy oils are created equal:
Hidden beneath a labyrinth of layers from the products you see on the shelf is an entire industry and science dedicate to smell. Smells can be created from synthetic chemicals and mirror the real thing almost identically. Many ‘aromatherapy’ companies use synthetic smells and advertise them as essential oils. Rubbing these chemical laden oils into your skin or breathing in the vapor after using them in a diffuser can be dangerous for your health and certainly has none of the healing properties essential oils has. Do your research before you make your purchase. Aromatherapy is popular these days and many companies are trying to profit. Google their name, check reviews, and be willing to spend a little more for real essential oils.
Essential oils aren’t regulated by the FDA:
One of the ways you can sort out the fake essential oils from the real ones is by the way they are marketed. You might see terminology like “medical grade” or “therapeutic quality”. These are nonsense claims. All essential oils, in their natural state, can act as medicine and they are therapeutic. The reason essential oils are so popular and have been relied upon for so many years is due to their medicinal and therapeutic properties. Lavender oil, for example, is considered a “wonder drug” of nature. Essential oils can be antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and much more. However, the FDA does not currently have a say on essential oils. Any terminology which infers the contrary should be a product well avoided.
Aromatherapy is not a replacement for other medical or psychological therapies:
In an anxious situation, lavender oil can help instantaneously calm your nerves. Does that mean you should cease to see your therapist who is helping you work on your anxiety? No. When you are congested in your sinuses, eucalyptus oil can help clear your nasal passageway and help you breath. Should you avoid seeing your doctor to make sure you don’t have a sinus infection? No. Aromatherapy is not a replacement for professional therapies. Aromatherapy can act as a supplement to these treatments and aid the therapeutic process. For example, lavender oil can help with a therapy session which brings up a lot of anxiety. Eucalyptus oil can help soothe the symptoms of a cold while other remedies help remove a virus.
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