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Aromatherapy,
commonly
associated
with
complementary
and
alternative
medicine (CAM),
is the use
of volatile
liquid plant
materials,
known as
essential
oils (EOs),
and other
aromatic
compounds
from plants
for the
purpose of
affecting a
person's
mood or
health.
Aromatherapy
is a generic
term that
refers to
any of the
various
traditions
that make
use of
essential
oils
sometimes in
combination
with other
alternative
medical
practices
and
spiritual
beliefs. It
has a
particularly
Western
currency and
persuasion.
Medical
treatment
involving
aromatic
scents may
exist
outside of
the West,
but may or
may not be
intended by
the term
'aromatherapy'.
History
The word was
first used
in the 1920s
by French
chemist René
Maurice
Gattefossé,
who devoted
his life to
researching
the healing
properties
of essential
oils after a
lucky
accident in
his perfume
laboratory.
In the
accident, he
lit his arm
on fire and
thrust it
into the
nearest cold
liquid,
which
happened to
be a vat of
lavender oil.
Immediately
he noticed
surprising
pain relief,
and instead
of requiring
the extended
healing
process he
had
experienced
during
recovery
from
previous
burns--which
caused
redness,
heat,
inflammation,
blisters,
and
scarring--this
burn healed
remarkably
quickly,
with minimal
discomfort
and no
scarring.
AYURVEDA:
Ayurveda, the ancient science of perfect health, comes from the highly developed Vedic civilization and has been practised in India for thousands of years. The Ayurvedic texts describe a wealth of treatments for maintaining and promoting good health by creating inner balance and re-establishing connection with the body's inner intelligence. Abhyanga, a whole-body oil massage done before the morning shower or bath, is regarded as one of the most important one of these procedures.
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