Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Essential Oils are the natural aromatic oil extracts from the roots, leaves, flowers. fruits, resin and bark of various plants, Including many popular herbs. Within these extracts are many powerful compounds that aid the body's healing processes.

These natural oils that contain the "essence" of a plant are non water-based phytochemicals made up of volatile organic compounds. Unlike Animal and vegetable oils essential oil do not contain fatty lipids or acids giving them a cleaner, non greasy feel and will not leave an oily residue on paper. There are a few oils that are more viscous and may leave a residue. Unfortunately this can make it harder to distinguish pure oil from adulterated oil that have had a cheaper oil added as "filler". This is why it is so important to buy oils from a company that tests EVERY batch of oils the receive from a supplier with both a gas chromatograph and a mass spectrometer test from a independent third party. When Essential oils are diluted or polluted with synthetic or filler oil their efficacy is compromised.

History

The earliest written evidence that perfume was used comes from Ramayana, an Indian epic written during 2000 b.c.. In fact there is evidence to suggest that essential oils were used in ancient China and India thousands of year before the pharaohs. Avicenna, a physician who livied in Constantinople during the tenth century wrote a book on the beneficial effects of the rose. He went on to write over a hundered books on a variety of subjects.
The modern scientific study of essential oils was started in the 1937 by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a french chemist. While working to develpo fragrences for the cosmetics industry, Gattefosse burned his hand very badly. He immerssed his hand in what he though was cold water, but it was in fact lavander oil. After discovering that the lavander oil dramatically reduced the pain of the burn and healed very quickly without any scarring Gattefosse then dedicated the rest of his life to the research of essential oils natural healing properties. Gattefosse named the practice of using essential oils for healing purposes "aromatherapy".
These healing compounds of plants have been studied and scientists have synthethized the "active" compounds. Over 25% of perscription medication in the United State now contain synthetic copies of these natural compounds.