WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY OR ESSENTIAL OIL THERAPY?
The essential oil is a companion both olfactory and therapeutic of your everyday life.
The atmosphere of a place is magnified by the diffusion of one or more essential oils selected with finesse and accuracy. Essential oils and essences then contribute to transport the human being towards an emotion, that it is with the aim to provoke a "relational synergy" between the people present or on the contrary "the rest of the soul", the relaxation and the inner meditation.
Essential oils have a thousand and one secrets. We discover new ones every day, for our greatest pleasure.
In Latin and Greek, "aroma" means "aroma, herb" and "therapeia" means "care, cure". We are talking about the therapeutic (medical) use of aromatic extracts of plants.
In contrast, herbal medicine uses all the elements of a plant. Note that only the doctor (doctor of medicine) can claim to be an aromatherapist. The aromatologist, meanwhile, is a specialist in essential oils.
Where does the essential oil come from?
The essential oil is derived from an aromatic plant by a process of steam distillation. The volatile aromatic molecules of the essential oils thus obtained give them benefits both in terms of health but also psychologically and emotionally. This is called aromatherapy: therapy with essential oils.
The distillation process is carried out in a still. Plants are placed on a "pierced" tray located above heated water and brought to a boil. Thus, the plant releases its aromatic essences which are harvested in a tank (the decanter).
Several parts of the plant can be distilled: wood, leaf, branch, root, stem, bark, zest, flower ....
The benefits of essential oil are a function of its chemical composition. But this depends on the conditions of production and harvesting: the nature of the soil, altitude, climate (level of sunshine, amount of rain, temperature), distillation.
The different methods of using essential oils
To determine the dosages, here are some essential notions:
- 1 ml of essential oil = about 25 drops of essential oil
- For example: 10% essential oil in a bottle of 100 ml = 10 ml of essential oil = about 250 drops of essential oil
- Another example: 10% essential oil in a 50 ml bottle = 5 ml of essential oil = 125 drops of essential oil
- The dosages below are given as an indication and depend on many criteria. It is recommended to contact a professional.
Precision: the term "child" means from 5 years old.
First use: cutaneous application of essential oils
Several modes of application are possible by cutaneous way, according to the desired benefit and the age of the user:
In local application:
Directly on the affected area: in case of button, herpes, etc ...
Dosage:
- Baby: dilute 1 drop of essential oil with vegetable oil (sweet almond oil for example) in the palm of the hand
- Child: 2 drops of essential oil mixed with a vegetable oil in the palm of the hand
- Adult: 3 to 4 drops of essential oil diluted with a vegetable oil in the palm of the hand
In function for a localized care:
Dosage:
- Baby: dilute 1% of essential oil in vegetable oil (sweet almond oil for example)
- Child: 3% essential oil mixed with vegetable oil
- Adult: 5 to 10% essential oil mixed with a vegetable oil*
Action: relaxation
Dosage:
- Baby: dilute 1% of essential oil in vegetable oil
- Child: 3% essential oil mixed with vegetable oil
- Adult: 3 to 5% of essential oils diluted in a vegetable oil
In the bath :
The essential oil is not water soluble and must be mixed with a neutral base (vegetable oil, liquid soap, shampoo, etc. ...).
Action: relaxing (Lavandula Angustifolia for example), decongestant (Eucalyptus Radiata) ...
Dosage: The dosages are indicative but be careful as to the proportion of essential oil in relation to the amount of water in the bath.
- Baby: 1 to 2 drops of essential oil mixed with a neutral base, in a baby bath
- Child: Mix 2 to 3 drops of essential oil with a neutral base. Caution: vegetable oil makes the bottom of the bath slippery.
- Adult: Mix 5 to 10 drops of essential oil with a neutral base.
In cosmetics:
Action: regenerating, healing, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, etc ...
Dosage:
- Child: A few drops of essential oil (1%) mixed with a cream or an oil
- Adult: a few drops of essential oil (1 to 2%) mixed with a cream or an oil
Action: anti-greasy, anti-dandruff
Specific action: remove lice for example (Lavandula angustifolia)
Dosage dry: a few drops directly on the affected areas of the scalp
Second use: the pulmonary way
In olfaction
For targeted and individual therapeutic use: place yourself above the vial of essential oil and perform 5 slow breaths (inhale 5 times placing your nose over the vial, and exhale 5 times, spreading slightly)
Inhaled
Place your face over an inhaler containing 2 to 4 drops of respiratory essential oils mixed with hot water. If you do not have an inhaler, you can use a bowl of hot water and cover your head with a cloth. Important precision: do not heat the water with essential oils but integrate them at the last moment.
In diffusion
The basic principle, in order to respect the aromatic molecules, is to never heat an essential oil. It is recommended to avoid diffusers that heat essential oils. Several devices are currently on sale on the market. There are two main dissemination methods:
1) Diffusers in which the essential oils, poured into a cup of water, are emitted in the form of micro droplets (haze). These diffusers adopt the principle of micro-cold spraying. They are broadcast over a long period of time (typically 60 to 90 minutes, some even broadcast up to 7 hours). The number of drops of essential oils depends on the type of diffuser and the surface of the room. This process has the advantage of offering a pleasant olfactory atmosphere, relaxing or invigorating.
2) Diffusers in glassware: the essential oils are diffused alone (without water) during 5 to 10 minutes per hour. The aromatic molecules are then released to offer all their therapeutic benefits, whether to clean a room (eg Lemon), to facilitate breathing (eg Ravintsara) or to install a relaxing atmosphere (eg Lavender). The amount of essential oil to pour into the diffuser depends on the surface of the room and the type of diffuser.
Third use: the internal way
It is sometimes proposed to absorb an essential oil by mixing it with sugar or honey. Since the essential oil is lipophilic (soluble in fat), it is recommended to eat it with a vegetable oil or fat, the only food that can buffer the gustatory force and causticity of an essential oil. Nevertheless, some essential oils can be toxic to the liver, kidneys and brain. Also it is better to refrain from ingesting, as a precaution, except to seek the advice of a professional.
Only the doctor is authorized to propose the manufacture of capsules (administered orally), ovules (vaginally) and suppositories (rectally).
Other ways of using essential oils
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