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Aromatherapy -- The Fact & The Fiction
You've seen those mysterious little brown bottles in the health food store. But do you really know what "essential oils" are? Have you seen outrageous claims about lavender instantly curing wounds and found yourself thinking "Whoa!"? Let's take a look at one of the biggest fads to hit North America in years and try to separate some of the fact from the fiction. AROMATHERAPY--WHAT IS IT? Though the use of aromatic plant materials dates back millennia, aromatherapy is a relatively new idea. In fact, the term "aromatherapy" wasn't even coined until the 1920s. Though you'll find people who claim aromatherapy can cure everything from AIDS to dandruff let's first look at aromatherapy in its purest form--the use of fragrant plant materials to alter mood, create an atmosphere, and personalize a room. Ask an aromatherapy aficionado and he'll tell you that "true" aromatherapy uses only pure, natural plant materials. But the truth is, mood can be influenced by any scent--natural or not. Ask any realtor about the use of scents and he might just suggest baking a batch of cinnamon rolls or an apple pie while showing your home to prospective buyers. An old wives tale? Some people think so but others swear by it. IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK . . . Let's face it--there are folks out there hawking aromatherapy as a cure for cancer, a treatment for depression, and even as an aphrodisiac. But good scientific studies on aromatherapy are rare. Even among natural health experts aromatherapy isn't taken all that seriously. At best it's a complimentary therapy. And while we're on the subject of quackery, let's also clarify another common misconception. There is currently no standardized certification aromatherapy program in the US. When you hire an aroma expert you've no way to be sure the person knows what he or she is doing. OK. IT'S NOT A MIRACLE CURE. SO . . . WHAT'S IT GOOD FOR? Aromatherapy may not cure terminal illness or heal burns in the blink of an eye but it's a wonderful way to bring natural scents into your home. Essential oils don't have the sickeningly sweet scent of artificial air fresheners or the solvent scent of room sprays. Whether you use them to freshen potpourri, diffuse them into the air, or use them to scent your linens, essential oils are a quick, easy way to inject a bit of your own personality into your private space. Let's look at some of the most popular uses of some of the more common oils: The medicinal scent of Eucalyptus or Tea Tree will make your bathroom or kitchen feel cleaner, instantly. Rose in the bathroom, however, harkens back to Victorian times, when rose was the scent of choice in perfumes, face creams, and soaps. Lavender is the classic "linen closet" scent. Try lightly spraying your sheets and pillowcases about half an hour before you retire in the evening. Citrus oils like Orange or Lemon make a room feel happy and alive while warm, woody oils like Patchouli or Sandalwood impart a mysterious, moody feeling. In your bedroom, the deep, exotic scent of Ylang-Ylang urgently whispers "This is a romantic space". About The Author As the owner of NaturopathicBath.com, Lisa Barger is one of the few internet-based experts focusing on truly therapeutic personal care products. Her cruelty-free products are made without petroleum, dye, alcohol, or perfumes.
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Alternative Medicine Mosquitoes? No Itch, No Bite! When you are in the season of the mosquito, it is looked upon with horror for those who suffer allergic reactions. But even if you do not get these reactions it is still looked upon by most as an unpleasant, unavoidable summertime irritant. No one wants to be bitten, especially with the threat of West Nile and other diseases. But what can you do? A Free Natural Medicine Which is also Your Strongest, Most Abundant, and Easiest to Use We've all heard, haven't we, that a 40-year-old was considered elderly in the past? With America's aging population, why wouldn't we take advantage of reasons to count ourselves lucky to live beyond 40? After all, as little as 200 years ago the average life span in North America was 37 years. But the idea that anyone over 40 back then is a misinterpretation of statistical data. I'll explain why in a moment... Vibrational Medicine Vibrational medicine attempts to treat people with various forms of pure energy. The influence of alternative medical systems such as Chinese, Ayervedic or Tibetan medicine have led in part to the development of machines that can 'image energy'. Heat energy imagers are an accepted part of our technology. We readily accept imaging heat, even though we can't see it, because heat is something we can sense through touch. With the 'energy body' it is not so straightforward. Very few of us have experienced this for ourselves and there is apparently no sensory backup to tell us it is there. Arthritis Relief and Your Diet Arthritis affects more than 40 million Americans and is referred to as the most common chronic disease in people over 40. Hypnosis Cures For Nail Biting One little-thought-of application for hypnosis is to help people stop their nail biting habit. While this may not be on par with splitting the atom, it is a serious problem for people who always seem to find themselves gnawing their nails. Garlic My Favorite Healing Herb Garlic is a wonderful healing herb and, unlike many of the other herbs, it tastes great and can be incorporated into a variety of meals. Garlic has been used for over 5000 years as a healing herb and has strong antibacterial, and antiviral properties. But it's health benefits extend well beyond it's infection fighting properties. It is also reputed to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as help protect against heart disease and stroke. Constipation Relieved Naturally Constipation is a problem that affects many Americans every day. Constipation is mainly due to poor eating habits, insufficient exercise, not getting enough fiber and not drinking enough water. Constipation is quite uncomfortable and most everyone knows when they have it. Common symptoms include: Reversing Macular Degeneration: Without Drugs Or Surgery I would like to report some anecdotal research findings that suggest how our beliefs and our traumatic life history can be directly linked to some of the physical illnesses that we experience during our lives. Additionally, I would like to report that there is now a modality that can permanently release the beliefs and the memories of trauma from consciousness, or as I think of it from the human bio-field, and effectively begin to eliminate the illness at the physical level. Ginger for Upset Stomach The common ginger root used in cooking has been found to alleviate nausea, indigestion, and motion sickness. What Happens During a Pain Relief Visualization Session A visualization session is an hour-long conversation with your subconscious about what visualization statements you may be able to use to help relieve your pain. Here's how the session works. Parasites: The Missing Diagnosis? Parasites, commonly thought of as only affecting those in developing countries, actually affect 1 in 6 people in North America and are the most common disease condition in the world. For many chronic conditions this can be the missing diagnosis. For example, amebiasis can be misdiagnosed as Chron's disease, and roundworm can be mistaken for peptic ulcers. IBS, food allergies, and chronic fatigue syndrome have all been found to have parasitic causes. The Honeybush Miracle Perhaps a little eclipsed by the world-wide success of Rooibos, another natural South African health tea, Honeybush; is finally getting the attention it deserves. Healing Heartburn Holistically Everyone at some point in time has experienced some form of heartburn. Often, what we notice is a bitter, sour or acid taste in our mouths. At times, we may feel as if partially digested foods or liquids are moving from our stomach back towards our mouth. Sometimes we may also experience chest pain that increases when we lay down. Each of these is an indication of heartburn. Organic Juices for Constipation Organic fresh made juices have cleansing and laxative action, which will help you eliminate constipation. Taken regularly they will help you have daily bowel movements. What Disorders Can Acupuncture Treat and How Does It Work? How did acupuncture start? Alzheimer's Home Testing Manual Now Available Online If you are concerned about the condition of an older family member or loved one, you are likely asking yourself: "I know there's something wrong. Could it be Alzheimer's?" Chelation and Clathration Chelating is the process of removing toxic materials, metals and minerals from the body by use of certain chelating agents. These are substances that bond with the toxic materials resulting in capsulation of those toxic materials within the chelating agent that then flashes away through the natural excretory process of cleaning the body waste. How Visualization Is Different from What You May Have Tried for Pain Relief You've probably tried everything you can think of to ease your chronic pain. But chances are that in your search for relief you haven't tried anything quite like visualization statements. The Many Uses of Mint There are many varieties of mint plants. If you want to brew tea, you go Swiss mint, apple mint or variegated peppermint. To flavor up your cooking, spearmint is the standard. Try Corsican mint for its carpet-like quality as a ground cover in your garden. Just The Tea FAQs: Health Benefits (Part I) Hands up all those who can't get through the day without their shots of coffee... ah, that's most of us then! Call it an espresso, cappuccino or a regular coffee, if it's not decaffeinated then the caffeine will have our central nervous system jumping to its own coffee beat, that much we know. But, while the jury may still be out as to whether long-term coffee consumption is detrimental to our health, there is an altogether more wholesome alternative readily available in shops, cafes and restaurants near you - tea.
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