The Advantages of Hydrosols For Aromatherapy Newcomers

There are many advantages to using a hydrosol as opposed to pure essential oils in aromatherapy, especially for the home user. This is particularly true for the beginner, who may not be familiar with concentrations.

First, a hydrosol is a much less concentrated form of the essential oils. It is important to remember that like traditional medication, it is potentially harmful to overdo certain oils. Additionally, mixing extracts that do not belong together is also a dangerous prospect and shouldn’t be done by the “newbie”. This is not to say that a beginner can’t do it, just that caution should be exercised. Hydrosols take out the guess work.

Since they are already in proper concentration, the second attribute to hydrosols is that the application is considerably simpler, in that most are sprayed on. This means that the aromatherapy treatment becomes as easy as putting on perfume or cologne. Additionally, the strength is considerably less concentrated, so this type of application makes it easier on the skin and less likely to result in any sensitivity issues.

One of the most often overlooked attributes to hydrosols is that to create the formula, they have to be taken through another distillation process independent on what it took to purify the oil in the first place. Double distillation virtually guarantees that the product is a pure source. Unfortunately, slick marketing and an increased demand in the aromatherapy brings about charlatans who do not provide quality products. With hydrosols, the process of development almost certainly insures that the product is high quality.

Finally, those who specialize in producing hydrosols are very familiar with the formulas of herbs that work best with one another. Aromatherapy is part of a holistic approach to medicine, and use of mixtures form this basis of this type of medicine. Hydrosols have been developed that use several essential oils in conjunction with one another to provide this balance. For example, an oil used to rid the patient of a migraine will probably be used simultaneously with one that relieves anxiety or as a calming effect. Developers can place these together in the process to provide a product that is all encompassing. As with every, do your research, but hydrosols are a great option for someone beginning aromatherapy, or someone who is on the go.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

Illness Symptoms and the Essential Oils That Treat Them

There are countless ailments and other problems that can be resolved using essential oils and aromatherapy. The list would be too great to piece together even in a series of blogs. Books have been written over the centuries of their attributes. Here is a minute sampling of some things that aromatherapy has been known to make a difference in from a medical standpoint.

One of the oils with the widest range of uses is lavender oil. It has been proven to be effective in topical form as an antiseptic and pain reliever for minor burns and insect bites. It doesn’t stop there. Lavender has been shows signs of being a calming and relaxing fragrance, and therefore is being used for treating depression, anxiety, and stress. It can be diluted to eliminate nits in cases of head lice. But possibly the best potential application regards breast cancer. The research is ongoing, but it appears that lavender oil has been used in laboratory tests to reduce advanced mammary tumors in rats. This is not to suggest that it will be a replacement for conventional treatments of breast cancer, but it shows promise and any advancement in this area is important.

Australia has given aromatherapy a boost with the extraction of tea tree oil. Recently, there have been outbreaks in public spaces such as schools, jails, and local gyms of an infection called MRSA. MRSA is a staph infection that can be transmitted across skin barriers. Tea tree oil has been shown for many years to treat these types of infections as well as being an antifungal agent.

If you have a tooth ache and can’t get a prompt dental appointment, clove oil has been known to numb the jaw. In fact, many dental medications actually contain clove oil already as a pain killer. Its analgesic properties have also been effective in severe burns and other emergency disorders. Finally, it is used in many cases to lighten the pain of multiple sclerosis, allowing people afflicted to be ambulatory for greater periods of time, thus aiding in longevity and independence.

There are a great deal more essential oils that can be used for specific afflictions. Contact an aromatherapy practitioner near you to find out about them all.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

Aromatherapy Fountains

For people who practice the art and science of aromatherapy, it can be very much a feng shui item in their home. What good is using lavender or chamomile to reduce stress in your life if the atmosphere creates even more stress than you had in the first place? Welcome to one of the latest technologies in the aromatherapy industry ~ the aromatherapy fountain.

For those unfamiliar, aromatherapy uses oil from plant extracts with therapeutic value to effectively change parts of the body’s chemistry yielding cures to many chronic ailments. It can also be used in preventative care. It is the most open secret in the world that even Hippocrates himself, the father of medicine, used aromatherapy in treating many of his patients. The results of this treatment have held up throughout time for over 2500 years and across all 7 continents.

The aromatherapy fountain uses warm water to diffuse the aromatherapy oil over a larger area, allowing everyone in the space to achieve the therapeutic effects. The use essential oils brings about the desired result. In addition, the water in the fountain gives the room an attractive ambiance for the eyes. Visual stimulation has been proven in other mediums to also have curative effects. This is in part the reason that there are aquariums in many doctors’ offices. Moving water has a calming effect.

The last factor involved in using an aromatherapy fountain is the sound. There are companies that produce CD’s that sell for $5 or more at local discount department stores that will recreate the sound of rushing water. People spend plenty of money to be aurally stimulated during their trips to the day spa. So, with one piece of technology, it is possible to create an ambiance that helps soothe the spirit and body through three senses. Maybe the best part of this idea is that it is only a conversation piece for a short time. Friends and family will soon not even notice that they are being “treated” when they enter your living space. Hippocrates would be proud.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

Natural Medicine for the Whole Person

Holistic medicine is the term used to describe an array of different procedures that usually focus on natural forms of therapy. The practice is based on the tenet that in any malady or problem, it is necessary to treat the “whole person” rather than focus on specific symptoms.

Holistic medicine’s roots go back to the 4th century BC and cover the globe from Asia to the old world of Greece and Mesopotamia. Hippocrates, father of the medical field, used a holistic approach to all of his patients. So it stands to reason that many of the myths surrounding holistic medicine as “voodoo” are not only unwarranted, but flat out false.

Sometime between the age of the frontier doctors, who used a decidedly holistic approach, and the advent of modern medicine, snake oil charlatans ruined the image for the entire method. Perhaps it can be attributed to the success of large pharmaceutical companies that pandered to the use of chemically altered medications. In many ways, they spent years marketing the idea that science could create better cures than nature itself, and the general public bought into it. Additionally, many who claimed to practice the art in the early 20th century were nothing more than men who had not been through any formal medical training and were more concerned with profit than with the health of their clientele.

Today’s holistic medicine is decidedly different. The practitioners who are considered part of the new movement are being taken seriously again by the medical community. Chiropractic medicine is now being paid for by insurance companies, something that was unavailable 20 years ago. Holistic stores are on the rise, and pharmacies have entire sections that are devoted to herbal remedies. And now, like Hippocrates himself, physicians are using aromatherapy to aid in what are still considered “more conventional” treatments.

This move comes from the recent push toward “wellness” which completely coincides with the mission of holistic medicine to begin with. Further, holistic practitioners have been faithful in recommending their therapy work in unison with a traditional medicinal approach. The health of the individual patient hangs in the balance of this new détente, but it will serve both partners and patients in the long run.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

Aromatherapy and Your Pets

When considering aromatherapy for your pets, many things apply that don’t fall into categories that would normally be reserved for human use. For instance, what may be an effective remedy for a person may be a waste of essential oils to a dog or cat, and what may work for one, may not work for the others. When used properly, aromatherapy can be as effective a treatment for minor ailments with animals as it is with humans.

For instance, lavender oil makes cats sleepy and pacifies them. In addition, it helps them repels insects, leading to fewer issues with ticks and mosquitoes. From that, it is easy to gather that you will deal much less with inflammation and rashes.

The important thing to remember, when dealing with pets and essential oils, is that pure oils are strong. In most cases they have to be diluted for human consumption. It is even more important with animals. Always bear in mind that the average cat weighs 10 to 15 pounds, and unless you have a Great Dane or Rottweiler, the average dog size is between 45 and 70 pounds. So even if a specific oil can be used at full strength on a human, your pet is roughly one tenth to half your size. This should be the understanding when working with them.

In many instances, it is possible to utilize the therapeutic effects of the oil without the oil even coming in contact with the pet’s skin. For example, the lavender oil for a cat can be diluted and sprayed into their bedding, giving the animal the treatment and making the house smell pleasant also.

Aromatherapy and animals can be very effective, as long as you keep in mind that animals are smaller, and that animals are different. What may be a good therapy for a human can make a pet severely ill or lead to its death. Caution must be used when choosing treatments for animals. There are many lists available at holistic stores that can help when making these choices.

Finally, before deciding on any treatment, consult your veterinarian. You would not start a treatment for yourself without talking to a doctor; give the same courtesy to your pet. It will pay off for both of you in the long run.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

Essential Oil Safety

There are precautions to take when utilizing any form of therapy. All therapy affects the body, acting and reacting with the chemical reactions that make up our physiological person. Incorrect, uninformed, or choices that are ignorant of all of the factors surrounding your total health can in the least be a waste of time and money, and at worst be detrimental to your health and safety.

The first, most important step when considering aromatherapy is a consultation with your primary care physician. In recent years, traditional medical practitioners have begun to accept aromatherapy as a science. Many of the myths surrounding it have been debunked, and it is no longer considered “voodoo”, especially in the new push throughout the medical community for preventative care. Therefore, you can use this opportunity to visit your doctor. Schedule a physical. Take the time to sit and discuss any medication regimen that he has prescribed, and be open with him about what you are undertaking. Any aromatherapist worth seeing is concerned first and foremost with your whole health, so tell them about your health plan from the traditional physician. It is vital to the success of the therapy that these people work hand in hand for you.

Second, it is important to make sure that any medications that you are taking are noted before you begin a particular oil regimen. One that typically comes to mind is the use of the blood thinner Warfarin. Several different essential oils are contraindicated when taking Warfarin, so it is important to know which ones will work with what pills you take. The rule of thumb is simply to remember that most drugs were formulated by some type of herb, which is also the source of essential oils. Caution should be used.

Finally, remember that a little goes a long way when utilizing essential oils. While safe in the proper dosage, even safe oils like lavender can cause sensitive skin and allergic reactions. Do not forget that these things can be exacerbated by sunlight. Sunburns, rashes, and even allergic reaction can occur, so take this into account before you start. Used properly, aromatherapy can greatly improve your life, be do it safely.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.

How to Select Essential Oils

Anyone who has experienced therapeutic effects of aromatherapy will tell you that there is no substitute for good quality essential oils. Fortunately, you aren’t the first person to purchase these oils, so you don’t have to do the trial and error required to figure out how to spot the good oil from the bad. There are several tips you can use to know what you are getting.

The first thing to do is simply read the package. It doesn’t take a genius to know that there is a different between a fine French cheese and Velveeta. Watching the marketing on oils is similar. For example, avoid phrases like “fragrance” or “perfume”. Though not always true, many times these are red flags to suggest that this is not a pure, unadulterated oil, in much the same way that you know a “cheese product” is not cheese. Also, in many cases, the terms “pure essential oil” and “aromatherapy” are overused in the marketing of these products and don’t necessarily reflect the purity or medicinal value of the product.

Another thing to avoid is essential oil that is marketed in any type of clear bottle. This may seem like a beginner’s mistake, but it happens all too often. Many products are deliberately packaged in a different colored bottle, medications for example. This is because the sun affects these products over time. Essential oils are no different. When oils sit in stock, and there’s no telling when these products were made, the sunlight and heat of the warehouse can degrade the effectiveness of the item in question. It would be a waste of money to purchase oils that did not work. Further, it is important to note that once purchased, the oils should be kept in brown bottles away from sun and in a cool, dry place.

Finally, one should use a great deal of caution when a sales outlet prices all of their essential oils at the same price. This is not always an indicator, but it says a lot about the quality of all of the products. Jasmine is rarer and should clearly be more expensive than geranium. If it is a sale, it is important to know when the oil was manufactured. Armed with these tips, it is possible to make wise choices in your aromatherapy needs.

Check out http://www.moriahherbs.com/, it is your source for natural healing. At Moriah Herbs you are part of the vision, our mission is your well being.