What are Hydrosols?

Hydrosols are compounds that are also used in aromatherapy. They are a product of the steam distillation process of making essential oils. Hydrosols are what are left after the oil has been collected. They are also called floral waters or distillates. The word “hydrosol” literally means water (hydro) solution (sol).

Hydrosols are full of beneficial properties. They will retain many of the constituents of the plant from which they were made, and because they don’t have any synthetic additives, chemicals or alcohol they are perfect for use in a variety of applications for the whole family. Hydrosols have been used for things from aftershaves to room sprays and even as a laundry additive. Because they are pure, you can gain many of the same aromatherapy benefits from them, and when used as a perfume, aftershave or fabric spray, you can carry your aromatherapy with you all day.

Some hydrosols are even appropriate for cleaning and disinfecting. Citrus hydrosols make great disinfectant cleaners and don’t contain many of the dangerous chemicals of other widely available cleaners. A number of hydrosols are also used to treat cellulite and varicose veins as well as treat cuts and burns.

Hydrosols are powerful products that you can use in a number of ways to achieve your desired aromatherapy benefit.

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What are Base Oils?

In aromatherapy, there are essential oils, which capture the essence of whatever plant they are made from and there are base oils. Base oils are used to dilute essential oils so that they can be applied to the skin for a variety of healing purposes.

There is a variety of base oils, each with different properties and effective for different ailments. Base oils are typically less expensive and more viscous than essential oils, which makes them ideal for blending. You should choose your base oil to compliment the ailment you are trying to treat with your essential oils.

Here are some of the most common base oils, though it is in no way an inclusive list.

Almond Oil- Almond oil is used in massage and cosmetic applications. This oil has a long shelf life and is quite easy to find, even in some grocery stores.

Arnica Oil-Arnica is quite effective as a natural pain reliever. It is blended into Moriah Herbs Muscle Massage formula for this reason. It makes an ideal base for aromatherapy massage blends.

Coconut Oil- Coconut oil is easy to find in most grocery stores and is ideal for use on very dry skin. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, and doesn’t become liquid until it is above 80 degrees. For this reason, you should mix your essential with the oil when it is in it’s liquid state, but be sure to store it in a wide mouth container, so that when it cools to it’s solid form you can get it out. If it were in a bottle, it would be quite difficult.

Grapeseed Oil- Grapeseed oil is a great base oil for massage oils, as it is not known to cause allergies. It is available in some grocery stores and widely available in natural food stores.

Olive Oil-Olive oil is not just great for your heart when used in cooking, it’s good for your skin as well. Olive oil has been used since antiquity for massages and for treating dry skin and hair. It is rich in Vitamin E which makes it a powerful when used for healing skin conditions. This would be ideal to blend with lavender essential oil.

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.

What is an Herbal Detox?

If you are like many people, you’ve likely seen some of those infomercials on TV that tout the healing benefits of a detox. But what the heck is that? Well that is actually a complex answer.

Nearly everyone today has an incredibly hectic lifestyle. Both parents work full time and then there are the kids in 5 different team sports and people spend their days rushing around, and usually grabbing dinner from the drive through a couple times a week, and that’s not counting all the lunches that come from the same unhealthy place, or that get skipped altogether. All of this adds undue stress on the body and when stress levels go up so do Cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that your body creates in response to stress. Prolonged elevation of this hormone can lead to a variety of problems, including obesity. But this is where a detox can help. Detoxing removes harmful toxins from the body, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized.

There are a number of different types of detox products available. Some are designed to work with a specific part of the body, such as the liver or colon, and others are full body detox systems, designed to give the body a good spring cleaning. These systems are widely available, but it’s important to be careful of the one you choose. It should be all natural, herbal based, and contain no synthetic ingredients or harsh stimulants.

It is recommended that people detox at least twice a year, however some find it more beneficial to do it more often, such as 4-6 times per year. This will depend on your individual lifestyle. One thing is universally true. If you take good care of your body, it will last longer, and isn’t health and longevity something we all want?

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.

Built In Aromatherapy in Your Car?

Researchers in India and the US are working with experimental technology that will recognize when I driver is sleepy and respond with blasts of aromatherapy scents to increase alertness. Tens of thousands of accidents are caused each year when drivers fall asleep behind the wheel. But now thanks to this new facial recognition technology, the car will be able to define between a yawn and other facial expressions and respond with a warning that the driver needs to stop driving and rest.

Nissan Motors has taken this technology a step further. They are integrating aromatherapy into their new Forest AC system. This system will monitor things like humidity, temperature and ventilation and respond with an appropriate aromatherapy scent to increase alertness when needed. This system is currently being tested in the Nissan Fuga, which will only be released in Japan at this time.

It’s important to remember that the Japanese have been doing a number of studies on the effective uses of aromatherapy, including one impressive study that showed that workers who were exposed to citrus scents while working had a more than 50% reduction in errors over those who weren’t.

With this new technology being developed in Japan, it’s only a matter of time before this is available in the US.

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.

The Ancient History of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils

Aromatherapy has been used in some form or another for thousands of years. It is thought that the ancient Chinese burned herbs to create balance in a space, although the most documented use comes from ancient Egypt.

Several essential oils were used in the process of mummification, although they were not true essentials because the process of distillation had not been invented yet. Cedarwood, Myrrh, Clove and others were wrapped with in the wrappings on bodies. In one case the tomb of the deceased was opened thousands of years later and the scent, while faint, was still present. It is believed that during this time herbs were prepared by infusion rather than distillation because the technology did not yet exist to distill them.

At the same time in ancient Egypt, perfume was quite popular, among both sexes. It is believed that both men and women heavily perfumed their skin. It is believed that the Egyptians actually created the word “perfume” from the words “per fumum”, which is Latin for “through the smoke”. The ancient Greeks learned of perfume from the Egyptians, though they give the credit to their many gods.

Hippocrates, thought to be the father of modern medicine, was the first to study the use of essential oils and plants for their medicinal purposes. He often performed fumigations, or what many now would call smudging, for both medical and aromatic purposes.

Read on for Part 2

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The History of Aromatherapy and Essential Oil through the Middle Ages

During the domination of the Roman Empire, the use of herbs and plants in healing continued. It was during this time that a book called De Materia Medica was written by Discoredes. It details the healing properties of around 500 plants and is thought by many to be the first book written on natural healing with plants. It was at the same time that the author of the book, Discoredes, began experimenting with distillation, though his goal was fragrance water, not essential oils as we know them today.

It was during the 11th Century that distillation took a major leap forward with the invention of the coil cooling pipe by a Persian named Avicenna. Prior to this, plant essence and steam was cooled in a straight pipe which was not nearly as effective as the coiled pipe. As a result, more emphasis was placed on the healing benefits of essential oils.

During the 12th Century a German Abbess (one who runs and abbey) began to grow and distill lavender for it’s use as a medicine. As we’ve discussed in other posts, Lavender is one of the most versatile essential oils, and one no one should be without. It is like a first aid kit in a bottle.

It is during the 13th and 14th Century that the use of herbs gains enormous acclaim. In the 14th Century, Plague gripped Europe and much of the Western world (or what was known of it at the time) and herbal preparations were used extensively to treat those affected. It is widely thought that a great number of perfumers escaped the Black Death due to their near constant contact with the herbs.

Into the 15th Century a larger number of plants and herbs were distilled and toward the end of the century a vast number of books were published on the subject.

Read on for Part 3

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The History of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils through Modern Times

The 16th Century saw the birth of the apothecary, and it would be a fixture in every city and town for hundreds of years to come and lead to the creation of the modern pharmacy. It was also during this time that a change started occurring. During the 16th and 17th Centuries, there started to be a divergence between those using herbs and plants for perfumes and those using them to heal. Perfumes were still highly prized among women, and in fact women would go to the jeweler and have special bottles made to hold their treasured blend. However, apothecaries became more for the medicinal preparations of herbs and in many cities and towns, the local doctor or healer would either own the apothecary, or would work out one. An example of this can be seen in the apothecary in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, where visitors can see the office in the back of the store, with the jars and bottles of ingredients and the huge mortar and pestle in the front on the counter.

During the 19th Century, science advanced and the ability to isolate individual properties of the essential oils could be identified. We still use those individual properties today when mixing blends to treat the ailments of patients.

As the 20th Century dawned, this increasing knowledge of the individual constituents of each oil led to the modern pharmaceutical industry. These properties were used as a basis to create synthetic fragrances for the perfume industries and a variety of others, as well as being used to synthesize modern pharmaceuticals. One well known example of this is the drug Valium, which is commonly used for anxiety and insomnia, among other conditions. Valium is a synthesized version of Valerian Root, which is still widely available today and is also used for anxiety and insomnia.

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.