Essential Aromatherapy Oils & Herbal Incense
by: whitneysegura
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Word Count: 613
Aromatherapy treatments are generally used in one of three ways: topical applications such as ointments, inhaled as steam, or through aerial diffusion-which is just a fancy way of saying disbursing the essential oils into the air. Aromatherapudic incense takes this third form.
Whereas topical applications are used mostly for skin, muscle, and joint ailments, and inhalants for respiratory illnesses, aerially diffused aromatherapy incense is generally reserved for mental and emotional treatments. Different types of aromatherapy incense are used to relax or energize, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, or to cleanse and purify an area.
Although many people may write off such aromatherapy practices as silly new-age superstition, there is actually dome basis in fact for mood altering aromatherapudic incense. The plants that essential oils are distilled from have chemical properties that do affect the body. It only makes sense that sedatives and stimulants can relax or energize a person. Many essential oils possess known antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Is "cleansing" and "purifying" an area by diffusing such essential oils into the air through burning incense really that different from spraying Lysol around? Well, yes... aromatherapy incense smells a lot better.
Although the use of essential oils in incense-determining which essential oil will have what effect on a person's mood-relies heavily on folk wisdom, and spirituality, there does appear to be some science (albeit poorly understood) to back it up.
A Japanese study found that lemon essential oil, diffused into the air, could reduce stress in mice. A separate study at Ohio State University indicated that lemon oil may help with relaxation. A third study found that frankincense, an aromatic long considered to have antidepressant properties, did indeed increase antidepressive behavior in laboratory mice.
How the aromas caused the lab results in test subjects is less clear.
- It is known that the olfactory system (sense of smell) influences the body's limbic system, which in turn, influences the brain. The exact effect that a certain aroma has on the brain, however, is not clear.
- In the frankincense study mentioned above, for example, it was theorized that the incense activated the ion channels in the mice brains, which can alleviate depression and anxiety.
- The ion channels in the brain, however, are currently poorly understood.
Finally, when conducting incense mood tests in humans, it is difficult to eliminate all the psychological influences that could bias with the test results. For example, if a depressed person is exposed to rose incense and comes out feeling better, it is because of the essential oil's interaction with brain chemistry? Or is it because the aroma reminds the person of happy, loving romantic encounters from their past?
Another example is that for centuries Buddhist monks burned incense while meditating.
- The assumption was that this incense must somehow increase a person's mental concentration and clarity.
- This inspired a pharmecutical company to collect many different Buddhist meditation incense samples and analyze them.
- They found that almost every incense had one core ingredient in common: lemon grass.
- Lemon grass is better known today as citronella, a potent insect repellent.
The Buddhist incense did help with meditation-just not by directly interacting with the human brain. Rather, it drove away buzzing and biting insects that would distract the monk and break his concentration. The incense's effect was environmental, not biological. Not quite what you expected, is it?
About the Author
Whitney is an expert in aromatherapy and herbal incense usage, visit his herbal incense news blog to find more tips and tricks.
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