Aromatherapy Essential Oils as Mainstream Medicine
Therapeutic use of essential oils is beginning to be recognized in the United States as a valid modality for treating illness. There is still significant resistance to the science of Aromatherapy, but such is the resistance from the institutional-medicine/pharmaceutical-industrial complex to most 'natural' health treatments. 'Big Pharma' is THE industry with the highest average profit margins on earth -- and is dedicated to producing, patenting, marketing selling new, unnatural (and therefore 'patent-able') chemical compounds that are supposed to answer every need of health and wellness. While some formulations do much good for the world (modern medicine has nearly eradicated several life-threatening illnesses from the planet), other medicines simply mask symptoms for a time, and others are downright dangerous.
Essential oils offer inexpensive, effective treatments for many ailments, free from side-effects of over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Whether the very limited and overtly skeptical presentation of Aromatherapy in the mainstream media is driven by the big money involved with institutional medicine remains to be clarified. In the meantime, YOU have the ways and means to include essential oils in your own natural medicine program. There are a great many resources available to the lay-practitioner to determine which oils and how they can best be applied for the improvement of your own health and wellness. Let's have a look at what the science of Aromatherapy is really about...
Aromatherapy is the branch of botanical (plant-based) medicine using a particular class of compounds - no more, no less. It just so happens these compounds smell exceptionally nice - does medicine have to be nasty to work? And do drugs made by high-tech means always result in the best of these medicines? This seems unreasonable, given the fact that a very high percentage of today's modern 'drugs' are extracts of wild plants, though they have been encapsulated and manipulated so that ownership may be granted under patent law. This doesn't mean a natural preparation of the plant can be any less effective! And what, physically, are essential oils? If you boil or send steam through plant matter, collect the steam and allow it to cool, an oil-like liquid will float atop the water. Essential oil. That's it! The chemicals made by the plant that do not dissolve in water. Interestingly enough, this 'lipophillic' nature of essential oils makes them even more compatible and absorbable with our physiology than many other plant compounds. No reason to turn our backs on them as medicines, eh?
A backlash may be coming; more people are getting fed up with the high cost of healthcare and the soaring cost of prescription drugs. They are willing to investigate natural, inexpensive alternatives, particularly when 'proven' effective in the same arena as are modern pharmaceuticals. An important example is the use of Peppermint essential oil in treating irritable bowel syndrome. A study of 50 children comparing the effects of a common chemical preparation and peppermint oil capsules on alleviating their symptoms showed the peppermint oil to be drastically more effective, with fewer side effects, than the pharmaceutical drug. The nature of the essential oil is that it will eliminate bacteria causing disease symptoms, while leaving much-needed natural intestinal flora unharmed. This is the beauty of aromatherapy, and properly utilized natural medicines in general.
Another widely-published effect of a particular essential oil is that of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) for the treatment of oral and genital herpes. The herpes simplex virus, or HSV, is one that a patient is thought to have to live with for the rest of their lives once contracted. The virus remains dormant in the nervous system until times of stress reduce immune system function enough to allow recurrence of painful sores and legions. It's not fun, nor is it considered 'curable' by the American medical establishment. However, in many university studies performed in Germany, Lemon Balm (as well as other combinations of essential oils containing the same ant-viral compounds) has been shown very effective at reducing the pain, duration, and frequency of outbreaks through topical application. One professor has even proclaimed that repeated use before and during outbreaks can lead to complete remission of the disease. Again, Aromatherapy to the rescue!
Then, of course, there is the 'aroma' therapeutic aspect of essential oil use. The hard facts show the olfactory sense of the brain is wired directly to vital control centers of the gray matter - particularly those governing emotions, stress levels and, well we're not sure how this relates to your health, but sexual arousal as well. And with acceptance of the importance of one's mental health relating to their physical well being continuing to grow, Aromatherapy may eventually find it's place in hospitals and doctor's offices alongside stethoscopes, syringes and cotton swabs. Many, many studies have shown the self-evaluated improvements in mood and stress levels when inhaling particular essential oils - and because stress is considered by many health professionals as THE number one cause of disease, it's a short leap to believe the inhalation of spirit-lifting aromas can result in improved states of health.
Aromatherapy is certainly not a cure all, but like any medical specialty, should be used when appropriate by knowledgeable patients and practitioners. How do you learn to use Aromatherapy most effectively for yourself? Education is the way! There are many wonderful, well-written books on the subject of medicinal usage of essential oils; of particular note are those by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt: Advanced Aromatherapy and Medical Aromatherapy; also Jane Buckle's Clinical Aromatherapy, and any publication by Robert Tisserand. These books can open a whole new world of alternative health and wellness, giving you more options to control your health care decisions than ever before. If in need, find a qualified, degreed practitioner - and remember, always consult a medical professional for any serious injury or illness. In some cases, aromatherapy can be used to as an adjunct to other treatments - discuss this with your doctor. Finally, there's little harm in simply getting started with essential oils - learn, buy yourself some nice oils, and have fun!
