Is there really anything to aromatherapy? Have any doctors or scientists looked into aromatherapy? It turns out there are several well-regarded studies on aromatherapy, some of which point to definite health benefits.
Many people use aromatherapy to create a sense of calm or to change their mood. In some cases you can evoke specific physical reactions in your body with the use of smell. The sense of smell is a physical and chemical sense; you smell things and react without even thinking much about it. This is why we have such strong reactions to smells, especially if they are linked to experiences we've had.
One of the most trusted of the aromatherapy studies shows that lavender has a very powerful affect on you physically. Lavender slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. You can request for lavender essential oil to be added to your massage oil, which is something professional massage therapists often do. Many geriactric units are starting to use lavender to calm and soothe dementia patients. You can also use geranium essential oil, which is similar in effect.
Another interesting aromatherapy find is that peppermint is quite a potent scent. Peppermint jolts you into a state of alertness, helping you focus and remain on task. In one study, kids who chewed peppermint gum while taking tests performed better than students who chewed any other flavor gum.
Grapefruit essential oil is rumored to act as an appetite suppressant. Another fun thing about grapefruit essential oils was discovered in a study evaluating men, scent, and age--apparantly men think women who smell like grapefruit are younger than those who wear other scents.
However, not all aromatherapy products work the same. Your body doesn't respond the same way to fake (or synthetic) aromatherapy products. And you'll want to choose high grade essential oils off the knock off low grade oils. Buy an all-natural essential oil and then use to diffuse in your home and to add to almond oil or lotion base.
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