Do you use Aromatherapy? If not, consider this...

Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential and absolute oils derived from plants. The word "aromatherapy" was first used in the 1920's by a French perfumer named Rene Gattfosse. The use of the word "therapy" gives the impression of the need for treatment of an illness. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants. Aromatherapy oils can not only be used as inhalants but they can also be massaged into the skin. The essential oils used in aromatherapy are concentrated extracts taken from the roots, leaves, or blossoms of plants. Each essential oil contains its own mix of active ingredients, and this mix determines the healing properties of the oil.  Some oils promote physical healing-for example, some are able to relieve swelling. Others are used for their emotional value, such as lavender, as they may encourage relaxation or make a room smell nice. The essential oil derived from orange blossom, for example, contains a large amount of ester, an active ingredient thought to induce a calming effect. It is not fully understood how or why essential oils produce the effects that they do. One obvious way that essential oils work is through the sense of smell. This sense is incredibly powerful-according to some estimates, about 10,000 times stronger than any other sense. The "smell" receptors in your nose communicate with two structures that are embedded deep in your brain and serve as storehouses for emotions and memories. These structures are called the amygdala and hippocampus. When essential oil molecules are inhaled, they affect these parts of the brain directly. Researchers believe that stimulation of these structures can affect our physical, emotional, and mental health. It is also known that breathing in essential oils can affect the respiratory system. For example, certain oils from the eucalyptus plant are able to clear sinuses and prevent respiratory infections. Thus, the reason why Halls Mentholyptus and Vicks are so popular during cold and flu season. Aromatherapy massage is a popular way of using essential oils, because it works in numerous ways at the same time: it produces benefits from absorbing the oils into the skin, from inhaling the oil's vapors, and from the physical therapy of the massage process itself. We have two new aromatherapy lines now at www.birthsource.com.  Cappriccio Aromatics is a unique blend of aromatherapy oils made especially for women in labor - there is the Early Labor Blend, Active Labor Blend, Transition Blend and Stage 2 Pushing Blend!  Also, we carry a limited supply of the Aura Cacia line!  Just click on the Aromas & More category on our website for all of the latest additions!