history of essential oils

An essential oil is a liquid extracted from the flowers, stems, leaves, bark, roots and/or other parts of a plant.

The distillation process concentrates the oils, making them more potent than the plants from which they were extracted.

People have been capitalizing on the power of oils for thousands of years, using aromatic plants for perfumery, incense, health, wellness and delight.

A bit of research into the history of essential oils reveals that the ancient Egyptians were the first to distill oils and used them for rituals, health, cosmetics and perfumery.

The Greeks built upon this foundation and even the Father of Medicine himself, Hippocrates, used essential oils after studying their effects.

In the late 1920s, French chemist René-Maurice Gatttefossé suffered a severe lab burn and reflexively doused his arm in a nearby vat of lavender oil and aromatherapy was born. This experience lead to his interest in oils and in 1937 Gatttefossé published Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales (Gatttefossé’s Aromatherapy).

Since that time, much research has been done on the benefits of essential oils used aromatically, topically and/or through ingestion.

You can learn more about various essential oils and their components at Amazon.com, Life Science Publishing and Kindle.

But, the best way to experience the benefits are to try oils yourself! Since most of us deal with at least some stress on a daily basis, and many of us are already aware of it, lavender essential oil is a great introduction into the oily world.

Simply place one or two drops on your palm, rub your hands together in a clockwise circle, lift to your face, take a deep breath in and enjoy the scent and sensation of calm.

The beauty of essential oils is that, because they are inhaled, their components directly enter your body so you feel the effects almost immediately...relaxation anyone?

Other great tips for using lavender to enhance a sense of calm:

• Diffuse it in your bedroom 1/2 hour before going to sleep
• Mix a few drops with 1/2 cup kosher or sea salt and 1/2 cup baking soda for a relaxing, detox soak
• Mix with distilled water in a spray bottle and spritz your sheets and pillows before bed

There are so many ways to incorporate essential oils into your daily life and we'll explore many of them here as we stroll along the nourished path!

To learn more about essential oils, please visit www.BlossomWithOils.net, or drop me an email at [email protected].

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