The use of a mentholated steam scrub to clear sinuses has applied a form of aromatherapy.
By Preeti Chadha
Essential oils are oil extracts from various crops. Manufacturing processes extract the useful components from the plants. Essential oils have a much stronger smell, potency, and aroma than plants. They are pure form and contain a higher proportion of active ingredients that are needed to make essential oil.
There are several ways to extract essential oils from plants. As:
Steam or water distillation: This process directs water or hot steam through the plants and pulls the essential compounds away from the plant matter.
Cold pressing: In this process, plant matter is mechanically pressed or pressed to release essential juices or oils. A simple example of this would be smelling the fresh lemon scent after squeezing or peeling a lemon peel.
After the active ingredients are extracted from the plant material, they sometimes need to be added to a carrier oil to get more product from the same amount of essential oil. These products would no longer be pure essential oils, but a mixture.
Essential oils create a wide range of products. The cosmetics and makeup industries use essential oils to create perfumes, add fragrance to creams and body washes, and even as natural antioxidants in beauty products. Aroma therapists use essential oils for medicinal purposes. They use a diffuser to diffuse these essential oils into the air, believing that inhaling essential oils could allow them to get into the lungs and bloodstream, where some of the helpful compounds could benefit the body .
The use of a mentholated steam scrub to clear sinuses has applied a form of aromatherapy. Ayurveda also believes in adding essential oils to a carrier oil and massaging them into the skin to deliver the active ingredients to the body, which heals quickly and soothes the inflammatory areas.
Some very useful essential oils are:
Peppermint: is used to boost energy and aid digestion.
Lavender: used to relieve stress.
Sandalwood: used to calm the nerves and help with focus.
Bergamot: is used to relieve stress and improve skin conditions such as eczema.
Rose: used to improve mood and reduce anxiety.
Chamomile: used to improve mood and relaxation.
Essential oils should only be used externally. Because they are extremely concentrated, they can also irritate the delicate cells in the body. Some people may take oral capsules containing essential oils. You should only do this under the proper guidance of the practitioner. However, it is never recommended to use essential oils near the mouth or other body orifices such as the eyes, ears, noses, anus, and vagina where they can enter the body.
(The author is the founder of IREMIA. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policies of Financial Express Online.)
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