Essential Oils
Essential oils are applied topically or inhaled, and act on physical, emotional and psychological processes. Historically essential oils have been part of the culture of: 1. ancient Greeks who attributed their sweet smells to divine origin 2. Romans and Greeks used aromatic oils in their bath houses as prescribed by Hippocrates. 3. Egyptians used essential oils to embalm their pharaohs.
It is very difficult to describe an essential oil because they are not visible when in the plant. They are the volatile material in a plant that gives it the specific scent that we associate with the plant. It is the liquid that smells and is released by distillation or expression. Essential oils are not water-soluble and so are not released into herbal teas or infusions. Essential oils are only visible as a liquid when they are released by some means such as steam, distillation, CO2 extraction, or mechanical or a physical process. They are located in the plant, in glandular hairs or cells or scales; oil cells and resin cells; oil or resin canals; and oil reservoirs.
Essential oils are extracted from certain varieties of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and flowers. They are concentrated in different parts of the plant depending on the individual plant e.g. roots, leaves, seeds, stems, fruit peel, bark, needles and twigs.
The cost of essential oils is related to the amount of plant required. For example, it takes 60,000 rose blossoms to produce 1 ounce of rose oil, 8 million jasmine blossoms to produce 2.2 lb. jasmine oil and 220 lb. lavender to produce 7 lb. oil.
Essential oils have a very complex molecular structure and on average there are 100 components in an essential oil.
|
|
 |
|
Quality control is critical in the marketing of essential oils as unscrupulous dealers dilute their products and imitations are sometimes used.
Always store essential oils in brown or dark colored bottles away from light, heat and dampness. The therapeutic life is thought to be about 2 years. To date there are no regulations on dating bottles before marketing.
Trade in essential oils occurs world wide. It is interesting to note that the same species of plant grown in different countries under different soil and altitude conditions will produce oils which differ in chemical makeup and therapeutic properties.
Essential oils are applied topically or inhaled, and act on physical, emotional and psychological processes. Depending on the specific oil essence, they provide antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal qualities. In addition other oil essences have the following qualities: antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, antispasmodic antitoxic, antidepressant, sedative, analgesic, deodorizing, stimulating the circulatory system. A specific example would be oregano essential oil which is 26 X more powerful than phenol as an antiseptic.
We have learned from research that aromas and the sense of smell influence memory recall, moods, and bodily responses such as heart rate, respiration, hormone levels, and stress reactions. Essential oils, with their potent aromas, play a valuable role in enhancing moods, promoting relaxation, and increasing energy levels.
|
|
