99% of the blog posts I write start with a question… and typically end with an answer I discover. However, this one ended with… maybe?? For the majority of my academic career I was trained to build a theory and solve for it through research. But what do you do when the research is wildly oppositional….. on a somewhat seemingly low risk topic?
Many of you may have strong beliefs one way or another, know I am not here to sway you. After many years of various “aromas” sparking joy in me it’s simply I topic I chose to find out what role in wellness it plays? Calming anxiety in emotional wellness? Setting a tone per say in your environmental wellness? Or does literature support physical wellness igniting the senses? I do not have a definitive answer for you…. but perhaps you will determine this answer on your own. For this post, I am going to lean into the research around igniting senses and what some researchers believe happens next.
Dr. Brent Bauer and the Medical staff at Mayo clinic define Aromatherapy as the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from plants. Some studies have shown that aromatherapy might have health benefits, including relief from anxiety and depression, and improved quality of life, particularly for people with chronic health conditions. This definition somewhat aligns with what I’ve experienced over the years. Some products I’ve seen use the word aromatherapy, but does not necessarily follow with a description of the essential oils in the process. As I scanned literature most medically-based research pretty much align to this definition. Quite a surprise, but not most surprising. The most surprising information I learned from this article is that many essential oils have been shown to be safe when used as directed. However, essential oils used in aromatherapy aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Wow…
To understand the power behind aromatherapy next I wanted to learn a bit more about the process itself. WebMD author Camille Nae Pagan (medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Ambardekar) breaks down how each aroma is extracted from flowers. She states essential oils are made from flower, herb, and tree parts, like bark, roots, peels, and petals. The cells that give a plant its fragrant smell are its “essence.” When an essence is extracted from a plant, it becomes an essential oil. It takes a lot of plant product to make essential oils. More than 200 pounds of lavender flowers are used to make just 1 pound of lavender essential oil. Not all products made with plant essence are essential oils. True essential oils aren’t blended with other chemicals or fragrances. They’re made using a specific process that doesn’t change the chemistry of the plant. I found this information extremely helpful in future selections of aromatic products.
Finally, in my curiosity I wanted to better understand what health benefits aromatherapy has shown in studies, even if disputed. Johns Hopkins Medicine in their article Do Essential Oils Really Work explain “when inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain”. The Hopkins Team offer tips to select aromatherapy in a way that supports the information above:
- Look at the label: It should include the Latin name of the plant, information on purity or other ingredients added to it, and the country in which the plant was grown.
- Evaluate the company: Purchase products from a well-known and reputable aromatherapy company that’s been around for several years.
- Choose dark-colored, glass containers: Pure essential oils are highly concentrated. They can dissolve plastic bottles over time, tainting the oil. Most companies package essential oils in small brown or blue glass bottles to protect the quality.
- Avoid “fragrance oils”: Fragrance or perfume oils are made from essential oils combined with chemicals or entirely from chemicals. They’re not suitable for aromatherapy — instead, look for bottles that contain a single essential oil in its purest form (100% essential oil with no other fillers).
- Compare prices: Essential oils range in price, depending on how involved harvesting and production are. Within a line, there should be a wide variety of prices — rose absolute or sandalwood oils will be more expensive, while sweet orange oil will be on the less expensive end. If you find a rock-bottom price for an expensive essential oil, it probably isn’t pure.
True to how I started the post, I have no conclusive answer to give. I’ll close with with a recommendation speak with your health provider before using Aromatherapy in therapeutic ways. I enjoy scents and activating my sense of smell throughout stressful days, so nothing I read counters my practice of lighting my favorite candle before starting the day.
In peace,
J
References:
- Mayo Clinic: Home Remedies What are the Benefits of Aromatherapy
- WebMD: What is Aromatherapy?
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Aromatherapy: Do Essential Oils Really Work
