Aromatherapy 101: What you smell can affect how you feel

Let’s face it, our nose can be our biggest critic. Before we even taste something, we already decide if we like it or not before putting it in our mouth based on how it smells. Your crush could look like he stepped right out of a Calvin Klein campaign but a single whiff of body odor or halitosis and his sex appeal is good to be flushed (and hopefully him) down the toilet.

Odors and fragrances have more impact on us than we know because they are like invisible bullets that can hit us from anywhere; and more importantly, have a lasting effect. The science of aromatherapy has been around for roughly 6,000 years, with ancient civilizations using the therapeutic properties of flowers, herbs and aromatic plants to improve one’s mental and physical condition. Power woman Cleopatra was rumored to have used sandalwood and jasmine to perfume herself and even her ships’ sails as she set off to visit (or conquer) foreign lands. Can you imagine the wind catching on those wide expanses of cloth and carrying the fragrance across miles, arriving at her destination before she did? That would make quite an entrance. No wonder Julius Caesar and Marc Antony fell hard. If you’re a spaholic, you are now familiar with oil burners and the smell of lavender, lemongrass or peppermint which permeate the walls of your favorite go-to haven.

Doing a little research, I’ve read that certain essential oils emit an electric frequency that can react either positively or negatively with the frequency of the human body. We are all made up of energy and what we put on or ingest can have positive or adverse effects on our well-being. To fully explain my findings would be too lengthy but suffice to say there is a belief that essential oils and flower extracts when inhaled or even massaged into the skin can boost a person’s immunity, making it vital in alternative or complementary therapy. (You can read more about this at http://aromatherapyliving.com/oil_frequency.html,   although I can’t say I’ve tried the products they’re selling online.)

I was fortunate enough to attend an aromatherapy workshop over the weekend given by Spa Essentials’ Mike and Cathy Turvill resulting in some fragrant experiments. First off, I had an early morning run which resulted in rather sore leg muscles; using a blend of peppermint, ginger and rosemary essential oils mixed in with some carrier oil (a base or vegetable oil) one can come up with a muscle warming massage mix. If this rainy weather makes you sleepy try a quick spritz of a linen spray made up of peppermint (yet again), lemongrass and may chang on your surroundings. For those who would rather mix drinks than oils, Spa Essentials sells their already blended products commercially.

One of the biggest factors that we all have to deal with is stress. The use of oils and essences either by inhalation or by infusion into the skin leads to a reduction of stress and tension, a feeling of well-being, balance and calmness and an added bonus of anti-bacterial effects to help the body heal. It would also be advisable to take into consideration the purity of the essential oils; if a bottle doesn’t list its ingredients, just the fragrance, then chances are pretty high that what you’re smelling is far from natural and will have little to no frequency, or better said, beneficial impact. This is important as there have been findings that fragrance has an effect on brain waves. To stimulate or increase beta wave activity, basil and rosemary based oils are recommended. To relax and get into the more meditative states of theta and alpha states it would be ideal to utilize lavender or rose essential oils (by burning in a proper oil burner) or spray them on your sheets before you sleep and breathe in deeply. I’ve found it a great help when I’m traveling to carry a small lavender linen spray with me to help me settle in if I’m staying in a hotel room or an unfamiliar setting. A note of caution though: a majority of essential oils should never be directly applied because they can burn the skin. This weekend, it may be time to unleash your inner Cleopatra or just get a really, really good night’s sleep. Feel free to discover a little “flower” power.

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For more information on Spa Essentials call 838-1267 or go to www.spaessentials.com.ph. They have two ranges, Spa Essentials (available at Watson’s) and Amu’in available in various spas around the country and at EchoStore in Fort Bonifacio.