AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy has been around and used for thousands of years to treat a variety of illnesses and diseases and for use as perfume. Despite the historical uses of essential oils there is very little scientific studies and clinical trials showing their effectiveness. Often time studies may contradict one another making it difficult to know if something works or not. Some of this may be due to many of the studies not always being done with unadulterated essential oils making it difficult to have consistent results. One of the reasons for the limited number of studies and clinical trial is due to the lack of funding is available to essential oil research. There is no financial gain for studies related to essential oils as they cannot be patented unlike pharmaceutical drugs.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils whether it be topically, internally, inhalation, or in baths. There is a lot of information on the internet today that often time leads to confusion. Aromatherapy is often misunderstood and miss used. When it comes to the use of essential oils education is everything. Essential oils are volatile compounds and are extremely powerful, they are often described as the immune system of the plant from which they come. Pure essential oils are powerful. Many essential oils labeled 100 percent pure are in-fact not. Essential oils only have to contain 10-15 percent pure essential oil to be called 100 percent pure. The rest can be filled with fillers and chemical constituents. It is estimated that 80 percent of essential oils are adulterated in some way. So when I speak about the use of essential oils whether topically, internally, or through inhalation I am not talking about just any brand of essential oils. An independent study of eleven essential oil companies, including the two largest companies in the industry resulted in only three companies coming back with their essential oils containing no adulteration while the other eight companies did not fair so well. (Best essential oil brands based on in-depth review, 2019). Education, purity, and quality is very important when it comes to essential oils.

Essential oils can be used to help reduce anxiety, depression, stress, improve quality of sleep, help one to fall asleep, provide energy, and more. While there seems to be no specific research on the use of essential oils for PTSD specifically, there is research on the use of essential oils for depression, sleep quality, anxiety, and more. A article written in the Military Spouce (2009), Kate Harmon discusses the use of aromatherapy and other forms of holistic health for those suffering with PTSD. Some of the essential oils Kate suggest are Bergamot citrus aurantium var. bergamia, chamomile chamamaelum nobile, lavender Lavandual angustifolia, and a few others.

When seeking the use of essential oils it is important to work with an aromatherapist, naturopath, qualified health and wellness coach, or someone else who is experienced with essential oils and someone you trust as essential oils come with cautions and contraindications depending up how the essential oils are used. For example, the internal and/or topical use of bergamot can cause possible skin cancer when exposed to the sun due to the constituent of bergaptene (Peterson, 2016, pp.81)

Hanna’s Anxiety Diffuser Blend

Frankincense Boswellia sp. : 1 drops Bergamot Citrus aurantium var. bergamia : 2 drops Lavender Lavandula angustifolia : 2 drops Spikenard Nardostachys jatamansi : 1 drop

Place essential oils in a ultra sonic or cool mist diffuser and/or humdipher that is made for essential oils.

Blend created by Bethany Orvis

Resources

American College of Healthcare Sciences Blog: https://info.achs.edu/blog

Aromatherapy Uses and Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy

Aromatic Plant Research Company: https://www.facebook.com/AromaticPlantRC/

For a personalized aromatherapy support plan, to learn more about essential oils, or other health and wellness coaching please email Essential Living with Beth at bethany.orvis@achs.edu

References

Best essential oil brands based on in-depth review. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.consumersadvocate.org/essential-oils?fbclid=IwAR24PJdA9EFnb0nUFlpqeEypJKUrg9Up8rIYmQR_0D6Y_UknHD7x521Fl1M

Harmon, K. (2009). Aromatherapy can help PTSD [PDF file]. Military Spouse. Retrieved from https://achs.edu/mediabank/files/aromatherapycanhelpptsd.pdf

Peterson, D. (2016). Aromatherapy materia medica essential oil monographs. Portland, OR: American College of Healthcare Sciences