AROMATHERAPY – IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND!

Every thought you have evokes an emotional response.

Every emotion you experience evokes a chemical response in your brain & body.

Every smell you inhale sends a message to your brain which similarly creates a chemical response in your brain & body.

This is basically how aromatherapy & essential oils work. Essential oils are the concentrated oils from plants which are often part of the plant’s own medicine & protection systems. This is why all essential oils are antiseptic & many are anti-viral & anti-bacterial.

Smell is a powerful, evocative sense.

Inhaling the smell of rain on a hot pavement, the aroma of a pungent rose in bloom or freshly cut grass takes me back to happy long hot summers of my childhood. Just as powerfully, pine disinfectant can replay sad memories of cleaning up as sickness ran rampant through our family.

That’s why when you attend my clinic I am just as interested in what smells you like or dislike so I can help to choose essential oils to suit your personality and needs. Each time you attend we discuss your emotional & mental needs as much as your physical ones so I can select oils to help balance your wellbeing on all levels.

Essential oils are not just about lovely aromas though. As your skin is the second biggest organ in your body after fascia (which is the stuff that connects all your muscles), it is a great transporter of stuff it absorbs. Skin absorbs about 60% of whatever we apply to it which is why body massage is so effective for aromatherapy; you inhale & absorb the properties of the oils at the same time. If someone comes to me with anxiety & arthritis, I may choose chamomile which calms the mind but is also a powerful anti-inflammatory, analgesic & antispasmodic. That’s a lot of power in one little flower: easing pain, relaxing muscles and taking the heat out of the joint as well as soothing your mind.

Start to mix this essential oil with others and you can increase their power. The chemical synergy of some oils means that they enhance the power of each other. Roman chamomile & lavender are a great combination to address pain and muscle spasms, including period pains, headaches & colic. Add in clary sage and it’s even more effective in treating serious menstrual cramps, insomnia and fatigue.

Some oils help your body adapt & come back into balance. These are known as adaptogens. Sandalwood balances the skin; thyme balances blood pressure; lemon and peppermint can both energise & calm.

So next time you feel stressed or in pain, consider the power of a flower, what a herb could curb or how a tree can free you of anxiety. Yes it’s all in your mind – and it’s in your body too.

Helping you look after you to take the stress off the NHS, warm wishes, Nicolle.

Essential oils are medicines which can have profound effects on the mind & body. Please consult a qualified aromatherapist for safe use.

Nicolle is an award winning qualified aromatherapist who has been using essential oils for over 2 decades to help treat her clients, family, friends & wider community to support their health & improve health conditions both in her clinic and in the form of natural preparations which she can mix to order.