Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art

614 Pages·2016·2.38 MB·English

by  Kathi Keville

Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the experience and research of the
authors. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health-care
provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a
health-care professional. The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or
consequences resulting from the use of any of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures
discussed in this book.
Copyright © 1995, 2009 by Kathi Keville and Mindy Green
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Crossing Press, an imprint of the Crown
Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Crossing Press and the Crossing Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Keville, Kathi.
Aromatherapy : a complete guide to the healing art / Kathi Keville and Mindy Green. — 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “A comprehensive guide to the art and science of creating therapeutic essential oils
and herbal preparations, and using them in health, beauty, body care, massage, and more”—
Provided by publisher.
1. Aromatherapy. I. Green, Mindy. II. Title.
RM666.A68K48 2009
615’.3219—dc22
2008022226
eISBN: 978-0-30779497-0
Cover design by the BookDesigners
Front cover photograph by George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
v3.1
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PART I: THEORY
Chapter 1: A History of Fragrance
Early Beginnings: Egypt and the Middle East
The Classical Ancient World: Greece and Rome
Orientalia
The Middle Ages
Influence of the Spice Trade
The Americas
Scents and “Sophistication”
The Modern World
Chapter 2: The Sense of Smell
How the Brain Processes Odor
Essential Oil Absorption through the Skin
Fragrance and Health
Olfactory Deprivation
Dieting, Aromatherapy Style
Chapter 3: Odor and Eros
Women’s Sexuality
Men’s Sexuality
Aphrodisiacs
Chapter 4: Scent and Psyche
Medical Aromatherapy
Health and Body-Care
Products
Airborne Therapy
Aromatherapy Health Care
Anxiety and Fear
Depression
Stress and Nervousness
Insomnia
Fatigue
Memory
Aromatherapy Blends for Emotions
PART II: THERAPY
Chapter 5: Guidelines for Using Essential Oils and Herbs
Safety Precautions
Guidelines for Safe and Effective Essential Oil Use
Toxic Oils
Methods of Application
Herbal Preparations
Chapter 6: Therapeutics
Heart and Circulatory System
Digestive System
Respiratory System
Ears and Eyes
Musculoskeletal System
Nervous System
Glandular System
Urinary System
Reproductive System
Integumentary System (Skin)
Immune System
Therapeutics and Children
Chapter 7: Massage
An Aromatherapy Massage
Special Types of Massage
Adjunct Therapies
Chapter 8: Body and Hair Care
Skin Sense with Scents
Essential Oils in Skin Care
The Aromatic Bath
Aromatic Body Powders
Natural Deodorant
Nail Care
Aromatic Hair Care
Chapter 9: Facial Care
Beauty Techniques
Skin Types
Creating Your Own Skin-Care Products
Preservatives
Chapter 10: Essential Oils in the Kitchen
Extracts
Aromatic Honeys
Aromatic Hydrosols
Other Savory Recipes
PART III: ALCHEMY
Chapter 11: Blending: The Perfumer’s Art
Blending for Fragrance
Aspects of Blending
Chapter 12: Extracting Essential Oils
Distillation
Other Methods of Extraction
Quality and Purity
Sustainability
Chapter 13: Chemistry of Essential Oils
Whole Plant vs. Essential Oils
Components of Essential Oils
Chemical Groups
Chemotypes
PART IV: MATERIA MEDICA
Chapter 14: Ayurvedic Aromatherapy
About Ayurvedic Doshas
Ayurvedic Materia Medica
Chakras
Chapter 15: Materia Medica
Essential Oils Listings
Materia Medica Essential Oils at a Glance
Charts
Fragrances for Emotions
Essential Oils for Physical Problems
Essential Oils for Skin Problems
Essential Oils for Hair Care
Essential Oils for Complexion Types
Appendix: Botanical Names of Herbs
Bibliography
Resources
Index
About the Authors
Preface
The word aromatherapy conjures up images of people magically
alleviating their depression or insecurities with wonderful scents. But
aromatherapy is much more than that. Incorporating aromatherapy into
your life enhances your overall health, beauty, and psychological well-
being. Aromatherapy can reduce stress, improve sleep, and give you
more energy. It can improve your complexion, treat annoying itchy skin,
and eliminate a stomachache.
Since writing our first edition of this book, aromatherapy has entered
the mainstream. We see it everywhere—being used in clinics and
hospitals to relax patients, as well as their families, to sell products, and
to enhance everyday life.
Perhaps the best thing about aromatherapy is that engaging in it is so
easy and pleasurable. Few people will complain about receiving a
prescription to bathe with scented oils or apply fragrant body oil—two
of the most popular aromatherapy techniques.
Essential oils give plants their characteristic odors, enabling us to take
deep drafts of a fragrant rose bloom or drink in the perfume of lilacs and
lavender. Because essential oils are by their very nature aromatic, the
therapy involving their use has been christened aromatherapy.
We can use fragrance in healing in two main ways: One is through
inhalation alone, which has its most significant impact on mood and
emotions but also produces physical reactions, such as lowered blood
pressure. The other route is the physical application of essential oils to
the body—by massage, for example, or by applying antiseptic oil to stop
infection. Of course, anytime you use aromatherapy oil medicinally, the
fragrance can’t help but do double duty as it is inhaled.
Exactly how aromatherapy works is still unclear. Some researchers
speculate that odors influence feelings because the nasal passage opens
directly to the part of the brain that controls emotion and memory.
Others believe that fragrance compounds interact with receptor sites in
the central nervous system. Psychic healers believe that fragrances work
on subtle, still-undiscovered energies in the body.
What we do know is that merely smelling a fragrance can influence us
physically and emotionally not only by affecting thoughts and emotions,
but also by altering hormone production, brain chemistry, stress levels,
and general metabolism.
The many books on herbs and aromatherapy do not address their joint
application. Encouraged by our combined seventy-five years’ experience
studying and teaching the healing uses of plants, we decided to join
efforts and write about aromatherapy from the herbalists’ perspective.
We hope that this book conveys our enthusiasm, love, and appreciation
of plants in all their varieties and that it inspires you to connect more
deeply with the green world. May aromatherapy be as much of a healing
journey for you as it has been for us!
It is an inspiration for us to see people get excited about the aromas
and healing power of plants. If you wish to become more familiar with
plants, we recommend that you observe them in nature, grow them,
taste them (cautiously), pick and dry them, and use them to make your
own medicine. Most of all, give thanks for them.