Equip-U

Everyday Aromatherapy- Part 1
(Article from Marketing Scents, 2005)
by guest author Jennifer Nordin, MTP

Essential Oil Basics
Essential oils are the highly concentrated, volatile, aromatic essences of plants. Essential oils contain hundreds of organic constituents, including hormones, vitamins and other natural elements that work on many levels. They are 75 to 100 times more concentrated than the oils in dried herbs.

All the countries of the world provide essential oils, making aromatherapy a truly global therapy, and information on the specific properties of each essential oils can be found in any one of the hundreds of books published worldwide on the topic.

Not all Oils are Created Equal
There are significant differences between synthetic fragrance oils and pure essential oils. Synthetic fragrance oils may duplicate the smell of the pure botanical, but the complex chemical components of each essential oil created in nature determine its true aromatic benefits. Synthetic fragrance oils do not have medicinal properties; they are NOT suitable for aromatherapy.

Gems of Nature
Pure essential oils, like precious jewelry or fine wine, are gems of nature -- the quintessential life force of aromatic plants, sometimes called the "soul" of the plant. People who truly appreciate the qualities of pure essential oils consider each drop a precious jewel to be savored, enjoyed and protected.

Essential oils are absorbed into the fluid surrounding the cells beneath the skin's surface for a variety of effects including deep cleansing, nourishing, rejuvenating and balancing. Essential oils also diffuse into the air to provide olfactory benefits.

Extraction of Essential Oils
To extract essential oils in the most effective manner while preserving their therapeutic benefits, they are either distilled or expressed. The two methods are briefly explained below.

Distillation
Pure essential oils are most commonly extracted from plants through the process of steam distillation. In this process, steam is introduced into a distillation chamber which contains the plant material. The steam breaks down the plant tissue, causing it to release its essential oil in a vaporized form. The vaporized essences, along with the steam and other substances, pass into a pipe through cooling tanks. The vapors return to liquid form and are separated from the water and captured as pure essential plant oil.

Expression
Expression, also known as cold pressing, is done exclusively with citrus oils. In this method, the oil-containing outer layer of the fruit is pressed and filtered to yield pure essential oil.

It takes 50 pounds of eucalyptus, 150 pounds of lavender, 500 pounds of rosemary, 1,000 pounds of jasmine and over 2,000 pounds of rose to make a single pound of essential oil! The price of each essential oil is directly related to the amount of plant material needed for distillation.

(Article from Marketing Scents. 2005)

Next month in Everyday Aromatherapy Part 2 we will explore the benefits of diffusing essential oils.

About the Author:

Jennifer Nordin is a massage and aromatherapy practitioner with a passion for sharing her exciting journey in the field of therapeutic and medicinal essential oils.

Her interest in aromatherapy began in 2000, compelling her to spend hundreds of hours in training with Young Living Essential Oils and The Center for Aromatherapy Research and Education. She is currently working toward her Clinical Aromatherapy Practitioner certification through the R.J Buckle Associates program for health care professionals. She has also studied Integrative Massage, Deep Tissue/ Sports Massage, and Acupressure at St. Croix Center for the Healing Arts and is certified in the Raindrop and VitaFlex (Tibetan reflexology) techniques.

Jennifer offers private consultations and wellness classes which focus on practical education and encourage the therapeutic use of essential oils to experience holistic benefits. She has presented workshops for the YMCA/Camp St. Croix Women's Wellness Retreat, the employees of The St. Paul Companies (Travelers), as well as church retreats and on site aromatherapy training for massage therapists and health/fitness practitioners.

Jennifer is the owner of AtPeace Therapeutic Massage and resides in Hudson with her husband and young son.

AtPeace Therapeutic Massage( female clients only by appt)
2217 Vine Street, Suite 203
Hudson, Wisconsin 54016
715-381-6979
JenniferNordin.marketingscents.com