Intro To Essential Oils

 What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated compounds extracted from plants obtained via extraction methods such as distillation or cold-pressing. The oil of each plant, which can be found in the roots, stems, flowers, or leaves, contains the smell of the plant as well as the healing properties & other characteristics. The composition of an essential oil can change depending on the season, time of day, geographic location, the method of distillation, and weather. Oils can be used aromatically, topically, or internally depending on the properties of the plant.

Brief History of Essential Oils

Plants have been included in healing since the beginning of human existence, and essential oils have been used in holistic medicine for centuries. The first use of essential oils is believed to have been in China & India around 3000 BC. The oldest known medical text is Shennong’s (Also known as Divine Farmer) Herbal, dated around 2700 BC, containing information on the usage of approximately 365 plants. Romans used essential oils as much as they could, bathing in them & using them in massages and perfumes. Oils were also used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, and Ayurvedic literature from 2000 BC records Indian doctors administering oils of cinnamon, ginger, myrrh, coriander, spikenard and sandalwood to their patients.In 1653, Nicholas Culpeper introduced “The Complete Herbal”, which is still considered one of the most valuable resources for essential oils. A French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse actually coined the term “Aromatherapy” when researching various oils. He published a book in 1928 that detailed cases of how oils had assisted in supporting multiple conditions. This book became a resource that helped to influence many medical practices in France and helped spark a renewed interest in essential oils that has lasted until modern times.