Detox Using Aromatherapy
The sense of smell is very important to the healthy functioning of the body. It has been shown that scents improve energy, clarify thinking, increase libido and invoke memories that can change our moods. Any of the estimated 400,000 scents we can be exposed to can provoke these reactions, but the most potent actions seem to come from the essential oils used in aromatherapy.
The idea behind aromatherapy is that substances within essential oils can physically stimulate actions in the brain or body, so by choosing the right oil you can cause the body to act in a particular way. It sounds strange, but it has been proven in a number of scientific studies. For example, burns treated with lavender oil have been shown to heal faster than normal. When sedative essential oils are used in hospitals, patients fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer than usual. When exercisers sniff peppermint oil before they work out, they exercise harder, and find it easier. In terms of detox, essential oils have been used for years to deal with toxic symptoms. Advisors to the Roman emperors used the oil of black pepper to help their charges deal with over-indulgence, while early Greek doctors used juniper as a diuretic.
It's clear to see from the above that aromatherapy oils can play a part in keeping us healthy and detoxed, so how can you use their powers? Here are the three most commonly used methods.
Inhalations
These are great for their mental effects, or if you're suffering from a problem like a hangover. Add 8-10 drops of neat oil to a bowl of hot water and place your face over the water (at least 10cm/4in from the surface) and breathe slowly and deeply for 5-10 minutes. For a simple pick-up, you can also add a few drops to a tissue and inhale.
Massage
You can massage all over the body, or, if you want to have a particular effect on a particular organ (the liver or the kidneys, for example), you should focus your massage on the area in which it's located. Remember, however, that very few essential oils can be used neat on the skin. Most cause irritation if you do this, and some can even be toxic. Instead, mix them with a 'carrier oil' first.
Carrier oils are oils with no healing powers; they just carry the essential oil safely onto the skin. Good carrier oils include grapeseed, sweet almond or wheatgerm, and you should use half the number of drops of essential oil as there are millilitres of carrier oil. So, if you have a 25ml bottle of carrier oil, you would add 12-13 drops of your chosen oil (or, if you are making a blend of oils, 12-13 drops in total). It's important to do a skin-patch test before using any oil to check that you're not sensitive to it. Dab a little behind your ear and wait 24 hours to check that no itching or rash has developed.
Bathing
This is the simplest way to use aromatherapy. For maximum benefit run your bath, sprinkle three to six drops of essential oil on the surface and then agitate the water to ensure that you don't get a concentrated dose of the oil on your skin. Bathing can be used to treat many problems because the oils are absorbed by the skin, and the heat of the water releases the scent - this will help with problems like stress, low energy or hangovers.
Some best detox oils are used in the process of detoxification using aromatherapy.