Over the last decade people have become more knowledgeable and involved with their own health and well being. Doctors have become more open in their sharing of information with their patients, allowing individuals to have more responsibility in the decision of how they want to be treated. This combination has allowed us to consider many other methods of healing and one of those areas is complementary medicine. Complementary medicine is used and considered by many people and the term means precisely what it states – that it can complement conventional medicine allowing it to enhance one’s well being and to assist in improving one’s overall health.

Aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that, when used with professional guidance can both help the healing process and also act as a preventative method of treatment. Essential oils are natural products extracted from those parts of plants (root, bark, flower heads, stems etc.) that will have the most effective therapeutic properties. The oils can both aid physical recovery and recuperation and help with emotional states, too. By the correct choice of essential oils and considering individual needs, the mind

and body are able to achieve a sense of balance and harmony. Although it is most effective when applied by massage, it can also be used topically (mixed in creams, carrier oils etc.), in oil burners, as inhalants and other ways which will be discussed in the future.

ESSENTIAL OILS

www.essentialoils.com
www.scottish-aroma-crafts.com
www.audreyleigh.com
www.fragrant.demon.co.uk