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AromatherapyThe method uses essential oils and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person's mood or health. Beyond relaxation and mood altering purposes, there is no extensive evidence that aromatherapy has significant benefits, despite what some manufacturers of aromatherapeutic oils and providers of aromatherapeutic services claim. However, relaxation, for one, in itself is one of the pillars for better quality of life and is widely recognized as a way to better health. According to some studies, chronic stress appears to hasten the shriveling of the tips of the bundles of genes inside cells, which shortens their life span and speeds the body's deterioration. According to Elissa Epel, PhD, a research psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, We've known for 50 years that stress contributes to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and autoimmune disorders -- diseases that can shorten our lifespan. In this framework, aromatherapy is one of the possible methods to decrease bodily stress, alongside with such techniques as Yoga, music therapy, massages, qi gong, and tai chi. Aromatherapy - StudiesHudson R. The value of lavender for rest and activity in the elderly patient. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 1996: 4; 52-57. Juven BJ; Kanner J; Schved F; Weisslowicz H. Factors that interact with the antibacterial action of thyme essential oil and its active constituents. Appl Bacteriol (ENGLAND) Jun 1994, 76 (6) p626-31.
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