Fragrant essential extracts can help lift your spirits and heal from common diseases. Aromatherapy expert Nandishi Shriram chats with D Kaushik
If you had the luxury of growing up with your grandparents you definitely will have reminisces of the soothing pure mustard oil massage your grandmother suggested for relief from cold. Coconut oil with burnt camphor was often massaged on the chest to cure cough. These oils, commonly found at home, were often used for healing other health problems as well. They also are an important part of aromatherapy — an alternative healing method that uses essential oils and other aromatic compounds for altering a person’s mood, mind or body function.
“If not exactly for curing, aromatherapy works wonders in relieving you from pain and discomfort. Essential oils act as healers and strong, natural fragrance of these oils helps in lifting up the mood and spirit. If you will take examples from your daily life, you will notice how a smell or fragrance plays an important role in making or spoiling your mood,” comments Nandishi Shriram, an aromatherapy expert who even experiments at home to come up with her own healing remedies. “I have always been smell oriented and I chanced upon aromatherapy while dabbling with various forms of alternative sciences. I did a distance learning diploma course laura Silva in Hawaii, who initially sent kits of pure oils along with the e-lessons and I started studying the properties of these oils. I then started experimenting on my own to come up with different oils,” shares Shriram. Her favourites are the pain massage oil, with warming anti-inflammatory oils blended in jojoba, cellulite massage oil that has pure citric oils that help cut fat when massaged vigorously daily and the anti-viral blend, with lavender, basil, rosemary. “You can spray these when you have a sick person around. For asthmatics, I don’t suggest inhalation, direct application to the sole transports the oils directly to the blood supply,” says Shriram.
Elements used in aromatherapy are often classified as essential oils, absolutes-attars, carrier oils, extracts, herbal distillates, infusions. Essential oils are the fragrant oils extracted from plants, resins, fruits, leaves and spices. Absolutes are extracted from flowers or delicate plant tissues. Carrier oils are plant-based oils that act as the base blends, most oils are to be used blended with carrier base oils. Distillates are the by-products of the distillation process, like rose water. Infusions are extracts from plants.
Important essential oils that are commonly used for the healing process are rosemary, eucalyptus, frankincense, chamomile, ylang ylang, sandalwood, neroli, neem, basil, lemon, rose, lavender, jasmine and peppermint. lemon oil is used for mood uplifting and is known to be anti-stress or anti-depressant. In some countries, people add few edible oils to their water and make a nice cooling lemony drink. Juniper oil can be added to water everyday to reduce fat quotients, provided you are using certified edible oils. Edible collagen oil helps in getting rid of skin problems. Shriram informs about the properties of lavender oil: “It is a remedy for aching muscles, raging fevers, acne, burns, cuts and wounds. In its purest form it is known to be the best in healing respiratory problems, hence it is beneficial in healing cough, cold and influenza.” A lavender bath is excellent for aching muscles, relaxation and stress relief. You can add bath salts to your water for added benefits. lavender massage is effective when you have tight and sore muscles or have sustained an injury. A lavender rub down will bring down a raging fever. Never massage undiluted oils, always use a good quality vegetable or carrier oil.
Ancient doctors used rose water to treat upset nerves, rose incense to cure patients suffering from lungs diseases and gave extracts of rose petals to those suffering from heart and kidney diseases. Rose oil invokes positive thoughts. Adding a few drops of oil to the bath or massaging gently into the abdomen helps. Shriram says that being surrounded by the aroma of rose keeps you calm.