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How Aromatherapy Works
The Sense of Smell and Inhalation
Smell is the only sense where receptor nerve endings are in direct contact with the outside world. When we inhale, the neural impulses go directly to the limbic system. The limbic system connects to all other parts of the brain and in particular to the thalamus and hypothalamus, from where our whole endocrine system is controlled. Smells can affect memory, emotions and self-expression. They also affect our entire internal environment, especially the adrenal and sexual systems. This is why a scent can stimulate clear thinking or be euphoric or aphrodisiac. In addition, inhaling essential oils can have a direct impact on the health of the respiratory organs, especially during the cold season.
Topical Application
Essential oils are often used in massage and skin care. There is evidence that oils applied to the skin enter the bloodstream. Whether the effect will be calming and cooling, warming and invigorating, toning to the uterus or tonic to the liver depends upon the chemistry of each oil. The synergy of chemical constituents that nature provides in true essential oils is a grace and a blessing that the modern science of medicine, with its emphasis on reproducing single chemicals, has not been able to duplicate.
Excerpt from "Aromatherapy for Every Day" by Christoph Streicher and Karla Christensen.
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