Introduction to Essential Oils

Essential oils are volatile oils that have been extracted from all parts of plants including the flowers, bark, roots, seeds and stems. There are several ways to obtain the oils and three popular methods include: steam distillation, expressed and solvent extraction.

The use of essential oils dates back to the Egyptians.

The term "aromatherapy" is the art of using essential oils via the sense of smell to effect a therapeutic condition in the body. Because essential oils are volatile liquids, they go directly to the limbic system in the brain when inhaled. The limbic system is the site of smell, emotions, memory and reason.

Essential oils are considered the "blood of the plant" and as such are incredibly compatible with humans and animals. They are lipid soluble and are able to penetrate cell walls and because essential oils contain oxygen, they transport vital nutrients to the entire body.

More great news about essential oils is that their chemical constituents make them anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-parasitic and anti-tumoral.