Chapter List

• Why Use Herbs
• Healing Not Just Relieving
• Natures Therapy
• Sidestepping Side Effects
• Back to the Future
• Environmental and Ethical Concerns
• Herbal Preparations
• Preparations for Internal Use
• Preparations for External Use
• Homemade Medicinal and Cosmetic Herbal Products
• Choosing the Best Herbal Products
• The Brain and the Central Nervous System
• Addiction
• Depression
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Memory
• Pain Inflammation
• Pain Nerve and Muscle
• Stress
• The Heart and the Circulatory System
• Angina and Irregular Heartbeat
• Arteriosclerosis
• Blood Pressure
• Varicose Veins and Hemorrhoids
• The Digestive System
• Appetite Loss
• Bowel Diseases
• Candida
• Adult Constipation
• Adult Diarrhea
• Diverticulitis
• Food Allergies and Reactions
• Heartburn
• Gas
• Indigestion
• Nausea and Motion Sickness
• Parasites and Other Alien Invaders
• Ulcers
• The Immune System
• Boosting Immunity
• Cancer
• Chronic Fatigue Multiple Sclerosis and Other Serious Diseases
• The Liver and the Gallbladder
• Liver Diseases
• Gallbladder Problems
• The Urinary Tract the Kidneys and the Bladder
• Bladder Infections
• Kidney Stones
• Water Retention
• The Skin
• Psoriasis Eczema And Other Skin Diseases
• Herbs For Healing The Skin
• Sending Parasites Scurrying
• Womens Health
• The Estrogen Story
• The Progesterone Story
• Anemia
• Cervical Dysplasia
• Endometriosis
• Fibrocystic Breasts
• Heavy Periods
• Womens Infertility
• Irregular Menstruation
• Menopause
• Menstrual Cramps
• Ovarian Cysts
• Pregnancy
• Premenstrual Syndrome(pms)
• Uterine Fibroids
• Vaginal Infections
• Mens Health
• Baldness
• Genital Rash Infections and Irritations
• Impotence
• Mens Infertility
• Male Menopause
• Prostate Enlargement
• Swollen Testicles
• Childrens Health
• Asthma
• Baby Skin Care and Diaper Rash
• Bedwetting
• Childhood Diseases
• Childrens Colds and Flu
• Childrens Constipation
• Childrens Diarrhea
• Earaches
• Fever
• Food Allergies
• Hyperactivity
• Intestinal Parasites
• Sore Throat Congestion and Swollen Glands
• Stomachache Colic and Nausea
• Stress Headaches and Insomnia
• Sugar Blues
• Teething Pain
• Thrush
• Herbs to the Rescue Herbal First Aid
• Stocking Your Herbal First Aid Kit
• Cautions and Considerations
• Safe in Moderation
• Rare Reactions in Sensitive Individuals
• The New Herbal Outcasts
• Some Old Cautions
• Using Herbs and Essential Oils Safely
• Mistaken Identity
• Not Guilty
• Protecting Yourself from Contamination
• Endangered Herbs
• Aromatherapy Healing the Emotions
• Aromatic Research
• Using Aromatherapy
• Aromatherapy Techniques
• Aromatherapy for the Emotions
• Measurements
• Skin and Hair Care
• Body Care the Natural Way
• Back to the Basics
• How to Customize Your Skin and Hair Care
• The Face
• The Body
• The Hair
• Body Care Extras
• Cooking for Health
• The Basics Soup
• Oils and Vinegars
• Spice of Life Seasoning Blends
• Middle Eastern Cuisine Garlic and Parsley
• Pestos Basil and Sage
• Greens Dandelion and Nasturtium
• Hot Stuff Mustard Horseradish and Peppers
• Saucy Dishes Cranberry Elderberry and Tamarind
• Down to the Roots Burdock and Chicory
• Sweet Treats Ginger and Horehound Drops

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Aromatherapy Healing the Emotions

Fragrance captures the attention: the sweet smell of a rose, the enticing aroma of a freshly baked cinnamon apple cake, the appealing scent of a cup of warm peppermint tea, the pleasing fragrance of your favorite perfume. Just the word "aromatherapy" conjures up intriguing images, and with good reason. As much as we take our sense of smell for granted, fragrance affects us in a way that is both primal and provocative.

When I first began giving tours through my herb garden in the early 1970s, I couldn't help but notice how each fragrant herb produced its own unique effect. I also observed that each group of visitors responded the same way to particular fragrances. The lavender inevitably produced smiles, and everyone who sniffed it noticeably relaxed. Chamomile soothed the group even more—so much, in fact, that everyone began speaking much more softly. That is, until they reached the peppermint bed, which sent them chattering a mile a minute!

As a masseuse, I wondered how I could capture such mood-altering properties in a massage oil. I wanted to help send my clients into deeper relaxation and use fragrance to relieve their stress or to perk them up, depending upon what they needed. Lavender has always been one of my favorite scents, so I selected it for my first experiment. It produced such relaxation in the first client I tried it on that he fell asleep—that was all the encouragement I needed! I designed a set of massage oils, each with a different effect: calming or energizing, coping with emotional conflicts and providing mental clarity.

The results from these oils were exciting, but little did I realize how popular aromatherapy would become a decade later. In the 1980s, aromatherapy stepped into the world of modern science and marketing.

The term "aromatherapy" was first coined in the early part of the twentieth century by the French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, who used this word to describe the medicinal use of essential oils. In actuality, however, aromatherapy was not a new practice even then; it had always been a part of herbalism. Many traditional remedies had multiple purposes —a single potion often served as cosmetic, perfume and medicine. This is no surprise, since many aromatic herbs that are used as cosmetics are also medicinal.

What makes aromatherapy different from herbalism is that it uses only the herbs that contain essential oils. These herbs are easy to identify because they are all fragrant. When you read an herb book, keep in mind that all the medicinal properties found in an herb are not necessarily contained in its essential oil. Most herbs are filled with other compounds in addition to essential oils. However, the essential oils are often responsible for an herb's antiseptic properties, and many of them perform other medicinal duties as well.

Not all aromatherapy deals with the effects of fragrance on the emotions. For example, fragrant herbs and essential oils are used in massage oils to loosen tight muscles.