Throughout history various health conditions and ailments were treated with plants and herbs such as lavender; many of which are enjoying a resurgence in use today. In fact, one of the most reassuring things about essential oils (and the practice of aromatherapy) is their consistency over time. This is particularly comforting considering we live in a world of constant change - not so much in facts, but in opinions. Just when you’ve become educated in a so-called new discovery (and have implemented the appropriate changes), in many instances the same experts later announce that they’ve discovered new evidence to the contrary.
Dietary advancements are a classic example. How often have we been advised in the past to “cut out fat” due to the potential risk to our cholesterol levels? Evidence now shows that certain fats play a vital part in a healthy, balanced diet. For many years we were also told to count calories in order to control our weight. We now know that it’s not so much the number calories that’s important, but the source. "Eat this ... no wait ... don’t eat that – eat this!" It's enough to drive any health conscious person completely batty. And perhaps the most alarming example of all is the fact that in years gone by consumers were actually reassured by health professionals that cigarettes posed no risk to their health…hmm. With over 20 years’ experience skin care, I have a unique understanding of the confusion this industry also creates amongst the general public. When it comes to the latest skin health and anti-aging advice, the only thing that remains consistent is that so called experts will continue to disagree. Over this period, many products that were once considered ground-breaking have later been exposed as ineffective or even damaging. And once again, the only approach that remained constant throughout this time was aromatherapy. In simple terms, what essential oils do for us today, they will continue to do for us tomorrow, next year and next century. While we may develop new methods of using a particular oil, aromatherapy is a 4,000 year old practice that is unlikely to suddenly change in our lifetime. If you happen to be new to essential oils and are feeling a little overwhelmed, bear in mind that once you develop a better understanding of their properties and potential, you can benefit from this insight forever. Like most of life’s most valuable information, aromatherapy is a practice intended to be passed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation; as aromatherapy will always do what aromatherapy has always done.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Helen BairstowArchives
October 2018
Categories |