Cancer and Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is an ancient tradition spanning many cultures and times. It has been used to uplift one's mental state, protect against disease, entice another's affection, ward off evil, inviite good fortune, cleanse a home or person and heal one's body. It is a path of using nature in our lives rather than synthetic products created in a laboratory to reproduce what has already been provided to create harmony, healing and balance in our lives.
Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, Jewish, Greeks and Romans have all used aromatics in their ancient cultures. In 1652 Nicolas Culpeper's Complete Herbal was published and is still a standard in aromatherapy practice today. In 1938 Rene-Maurice Gattefosse brought about the term "aromatherapy" that is still used today for the practice of essential oils. Jean Valnet continued work with essential oils concerning medical conditions and Marguerite Maury and Robert Tissarand brought aromatherapy into the context in which aromatherapists use essential oils today.
Essential oils are chemical compounds in plants extracted by means of distillation, enflerage, cold expression, solvent extraction, CO2 extraction or hydrofussion depending on what part of the plant is used whether it is needles, flowers, cones, leaves, resin, fruit or roots. The essential oils can be applied by inhalation, massage, diffuser, steam inhalation, bath or sauna and by the many ways of applying is available from children to the elderly for emotional, physical or psychological concerns. These plant essences should always be applied to the skin or through inhalation. The plant essences appeal to our sense of smell which involves the limbic systems, the most primitive part of our brain. The centers of memory and emotion are here and relay information directly to the hypothalamus which in turn sends out messages to the central nervous system. Using different oils will result in differing messages to the rest of the body and changes can begin to occur within a matter of seconds.
Aromatherapy can provide a gentle approach to assisting the cancer patient in anxiety from having the disease, nausea from the disease or treatments, enhanced immune function, skin fungus or infections, side effects from medication, radiation burns, loss of appetite, insomnia, balancing the nervous system, strengthing the auric field and grounding and creating a stronger spiritual connection.
Cancer has become a very terrifying word. One million people will be diagnosed with cancer every year. One out of every two American men and one out of every three American women will be diagnosed. Seventy-seven percent of cancers occur in people over the age of 55. The first words are frightening to hear from a doctor and the protocol of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are the options provided to the patient once the cancer has been detected by the allopathic community. All of which add additional stress to a body whose immune system is so compromised already that it has failed to remove the abnormal cell growth taking place, which is termed cancer.
Cancer sometimes runs in families and perhaps there is a predisposition genetically for abnormal cell growth or a depressed immune system. With others, it is single case in the family which may arise from environmental causes such as toxins, or a prolonged stress situation lowering immunity. Whatever the cause, the protocol by doctors is the same and aromatherapy can assist during these treatments in supporting the immune system, balancing the mental state, healing the skin and lesions and giving the patient a greater sense of being part of their treatment and recovery process. Bringing the mind, body and spirit into a state of harmoney again will assist the body's best ability to heal itself.
Above is an excerpt from Susan's reasearch on cancer and aromatherapy. For more information on how aromatherapy can help you or your loved one's with side effects in dealing with cancer, please use the contact page to e-mail Susan or call at 804.798.5283.