By Marcy Shortuse
If you have someone on your list this
holiday season who is hard to buy for, a
unique gift you might consider giving is
a basic essential oils kit. There has been a
huge resurgence in their popularity within
the last few years, and many people swear
by them for maladies as diverse as
toothaches, depression and better
breathing. While you may think it sounds
like a bit of hocus-pocus, just take a minute
to read more about this age-old practice
that has been healing people longer than
doctors have roamed the earth. After all,
Hippocrates himself said, “The key to
good health rests on having a daily
aromatic bath and scented massage.”
Who are we to argue with that?
Considered to be something between
a perfume and a potion, essential oils are
created from plants, using either a
steaming or pressure method to extract
them. They contain natural chemical
compounds that are unique to each plant
and can be used for everything from
perfume to medicine. Most oils are used
for a variety of purposes, unlike more
traditional medicines which generally treat
one or two symptoms.
According to the U.S. National Library of
Medicine, more specifically essential oils
are also the basic materials of
aromatherapy – a type of therapy using
aromatic plant oils and other compounds
to alter one’s mood, cognitive,
psychological or physical well being.