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Practical Aromatherapy: The ImportanceOf Essential Oil
ChemistryBy: Misty Rae Cech ND, M.Ir.
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Already getting nervous? The chemistry chapters of essential oil
texts are the mostfrequently skipped, even by natural health
professionals. But it can be fun anduseful...really! Knowing what
essential oils are made of, and how this affects their aromaand
therapeutic value can have a big impact on the efficacy of your
aromatherapy practice.Understanding the basics can help you make
better choices in essential oils, and betterchoices in their
application. Plus, this can give you the foundation for
furtherunderstanding of true 'medical aromatherapy', as practiced
in much of the rest of theworld. So here's a primer on the
chemistry of essential oils, with some common examplesand important
tips to help you grow as a holistic medicine practitioner.
So, why are essential oils called 'oils' anyway? Their texture
is different, and they don'tleave tell-tale stains like the more
familiar edible fixed like grape seed, sunflower, flax orhemp.
Essential oils and fixed oils share a similar chemical foundation:
their structures arebased on the linking of carbon and hydrogen
atoms in various configurations. But this isreally where the
similarity ends. Fixed oils are made up of molecules comprised of
threelong chains of carbon atoms bound together at one end, called
a triglyceride. Every fixedoil is made up of just a few different
triglyceride arrangements - olive oil, for example, isprimarily
made up of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids (the names of
particular carbon-hydrogen chains forming the triglycerides). Their
long-chain shape holds them in a liquid
state which does not easily evaporate.
Essential oils are 'volatile' oils - oils that DO easily
evaporate. Their chains of carbonatoms to which the hydrogens
attach are not as long or heavy, and are much morecomplex. Many
essential oil structures are not really chains, but ring, or
multi-ringedshapes with diverse sub-units - called 'functional
groups' - sticking out in variousdirections. Like their fixed oil
counterparts, essential oils are lipophillic - meaning 'fatliking'.
The fat-liking nature of both fixed and essential oils makes them
easily absorbed
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a particular variety. And your nose knows this! One can tell the
difference between a well-made, complex lavender oil with many
notes within the aroma, and one that is flat orplain, which may be
chemically imbalanced or missing some trace constituents.
Lavender grown at native higher elevations will often produce a
greater percentage oflinalyl acetate, which will result in a
sweeter, more relaxing oil. Further, lower qualitylavender plants
may occasionally be sprayed with linalool before harvest to enhance
theproduction of linalyl acetate by the flowers. While the
end-product may smell sweeter, theprocess actually creates an
imbalance in the overall healing synergy of the primary andtrace
molecules. All these oils will be labeled 'Lavender' on the store
shelf, yet the finer,natural lavender will have a more beautiful,
balanced aromatic bouquet, and is consideredthe most holistically
healing variety by the world's leading aromatherapy
practitioners.
This of course is not true of only lavender essential oil. All
essential oils are subject tosimilar variations in production
methods or the manipulation of their molecular make-upsthrough the
addition of synthetic chemicals. For the most therapeutic benefit,
it is alwaysbest to use true, carefully-made essential oils. To do
this, find a source that is dedicated to
supplying only the highest grades of oils. Examine their
product's aromatic quality andbusiness practices and so that you
are comfortable with their dedication to your health, notjust their
bottom line. Listen to your intuition and your own nose; they won't
lie to you!Practice, and you will continue to detect finer and
finer differences in grades of the samevariety. With even more
education and skill, you'll start to recognize individual
chemicalswithin an oils aroma, and make the best decisions as to
which oils will have the mostprofound therapeutic affects for you,
your family, or in your professional practice.
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http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Practical-Aromatherapy--The-Importance-Of-Essential-Oil-Chemistry/270019#ixzz13cHgxShO
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