Which essential oils we like can say a lot about our health. Our correspondent visited a session of aroma diagnostics.
Invigorating orange, refreshing mint, warming cinnamon… Natural essential oils can improve our condition, but how do we know which ones to choose?
Natural essential oils have been used to improve well-being for 8000 years. “Given that Western medicine appeared a century and a half ago, the question of what is considered traditional and what is alternative medicine does not arise,” notes aromatherapist Rani Al-Anati. In our country, an aromatherapist with a higher medical education is a rarity. Dr. Al-Anati is just such an example. “With the help of essential oils, you can cope with the widest range of diseases — from varicose veins to digestive disorders,” he says, adding that he treats his children only with these natural aroma-medicines.
The first consultation with an aromatherapist begins with aroma diagnostics. The standard questions about chronic diseases, allergies, and medications are followed by the most interesting — the choice of essential oils. They are chosen by the patient himself, or rather, his body. Thinking about it is counter-indicative. “Don’t try to figure out what it’s like. These are not spirits. Listen only to the first sensation: like it or not,” admonishes Rani Al-Anati, before bringing the first bottle to my nose. “Very nice,” I say. And the doctor puts a plus in front of the “rose” column. “This bottle costs 9000 rubles, so I keep it under lock and key,” he says. — It makes me happy when I see “natural rose essential oil” for sale for 600 rubles. It cannot cost less than 30 euros! This is the most expensive oil in the world. Its exchange price is 30 euros per liter. Indeed, to obtain one milliliter of it, you need half a ton of rose petals.
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One by one, the doctor lets me inhale the essential oils, prudently covering the names with his hand so that they do not influence my choice. From time to time he accompanies them with amusing comments. So, the essence of oregano, which I rejected, he calls the “cattle” oil: “It worsens the mood. When I have to work with her, I fight with everyone.” But oregano is a lipolytic, the most powerful of essential oils. “Combined with black pepper, it’s a great option to give harmony to cheerful donuts. In its purest form, for athletes who need to get a little angry before the competition, ”adds Al-Anati.
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After 20 minutes of active sniffing, the doctor gets a complete picture of the state of my health. Citrus, jasmine, geranium, ylang ylang, lavender, sandalwood, thyme, cinnamon and cloves get my unconditional yes. Patchouli, ginger, juniper, sage, parsley and black pepper are blacklisted. The rest of the oils are somewhere in the middle marked «+/-» or «-/+». “Are you by any chance trying to have a baby? — the doctor confuses me. Can he read minds? — This is indicated by the choice of jasmine, rose and geranium. These oils stimulate the female reproductive system and normalize the hormonal background. If, along with them, a woman chooses sage, this indicates a serious imbalance in the hormonal system. This essential oil has an estrogen-like effect and is beneficial for mature women during and after menopause.
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«Are you swollen a lot?» — the second question, and the second hit in the top ten. This is evidenced by my choice of grapefruit, orange and fennel essential oils. All of them stimulate the lymph flow, which means they remove excess water from the body. I indignantly reject the suggestion that I’m not drinking enough. This is the main cause of edema: not getting enough fluid, the body goes into «camel mode». True, as a result, it turns out that Rani Al-Anati is right. My favorite lemon, mint, cucumber water and herbal teas don’t count. Any additives change the molecular structure of water, which means that the resulting drink does not cleanse the body at the cellular level. The doctor prescribes me a plentiful drink (at the rate of 30 ml per kilogram of weight), two sessions of lymphatic drainage massage and Revive Body Gel from edema Revive Body Gel from the British aromatherapy brand Aromatherapy Associates.
Further analysis of my answers never ceases to amaze. My sympathy for the essential oils of bergamot and mint tells the doctor about minor disturbances in my gastrointestinal tract (I just had an exacerbation of gastritis). To improve digestion, Al-Anati recommends inhaling the essence of bergamot after eating, dripping it into an aroma lamp, or massaging the stomach with it. The choice of thyme oil (a powerful immune stimulant and adaptogen) gives the doctor the information that I recently had a cold. “And you don’t get enough sun,” the doctor says. “After all, you chose all citrus fruits and cinnamon, an oil that creates the effect of a warm blanket.” What can I say, most of the inhabitants of our northern country would most likely like these essences.