There are pills for just about any problem out there. Headache? Advil. Fever? Tylenol. Stressed? Prozac. Can’t sleep? Doxepin.
In today’s society, we rely on these pills. CBS News covered a report in 2013 sent out by the Center for Disease Control, which estimated that there are nearly 9 million Americans who take prescription sleeping pills. These 9 million Americans have put themselves at risk of becoming dependent on the drug and having parasomnias. Parasomnias is a potentially harmful side effect of sleeping pills, which causes people to perform actions such as walking, driving or eating while in a sleep state.
While ibuprofen has been reported as not being addictive, long term use of the pain-relievers could increase the user’s chances of a heart attack, stroke and could cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, according to Drugs.com.
I’ll admit to taking ibuprofen for headaches or back pain, but after conducting research I have come to the point where I don’t want to keep turning to pills whenever I’m in pain. I don’t want to put something in my body that could potentially harm it later down the line. So, I started practicing aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy uses essential oils as a healing technique, and has been around for thousands of years. While the origin of aromatherapy is unknown, this practice has been recorded in Ancient Egypt, India, Greece, Rome and China. In the early 1900s, a French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé discovered that he could heal a burn on his hand with lavender oil. Gattefossé used essential oils to help heal soldiers during World War I, and the term “aromatherpapy” was presented in his first book which was published in 1937.
According to Jade Shutes, who has been an aromatherapy advocate for over 25 years, aromatherapy is “a natural, non-invasive modality designed to affect the whole person not just the symptom or disease and to assist the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself by the correct use of essential oils.”
Essential oils can be applied directly to the skin, on areas like the palms and temples. This allows the skin to absorb the oils. Aromatherapy can also be done but putting essential oils in a bath, using lotions that contain oils, or using a diffuser. Practicing aromatherapy may help relieve anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, indigestion and respiratory difficulties. It can also act as a sleep aid and can boost energy levels.
There are many different essential oils that are used in aromatherapy, and each one has its own healing properties. Lavender can be used to reduce inflammation and stress, while patchouli can be used as an anti-depressant. Peppermint and rosemary can reduce stress as well, and tea tree can be used to boost the immune system.
So, if you don’t want to rely on pills to solve your body’s ailments, I would suggest aromatherapy. It’s an all-natural way of taking care of your body, however, make sure to test the oils before you use them to avoid an allergic reaction.
Photo credit: 1. Ear Falls Massage 2. New York Institute of Aromatherapy