Even though it is often overlooked, the olfactory system is one of the body’s most powerful communication channels. According to research, the whole procedure – from the initial inhaling of an essential oil to the body’s reaction – can take just a few seconds. For this reason, using aromatic essential oils is the most effective way to do this.

Have you ever wondered why cocaine is sniffed through the nose or why anesthesia is administered by inhaling?

It may come as no surprise that the popularity of how people use drugs is usually determined by how quickly the drug reaches the brain and how long it takes for the effects to occur. This is one of the reasons why anesthesia is inhaled and cocaine is typically sniffed through the nose.

It is important to keep in mind that inhaling a substance is one of the quickest routes of ingestion. That’s because the drug or other inhaled substance bypasses the digestive tract and, later, the liver, where the drug would have been metabolized.

When substances are inhaled, they enter the bloodstream directly through the nasal blood vessels. When drugs enter the bloodstream, they quickly reach the brain, causing intense effects in a short period of time.

Similarly, when essential oils are inhaled through the nose, they effectively cross the blood-brain barrier in the area around the olfactory nerve. In other areas, the barrier is made up of 8 endothelial cells thick. The barrier around the olfactory nerve is only 4-5 cells thick. As a result, when inhaling oils through the nose, they can easily pass directly into the brain.

What exactly is the blood-brain barrier?

As the name implies, this “barrier” of endothelial cells protects the brain from pathogens and toxins in the blood. At the same time, it allows nutrients to be transferred to “feed” the brain.

Because essential oils are fat-soluble, they dissolve in fat. Because the brain is fat and fat prefers fat, fat-soluble substances such as essential oils are extremely effective in brain and nervous system healing.

Energy and essential oils

Essential oils send energy signals to the brain as well. When we inhale essential oils through our nose, the aromatic molecules activate receptors in the mucous membrane, which sends information to the olfactory bulb at the base of the brain. The limbic system of the brain, also known as the “emotional brain,” interprets and transmits these “fragrant messages.”

The limbic system is the brain’s control center for emotions and feelings, as well as hunger, thirst, and sexual desire. This explains how aroma can affect appetite and sexual attraction.

It is also in charge of long-term memory, which stores our memories, via the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the area of the brain that plays a role when strong odors trigger emotions or memories.

These intense emotional responses in the limbic system activate other areas of the brain that are in charge of secreting hormones, neurotransmitters, and regulating body functions. Endorphins, for example, are released by the pituitary gland and can help relieve pain and promote a sense of well-being.

Thus, essential oils have the ability to stimulate or sedate the brain in order to promote or inhibit the production and release of various neurotransmitters, which then influence the nervous system, or hormones, which influence the endocrine system.

Emotions and essential oils

As a result, essential oils are particularly effective for dealing with emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, fear, worry, pain, trauma, anger, and self-abuse.

Emotions, along with thought patterns, can set off a continuous stress response in the body. Our stress response is unable to distinguish between physical and emotional stressors, as well as thinking. This inhibits our ability to heal.

The smell of essential oils can be a powerful tool for overcoming and releasing these thought patterns.

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that promotes physical and mental health and well-being by utilizing natural plant extracts. It’s also known as essential oil therapy and it is an alternative medical practice. Aromatherapy is both an art and a science.

Aromatherapy a practice that dates back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians and Chinese. Today aromatherapy generated a lot of interest in the fields of science and medicine. It is gaining more and more recognition and validation every day.

The word aromatherapy was coined by a French chemist, René-Maurice Gattefossé in 1937. He used the term to describe how he believed essential oils could be used to heal wounds and fight infections.

It was in the late 1930s that chemists began to find medicinal value in plant-derived oils and natural oils. The first major discovery of this came from scientists working with crude drug extracts; it was found that extracts of Eucalyptus, Lavender, Pine, Rosemary and Tea Tree had antibiotic properties. Many essential oils are powerful anti-microbials, and the only possible way to combat bacteria is by using essential oils. Diatomaceous earth, for instance, is not effective against bacteria because its particles are too small to kill the microbes.

Meanwhile, Aromatherapy has become a popular alternative therapy. A comeback is happening today. Many people prefer natural remedies over traditional medications.

Unlike certain medications, the use of essential oils isn’t seen as treatment for a specific condition, such as vertigo. But essential oils have been shown to be very effective on these.

Although there’s some medical basis for the use of essential oils, most evidence is unreliable. Many studies are small and don’t produce conclusive results.

How Does Aromatherapy Works?

The molecules of essential oils begin their work as soon as they enter the body through inhalation. As the lungs work to oxygenate the blood, the essential oils are readily absorbed in the bloodstream as the lungs fill with air. This type of absorption is most effective when essential oils are introduced as a mist, diffused in a vaporizer, or inhaled during massage. Aromas stimulate the olfactory bulb, which quickly sends a signal to the Limbic System in the brain, which is the emotional center, as well as the Endocrine System and the adrenal glands. This is why essential oils have such a powerful influence on our moods and overall mental state.