It’s no secret that in recent years more and more African Americans are turning to alternative medicine to help heal. Some would even suggest that it is an innate practice from our African ancestry that is slowly but surely finding its way back into our lives. Through home remedies and seeking natural aids, holistic health is on the rise. Aromatherapy is one healing alternative that even popular African American lifestyle influencers like HeyFranHey advocate for – putting conscious living right in the forefront of our everyday lives.
What is Aromatherapy exactly?
According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Aromatherapy, also referred to as Essential Oil therapy, can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit. It seeks to unify physiological, psychological and spiritual processes to enhance an individual’s innate healing process.
What else can it do?
Imagine inhaling a certain scent that would help protect your lungs from damage if you found yourself in a smoke-filled room. A California scientist says his research into the healthy properties of aromas could make that a possibility one day.
Kwang-Geun Lee, of the University of California at Davis, released findings at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston that suggest some smells could act as antioxidants, the healthful agents found in fruits and vegetables.
“Exposure to these aromas may help to prevent (oxygen) damages, which are a factor in many diseases,” Lee says.
Humans have known about the positive effects of smell for thousands of years, and “aromatherapy” has become a household word. Scientists have a good understanding