Aromatherapy involves the use of "essential oils" extracted from the flowers, leaves, branches, bark, rind, or roots of medicinal plants. These oils are then mixed with a "carrier" (usually a vegetable oil) or are diluted. There are a number of different applications, including oil massages, fragrant baths, and heating of oils over a flame to diffuse the aroma.
Tang Ya-chun, president of Alexander Health Clubs, says, "In fact you could consider aromatherapy the latest trend in personal care. To combine this with working out is to combine a beauty perspective with a health one, with more of a recreational feel."
There's nothing new about aroma-therapy. People in ancient Rome often rubbed their bodies with oil in the public baths as a means of relieving stress, and the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing [Classic of Roots and Herbs Discovered by Shen Nong], the oldest Chinese medical treatise, also describes treatments which are functionally the same as aromatherapy. So why the sudden surge of interest? Perhaps there is a greater need among modern people-plagued by stress, insomnia, anxiety, and inability to concentrate-to find a way to chill out.
Tang Ya-chun states that most health clubs in Taiwan combine aromatherapy with hydrotherapy, and include these treatments under their "spa" services.
As Tang explains: "In the spa, particular attention is devoted to the pleasuring and relaxation of the senses of smell, hearing, touch, taste, and vision. Besides mellow music, soft lighting, and diffusion of fragrant oils, there is also a 'Vichy bath,' which allows the skin to breathe more freely. With an aromatherapy massage, essential oils sink in, and the skin regains its flexibility." In order that members can really let their hair down, most "spa" facilities are only open to women. Because there have to be specialists on duty, the cost is quite high, so in most health clubs aromatherapy is available only at an additional charge.
Different fragrances have, it is said, different effects: Lavender helps with problems like tension and exhaustion. Sandalwood promotes relaxation and tranquility. Bergamot helps settle the mind. Rose is advised for inflammation and swelling, and it also invigorates the skin. Chamomile relieves tension and is used for treating menstrual cramps and insomnia. Different oils can be combined depending on different needs.
Does aromatherapy really work? Ho Tsung-hsien, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, says that Chinese medicine has long included some aromatherapy-like treatments, and theoretically it is possible for the medicinal effects of oils to be transmitted to the body through the meridians using tuina (traditional Chinese massage therapy). "Things used in aroma-therapy like lavender and sandalwood definitely help people relax and sleep better, and can relieve tension and headaches," says Dr. Ho. "But," he cautions, "the user has to put him- or herself in the proper frame of mind to relax, or else the effect will be largely cancelled out." He adds, moreover, that he remains skeptical of claims of wider curative powers for aromatherapy.
A Miss Wu, who sometimes goes to spas, testifies that aromatherapy definitely helps her mellow out. "But at one or two thousand NT dollars per time, it's too expensive to go to the health club more than once in a while. I more often buy aromatic oils and use them at home-just take a fragrant bath or heat the oil to diffuse the fragrance. That's much more affordable."
It is undeniable that both Tang Ya-chun and Miss Wu, who both use aromatherapy from time to time, look vibrant and healthy. Is this the result of "essential oils," or is it just that people who would use aromatherapy are the same people who take good care of their health in general? Anyway, there's no harm in giving it a try yourself, and you may find your own answer.
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A few drops of essential oils, a charming wooden barrel, and a comfy chair-what more could you ask? Health club VIP rooms offer fragrant relaxation.
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Essential oils come in enticing packages; different aromatherapy products are advised for different effects.
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