The Smell of Spring

Winter this year in Central Virginia has been warmer than usual and very dry.  As a result, everything is dry and brown and I can't wait for the spring rains and for plants returning to life.  I was reminded of how much I miss the aroma of spring when my son cut his finger and rather than squeezing some antibiotic cream from a tube on his finger I grabed my bottle of Tea Tree oil and put a drop on his finger.  Tea Tree essential oil, like all essential oils, is an antiseptic.  Not only that, it smelled so good.


This got me thinking about essential oils so I opened up all of my oil storage boxes (three wooden boxes) and began to smell different oils.  Essential oils contain aldehydes, phenols, oxides, esters, keytones, alcohols and terpens as well as many other chemical compounds. While all essential oils are anticeptics, individual oils may also have analgesic, fungicidal, diuretic, or expectorant properties. 

Essential oils operate on the body on pharmacological, physiological, and psychological levels.  On a pharmacological level essential oils act on the body in ways that are similar to drugs.  However, they act slower and in a more sympathetic way and with fewer side effects.  It is important to be careful with some essential oils, especially if one is pregnant or has a number of other medical conditions. 


On a physiological level, different oils seem to have affinities for different parts of the body. For example, rose has an affinity for the female reproductive system; in general spice oils benefit the digestive tract; and Juniper Berry oil has an affinity for the urinary tract (in another blog I'll show you how we make Juniper tincture from the Juniper berries that we collect in the fall).

Finally essential oils can have psychological effects.  For example, chamomile is relaxing, citrus oils like grapefruit are refreshing, and rosemary is stimulating.


If you would like to learn more about the use of essential oils then you might check out our book, An Introduction to the Art of Armoatherapy, at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/an-introduction-to-the-art-of-aromatherapy/14736018?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

However you use them, essential oils smell wonderful.  And for me today they were a reminder that spring is around the corner and pretty soon nature will come alive with colors, sounds, and smells.