Unit 7 Aromаtherapy as a part of alternative medicine

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mood, cognitive function or health. The effectiveness of aromatherapy is yet to be scientifically proven, however some evidence exists that essential oils may have therapeutic potential.

The term “aromаtherapy” was proposed by A.A. Kyuntsel’ (1896) but the idea of treatment of some diseases with the help of scents belongs to other Russian scientist V.A. Manassyein (1887).

It is proved that celery scent has a sedative effect and roses petals scent relieves arterial pressure. Camphor and wormwood scents improve brains activity, tone up muscles work. Peppermint and lavender fragrances improve heart activity. Essential oils made from eucalyptus, basil, thyme, bee balm and wormwood remove headaches, especially migraines.

In Ukraine for a long time people have put herbs in pillows and mattresses, especially thyme grass. In the East beds were treated by aromatic fragrances before bedtime. In India under stress and before sleep special sticks made from pressed herbs with sedative scents of lavender and patchouli are burnt.

In the aromatherapy industry the odorous substances of choice are essential oils (oils that are volatile, aromatic, and flammable) from flowers, fruits, grasses, leaves, roots, and wood resins.

Manners of use of essential oils include sniffing, inhales, addition to bathwater, application to the skin (typically with massage) and daily use of herbs as spices in cooking (e.g. cinnamon, carnation, pepper, coriander).

Some physicians state that essential oils have a "spiritual dimension" and can restore "balance" and "harmony" both to one's body and to one's life. One of their principles, the "doctrine of signatures," holds that a plant's visible and olfactory characteristics reveal its "secret" qualities. For example, because the configuration of the violet suggests shyness, aromatherapists hold that its scent engenders calmness and modesty. Some proponents have characterized essential oils as the soul or spirit of plants.

Subtle Aromatherapy is a form of vibrational healing (vibrational medicine) expounded by Patricia Davis in her book of the same name. Subtle Aromatherapy is any use of essential oils with the purported aim of: (a) healing the "physical body" by affecting the "subtle body" ("energetic body"), or (b) contributing to personal and spiritual growth.

Active Vocabulary

volatile	леткий, летючий, що швидко випаровується
volatile oils	ефірні масла
celery	селера
sedative	заспокійливий, снотворний
bee balm	монарда
odorous substances	пахучі речовини
flammable	вогненебезпечний, легкозаймистий
resin	смола, камедь
spiritual dimension	духовний вимір
olfactory	нюховий
to engender	збуджувати, породжувати, викликати
subtle	тонкий, ніжний (про запах)
to expound	роз'яснювати, тлумачити

Tasks

Task 1. Study the following table. Close the right column and translate.

азалія	azalea
аїр	calamus
аніс	anise
апельсин	orange
базилік	basil
бергамот	bergamot
валеріана	valerian
вербена	verbena
ветівер	vetiver
гвоздика	carnation, pink
герань	geranium
гісоп	hyssop
грейпфрут	grapefruit
деревій	milfoil
евкаліпт	eucalyptus
жасмин	jasmine
іланг-іланг (кунанга духм’яна)	ilang-ilang
імбир	ginger
каєпут	cajeput
кардамон	cardamom
кедр	cedar
кипарис	cypress
кориця	cinnamon
коріандр	coriander
кріп	dill
лаванда	lavender
лавр	laurel
ладан	ladanum
ладаник	rockrose
лайм	lime
лимон	lemon
м’ята	peppermint
майоран	marjoram
мандарин	tangerine
материнка	origanum
меліса	melissa
мигдаль	almond
мирра	myrrh
мирт	myrtle
мускатний горіх	nutmeg
неролі	neroli
оман	elecampane
пачулі	patchouli
полин	wormwood
розмарин	rosemary
ромашка	camomile
сандал	sandalwood
сосна	pine
троянда	rose
трояндове дерево	poon
туя	thuja
фенхель	fennel
цитронела	citronella
чабрець	thyme
чайне дерево	tea tree
чорнобривці	marigold
шавлія	sage
ялина	fir, spruce
ялівець	juniper

Task 2. Read and discuss the text.