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he practice of aromatherapy uses essential oils to treat medical conditions or alleviate psychological ailments. The essential oils of aromatherapy have the power to affect both your physical and mental state.

Essential oils are extracted from living plants and trees. Essential oils are what give plants and trees their distinctive aroma and, if edible, their flavor. Depending on the plant in question, essential oils are found in flowers, leaves, seeds, roots, wood, or bark. There are more than 200 plant-derived essential oils, but not all of them are therapeutic.

...living plants...

Some varieties of plants have more essential oils than other varieties. Depending on the plant, some essential oils are more easily extracted than others. For example, one ounce of essential oil of jasmine requires 1,000 times that weight in flowers. On the other hand, most fruit essential oils are quite easy to extract in fairly large quantities.

Essential oils are volatile, that is, they evaporate easily when heated. Essential oils are made up of a complex combination of chemicals. They may contain several beneficial components. Beneficial chemicals include alcohol, which provides antiseptic properties, esters, which are sedative in nature, and phenols, which serve as anti-bacterial agents.

The chemical makeup of essential oils doesn't only depend on the variety of plant. The area where the plant was cultivated also partially determines its chemical makeup.

Some essential oils are highly toxic. It is quite interesting to note that most herbs and spices that are indispensable for cooking yield essential oils that are toxic.

Some essential oils are free-flowing liquid, others are viscous, and still others are solid or semi-solid until they are heated. Most essential oils dissolve easily in alcohol or oil, but not in water.

Essential oils are very concentrated and should almost always be diluted before using them. When essential oils are appropriately diluted, most can be used at home safely, enjoyably, and with beneficial effects.

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