Extraordinary Health Magazine EH Magazine VOl 33_Final | Page 23

Rosemary is less intense than eucalyptus essential oil but has similar benefits, especially in the respiratory system and as a preventative to get rid of germs and ward off a bacterial infection. into the science, we are actually able to see proof of what practitioners and patients have been saying for thousands of years.” Galper and Shutes emphasize in their classes that essential oils are not a miracle to solve all problems, but a profound tool to raise awareness in the body and reveal what needs to change in someone’s life, to sleep more, deal with emotions better, or even something as simple as presenting a different way of looking at pain. “We do see essential oils can provide immediate relief. For example, we’ve seen patchouli make nail fungus disappear and wounds heal as a result of lavender oil, or putting tea tree oil on a blemish,” says Galper, who has a foolproof way for anyone to start using essential oils. Getting Started with Essential Oils Step one in getting started with essential oils should be to choose a few to try. Galper recommends lavender, sweet orange, tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint for the first kit. It all begins with the nose, so just take some time to smell each of the oils to familiarize yourself with them. “In our culture we do everything we can to try to get rid of odors, with scented sprays and such because we don’t like the way things smell—but awakening our sense of smell is the first step to feeling better,” says Galper. “When you’re nervous or stressed or out of sorts, close your eyes and see how smelling the oil makes you feel.” Galper also suggests experimenting with putting the oils in a diffuser and adding a few drops to a cotton ball to sniff throughout the day. As a topical treatment, she recommends adding a drop of an essential oil to shortening, approximately one drop to a tablespoon, to rub onto the back of the neck or chest to feel and breathe it in. “Scent is 90 percent of the healing process and we know how powerful olfactory science proves our sense of smell can affect hormone production and distribution of hormones, along with neurotransmitter production and activity,” says Galper of the olfactory nerve bulb connection. Rosemary is less intense than eucalyptus essential oil but has similar benefits, especially in the respiratory system and as a preventative to get rid of germs and ward off a bacterial infection. Galper says to smell the oils and put a little on the chest in a ratio of one to three drops of rosemary essential oil into one tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil. Other uses involve pain relief, sore muscles, headaches and improving flow of energy, digestion, energy and breath. Galper is especially excited about Garden of Life’s new venture into the essential oils market. “I love partnering with Garden of Life for their essential oils because their supplier has been growing plants for essential oils for more than a century providing oils to the perfume industry and for health and wellness through a community of farmers,” says Galper. “That’s what’s so nice about Garden of Life because they are leaders in their field and now they are working with a global leader in growing aromatic plants and using pure extraction methods.” For people who want to delve into the healing world of essential oils, Shutes and Galper’s school includes one of the leading online aromatherapy certification programs in the country for professional level aromatherapists and novices. Anyone can take the courses at home, including their introduction to aromatherapy online course which teaches how to use essential oils for health and wellness. Tens of thousands of people have gone through their classrooms geared toward the home user, as well as advanced training in skin care and chemistry units. “We also have a beautiful program called the botanical body care class which teaches students how to formulate their own body care and they are all online programs,” says Galper, who along with Shutes and their other instructors, offers three different ways to learn—online, on-site classes at their New York location and through live streaming. For more information on essentials oils and how to incorporate them into everyday life, visit The School for Aromatic Studies at aromaticstudies.com. Vol 33 • Extraordinary Health ™ 21