By Ellen Ashton-Haiste
‘If it smells good, enjoy it,’ may
well be the new mantra for aromatherapy, which is quickly growing in
popularity at spas and natural health clinics across the country. Smell
is our most enduring sense. It can transform our emotions, evoke happy
or comforting memories and promote relaxation. But more than just
fragrant scents, the practice of aromatherapy, using pure essential
oils from plants, is increasingly recognized as a healing art.
“Within the last few years aromatherapy has
become much more popular, as I think clients are becoming more aware of the
benefits,” says Renata Rychlewski, team leader for massage at Elmwood Spa,
where aromatherapy is combined with massage.
“In Canada there is certainly a growing
awareness of aromatherapy as a healing art,” agrees Joy Watson, president of
the Waterloo-based Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists (CFA), the voluntary,
federally chartered organization that sets educational and practice standards
which allow members to use the designation CAHP (certified aromatherapy health
professional).
As part of the campaign, the organization
produced a brochure outlining the benefits of this complementary therapy for
conditions from skin problems to digestive disorders, muscular skeletal and
even emotional issues.
At Elmwood Spa combination blends of essential oils are used with massage to address five specific conditions, which Rychlewski says are the ones most often identified by clients as problem areas.
• Sleep Well uses mandarin, lavender, ylang-ylang and
patchouli. Rychlewski recommends this treatment for travellers who may have
trouble sleeping because of time changes and jet lag and for those who are
under considerable stress, for whom, she says, just one treatment can result in
a good night’s rest and a feeling of being reinvigorated the following day.
• Energy blends rosemary, lemongrass, bergamot and
lemon to stimulate the emotions and the circulatory system as well as to
promote mental clarity.
• Vitality, using rosewood, orange, cinnamon and
lavender, can provide an emotional boost and induce a calm energy throughout
the body.
• Muscle Comfort, a combination of lemon, lavender, rose,
geranium and juniper brings relief from the pain of arthritis or strained
muscles. Rychlewski says someone who is working out consistently, training for
a marathon for example, can benefit from this aromatherapy massage after training
sessions.
• Relaxation combines rosewood, clary sage and
tangerine for a powerful dose of euphoria.
Rychlewski notes that Elmwood also offers
Li’TYA aromatic massages, using Australian Aboriginal healing techniques and
native plant essential oils and extracts in three combinations to balance
hormones, detoxify or to balance emotions. The treatment is chosen by having
the client smell the oils and the body will pick the one it needs. “You might
be thinking ‘I sure need a detox today’ but your body might pick something else
completely,” she says.
Even with the combination massages, the
choice is sometimes made that way, she adds. Most people will come with a
specific need; sore muscles, joint pain, low energy levels, problems sleeping, but
sometimes they aren’t sure what they need. “In those cases the therapist will
have them smell the oils and choose from there as the body takes over.”
While the combinations are standard, the
massage will vary depending on what’s happening in the body and which parts
require special focus, Rychlewski says. But, she points out,
it’s always a lighter pressure, as opposed to a deep tissue massage, since the
idea is to facilitate the absorption of the essential oils into the body and
the circulatory system.
For the same reason, clients are advised
not to hit the pool or Jacuzzi or even to shower following an aromatherapy
massage. “You want to give the oils a chance to completely absorb into the skin
and not wash off,” she says. On the other hand, a sauna afterwards can have the
opposite effect, opening up the pores and speeding up the absorption.
Elmwood’s aromatherapy massages last 50 or
80 minutes. Rychlewski says it’s best to start with a shorter one and gradually
work up to longer times, as it may take the body time to adjust.
Feeling the results can happen right away
or may take some time, she says. If it’s a muscle issue, perhaps from working
out, the benefits may be readily apparent. “The juniper will help to detoxify
and increase circulation into the muscles and tissues.” And, for someone
feeling very stressed, the effects of a relaxation treatment may be felt
quickly. For others, however, it can take time to begin to really know they’re
working. “And the more treatments you have, the more results you can see,” she
adds.