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Gazoontite.com presents

Sharon Christie
Discussion about Aromatherapy

February 10, 2000

With Valentines Day coming, we thought that a discussion about aromatherapy might spark some fresh ideas for gifts and ways to pamper yourself too. An expert aromatherapist, Sharon has studied herbs and essential oils for over 30 years. She has a degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and developed the Aromafloria product line in 1988.

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Gazoontite: Hello and welcome to the gazoontite.com expert chat with Sharon Christie, founder and president of the California Fragrance Company. With Valentines Day coming, we thought that a discussion about aromatherapy might spark some fresh ideas for gifts and ways to pamper yourself too. An expert aromatherapist, Sharon has studied herbs and essential oils for over 30 years. She has a degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and developed the Aromafloria product line in 1988. Please welcome Sharon Christie!

Sharon Christie: Hi, good afternoon and good evening to everybody. Welcome to the world of aromatherapy! Has anyone out there use aromatherapy? And what can you tell me about it?

Casey: What is aromatherapy? Is it actually a kind of science or is it just for fun?

Sharon Christie: Aromatherapy is a combination of art and science. Aromatherapy is simply validated by science when one considers healing is an art. I have an expression, which is, "the science of beauty and the art of wellness."

GG: What made you get into Aromatherapy? It's not all that new is it? How long has it actually been around?

Sharon Christie: Aromatherapy traces back to the ancient days of the Chinese. Although aromatherapy seems to be the latest, greatest craze in the 1990s and 2000, there's a reason for that. We as a culture, and a country, have never approached our wellness with any kind of natural or prophylactic care, because our health care system has always been there to provide that. Today, the entire health care system is disintegrating. That has forced us, the consumer, to become more responsible and accountable for our own health care. We have been searching ancient cultures and rituals for solutions to many of these complex health issues. The number one health issue in America today, is stress. Aromatherapy is the perfect antidote to stress because the sense of smell is intricately connected to a part of the brain called the "limbic system" which is the seat of all our emotions. It's where we have memories, where we actually take a fingerprint of people around us, of situations around us. It's where that gut feeling comes from. It connects from the sense of smell, so it's a very powerful sense that's become very underrated and overlooked. Now we're able to utilize and enjoy and experience wellness, with aromatherapy as the trigger.

Dawn: What seem to be the most popular scents?

Sharon Christie: The most popular aromatherapy essential oils today are lavender, a very calming, soothing type oil is number 1 by far; eucalyptus, chamomile, peppermint, sandalwood, and ylang ylang. And I might add with eucalyptus and peppermint they are particularly fresh, invigorating, and cooling. They soothe sore muscles and can help ease congestion from respiratory and sinus infections. Peppermint can offer natural relief from aches and pains.

Kayla: Do different methods of "delivery" of aromas (like candles, potpourris, etc.) have different degrees of effectiveness?

Sharon Christie: Absolutely! For example, a candle will float the oil through your room; if you choose a bath product, you're combining even more benefit through the healing nature of water; or, if you use it as massage oil, a very powerful healing takes place because you combine smell and touch.

ManMan: Hey, I saw that commercial where folks fall asleep while driving because there are aroma-candles in the car. Could that happen really?

Sharon Christie: Well, yes, if they happen to be burning "sleepies," which contains oils that can be mildly sedative, then yes, it will soothe them.

Sweets: What are the basic principals of aromatherapy?

Sharon Christie: The basic principle of aromatherapy is activating the sense of smell to trigger the limbic system in the brain to generate an effect that could be calming, soothing, relaxing, invigorating, stimulating, euphoric or seductive, based on the given aromatic essential oil you are smelling.

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