Science Of Essential Oils

Do you know, the global essential oils market is being anticipated to grow from $9.62 billion in 2021 to $18.25 billion in 2028?

Since the dawn of civilization, people have turned to the power of plants for healing purposes. But one alternate form of medicine in particular seems more popular than ever: essential oils.

Clinical studies are currently underway in Europe, Australia, Japan, India, the United States, and Canada to clinically study the remarkable healing properties of various oils.

According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, although, contrary to common lore, drinking a tablespoon of fish oil every day won’t likely stave off dementia, there is evidence that balm from lemon oil reduces agitation in patients with dementia. There are also proven success stories for essential oils, such as the treatment of acne with tea tree oil and the treatment of alopecia areata or hair loss with oils like thyme, rosemary, lavender and cedarwood.

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are extracted from the seed, bark, roots, stems, leaf, flower, resins and other parts of the plants through distillation often using steam. As these oils replicate the plant in terms of its nutrient profile, scent and flavor, these are highly concentrated and must be used in regulated quantities.

It is imperative that we understand all about essential oils and the ingredients that go in making them before investing in the final product. It’s all the more important if you’re intrigued to make your own concoctions using your favourite essential oils.

It’s about time we address the pressing issue around essential oils and how beneficial and useful they really are!

The Chemistry Of Essential Oils

Essentials oils’ biology is influenced by the local geography and weather conditions, as well as the season and time of day when the plants are harvested, how they are processed, and how they are packaged and stored. Each plant is unique in its chemistry so essential oils are never exactly the same - totally different from pharmaceutical drugs that are synthetically reproduced to be identical every time.

Today, there’s renewed interest in using essentials oils to improve physical or psychological well-being.  Thanks to an increased interest in natural remedies, aromatherapy has become a mainstay in many people’s lives and the solution they rely on for all sorts of issues.

How Do Essential Oils Really Work?

They work in a communication between your nose, the olfactory bulb and your brain, the limbic system.

Any time we smell something, especially in natural fragrances like essential oils, we inhale volatile particles called esters. These chemicals are what gives food flavours and allows us to smell aromatics. The sense of smell, like taste, comes from specialised sensory cells found in a small patch of tissue inside the nose, the process of which essentially goes like this:

Image courtesy: Google Images

1. The odour or esters float in the air reaching the nostrils and dissolving in the mucus. Underneath the mucus, in the olfactory epithelium, specialised receptor cells called olfactory receptor neurons detect the odour. These neurons are capable of detecting thousands of different odours.
2. The olfactory receptor neurons transmit the information to the olfactory bulbs, which are located at the back of the nose. The olfactory bulbs have sensory receptors that are actually part of the brain which send messages directly to the most primitive brain centres where they influence emotions and memories + higher centres where they modify conscious thoughts.
3. The information captured by the sense of smell goes directly from the olfactory bulb to other structures of the limbic system. The limbic system is a network of connected structures near the middle of the brain linked within the central nervous system. These structures work together to affect a wide range of behaviours including emotions, motivation, and memory.

Our memories are multi-sensory, for instance, when you think about how a chocolate chip cookie smells, it will remind you of your grandmother. These scents produce an emotional reaction, which in turn produces a physical reaction.

There is a lot of research supporting the use of essential oils for a variety of health benefits. At CORE & PURE, we combine essential oils with scientifically-proven effects into formulas that stimulate the body and improve your emotional and physical wellbeing. Whether you need a boost of energy to start your day, help to improve your sleep, or support to get through stressful times, essential oils are a powerful, safe and natural way to improve your quality of life.