The brain, its biochemicals and the essential oils that influence them
Josie Donaldson LLSA MIFA KFRP explores the ways in which aromatherapy is being used to stimulate or depress certain chemicals within the brain, and how this can help in the treatment of head injuries
She started working at the head injury unit of Morpeth Cottage Hospital in 1995. This began for her five-year research into brain chemicals, what each chemical's actions were on the body, and the essential oil that could be used to either stimulate or depress a particular brain chemical.
We are a product of our biochemicals; they are the instructions for every action and thought pattern in our body. Without them we could neither think, feel or breathe - among other things.
When biochemical activity goes awry, then problems start to manifest in the physical body. We could develop eczema, insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome for example.
We could become depressed, agitated, irritable, have mood swings or feel blissfully happy and contented.
Essential oils play an important part in influencing the brain. In cases of eczema, for instance, most sufferers have low levels of a chemical called Cathepsin C, which is found in skin and bone cells and activates several of the chemicals controlling local inflammatory and immune responses. Low levels cause red, scaly, thickened, and sometimes warty skin.
Eczema sufferers also have low levels of Complement C7, a protein that is also a part of the non-specific immune response. Frankincense, used regularly, actually increases the amount of Cathepsin C and Complement C7, which in turn, lowers inflammation of the skin, clears up the dry, red scaly effects of eczema and increases the sebum content of the skin.
When dealing with head injuries, mostly you are dealing with instances when a part of the brain has been damaged in some way.
Often the pituitary has been affected, which causes problems from urine output to problems with the reproductive glands. I have used essential oils successfully to stimulate the pituitary to increase the output of hormones and other chemicals.
The pituitary receives its orders from the hypothalamus and therefore is the organ associated with taking higher authority. Juniper, ylang ylang, patchouli and clary sage are just a few of the oils that influence the chemical activity of the pituitary, helping people to 'surrender' to themselves as it were.
Most of the hormones and biochemicals produced by the pituitary are involved with surrendering ourselves to inner change within our bodies, such as our sexual hormones. Many women find it difficult to 'surrender' to their periods each month may have problems with the hormone flow from their pituitary, and the above oils help them to let go and allow the organ to function properly.
Recently she treated someone who was suffering from panic attacks, heartburn and nausea. She had high levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a hormone that stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete other hormones. People who panic or have a lot of fears always over produce this chemical and others from the adrenal glands.
She also had high levels of the glucocorticoids - these chemicals (cortisol, corticosterone and cortisone) give us our resistance to stress and make sure that there is enough energy available - these are the principle chemicals involved in the flight or fight syndrome.
Therefore, whatever the stress she encountered, she was dealing with it with fear as her biochemical make-up could not allow her to do anything else. She was asked to use chamomile, geranium and juniper.
Geranium and juniper are oils that principally work on the pituitary and the adrenal glands. She was instructed to sniff the oil at regular periods, to have baths with the oils and massage if possible.
Sniffing directly from a bottle of oil, making sure not to get the oil directly onto the skin or lips, ensures an immediate influence on the chemicals that you need to either depress or stimulate.
She even stopped her panic attacks in mid flow by sniffing the geranium while at work. Geranium actively calms the glucocorticoids, after which the adrenals send other chemicals, which then flood the brain with serotonin and cause the person to calm down.
Juniper actively works on ACTH, and on ADH (antidiuretic hormone) which causes us to produce more urine when under stress, calming them both down and allowing the bladder to return to normal functioning.
Camomile actively woks on the amino acid glutamine which, among other things, calms excess acid in the stomach and reduces the desire to eat sugar or drink alcohol. It calms depression brought on by the 'fight or flight' response, and is a powerful brain fuel giving rise to GABA, which is a calming agent.
Essential oils directly affect the different parts of the brain and its associated biochemicals.
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