In India, Ayurvedic medicine is considered the great, great grandfather of all natural medical knowledge, because the information regarding the chemical compounds that are used to treat a plethora of illnesses and dis-ease are founded in Ayurvedic thought.
India has been practicing natural healing for thousands of years and Ayurvedic concepts about prolonging life have been much studied, and copied because they are part of the vital power and innate wisdom that flows through all of us. Healing is not a result of any one belief; it is the result of believing that the body can heal itself when its energies are in balance and flowing in and out smoothly.
Lemongrass oil contains chemical compounds that can boost the immune system and balance hormonal secretion, as these same compounds are found naturally in the body. When the dried leaves of Cymbopogon citratus are extracted using steam distillation, the result is this sweet smelling dark yellow or amber oil with the viscosity of water.
The main chemicals in this essential oil are myrcene, traces of limonene, geranyl acetate, nerol, citronellal, geraniol, citral and neral. Therapeutically, lemongrass oil has anti-infectious properties as well as analgesic, antimicrobial, fungicidal, anti-depressant antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, deodorant, carminative, diuretic, insecticidal, and febrifuge properties.
Lemongrass has the ability to relieve jetlag, nervous exhaustion, and stress related conditions, and the oil also helps with respiratory infections and infectious diseases. Laryngitis, fever, muscle aches, poor circulation, indigestion, and gastro-enteritis may all be treated with lemongrass oil. It’s great for clearing up oily skin, it works on athlete’s foot, and it can alleviate excessive perspiration.
When the oil is used as a vapor it revitalizes the mind and increases cellular energy, which makes it perfect for fatigue and mid-afternoon lethargy. A diluted bath or a massage can help get rid of infections; sooth exerted ligaments, and relax the nervous system. Lemongrass oil blends beautifully with other essential oils such as lavender, basil, cedarwood, jasmine, geranium, and tea tree oil in aromatherapy.
Lemongrass essential oil for aromatherapy comes from the citratus variety, not the flexuosus variety of Cymbopogon citratus. Flexuosus is used in the perfume industry because it contain less mycrene than citratus. We will need to do more research to ensure that both varieties of lemongrass oil have all the chemical compounds that benefit with the immune and hormone systems of the body.
Labdanum is one of those shrubs that makes ancient history a truly intriguing tale. Mediterranean sheep and goat herders were the first group to figure out what to do with the sticky resin from the bushes. They collected the resin by combing the thighs and beards of goats that grazed on the cistus shrubs. They developed wooden rakes with a double row of wooden thongs to sweep the shrubs so the resin could be collected and then extracted.
The aborigines of Australia have been using tea tree as a medicine for over 30,000 years. They’ve long known that it can heal wounds, stop infections, treat burns, moisturize dry skin, and give the body a little extra energy on a hunt. When Captain Cooke and his crew arrived in 1770 they dubbed the tea “tea tree”. Cooke and his men made tea out of the leaves, and later mix it with spruce leaves and made a beer that kept the men happy as well as a little tipsy.
The spearmint plant holds a prominent place in human history. One Greek myth about spearmint may be the origin of the Western name of this plant. Hades, god of the underworld, attempted to seduce Minthe, a nymph. However, his wife, Persephone, did not appreciate his action, and so transformed the nymph into the fragrant spearmint plant. In modern times, Spearmint is just one name for this popular flavoring for candy, ice cream, tobacco, and liquor. Some other common names are: Green Mint, Garden Mint, Sage of Bethlehem, Spire Mint, Lamb Mint, Bethlehem Sage, Pea Mint, Mackerel Mint, and Our Lady’s Mint.
Anyone who has tried Mexican, Indian, or Vietnamese cuisine has tasted dried cloves mixed with cinnamon and cumin but may not have recognized the flavor. Cloves have been used for centuries to accentuate the taste of foods all over the world. The locals in Indonesia use cloves to make cigarettes called kreteks, which are smoked throughout Europe, Asia, and the US, and cloves are an important incense ingredient in China and Japan as well as in Jewish ceremonies.
Vetiver, a tall tufted perennial grass with long narrow green leaves, has been used for centuries in Tahiti, India, Java, and Haiti to make awnings, blinds, and sunscreens. In Java the roots of the vetiver plant are woven into mats as well as thatching for huts, and this gives the rooms a fresh fragrant smell, which insects strongly dislike and avoid. Growing the tall grass protects the soil from erosion, and the plant is also a popular ingredient in perfume, soap, and toiletries in these countries.
The medicinal benefits of Roman chamomile are well known in the Mediterranean region. This essential oil has been a nerve soother for over 2,000 years. The oil has always been a highly prized treatment to relieve an assortment of body ailments such as cramps and spasms. The Greeks and the Romans used it when mild shock developed from trauma. They also blended it with 
As more information becomes available about the use of particular essential oils for specific aromatherapy applications, the known compounds of importance become benchmarks for quality that soon become paramount in the perception of the oil’s market value. Essentially, the compound levels evolve into a quality-metric in the marketplace.
Rosemary or Rosmarinus, which means “sea dew” in Latin, developed a reputation for being a sacred plant that wards off evil spirits. The oil was also used as protection from the plague. The Romans and the Greeks used it for all sorts of things. Rosemary was always around during wedding ceremonies, religious rituals, and family gatherings. The Egyptians liked it and burned it as incense, and the French burnt it in hospitals during the Middle Ages.
Nutmeg powder has been a valued commodity for centuries. The Chinese were the first to recognize nutmeg’s medicinal abilities, and the Indonesians were the first to inhale the aroma and expand the awareness. It was used to produce visions, but when used in extreme quantities it may prove fatal.