Education and training/ 18.02.24
ESSENTIAL OILS THEIR LACK OF SKIN ABSORPTION, BUT EFFECTIVENESS VIA INHALATION
ESSENTIAL OILS THEIR LACK OF SKIN ABSORPTION, BUT EFFECTIVENESS VIA INHALATION By Martin Watt Original version published in Aromatic Thymes. 1995. Vol. 3. No. 2. 11-13. Original © 1995 Martin Watt. Revised 2021. Note: An extra article has been added at the foot of this one. Introduction: I am concerned that people do not misconstrue m...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
Cutaneous Absorption (or the lack of) of Essential Oils
Cutaneous Absorption (or the lack of) of Essential Oils by Sylla Sheppard Hanger and Martin Watt This article was sent to the International Journal of Aromatherapy in April 1995 but was never published. It is a little dated but most points are still as valid today. At a later date, other articles by other authors, suddenly started quest...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
HOW TO SPOT HYPE AND CON ARTISTS IN AROMATHERAPY
HOW TO SPOT HYPE AND CON ARTISTS IN AROMATHERAPY By Martin Watt A lecture written for a NAHA conference that ultimately I refused to attend. The following is a review of the misleading information endemic within aromatherapy. All my efforts over the years have been targeted at trying to introduce truth into the trade. Unfortunately, t...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATIONS
AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATIONS Most aromatherapy trade associations have desperately tried to improve their public image and sphere of political influence in the UK. This has been done by proclaiming publicly "our registered therapists have to abide by stringent codes of conduct". Yet, I have assembled a small mountain of evidence on leading me...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
AROMATHERAPY BOOKS AND COURSES
AROMATHERAPY BOOKS AND COURSES Look at any course notes you had during your training. Do they contain any references to justify claims like: "German chamomile is anti inflammatory", "lavender is a relaxant", "tea tree kills bacteria". If you see no references to scientific papers justifying such claims, then your course provider has not bo...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Frankincense oil and anti cancer claims
Frankincense essential oil and claims for its cancer curing activity made by distributors of Young Living and DoTerra. By Martin Watt Update Sept. 2014: Since writing this article a few weeks ago, there has at last been some action from the FDA over the illegal medicinal claims made on the distributors sites of Young Living and DoTerra. http...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
How to spot fake news and research
FAKE AND EXAGGERATED RESEARCH By Martin Watt Fake news has been talked about a lot so I thought it opportune to let my readers know that it is not just in the media and politics. The aromatherapy community and aromatherapy suppliers have always been responsible for spreading invented health claims. The problem has grown a lot in recent yea...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Unrefined versus refined oils-short article
REFINED ESSENTIAL & FIXED OILS COMPARED TO CRUDER EXTRACTS FOR TREATING WOUNDS The man credited with some of the founding research on the clinical value of essential oils Rene-Gattefosse, did not think that the terpene content of natural oils was beneficial for the skin. He makes reference to this in his book and in the 1950s he produced s...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
AIDS HIV and how aromatherapy may help
A.I.D.S. H.I.V. & AROMATHERAPY By Lyn Gardenchild and Martin Watt Originally published many years ago in: 'TAI CHI & Alternative Health', issue 1. Note to Overseas readers: This was originally written for UK readers only. Massage and aromatherapy can provide valuable supportive care to people suffering from A.I.D.S. related illnesses,...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Ancient Egyptian uses of aromatic plants
SOME PLANTS USED IN ANCIENT EGYPT WITH THEIR POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PROPERTIES By Martin watt Written for the benefit of the participants on an aromatherapy trip to Egypt. Important note: When this was written it was mainly an article about the herbs. Therefore, do not assume all the comments are applicable to a distilled oil. CHAMOM...