Aide from serving as a non-toxic way to make your house smell good, aromatherapy can be used as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice. CAM encompasses non-traditional medical therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, or homeopathy. Aromatherapy uses natural oils, which are concentrated aromatic compounds naturally extracted from the oil sacs of anything ranging from flowers and seeds to fruits and rinds. Once these volatile oils are extracted, the the most common methods of usage are through cutaneous, respiratory, and olfactory.
- Cutaneous Pathway – Through the skin.
- Respiratory Pathway – Through the membrane of lungs.
- Olfactory Pathway – Through the neuro-endocrine system.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that some realms of medicine, particularly Western medicine, there tends to be skepticism towards CAM procedures such as aromatherapy. As a result, aromatherapy is usually dismissed as a pseudoscience, but in more recent years, however, the research community has reopened this conversation, making efforts to re-examine CAM procedures that were previously dismissed. Here at Whitmark, we believe that aromatherapy, in combination with a variety of both eastern and western medicine modalities can create a balanced and health focused environment for each individual - this most certainly includes aromatherapy.
The primary pathway for Whitmark products is through the olfactory method. All of our fragrance oils are made with homegrown and handmade herbs and flowers. Fragrance oils are in its purest form: plant extracts. They're made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It is important that all of our products have a supportive aromatherapy experience, by using studied aromatherapy principles to align the intention of the product with the properties of the ingredients.
How does aromatherapy work on the brain is a complex and important topic that has gained much interest in the recent times. The nose contains olfactory nerve receptors (cilia), and around 20 million nerve cells. As the oils produced from herbs and flowers are inhaled, the small molecules pass through the mucous membrane of the nostrils and stimulate the nerve receptors. This results into an electrochemical impulse that is passed to the olfactory bulbs present at the top of the nostrils.
The olfactory cells present at the nostrils are thought as the extensions of first cranial nerves which carry the stimuli of the odorant through the olfactory tract that branches to several sites in the brain. The olfactory system in its turn stimulates the amygdala and the hypothalamus, parts of the limbic system.
Olfaction and the limbic system are incredibly intertwined; in fact, smell is the only sense that bypasses processing in the thalamus, the region of the brain that processes information gained from all our other senses except smell. Instead, stimuli from scents go straight to the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the limbic system, and thus olfactory perception is dominated by an emotional response to the scent. The close interaction between our brain and scent is what allows smells to strongly trigger certain emotions and memories compared to our other senses, even inducing calming, stress-relieving effects on our minds.
The hypothalamus affects the Central Nervous System, the endocrine system as well as the network of information exchange between the body cells. Any stimuli in the limbic system also affects the cerebrum (cortex) as well as the cerebellum and their functions. Hypothalamus influences the thalamus; and the thalamus is related with emotions and memory.
Whitmark is more than just a candle company - it’s a vibe, it's a choice, it’s a journey to the healing process you need in your life through non-traditional methods. Through the use of skilled aromatherapy, Reiki Energy and crystal infusion our products create a unique experience that is aligned to ignite good vibes and positivity in your life. It’s more than just a scent, it’s a journey to your best self.