Education and training/ 18.02.24
Naked aromatherapy – the truth laid bare
“Naked aromatherapy – the truth laid bare” Adapted from Kirkham K. & Burfield T. (2006) Aromatherapy Today 36, 28-33, as further updated in Cropwatch Newsletter August 2007. Copyright © Tony Burfield & Kendra Kirkham 2006-9. Pre-amble. Many professional aromatherapists have become unwitting victims of a marketing ploy by essential oil...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY AND HOW DOES IT WORK? A personal assessment by Martin Watt Cert. Phyt. Various kinds of aromatic extracts from plants have been utilised for their health giving properties long before humans were around. Animals and insects can be powerfully affected by the smells from plants; just think of what catmint does to cats. F...
Education and training/ 18.02.24
THE GROSS ERRORS IN AROMATHERAPY TEACHING
THE GROSS ERRORS IN AROMATHERAPY TEACHING in two parts By Martin Watt Published on the IDMA aromatherapy Internet newsgroup-years ago. See also: IATA conference lecture by Martin Watt, which contains additional information on these issues. There are major problems with the course notes sent to me below. 1. The confusion of teachers...
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...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Herbs during pregnancy-warnings
THE USE OF HERBS DURING EARLY PREGNANCY, SOME WARNINGS ABOUT THE INTERNET. This article was mainly for USA & Canadian readers although it applies to anyone seeking information on the Internet. It was originally posted to some newsgroups in April 2005. Readers should always remember that mechanisms for policing the accuracy of information on...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Fragrance & human fertility
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF FRAGRANCES ON HUMANS. by Martin Watt. Extracted from a lecture to the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, UK I have long had a nagging suspicion that the overuse of fragrance in certain situations may have unwanted physiological effects. My fears are briefly as follows: It is well documented that fem...
Therapeutic use issues/ 18.02.24
Chemicals in lavender and tea tree oil appear to be hormone disruptors
“Chemicals in lavender and tea tree oil appear to be hormone disruptors” Presented at the endocrine.org conference March 2018 Once again we have inept research presented under the name of the same scientist who did the 2007 research: Prepubertal Gynecomastia Linked to Lavender and Tea Tree Oil. (published: New England Journal of Medicine...
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...