HEALTH SPECIAL...Watch out Aromatherapy can harm you

Watch out  Aromatherapy can harm you  There are exotic smells for everything from pets to gadgets and walls, but studies say that prolonged exposure to vapourised oils could cause heart problems and liver damage      We all love a good fragrance, don’t we? Smell is a crucial sense. It has definite emotional and physical effects. For instance, the aroma of a delicious cake being baked evoke the holiday spirit in a home. Menthol and aromatic eucalyptus are used to clear nasal congestion and certain oils can leave one feeling tranquil and destressed. Today, the concept is used in candles, potpourri and gadgets... there is even a system for advertising that can emit multiple aromas while displaying electronic images! While it seems plain sailing, some aromas can be toxic or allergenic and cause headaches in sensitive people. And now, studies say prolonged aromatherapy can even be harmful to your heart and kidney and cause liver disease! WHAT STUDIES SAY HEART WOES:     While a little aromatherapy might relieve stress prolonged exposure to these vaporised oils could harm your health, says a new study. In the study, 100 spa workers in Taipei sat in a room and breathed in the vapours of citrusy bergamot oil for two hours, while researchers measured their blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. While initially, blood pressure and heart rates went down, after 120 minutes, researchers saw the opposite effect. Blood pressure had risen by about 2.19 mmHg, and the heart rate was 1.70 beats per minute higher than that at baseline. “These findings suggest that overexposure to essential oils might be harmful to cardiovascular health,” researchers wrote in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. ASTHMA:     Previous studies have also linked VOCs with an increased risk of asthma. Breathing these compounds may give rise to allergic reactions such as skin irritation, sneezing, rash and an asthma attack. LIVER, KIDNEY DAMAGE:     Scientists claim the extracts used in baths, massages or burned in rooms react with the air to produce tiny irritant particles or secondary organic aerosols. A report mentions a few cases where liver function disorders and kidney damage has occurred. INFLAMMATION:     It was also found that hair salon workers exposed to VOCs for over an hour had increases in indicators of inflammation and oxidative stress in their blood. REMEMBER: No undiluted oil should be used on the skin. All essential oils should be diluted in a carrier substance (vegetable or nut oil, or water) at no greater concentration than 3-5%. So, if you have one teaspoon (5cc) of carrier, you have to add 3 drops of pure essential oil. Those pregnant or with health problems must ask a trained aromatherapist before using them. The oils must never be taken internally. KINDS AROMATHERAPY MOVIES Forget watching a film in dimensions, another invention will now make you want to take a deep breath when you watch TV. It uses scent cartridges connected to the TV, each having a special aroma to give an olfactory element to video games and movies. The cartridges are activated at 10-20 second intervals. AROMATHERAPY WALLPAINT     Another latest wellness therapy also helps your walls! As per the innovation, certain aromatic additives can be used to add colour energies to a wall or a painting. This therapy is aimed to cleanse the walls from the inside, purifying their energy. Ismat Tahseen BT121222