Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy

554 Pages·2016·1.46 MB·English

by  Susanne Catty.

To Gaia: with love and hopes for the future

To Pierre Mainguy: pure heart, pure light, adieu
Acknowledgments

here are many who contributed to this book: from the earth to the plants, the
spring waters, the distillers, the teachers, the practitioners, the researchers, and,
of course, the users of all things aromatic. However, a few deserve my very
special thanks. First, my staff: Jan Scanlon-Coles, who believed from first
meeting; I’m still honored. Jessica Cullingham—thrown in at the deep end, she
swam; go girl. And Kelly Teigrob, who wasn’t satisfied with half the story so
sought out the other half. They are the best, and I hope I tell them often enough.
Yea team!
Ariane France Smith, whose generosity and friendship are beyond words and
who has provided continuous inspiration by her fine example; merci, Madame.
Lucie and Pierre Mainguy and their very extended family, who adopted another
witch into their truly magic circle; I love you all. Kerry Doyle, a truly dedicated
aromatherapist who helped show me a road neither of us knew was there. Chris
Chanter for her clinical work and humor; love you, babe. Kurt Schnaubelt, for
his peer review and inspiration. Delwyn Higgens, artist and aromatherapist, who
plowed through the first draft and gave honest opinions and a great edit. Shauna
Rae and Adrienne Leong, two more goddess gals whose art helped shape my
own vision and who can’t get enough of the waters. Simone Zrihen and Miriam
Erlichman, great practitioners who understood from the start; thanks for the
recipes, ladies. C. J. Puotinen, for her early support and outstanding work with
animals. Pam Parsons, for the surprise of my millennium. Erwin Pearlman, who
helped me with myself, and thus with everything. Rosemary, Kate, Maryanne,
Kathleen, M.A., Gilberte, Annette, David, Frank, Kirsten, Anna, John, Doug,
Wendy, and Phoebe—my first willing guinea pigs, who took what I thought and
showed me the real truth underneath. And everyone at Healing Arts Press for
making my reality concrete. Thank you, one and all.
Contents

TITLE PAGE
DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FOREWORD BY KURT SCHNAUBELT
PREFACE

CHAPTER ONE: IN THE BEGINNING WAS SMELLWhat Is Aromatherapy?
The Educated ConsumerChemicals: Friends or Foes?Chemical-Free, Not Scent-
FreeInfluencesNelly GrosjeanFranchomme and PenoelKurt SchnaubeltWhat Is a
Hydrosol?What Isn’t a Hydrosol?Fakes and AdulterationThe Desired Quality
ParametersThe Odor FactorOils versus Water

CHAPTER TWO: WHOLLY WATER!Water as MedicineWater QualityDrink,
Drank, DrunkA Place in HistoryPhytotherapyThe Holistic
ApproachHomeopathy and HydrosolsHydrosols and HerbsTraditional Chinese
MedicineProduction and TransportBottling, Sales, and Home StorageHydrosols
in the MarketplaceMaking HydrosolsGood Clean Fun

CHAPTER THREE: THE
MONOGRAPHSMethodologyChemotypesProtocolsHow the Monographs Are
PresentedContraindicationsTable of Common and Latin Names and pH
ValuesAbies balsamea / Balsam FirAchillea millefolium / YarrowAcorus
calamus Calamus Root Sweet FlagAngelica archangelica / Angelica
RootArtemesia dracunculus / TarragonArtemesia vulgaris / ArtemesiaAsarum
canadense / Wild Ginger / Canadian GingerBoswellia carterii /
FrankincenseCedrus atlantica Cedarwood Atlas CedarCentaurea cyanus
Cornflower Bachelor’s ButtonChamaemelum nobile / Roman
ChamomileCinnamomum zeylanicum (ec) / Cinnamon BarkCinnamomum
zeylanicum (fe) / Cinnamon LeafCistus ladaniferus / Rock RoseCitrus
aurantium var. amara Neroli Orange BlossomCitrus clementine (fe) /
Clementine PetitgrainComptonia peregrina / Sweet FernCoriandrum sativum /
CorianderCupressus sempervirens / CypressDaucus carota / Wild Carrot
SeedEchinacea purpurea / Purple ConeflowerElettaria cardamomum /
Cardamom PodErigeron (or Conyza) canadensis / FleabaneEucalyptus globulus
/ EucalyptusFoeniculum vulgare / Fennel SeedFucus vesiculosus, F.
canaliculatus, Laminaria digitata, and Other Species / SeaweedHamamelis
virginiana / Witch HazelHelichrysum italicum Immortelle EverlastingHypericum
perforatum / Saint John’s WortInula graveolens / ElecampaneJasminum sambac
/ JasmineJuniperus communis / Juniper BerryLarix laricina Larch
TamarackLaurus nobilis Bay Laurel Bay LeafLavandula angustifolia /
LavenderLedum groenlandicum / Greenland Moss / Labrador TeaLippia
citriodora / Lemon VerbenaMatricaria recutita / German or Blue
ChamomileMelaleuca alternifolia / Tea treeMelissa officinalis Lemon Balm
MelissaMentha citrata / Orange MintMentha piperita / PeppermintMonarda
fistulosa Purple Bee Balm Canadian BergamotMonarda didyma Scarlet Bee
Balm Canadian BergamotMyrica gale Sweet Gale Bog MyrtleMyrtus communis
Green Myrtle MyrtleOcimum basilicum / BasilOriganum vulgare /
OreganoPelargonium x asperum P. roseat P. graveolens Geranium Rose
GeraniumPicea mariana / Black SprucePinus sylvestris / Scotch PineRibes
nigrum Black Currant Fruit and Leaf CassisRosa damascena / RoseRosmarinus
officinalis CT1 / Rosemary CamphorRosmarinus officinalis CT2 / Rosemary 1,8
CineoleRosmarinus officinalis CT3 / Rosemary VerbenoneSalvia apiana White
Sage Desert SageSalvia officinalis / SageSalvia sclarea / Clary SageSambucus
nigra / Elder FlowerSantalum album / SandalwoodSatureja montana / Winter
SavorySolidago canadensis / GoldenrodThymus vulgaris CT1 / Thyme
GeraniolThymus vulgaris CT2 / Thyme LinalolThymus vulgaris CT5 / Thyme
ThuyanolThymus vulgaris CT6 / Thyme ThymolTilia europaea Linden Lime
Flower

CHAPTER FOUR: THE HARD pHACTSThe Key, or More Correctly, the
pHEstablishing Shelf Life and StabilityFiltrationTypes of FiltersAftercare and
Packaging

CHAPTER FIVE: NOW WHAT DO I DO WITH THEM?Topical UseHealth
ApplicationsTopical DilutionsTopical ApplicationsInternal UseOralNon-
oralSpecial Applications: Babies and ChildrenUndilutedDilutionsSpecial Health
ConcernsDrug InteractionsUndilutedDilutionsAromatic TincturesPets and
Domestic AnimalsCatsDogsBirdsOther AnimalsHome and
HearthEsotericEnergyEnergy WorkGeomancy, Feng Shui, and DowsingShiatsu
and AcupunctureFlower Essences and Gem ElixirsCrystals
CHAPTER SIX: BUBBLE BUBBLE—THE RECIPESTherapeutic RecipesThe
HeadThe EyesTired or Bloodshot EyesConjunctivitis (Pink Eye)Black EyeEar,
Nose, and ThroatNosebleedSinus CongestionEaracheSore
ThroatTonsillitisSwollen Lymph NodesRespiratory ConditionsColds and
FluAllergiesBronchitisSmoker’s CoughDigestive SystemGingivitis and
Receding GumsIndigestionGas or BloatingHalitosisCankers and Mouth
UlcersLack of AppetiteExcess AppetiteVomitingDiarrheaLiver
CongestionConstipationColic, ColitisCirculatory SystemCelluliteCirculation
StimulantRaynaud’s PhenomenonVaricose and Spider
VeinsHemorrhoidsChilblainsThe SkinBroken CapillariesAcneEczema and
PsoriasisBurnsBruisesCuts and WoundsScarsRadiationReproductive
SystemPMSMenopauseHot FlashesFibroidsEndometriosisThrush and
VaginitisJock ItchRenal SystemWater RetentionCystitisGoutProstate
ProblemsNervous SystemAnxiety and StressCaffeine Jitters or Exam
NervesMental ChatterDepressionMuscular SystemArthritisAches and
PainsLotions and PotionsDeodorant #1Deodorant #2Hair PacksRinsesEye
CompressesFace PacksBreast MistsBreast Massage OilLeg and Foot MistsFoot
PowderBody MistsSimple Face ScrubSimple Body ScrubCucumber
TonerSimple Witch Hazel TonerYarrow TonerCitrus SplashExfoliating Foot
ScrubSimple Scrub SoapIn the KitchenSoupsBasic StockMushroom SoupCold
Nectarine-Melon Soup“Cream” of Carrot SoupMiso-Ginger
SoupVegetables“Orange” CarrotsMinted PeasAfghanistan Creamed
SpinachSaladsPotato SaladTabboulehSalad DressingMain DishesRoast
ChickenMock Venison MeatballsSteamed SalmonVegetarian Main
DishesMediterranean RoastLentil and Spinach TimbalesSauces and DipsThai
Green Curry PasteCreamy Tomato SpreadGrains and PastaRoberto’s PastaSage
RiceMoroccan Sweet CouscousDessertsBaklavaMelissa CheescakeMelissa
Honey CurdCooked FruitSorbet or GranitaBeveragesAfter-School PunchIced
“Tea”Rose Iced TeaCinnamon Oat MilkGarden CocktailHangover Helper or
Liver CleanseKidney CleanseGood-Morning TonicSleepy-Time TeaWhite-Wine
PunchBuck’s FizzMiriam’s MartiniMargaritaHome and GardenTub and Tile
CleanerTelephone SpritzHumidifiersCompost

APPENDIX 1: SOURCES AND RESOURCES
APPENDIX 2: CONVERSION CHART

GLOSSARY

FOOTNOTES

ENDNOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT INNER TRADITIONS • BEAR & COMPANY

BOOKS OF RELATED INTEREST

COPYRIGHT & PERMISSIONS
Foreword

ydrosols, the subject of this book, do something rather unique. They bring the
aromatic compounds of aromatherapy to the healing process in a precisely
defined concentration, namely in the maximum amount possible to be dissolved
homogenously in water. Upon superficial examination, essential oils and their
components seem to be insoluble in water. But that is not 100 percent true. On
more precise examination, it becomes obvious that a small fraction of the
aromatic compounds recovered from a plant in the distillation process actually
end up in the distillation water. Every aromatic substance has a maximum
solubility in water, and only after this point is reached will these aromatic
compounds, the essential oils, start to separate into a distinct layer on top of the
distillation water.
Much has been written about the use of essential oils in aromatherapy. A
recurring concern in all of aromatherapy is the potential of essential oils to
irritate the various tissues with which they come in contact, and the discussion
about the proper dilution of essential oils to avoid such irritation is still raging.
The appropriate application of aromatic substances in their dissolved state most
elegantly avoids these problems. Because hydrosols are dissolved there is no oily
or lipophilic phase to irritate tissue. On the contrary, it is not too much of a
simplification to state that hydrosols not only do not irritate, but for the most part
they are antiinflammatory: they relieve irritation. It has been known in
aromatherapy for quite some time that hydrosols, for this reason, often are better
suited for treatments of sensitive patients. This theoretical knowledge, however,
was only occasionally translated into fruitful reality, because detailed
experiences in the use of hydrosols had never been published, nor had the all-
important questions about shelf life and viability ever been addressed in any
concise form. All of this is now changing. Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy
puts aromatherapy in its safest form at the disposal of every interested
enthusiast. The sheer wealth of carefully assembled empirical data will answer
many hitherto unanswered questions about how to use hydrosols for many
different conditions. While this contribution of Hydrosols is of obvious benefit
to the reader, there is an equally important—and for those in the field maybe
even more exhilarating—aspect to Hydrosols: it alters the evolution of
aromatherapy itself.
Consider the following. At the beginning of this new century, the fate of
aromatherapy hangs in the balance. The initial supply of enthusiasm that
spawned the French “medical” approach as well as the popular British
“massage” approach has become depleted. Yes, the indisputably fantastic
fundamentals of aromatherapy—namely putting low-cost healing of many
diseases at the fingertips of everyone, not just experts—are still in place. But the
idealistic small business operators who made it their mission to bring this
spectacular modality to a broader public are gradually running out of cash to
finance their good will. Lavender and tea tree oils work as well as ever for rashes
and toe fungus, but their potential to generate sizable capital gains has been
vastly overestimated. To make things worse, the adoption of aromatherapy
concepts by larger commercial interests has led to the seemingly unpreventable
loss of quality and substance. The initial wave of aromatherapy
entrepreneurialism has become a victim of its narrow and exclusive focus on
sales.
Focused on building the business, aromatherapy activists accepted whatever
popular books appeared on the market as authoritative representations of
“aromatherapy” not realizing that these books were mostly written by other
entrepreneurs concerned with maximizing business. An apparently endless
stream of encyclopedias on how to use this and that oil paraded as a
representation of the discipline of aromatherapy but really served as glorified
sales literature. This did indeed serve to bring essential oils to more interested
individuals, but it did predictably little to advance aromatherapy as an
independent faculty of learning. Recipes in most books were often based on the
decree of the author. Rationales for given uses or reasons in terms of cause and
effect are often glaringly absent: the pressures of marketing mandated-simplicity
without a theory. Initially, this did not appear to be much of a drawback because
short of turning murky randomness into pop intuition, essential oils will work
without precision in percent and accuracy in language. But a maturing field
deserves more.
Aromatherapy will undergo the developments that many of its supporters so