Adel is over 40 now and body pains resulting from exertion and fatigue have become so common that he is realizing that exercise - as a key to rehabilitation, according to his doctors - no longer works. But his doctors also recommended he seek alternative medicines - relaxants that are meant to contain the effect of the daily exhaustion. In recent years, alternative medicines have taken on equal footing in some circles with physiotherapy and ultrasonics. One branch of that alternative or complementary medicine and the closest to people's hearts is certainly aromatherapy, the treatment of body ailments through the use of oils obtained from herbs as well as the wealth of plants our earth has been endowed with. You would be surprised to hear that mint oil is a refreshener; marjoram oil is a pain-reliever and anti-depressant, while lemon oil is a re-energizer. And, yes, lemon grass oil as an insecticide. The lists, mixes and purposes are endless and include curatives to refresheners and rejuvenatives. Given the expansive list of ailments that can be soothed - if not outright cured - by aromatherapy, the question remains: why has this not caught on in Egypt? While aromatherapy has remained so much of the living tradition in Asian countries like China and India, many have come to associate that kind of treatment with the Far East. "But this is not true, revealed Noha Hashem, owner and general manager of Cairo-based Hashem Brothers for Essential Oils and Aromatic products, one of the leading companies in the field. Hashem's family business is based on exporting different kinds of oils extracted from the flowers, herbs and the plants of Egypt: "Egypt is also so rich in all the basic ingredients that make up essential oils. And to ask experts you will take pride in the fact ancient Egyptians were the first to have known aromatherapy, she told The Daily Star Egypt. "It is worthwhile calling attention to the fact that the entire brand perfumes the world over, especially those manufactured in France, are based on Egyptian jasmine, the best in the world in terms of quality. And apart from jasmine, a bevy of other flowers are exported to Europe to cater to lucrative perfumery and cosmetic industries. Noha pointed out that one of the reasons why essential oils had been restricted to the industry of perfumes was that the liquid concentrated products are costly. "To obtain a liter, let's say of genuine jasmine oil you need a ton of crude petals. So fancy the effort and the cost. You will need plantations of the delicate flowers and tiny hands to pick them at early morning hours when they are wet and juicy, let alone the efforts involved in the process of distilling and bottling. The Hashem Brothers company is now keen on making their products available for purposes of aromatherapy. The move has been motivated by the fact that alternative medicine in Egypt is now gaining momentum. "Although that is not happening on a large scale, it remains noteworthy to see some big pharmacies allocating areas for aromatic products. For the most part, however, we provide massage houses and other clinics specialized in physiotherapy with some of our products, but we have plans aimed at guiding individuals on how to use them, Noha Hashem said. John Vane, the French perfume maker, was the first to discover the healing properties of herbal and plant oils in 1960. "The oil is blood to herbs and plants. When we extract these oils we draw positive energy from these green animisms and inject it into the affected areas in the body, which could be short of energy. The imbalance in the circulation of energy in the body is what usually causes the pain. She also stressed not only the physical, but also the mental and psychological impact of essential oils. "They are administered through the senses of touch and smell, two healing mediums in aromatherapy. Essential oils are concentrated, antibacterial and searing and this is why they have to be diluted with basic oils or water depending on the purposes. If it is lemon oil that is used as a refreshener, it has to be mixed with water, if it the pain-reliever marjoram, it has to be added to olive oil. A few drops should be mixed with whatever table spoon of oil or a glass of water all depending on the oil itself, its effect and concentration. Added Noha: "I am now planning to produce brochures for the ordinary consumers to guide them on how to use the stuff. I am getting orders especially from those who want to use the products for rejuvenation and removal of wrinkles and other symptoms of aging. Noha, who received a certificate in aromatherapy the Australasian College of Herbalists in the US, has underlined that not so many people are specialized or taking interest in that field. "This should tell you why it is being pushed slowly to consumers compared to other types of alternative medicine. But once we realize the value of that branch and make accessible treatment methods it is bound to spread far and wide.
