Health, disease and therapy

Chapter 6 Health, disease and therapy


Having now discussed the characteristics and chemistry of the essential oils and before we move on to their applications in the treatment of clients or patients, we should pause to put aromatherapy into the context of conventional, complementary and alternative medicine.



HEALTH


Health can be difficult to define and measure; the WHO (World Health Organization) describes it as ‘a state of physical, mental and social well-being’. In the past it may have been viewed merely as freedom from disease or injury but this is too limited a definition for modern society. In fact lifestyle factors and our changing environment have given rise to new forms of ill-health.


Dietary choices, sedentary occupations and lack of exercise are responsible for obesity and associated conditions including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Smoking, excessive alcohol intake and improper drug use curtail both life and its quality. As life expectancy increases it is mirrored by the increase in degenerative diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hearing and eyesight decline, and brain cell deterioration (Alzheimer’s).


If physical health is hard to define and subject to the pressures of modern society, mental health presents a more complex situation. Any variation from normal behaviour is tolerated less and there is an expectation that it should be controlled or cured but longer life expectancy and changes in social organization challenge the mental health and well-being of many individuals.


Stress and anxiety conditions affect both physical and mental health and are also associated with a modern lifestyle and its demands. Everyone experiences stress – some is normal and essential. But to be subject to stress over a long period can be very harmful. Stress is thought to exacerbate all other clinical conditions as it acts on the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. This system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ reactions in the body. It may cause changes to normal digestion, respiratory and cardiovascular system, poor immunity and exhaustion. Mentally it may be implicated with irritability, restlessness, mood swings, inefficiency, withdrawal and aggression. An estimated 60% of visits to GPs are thought to be due to stress related problems. It is responsible for a considerable loss of working days.


The solution to stress was very different for our ancestors and often involved simply attacking a threat or running away. Today the triggers can be more varied and the required reaction may not involve any actual physical activity. A modern definition, attributed to Richard Lazarus, is that of ‘a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize’.


Dealing with the stress epidemic is an area where partnership between conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been beneficial.




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Apr 2, 2017 | Posted by in GENERAL SURGERY | Comments Off on Health, disease and therapy

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