Understanding Hydrolats: The Specific Hydrosols for Aromatherapy
A Guide for Health Professionals

Len Price (Author), Shirley Price (Author)

9780443073168, Elsevier Health Sciences

Paperback / softback, published 3 August 2004

300 pages
23.3 x 15.6 x 2 cm, 0.46 kg

Distilled waters, or hydrosols, are therapeutic in many ways, and yet little has been written to make clear their properties and clinical applications. This book details the nature, properties (where known) and nomenclature of hydrosols, and gathers in one source the sure and sensible facts about distilled waters. Already used by aromatherapists interested in extending their therapeutic range, this book will provide all therapists with the confidence to practice safely with a sure understanding of the value of hydrosols.

• Dispels confusion over what hydrolats and distilled waters actually are — equipping the therapist to make accurate choices in what to use for effective therapeutic interventions.
• Analyzes the science of hydrolats and sorts fact from wild claim.
• Extends the range of therapeutic interventions available to the practicing aromatherapist/massage therapist.

Introduction

The first aromatherapy

Is natural safe?

Why are waters not used more?

Sourcing good materials

Advantages of distilled waters

What is their composition?

Scientific proof — what is it?

Other water based plant extracts

Chapter One: Historical background

Egypt — Nile, Edfu, priest embalmers, architects
Aromatics worldwide — China, India, Middle East, Jewish, Greek, Roman

Development of distillation — golden age of the Arabs, alcohol, alchemists

Crusades

Monasteries

Paracelsus

Perfumes

New plants

Still rooms

Renaissance herbals

Hungary water, carmelite water, eau de cologne

Rise of science

Fall and resurrection of plant medicine — 20th century pioneers

Chapter Two: The nature of water

Universal distillation process

Introduction

Basic necessity

Life and death, life giving

Physical power of water

Visual aspect

Water as solvent, cleanser

Judging by water

Water in the body, passage through body

Bottled water

Treatments with water — Thalassotherapy, spa treatments

Scientists who investigated water — Priestley, Cavendish, Watt, Lavoisier, Laplace

Structure of liquid water — hydrogen bonding, polar solvent

Molecules soluble in water, increased dilution

Chapter Three: Terminology and nomenclature

Introduction — what’s in a name?

How waters are obtained

Current terminology — aromatic water, essential water, prepared water, distilled water, floral water, hydrolat, medicated water

Colloids, hydrosols, suspensions

Cohobation — water oil, are cohobated waters therapeutic?

Chapter Four: Prepared waters

Identifying the product

Not distilled

Internal use

Fragrant waters — methods of production, pharmacopoea, trituration, preservatives

Addition of alcohol

Hydroessentials

Witch hazel

DIY home made

Chapter Five: The plants utilized

Kinds of plants used

Extraction process — distillation, water quality, pH of water used, still hardware, distillation time

Plants used — which parts of plants

Yield of water

Volatile molecules in distilled waters — quantity, kind of molecules, artefacts in waters

Therapeutic value

Chapter Six: Physical aspects

Keeping qualities — storage, temperature, time

Temperature

Time

Preservatives

Appearance

Density

pH

Odour

Quality

Cost

Chapter Seven: Discussion of Analyses

Discussion of molecules found in hydrolats

Table of molecules found in waters

Chemistry of aromatic molecules

Chapter Eight: Alphabetical listing of waters with description, properties and indications

Chapter Nine: Methods of use and dosage

Reasons for using waters

Uses of distilled waters

External use — baths, compresses, douches, eyes, hair, nebulizers, skin care, creams, lotions, sprays, vaporisers

Internal uses

Beverages, teas

Culinary use

Digestive problems

Gargles, mouthwashes

Rectal use

Vaccinations

Dispersants

Cautions and safe use

Chapter 9a: Recipes

Common ailments: circulation, colds and flu, detoxification, diarrhoea, digestive, eyes, general health, hair, hypertension, legs, lice, lymph, nervous system, respiratory, rheumatism, skin, slimming, teeth, tonic, urinary problems

Baby and child care

Culinary recipes

Making your own hydrolats

Chapter Ten: Case studies

Chapter Eleven: Teas, infusions, decoctions

Appendix A: Therapeutic index
Appendix B: Index of therapeutic properties of hydrolats
Appendix C: Plant list - Scientific and common names
Appendix D: Analyses of hydrolats

Glossary

References

Index

Subject Areas: Aromatherapy & essential oils [VXHC], Complementary medicine [MX], Nursing [MQC]