Aromatherapy Medicine at Health Food Stores
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils and essences extracted from flowers, herbs, and trees for health and well-being of the users. In the ancient times, the kings would send people deep out into the jungles, often faraway from the kingdom in search of herbs with medicinal qualities. As kings and kingdoms were lost in oblivion, so was the practice of collecting herbs. With the renewed interest in herbs and aromatherapy, scientists are now researching on herbs located in different parts of the world. The research of these scientists is brought to the benefit of common people in the form of aromatherapy as medicine.
Your local health food store, carries far more than just healthy food. Generally they will also have a section which resembles a local chemist’s shop, displaying medicines and other formulations. A multitude of herbs sourced from all corners of the world, in raw form as well as mixed with several preparations are available at your local health food store.
The benefit of having an health food store which carries these items is that all kinds of herbs are available at one place. A large number of herbs are sourced from the Indian subcontinent, Middle East, Africa etc. Thanks to you local health food store, customers residing in Europe, the Americas etc. too can benefit from the herbs. Essential oils, herbs, absolutes, ayurvedic preparations, herbal tea, and quite a lot of aromatherapy products can be purchased at your local health food store.
The quality of products available at these stores is given much attention. Certain products like henna are best and tan the skin strongly when prepared from a newly harvested crop. Through an extensive mechanism of obtaining herbs and plants from all over the world, these aromatherapy stores secure the newly harvested crops of the henna plant. State-of-the-art equipment and processing is used to extract quality products, here henna powder and paste. Similarly, strict procedure is followed to uphold the quality of other aromatherapy products.
Most health food stores stock products, which have been certified as to their quality. Certified essential oils provide assurance as to the plant or raw materials having been organically farmed.
Many health food stores have opened their chain of shops in numerous cities, often spanning several countries. The proprietor of these stores are capable of catering to the requirements of customers residing in other countries of the world. Additionally, it becomes easier for the proprietor to conduct research on newer formulations and adds them to the list of aromatherapy products.
However, not all health food stores are able to expand their business in this manner. Expanding business beyond the contours of one country often becomes difficult and may not be economically viable for some.
How do these proprietors meet the requirements of their customers? A growing number of them are expanding their ability to warehouse by integrating a virtual shopping extension of their health food store (especially the alternative medicinal and ever expanding portion of it) online without taking up additional shelf space.
The online shopping experience works through a website. An health food store will have a website designed as an extension of itself. The website is available online; therefore, customers spread far and wide too have access to the website and its contents. When customers visit the website, they view the wide variety of products represented online. Customers can purchase online placing orders through their website. The business owners or their designees will then ship the requested aromatherapy products as soon as possible.
Most health food stores hold the products in multiple shapes and sizes, suitable for different demands. Expensive oils are available in sizes of 2ml and 1 dram. Regular essential oils are available in relatively larger container sizes such as 5ml, 10ml and 15ml. The appropriate size and type of containers can also be purchased at a health food store. These stores also carry aromatherapy accessories such as incense burners, aroma lamps, essential oil diffusers, inhalers, etc.