Essential oils are described as the "life force" or "essence" of plants. The most wonderful thing about essential oils is that they are available to everyone, and they are very simple to use once the basic concepts are understood and the appropriate methods and procedures are observed.

The best known way to use essential oils is through massage. In this comprehensive book there are many, many more ways to use the oils for everything from arthritis and asthma to high blood pressure and constipation. Essential oils are now emerging as scientifically proven and accepted remedies for a variety of common conditions. The why and how certain oils heal still remains somewhat mysterious. Oils can help to treat everyday ailments, whether it be strengthening the immune system, fighting bacteria and viruses, and lowering stress levels to toning, relaxing and strengthening muscles. These oils help the body heal itself.

This book features 109 oils and 450 remedies. The recipes are easy to follow, do not take a long time to make, and are quite inexpensive -- the biggest cost is the oils. The oils are organized in an A to Z format, and each entry features the botanical name, a full description of how and why the oil is extracted as well as its therapeutic uses.

Angelica for example has a sweet, rich smell, is excellent in all skin care preparations both as a tonic and to soften and smooth rough, dry skin. It reduces inflammation and can be useful when applied to irritated skin. As a massage oil it purifies the body and acts as a lymphatic stimulator, draining the body of excess fluid, increasing energy and generally quickening the functioning of glands. It's also an excellent tonic for the entire digestive system as it strengthens the liver, stimulates appetite, aids digestion and generally boosts the whole digestive system.

Nerys Purchon was one of Australia's leading experts on herbs, aromatherapy and essential oils. Her books have sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide.