NAHA Conference 2018 November 6, 2018

The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) Conference 2018 just concluded in Utah, USA.

Sculpted by the elements, Utah boasts of a landscaping treasure that is hard to find anywhere else in the country. It is home to the famed Mighty Five National Parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion). With the beautiful unseasonably warm fall weather, NAHA 2018 was where memories, and friends were made with experiences shared.

The 2018 NAHA Conference was held from October 24 to 28, 2018 at the University Guest House at University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. With this year’s theme being ‘Beyond Aromatics,’ the conference attracted around 400 experts from diverse backgrounds- herbalists, naturopaths, licensed massage therapists, registered and certified aromatherapists, distillers, RN’s, and PhD aromatherapists. Lisa Piccininni and Randy Carr attended from Ultra International Inc, USA; while Ultra International Ltd., India was represented by Ms.Sumitra Mazumdar.

The focus remained the therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy as an alternative medicine. Discoveries and practices as far back as the 11^th century, in the intricacies of plant therapy, and aromatic substances for holistic healing, have revived interest in the present day. The use of oils is popular for stimulating overall wellness, and address a host of health problems like insomnia, stress, aches and pains, circulatory and digestive disorders, and the like.

The NAHA 2018 was an eye-opener in many ways. In addition to interacting with some of the best and brightest in the aromatherapy community, the daily lectures provided meaningful learning opportunities.

• We gained insights into how clinical studies on men do not necessarily apply to women; and how lavender improves post-stress memory.
• There was a thought-provoking session on how helichrysum acts like a corticoid without side-effects, and how clinical Ayurveda, and aromatherapy complement each other in various remedies.
• Mechanisms by which essential oils work as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and hormones made for a fascinating study. .
• The discussion on how to use hydrosols on animals was intriguing.

NAHA 2018 offered an enriching platform, not only for furthering knowledge, but for networking and forging business relationships as well. With fond memories of NAHA 2018, we look forward to NAHA 2020.