Research shows that taking a few whiffs of Rosemary can improve our memory by 75%.
Think this sounds ridiculous? I don't! Let me explain........
When I studied Holistic Nutrition, I decided to also take a few classes on Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health. I found the subject completely fascinating and wanted to incorporate portions of it into my practice. I am not an Aromatherapist, but I do teach my clients The Five Senses Approach to Better Health and Weight Release. I believe everything we see, touch, hear, taste and smell directly influences our body, mind and spirit and can either enhance or inhibit our health, wellness and weight release efforts.
Let's think about our sense of smell for a moment.
Did you know, the olfactory system (our sense of smell) was the one of the first to develop while we were still in the womb? Our sense of smell directly affects our ability to taste. 80-90% of what we think is "taste" actually is due to smell. This is why when we have a head cold or stuffed up nose we have a harder time tasting our foods. The aroma of a freshly baked apple pie immediately triggers a response. It smells so good, we can almost taste it. And what do we want? Apple pie! Take a whiff of something really offensive and what happens? It triggers a different sort of response. We gag or our stomachs turn over in disgust. Not to be totally repulsive here, but sometimes a particular odor is so putrid, the bile rises in our throats and we actually become physically ill!
Our sense of smell is truly amazing and powerful!
Our sense of smell also affects our moods. We could be sound asleep, but smell of fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen is so delicious, it rouses us out of bed to go and grab a cup. As we slowly inhale the aroma when we take our first sip, the cobwebs seem to fade away and we feel more awake and ready to go. The smell of citrus makes us feel happy and energized. One of best ways to get going in the morning is to shower with a body scrub or a cleanser that is citrus scented. One quick sniff and we instantly feel more alive. Try it and see. When we're feeling stressed, the scent of lavender calms and relaxes us. If we add a few drops of lavender oil to our bath at night, we will ready for sleep in no time. And let's not forget about certain scents like musk or earthy fragrances that make us feel more amorous and in the mood for love.
Let's dive a little deeper......
Our sense of smell triggers memories and can even transport us to a different place and time. The aroma of a turkey roasting in the oven immediately reminds us home or big Thanksgiving dinners surrounded by the people we love. The smell of fresh lemons can make our minds wander back to lazy summer days sipping big glasses of ice cold lemonade. Just the scent of a woman's perfume reminds us of a good or bad experience with someone who wore the exact same fragrance. And we find ourselves being drawn to that person or we avoid her like the plague simply because of the memories that were triggered by her perfume! A friend of mine recently moved to California for her job and she was so far away from her big, close-knit Italian family. Every time she starts feeling really homesick, she cooks up a big pot of her mom's homemade marinara sauce. Just the smell of it alone, as it simmers on the stove, makes her feel comfort and love - as if her family is right there with her.
When I work with clients who have extreme cravings for certain foods like chocolate or sweets, I recommend they burn a chocolate or vanilla scented candle or lather on a chocolate scented body cream or take a few whiffs of vanilla oil as soon as those cravings kick in. Guess what happens? It takes time, but more often than not, just fragrance alone of what they are craving is enough to satisfy the urge and keeps them from overindulging.
Are we beginning to grasp the awesome power of our sense of smell and how it can contribute to our health and wellness?
It makes total sense to me that smell of Rosemary can improve our memory by 75% ! And I definitely believe it's worth a shot!
Here's the article on the scientific research on Rosemary: Rosemary Improves Memory
Go out and buy some Rosemary. Right now. It's an herb, especially popular in Mediterranean Cuisine. Grow it. Cook with it. Take a few whiffs of Rosemary Oil every day. We should be encouraging our families and all our friends to do the same, especially those concerned with memory loss or Alzheimer's Disease. It certainly can't hurt and we'll be reaping all the other amazing healing benefits of Rosemary, as well.
Here's more about the healing effects of Rosemary. The Healing Properties of Rosemary
Yours in Good Health,
Cynthia
xo
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