Have you ever stepped out of your home and instantly felt this rush through your body from just the smells you've taken in? The smell factor, also known as aromatherapy, is so powerful. It can uplift you on gloomy days, it can pick you up and it can even bring you back to an early childhood memory.
Somehow with the busy hustle of daily life, it's almost necessary to write "must take time to smell the roses" on your palm. Whatever works right? The ironic part is that it is all connected -- I discovered this one morning.
I learned earlier on that scrambled eggs is a delicacy in my house when the timing is perfect; to get those velvety ribbons that accompanies that golden slice of toast, one needs to watch them cook closely. So the washer is going, the chaos starts, the baby just learned how to rip her diaper off while I pack lunch, my son's one sock decides to play Waldo, I've dressed myself totally backwards and inside out, but managed to get all the green tea perfectly on my pants. And it hits me -- these eggs will just have to do. Tomorrow is a new day, I whisper to myself.
After tripping over the third Hotwheel car and a tiny Wolverine, getting my first born off to school seemed to be the most gratifying thing. And then I have to wonder, is it wrong to have a cocktail right after I've brushed my teeth?
As I turned to head back inside I took a whiff of outside life. One whiff allowed the summer flowers to melt my heart and fill the morning so amazingly. It completely made the hustle disappear. The scents were so captivating as everything came instantly together.
Though it's challenging to prove whether the Chinese or Egyptians discovered this fascinating healing method, we are grateful to have access to the numerous benefits of aromatherapy.
There are hundreds of oils that can alter your space. Who knew that lavender, jasmine, bergamot, rose, sandalwood and vanilla are just some of the oils that can provide stress relief and relaxation? Certain oils can even boost your immune, respiratory and circulatory systems. Enhance your lifestyle just by adding 2-3 drops to your hot bath, adding 2-3 drops in cold water, drop a clean towel in the water to use as a cold compress, inhalation, massage or by using an oil burner or diffuser.
If you're like me, not wanting to depend on medicinal results, aromatherapy is an excellent option. The following are some examples of how aromatherapy could improve your life.
- Gain energy
- Improve skin tone
- Aid digestion
- Cure headaches
- Regulate hormones
- Heal wounds
- Decrease congestion
- Improve sleep
- Reduce inflammation
- Kill bacterial infections
- Reduce Anxiety
- Asthma
- Bloating
- Boils
- Arthritis
So sit back and let your nose do all the work. It can do wonders.