essential oils

The smell of apple pie always reminds me of my grandmother, who used to make it whenever I came to visit. I'm sure you have certain feelings and memories connected to scents too. And just as they affect us during the day, researchers have found that aromas can influence the emotions we experience when we sleep. Fifteen women in their 20s were part of this dream study. Each had a tube taped to their nostrils and while they slept, one of three scents was pumped through their noses: rotten eggs, roses, and plain air. While they snoozed, their brain activity was monitored. The scientists allowed them to reach REM sleep and after one minute, they woke them up and asked the sleepers to describe what they were dreaming about. The women didn't dream about the specific smells like you might think, but rather when they smelled roses, they had pleasant dreams, and when they smelled rotten eggs, their dreams were just the opposite.

Isn't that interesting? Since a good night's sleep is so important to our health and overall well-being, I'm all for anything that can inspire some delightful dreams, so go out and buy some lovely scented candles or sheet spray for your pillows. Lavender essential oil will also do the trick. Try it, and let us know how it works!

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Aromatherapy is immensely popular nowadays. It seems like everywhere you go, you can find rose geranium-infused candles, citrus and bergamont room sprays, and lavender-scented eye pillows. I enjoy these sweet smells, and my spirit is often buoyed by them. However, recent research is saying that aromatherapy doesn't work — well, at least not for the two popular scents lavender and lemon.

Researchers at Ohio State University conducted a two-year study that included scientifically rigorous testing of the body's physical changes when people smelled popular scents — and they came up with nothing. Patients were subjected to stressors, like dipping a foot in icy water (sounds fun), and even when patients were told to sniff lavender because it had destressing abilities, it didn't do a thing for their bodies' physical stress levels. They found that lemon did lift people's moods, but it didn't affect their heart rates, blood pressure, immune functions, or stress hormones.

Scientists admitted that the results surprised them. Even the people who believed in the power of aromatherapy — those who regularly bought scented products — didn't show any physical reactions to what they sniffed.

So according to this study (which cost nearly $374,000, by the way), aromatherapy may not be a cure for illnesses or pain, and it may boost your immune system. When it comes down to it, if smelling a scent makes you happy, having a sniff certainly won't hurt you. What do you think? Is aromatherapy a bunch of quackery, or do you think it really can heal the body and make you feel better?

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Nature has provided an abundance of wonderful scents that come to us through the essences of flowers, fruits, barks, seeds, and woods. Aromatherapy is the art and science of combining these pure essences in order to create blends that help to bring the body, mind, and spirit into balance.

Essential oils are derived purely from plants and can be used alone, in a bath, in an Aromatherapy Ring, or in products like candles or massage oil, to enhance or change your mood. But beware -- lookout for synthetic scented oils and products since these can cause headaches and other negative side effects. Want to know which scents spark what mood? Then read more

Hmmm? I wouldn't believe it unless I read it myself. But a recent study suggests that lavender and tea tree oils found in some shampoos, soaps, and lotions can temporarily leave boys with enlarged breasts in rare cases, apparently by disrupting their hormonal balance.

The condition, gynecomastia, developed (pun intended) with 3 boys, and researchers suspected that the oils might be upsetting the boys’ hormonal balance. So they did a series of laboratory tests to check how these oils work within human cells.

The oils appeared to mimic estrogen (the hormone in women that causes breast growth) and blocked the male hormone androgen.

The good news is that it happens infrequently and clears up when the oils are no longer used.

Isn't that crazy? My first question then would be, can this news work towards the advantage of women seeking bigger boobs? No word on that yet, but this definitely gives new meaning to the term "Man-boobs."

Those yoga mats can get pretty nasty after a bit of upward and downward dogging on them so it's a good idea to clean up your mat every once and a while, many people recommend using an alcohol wipe.

Problem is, nothing ruins a good om like the lingering smell of alcohol. You should definitely try Jo-Sha Wipes ($14.95 for a pack of 20), which naturally cleanse and disinfect while the aromatherapy soothes the senses. The wipes do not contain alcohol or other harsh chemicals. But how does it clean? Well the pure essential oils they use are naturally anti-bacterial, naturally anti-septic, and naturally astringent. Besides being gentle and natural, the essential oil formulation makes Jo-Sha Wipes smell very, very good. They are even gentle enough to use on your hands if you want!

Wiping oil all over your mat sound like a slippery situation? Essential oils are much different in texture from say, Olive oil. In fact, the moisture from the wipes will dry very quickly and evaporate completely, leaving the surface of your mat intact. Buy them online at JoShaWipes.com.