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TheProvenPowerofScentARESEARCHREPORT

ByMarieHopkinson.Althoughitisoneofourfivesenses,scentorolfactionisoftenoverlooked,orlessrelieduponinfavourofotherslikesightandtouch.Thisresearchreportshowsyouhowyoucanapplyscentsineverydaylifetoyouradvantage.Whetheritbeforwindinguporwindingdown;formeditationandfocusofthoughtandcognitivefunction,orforsleepandrelaxationpurposethereareplentyofusesforscentsinlife.Thisreportisfoundedonevidencefromscientificresearchstudies.Referencesareprovidedthroughthereport.INTRODUCTION

candleswecouldfindandattemptingtomeltthemintoonegiantcandlewithoutburringourselvesorthehousedown.IwentontostudyChinesemedicine,openingmyownclinicandwithinafewyearsIhadstartedtorecognisethepowerofscentsandaromatochangetheatmosphereinabusinessbutparticularinahealingenvironment.Ibeganexperimentingwithmakingmyownretailproducts,andwithmychildhoodinterestinincenseandcandlesignited,nextthingyouknowIwasmakingandsellingmyownrangeofscentproducts.OvertheyearsIhavestudiedtheuseandeffectsofessentialoils,herbsandplantproductsinperfumes,candlesandincense,trainingmyownnosetorecogniseandappreciatescents.Ienjoymakingproductswithspecificintentionsofhealing,moodcreationandthemyriadofusesthatscentscanhave.Thisresearchreportisasnapshotofsomeverypracticalusesforscentsinthehomeandbusinessenvironment.Ihopethisinformationisenjoyingandusefultoyou,andhelpstomakelifebetterforyou.

I’llstartbyintroducingmyselfasIrealiseyouprobablydon’tknowme…yet.AsakidIalwayslikedincenseandcandles.Althoughmymotherhatedincense,tellingusitgaveherasthma,itwasbannedfromourhousegrowingupasateenagerIwasalwaystryingtosneakitintothehousewhenmumwasn’taround!MysisterandIwouldspendhoursdoingwhatwecalled“Candeling”whichwasgettingasmanyoldcandleswecouldfindandattemptingtomelt

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Scentsareallaroundus.Sometimesweseekoutscenttocoverupnaturalscents,morelikelycalledanodour.Bodyodour(sweat),excretionsfromhumansoranimals,wasteanddirtcanallproduceunwantedodours.Therearearomasthatareattractional.Theentireperfumeindustryisbasedaroundhelpinghumanbeingsbecomeandfeelmoreattractedtoeachother.Oftenthesmellsweperceiveareeitherjustgoodorbad,wantedorunwanted.Youmaynotevenrealisetherearemanyscientificstudiesshowingtheuseofscentsinavarietyofsituationsanduses.Forinstance,scentcaninfluenceourmood,ourcognitivefunction,ourabilitytoperformandaidusingoingtosleep.Muchofscentresearchusesessentialoils.Essentialoilscanbeusedinanoilburner,vaporiser,inhaledstraightfromthebottleandusedinproductstocreateanaroma–usedinshowergels,soaps,candlesandoftenusedinmakingincense.Anessentialoilisapuresubstanceobtainedfromtheplantthroughanextractionprocess,oftensteamingordistilling.

Afragranceorperfumeoilisachemicalsynthesisedversionofascent.Itiseasiertoreplicatetheexactsmellagainandagainwithaperfumeoil,comparedtoanessentialoil.Itisusuallyalotcheaperthananessentialoilbutitwillnotpossessthemedicinalpropertiesasthesameactiveingredientsinanessentialoilarenotpresentinthefragranceoil.Fragranceoilsarealsoconsideredalotmoreenvironmentallyfriendly.Althoughtheyarecommerciallyproduced,itdoesn’trequireanywhereneartheamountofplantstogetthesameamountofaperfumeoilcomparedwithanessentialoil.Justthinkofallthewater,landspace,soil,fertilizer,labourinvolvedingrowingplantstoproduceessentialoils.Sometimesveryhighqualityperfumeoilscanproducequitenaturalandpleasantodours,andthesecanbeusedinthesamewayastheiressentialoilcounterpart,howeverthereisn’tmuchifanyresearchonfragranceoilsforspecificuses.TheProvenPowerofScentThreemainusesofessentialoilswillbediscussedinthisreport.Cognitivefunctionandproductivity;improvingcongnitivefunctionthroughreducinganxietyandimprovingsleepandrelaxation.

FragranceandEssentialOils,isthereadifference?

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1. Cognitivefunctionandproductivity

Needtoenhanceyourworkperformance?Getmore“bangforbuck”?Getmoredoneinyourworktime?KEYSCENTS:

• Peppermint• Rosemary• Petigrain• Cinnamon

Peppermint,Petigrain,RosemaryandCinnamonoilshaveallbeenshownaseffectiveinpromotingcognitivefunction,andenhancingworkperformance.(1-3)McCombsetal(2011)didastudyongamersphysiology,mood,performanceandtaskload,comparingtwogroupsplayingNintendoWiiFitgamesthatrequiredhand-eyeco-ordination.Onegroupinhaledpeppermintoilandtheotherhadnoscentwhilsttheyplayedthesamegames.Thepeppermintoilgroupshowedsignificantdifferences.Theyhadgreaterachievementsinthegames,suchasbetterscores,distancecoveredandlevelscompleted.(1)Researchshowspeppermintscentcanenhancecognitivefunctionandco-ordination,furthermore,Gagarinaetal(2015)suggestthatpeppermintcanimprovecognitivedecisionmaking.Evengoingasfartosuggestitmightaffectrisktakingbehaviours.Studyparticipantswereobservedintwogroupsthatwerebiddingonauctionitems,eachwithadifferentscentintheroom.ThetwogroupswerepeppermintVsvanilla.Biddersinthepeppermintgroupbidhigheronauctionitemsthantheirvanillascentcounterparts.Therewerelimitationsonthisstudyandrelativelysmallsamplesize(total93participants)(4).PotentialAPPLICATIONSofPeppermint

• Airfreshenerinthecartohelpincreasealertnesswhiledriving• Placeafewdropsofpeppermintoilonascarforhandkerchiefandinhale

beforecompetitivesportingactivities• UsePeppermintoilinyouroilburneratworkespeciallyafterlunchorwhen

youfeelanafternoonslump.• Putpeppermintoilinyouroilburner/vaporiserinyourmeetingsatwork,

orschoolwhereyouwantpeopletostayalertandfocused.• Beforeatestorexam,placeafewdropsofpeppermintoilonascarf.Wear

thescarfaroundyourneckduringtheexamtoincreaseyouralertness.• Manychewinggumsthatarepeppermintflavourusepeppermintessential

oils,potentiallychewingpeppermintgum/mintscouldhaveasimilareffectonalertness.(don’tingesttheoilunlessyouaredirectedbyyourhealthpractitioner)

• Businessactivitieswhereyouwanttoenhanceorincreaseyour(orothers)risktakingbehaviour.

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Rosemaryisanotheressentialoilassociatedwithmemoryandcognitivefunction.

Sayorwan,W.etal,foundrosemaryaffectsbrainwavesinawaythatis“advantageousforthinkingprocesses”.Theyconcluded“Thesefindingsprovideevidencethatbrainwaveactivities,autonomicnervoussystemresponses,andmoodstatescanallbemodifiedwithrosemaryoilinhalation.”(3)TwigsofRosemaryhaveahistoryofusedatfuneralsforremembrance,andweddingsinEuropeandAustralia.Rosemary’slinktomemoryhasbeentalkedaboutoverthecenturiesfromauthorssuchasShakespeareandperhapsevenSimonandGarfunkelweretalkingofrosemariesremembrancewhentheywroteScarboroughFair.Cinnamonisanotheressentialoilwhereresearchshowsasuggestiontowardsit’sabilitytohelpcommitthingstomemory.(5,6)

2. CognitivefunctionimprovementthroughreducinganxietyManystudiesthathavelookedatessentialoilstoincreasealertnessandcognitivefunction,discussthepossibilitiesofhowthesescentsmaywork.Doesproductivityincreasethroughstimulationorthealleviationofstress,thepromotionofa“goodmood”ifyouwill,thatinturncreatesamoreproductiveperson.Onewaytoincreaseproductivityisnotviastimulationbutthroughtakingawaystressors,reducingemotionsormoodsthatmayimpairtheabilitytothinkclearly,andultimatelyimpactproductivity.ItisinterestingthatinthepeppermintstudybyMcCombsetal(2011),participantsusingtheWiiGamessaidtheyfelt“Lessperceivedeffort”inthepeppermintgroupcomparedwiththenoscentgroup.(1)Doesperceiveddifficultyinfluenceourabilitytogetthejobdone?HuangL,etal,lookedattheessentialoilofpetigrainandworkplaceproductivity,findingithadapositiveassociation,concludingitworkedbyreducingstressandincreasingarousallevel.Theyfoundpetigrainoilcauses“anautonomicbalanceonthesympathetic/parasympatheticsystemthroughacombinedactionofthepetitgrainmaincomponents(linalylacetate,linalool,andmyrcene)”.(2)

'There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember.' - William Shakespeare

Does perceived difficulty

influence our ability to get the

job done?

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Thestudyhadparticipantsdoingspecificcomputertaskswhilstbeingexposedtoeitherpetigrainessentialoiloralmondoil(whichhasalmostnosmell)asaplacebo.3.ScentsforRelaxationLavenderandVanillamightseemlikethelikeysuspectsforproducingarelaxationresponse,howeverresearchshowstheycanhavesomeotherusesinaromatherapyaswellasrelaxation.Lavenderhasalonghistoryofassociationwithrelaxation,andcalming.ManyEuropeanculturesusedriedlavenderinthebedroom,inasachetsewnintothepilloworinapocketinkidsclothingaresomeoldfashionedremediestoaidsleep,promotingrelaxationandcalmnessinthebedroom.Twostudieslookedatdifferentformsoflavenderforanxietyandmentalhealthsymptomssuchasanxiety.TheessentialoilofoneformofLavender,adifferentplant,butwithsimilararoma,calledLavandin(LavandulaIntermedia)hasshowntobeeffectiveinreducingpatient’spre-operativeanxiety(7).Anotherstudyofinterestfoundinhalinglavenderessentialoilfor10minutestobebeenpositivelyassociatedwithalleviatingpremenstrualemotionalsymptoms(8).LavenderandVanillawerestudied(incomparisontoacontrolgroupofnoscent)inrelationtoeffectsondrivers,whilethiswasonlyaverysmallstudy,theysetouttotestwhetherscentsoflavenderandvanillacouldreducespeedofdriversinadrivingsimulator.Theresultsshowedthetwoscentshadnoeffectondrivingspeed,howeverboththelavenderandVanillagroupssaidtheyfeltcalmer,andmorealertthanthenoscentgroup.(9)Blendsofoilsaremostcommonlyusedinreallife,butnotcommonlyseeninresearchstudies,aswecan’tbesurefromthedataastowhichoilspecificallygavetheeffect.Oneinterestingstudywhereablendofoilswastestedwasconductedin1993inahospitalinIreland.Authorssetouttoinvestigatethepotentialuseofessentialoilsinhospitaltoaidsleepandrelaxationofpatients.Ablendofoilsinadiffuser(basil,juniper,lavenderandsandalwood)wasusedtotestwhetherithadaneffectoftheanxietyandsleepofpatientstheCoronaryCareUnitofahospitalinTullamore,Co.Offaly,Ireland.Followingthesuccessofthestudy,authorsreportaromatherapywascontinuedtobeusedinthehospital.(10)

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Youcouldtry…

• Getdriedflowersandputintoasmallmaterialbag,aboutthesizeofawalletorpencilcase.Placeinthebedroom,nearthebed,underyourpillow.Beforebedgivethebagasqueezetocrushflowersandactivatethescent.

• PlaceafewdropsofLavenderessentialoilintothedrawerwhereyoustoreyournightgown.

• PlaceafewdropsoflavenderoilonthenecklineofyourPyjamasornightgown.

• UseLavenderessentialoilsinyourbedroomdiffuserafewhoursbeforebed.• Uselavenderessentialoilwhenyouarewindingdownathomeafterdinner.• Forladies,ifyousufferPMS,uselavenderessentialoiltheweekbeforeyour

menstrualperiod• Formenwithafemalepartnerorlivingwithladies,youcouldtryburning

lavenderoilwhenyouknowit’s“thattimeofthemonth”!• MakeacreamwithLavenderessentialoiltouseasamassagebalmfor

tensionoranxiety.FinalThoughts:Thanksforyourattention.Yougotthisfarinmyreportandyourstillheresothanksforyourattentivenessrighttotheend!Isincerelyhopeyouareabletoutilisetheusesfortheseessentialoils.Ifyouareinterestedingettingonthejourneyofscentdiscovery,ourwebstorestocksawiderangeofessentialoilsaswellasincense,candles,meltsandburnerstoassistyouwithmakingthemostofyourproducts.Ihavejustintroducedanewproduct,calledNOSE–themonthlyscentsubscriptionbox.Ifyoulovetheideaofexploringtheuseofscentfortheseuses,thenyou’regoingtolovebeingaNOSEboxsubscriber.I’llbegivingyouamonthlynewsletter,andin-depthproductinformationjustlikeIhavegivenyouinthisreporttoday.Goonlineto:http://www.metrohealth.com.au/new2/nose-incense-box-subscription/tofindoutmore.Iwishyouallthebestinyourjourneyofscentdiscovery,pleasereachoutifthisbooklethashelpedyouorifthereisanythingelseIcanhelpyouwithIwouldbehappytohearfromyou,

PotentialAPPLICATIONSofLavender

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MarieHopkinsonMIntlHlth(Curtin),CertIVTAA,ADTCM(Aust)CTCM(China)FounderofMETROHEALTHANDMEDICINEWww.metrohealth.com.au

IMPORTANTNOTICE:Thisinformationisprovidedinpublicinterestofkeepingpeopleashealthyaspossible.Commonsenseshouldalwaysbeapplied.Toomuchofanythingcanbehazardoustohealth.Thisinformationisnotintendedasasubstituteformedicaladviceordiagnosisbyahealthpractitioner.Ifyouhaveahealthcondition,youshouldcheckwithyourhealthcarepractitionerbeforeusingfoodsasmedicinetreatments,naturalremedies,essentialoilsetc.Ifyouareinanywayunsureaboutthesuitabilityofthefoodagents,herbsorrecipesforyourbody,checkwithyourhealthcarepractitioner.Inamedicalemergencyalwayscontactemergencyservices,call000inAustralia.

ThisarticleiswrittenbyMarieHopkinson,theChineseHerbalist&AcupuncturistatMetroHealthandMedicineinNorthPerth.Marieisavailableforconsultationbycalling1300132830(inAustralia)oremailmarie@metrohealth.com.au

(C)CopywrightMarieHopkinson2017.Allrightsreserved.ReproductionanddistributionONLYpermissibleonlywithexpresspermissionofauthor.

REFERENCES:1. McCombsK,RaudenbushB,BovaA,SappingtonM.Effectsofpeppermintscentadministrationoncognitivevideogameperformance.NorthAmericanJournalofPsychology.2011(3).2. HuangL,CapdevilaL.AromatherapyImprovesWorkPerformanceThroughBalancingtheAutonomicNervousSystem.JournalOfAlternativeAndComplementaryMedicine(NewYork,NY).2017;23(3):214-21.3. SayorwanW,RuangrungsiN,PiriyapunypornT,HongratanaworakitT,KotchabhakdiN,SiripornpanichV.EffectsofInhaledRosemaryOilonSubjectiveFeelingsandActivitiesoftheNervousSystem.ScientiaPharmaceutica.2013;81(2):531-42.4. GagarinaA,PikturnienėI.TheEffectofAmbientScentTypeandIntensivenessonDecisionMakingHeuristics.Procedia-SocialandBehavioralSciences.2015;213:605-9.

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5. RaudenbushB,GrayhemR,SearsT,IW.Effectsofpeppermintandcinnamonodoradministrationonsimulateddrivingalertness,moodandworkload.NAmJPsychol.2009;11:245-56.6. ModiKK,RangasamySB,DasarathiS,RoyA,PahanK.CinnamonConvertsPoorLearningMicetoGoodLearners:ImplicationsforMemoryImprovement.Journalofneuroimmunepharmacology:theofficialjournaloftheSocietyonNeuroImmunePharmacology.2016;11(4):693-707.7. BradenR,ReichowS,HalmMA.TheUseoftheEssentialOilLavandintoReducePreoperativeAnxietyinSurgicalPatients.JournalofPeriAnesthesiaNursing.2009;24(6):348-55.8. MatsumotoT,AsakuraH,HayashiT.Doeslavenderaromatherapyalleviatepremenstrualemotionalsymptoms?:arandomizedcrossovertrial.BioPsychoSocialMedicine.2013;7(1):12.9. MustafaM,RustamN,SiranR.TheImpactofVehicleFragranceonDrivingPerformance:WhatDoWeKnow?Procedia-SocialandBehavioralSciences.2016;222:807-15.10. CannardG.Theeffectofaromatherapyinpromotingrelaxationandstressreductioninageneralhospital.ComplementaryTherapiesinNursingandMidwifery.1996;2(2):38-40.