Ever since I was little, I have loved the energy that the smell of candles, reed diffusers and anything else (including the smell of good cooking) brings to a room. I keep a candle in all the open spaces of my house and a reed diffuser in all the spare rooms, it creates an ambience for relaxation and rejuvenation.
My sense of smell is very sensitive, I have memories of waking up to freshly toasted bread, porridge and Indian sweets. As I grew older in science class, I learnt about olfaction - the detection of chemical compounds and how it is vital for survival. Animal species have different olfactory organs to detect odours: humans have olfactory epithelium inside of the nose and insects use their antennae. Fish, however, have an olfactory gland which they are dependent on for mating, recognising their kin, and finding food/prey.
It is unclear how food odour affects our food choices or intake, however, the intensity of the smells is what draws me into a restaurant or helps me find comfort in my kitchen. My appetite for something can be triggered by sensory cues such as sight and smell and increase my anticipation of food consumption. It's like when you walk past a pizza shop and can smell the melted cheese and herbs on the tomato sauce and you start to crave pizza for dinner. Yes, that's very specific but recognition of smell is learned by each individual dependent on upbringing around different foods and cuisines. I grew up around food with my parents being chefs and operating restaurants - so my sense of smell when it comes to food is sensitive; I can differentiate food based on their smells.
Our brains process scents in two ways, orthonasal and retronasal, differentiated by how they enter the body. Ambient odours entered through the nose, induce appetite, increase the anticipation of food arrival and assist in recognising food sources in our environment - this is orthonasal recognition of scents. Retronasal, however, relates to odours of objects that are inside the body, these emanate from chewing foods in our mouth, the odour travels from the oral cavity through the nasopharynx thus the olfactory epithelium in the nose is stimulated.
Retronasal intake of odours are known to be directly reflective of food as it is triggered by objects inside the body, however orthonasal olfaction helps one to recognise objects outside the body and may not be directly related to food.
Other than food, one scent that always filled my home was the soothing lavender oil-infused potpourri my mum kept in the bathrooms and our rooms. It was refreshing, calming and relaxing. I remember watching my mum making it, drying the flowers, adding the scent and then putting it in pretty bowls around the house. It was my first introduction to aromatherapy. Potpourri is a great easy way to include beautiful smells into your home and makes good use of wilting roses.
Aromatherapy has been referred to as a pseudoscience, as it is considered a holistic healing treatment which promotes good health and improves well-being through the use of natural plant extracts. Working with essential oils, aromatherapy medicinally improves the body, mind and spirit, whilst enhancing one's physical and emotional health.
More recently, aromatherapy has generated more traction in western medicine and has become more widely researched and tested in science to understand the health benefits. Aromatherapy does date back to ancient civilisations such as India, Egypt and China, where plant elements were widely used in resins, balms and oil for medicinal and religious purposes. In those times, it was used not just for physical benefits but also psychological benefits.
The primary benefits of aromatherapy are:
I had never asked my mum how she made it, but I recently had a close friend ask me to help him convert his Valentine's rose into something which could be kept for longer than the usual 2 weeks of a roses' life. I instantly thought of potpourri and set out to get the recipe from my mum and ingredients to make it with him. Lavender essential oil, cinnamon and some wilted roses (which he already had). It's so simple to make, layout the flower petals of your choice in an ovenproof dish with a few drops of essential oil (doesn't have to be lavender, can be any essential oil of your choice), cinnamon sticks, dried fruits and herbs, place in the oven for ten-fifteen minutes until flower petals have dried and become 'crispy' in texture. Smash up the petals and place all the items in a bowl or dish. Dip the cinnamon sticks in your essential oil and add to your dried flowers mix. Every two weeks or so, dip the ends of the cinnamon sticks in the essential oil and use it to mix the dried flowers up; this will refresh the scent.
My sense of smell is very sensitive, I have memories of waking up to freshly toasted bread, porridge and Indian sweets. As I grew older in science class, I learnt about olfaction - the detection of chemical compounds and how it is vital for survival. Animal species have different olfactory organs to detect odours: humans have olfactory epithelium inside of the nose and insects use their antennae. Fish, however, have an olfactory gland which they are dependent on for mating, recognising their kin, and finding food/prey.
It is unclear how food odour affects our food choices or intake, however, the intensity of the smells is what draws me into a restaurant or helps me find comfort in my kitchen. My appetite for something can be triggered by sensory cues such as sight and smell and increase my anticipation of food consumption. It's like when you walk past a pizza shop and can smell the melted cheese and herbs on the tomato sauce and you start to crave pizza for dinner. Yes, that's very specific but recognition of smell is learned by each individual dependent on upbringing around different foods and cuisines. I grew up around food with my parents being chefs and operating restaurants - so my sense of smell when it comes to food is sensitive; I can differentiate food based on their smells.
Our brains process scents in two ways, orthonasal and retronasal, differentiated by how they enter the body. Ambient odours entered through the nose, induce appetite, increase the anticipation of food arrival and assist in recognising food sources in our environment - this is orthonasal recognition of scents. Retronasal, however, relates to odours of objects that are inside the body, these emanate from chewing foods in our mouth, the odour travels from the oral cavity through the nasopharynx thus the olfactory epithelium in the nose is stimulated.Retronasal intake of odours are known to be directly reflective of food as it is triggered by objects inside the body, however orthonasal olfaction helps one to recognise objects outside the body and may not be directly related to food.
Other than food, one scent that always filled my home was the soothing lavender oil-infused potpourri my mum kept in the bathrooms and our rooms. It was refreshing, calming and relaxing. I remember watching my mum making it, drying the flowers, adding the scent and then putting it in pretty bowls around the house. It was my first introduction to aromatherapy. Potpourri is a great easy way to include beautiful smells into your home and makes good use of wilting roses.
Aromatherapy has been referred to as a pseudoscience, as it is considered a holistic healing treatment which promotes good health and improves well-being through the use of natural plant extracts. Working with essential oils, aromatherapy medicinally improves the body, mind and spirit, whilst enhancing one's physical and emotional health.
More recently, aromatherapy has generated more traction in western medicine and has become more widely researched and tested in science to understand the health benefits. Aromatherapy does date back to ancient civilisations such as India, Egypt and China, where plant elements were widely used in resins, balms and oil for medicinal and religious purposes. In those times, it was used not just for physical benefits but also psychological benefits.
The primary benefits of aromatherapy are:
- Pain Management
- Reduction of Stress and Anxiety
- Improve Quality of Sleep
- Treat headaches and migraines
- Immunity Booster
- Digestion Improvement
- and Much More.
There is a lack of research and understanding of the benefits of aromatherapy in treating Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's disease and heart disease. However, has the potential to assist the treatment of asthma, depression, inflammation, menstrual issues, insomnia, arthritis and a few other common illnesses.
I have recently taken to aromatherapy to alleviate stress and anxiety along with treating my insomnia. Research indicates that the best scents to assist with this are Lavendar, Bergamot and Jasmine in the form of essential oils. I use the essential oils from Dusk and mix citrus scents with floral to lift my mood, lavender and geranium to regulate my sleep patterns, peppermint to release tension headaches and patchouli with lavender to improve respiratory and nervous system function.
Incense and candles are also a great way to bring some vibrant energy and scents into your home. They are better for the environment rather than using smelly artificial aerosols and there are some gorgeous incense holders and candle dishes available on the market which can be used as decorative pieces in your home.
Aromatic bath salts mixed with Epsom salts in your next bubble bath are another way to allow your body to absorb essential oils and treat your health concerns.
So I would recommend to you all, that next time you are cooking or walking past a restaurant, really stop to take in the aromas of the food and see if it make you salivate and crave it more.
Incense and candles are also a great way to bring some vibrant energy and scents into your home. They are better for the environment rather than using smelly artificial aerosols and there are some gorgeous incense holders and candle dishes available on the market which can be used as decorative pieces in your home.Aromatic bath salts mixed with Epsom salts in your next bubble bath are another way to allow your body to absorb essential oils and treat your health concerns.
So I would recommend to you all, that next time you are cooking or walking past a restaurant, really stop to take in the aromas of the food and see if it make you salivate and crave it more.
And I would challenge you to try some aromatherapy as natural therapy and an energy and mood booster in your home. One way to do this could be to make some potpourri for yourself.
I had never asked my mum how she made it, but I recently had a close friend ask me to help him convert his Valentine's rose into something which could be kept for longer than the usual 2 weeks of a roses' life. I instantly thought of potpourri and set out to get the recipe from my mum and ingredients to make it with him. Lavender essential oil, cinnamon and some wilted roses (which he already had). It's so simple to make, layout the flower petals of your choice in an ovenproof dish with a few drops of essential oil (doesn't have to be lavender, can be any essential oil of your choice), cinnamon sticks, dried fruits and herbs, place in the oven for ten-fifteen minutes until flower petals have dried and become 'crispy' in texture. Smash up the petals and place all the items in a bowl or dish. Dip the cinnamon sticks in your essential oil and add to your dried flowers mix. Every two weeks or so, dip the ends of the cinnamon sticks in the essential oil and use it to mix the dried flowers up; this will refresh the scent.
References:
Boesveldt, S. (2017). The Differential Role of Smell and Taste For Eating Behavior. Perception. 46 (3-4), p307-319.
Cronkleton, E. (2018). Aromatherapy Uses and Benefits. Available: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy#benefits. Last accessed 11th April 2020.
Mori, I. (2001). Olfaction. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/olfaction. Last accessed 11th April 2020.
Boesveldt, S. (2017). The Differential Role of Smell and Taste For Eating Behavior. Perception. 46 (3-4), p307-319.
Cronkleton, E. (2018). Aromatherapy Uses and Benefits. Available: https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy#benefits. Last accessed 11th April 2020.
Mori, I. (2001). Olfaction. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/olfaction. Last accessed 11th April 2020.
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