motd Saturday Jan 7, 2012

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AROMATHERAPY

Saturday, 07 January 2012

What kind of mood are you in these days? Are

you feeling blue, a little sad or just in an overall

exhausted state of mind? Well, let me tell you about

something that always makes me feel better.

After waking up, the first

thing I do is light a fragrant candle before saying my

morning prayers.

I'm a big candle lover and keep an array of fragrant

candles in my home. And you know what? The gentle

aroma of those candles filling a room are always very

soothing for me. I buy my own candles sometimes but

I'm lucky to have friends send me some of the most

fabulous candles I've ever smelled. I got a few

candles for Christmas so I'm pretty set for the next

couple of months. After waking up, the first thing I

do is light a fragrant candle before saying my morning

prayers. Ahhhh, their sweet

smell makes me feel so

relaxed. Believe

me, I

know what they mean by aroma-therapy.

Aromatherapy has been around for years. Whether the

fragrance comes from candles, a botanical room

fragrance or even from some freshly cut flowers, the

wonderful smell filling your nose goes to work on your

mind and your

mood. Think about how good you feel when you walk

into a store at the mall filled with candles. The

candles don't even have to be lit but their sweet

fragrances make you feel so good, don't they? In

fact, some of those fragrances are actually designed

to lift your mood.

Want to reduce stress?

Want to reduce stress? The smell of roses in

a room acts as a natural sedative and antidepressant.

So then, looks like when you're feeling stressed out,

it really does make sense to stop and

smell the roses.

All wound up? If you need to soothe

high-strung nerves, the smell of lavender releases serotonin in your brain,

a compound found to play an important role in mood,

sleep and even sexuality. (The smell of lavender

is also sometimes used to help treat sleep disorders.)

Feeling sad?

Feeling sad? The smell of vanilla has been

shown to trigger positive memories when you're feeling

especially blue. You can find vanilla-scented candles

at just about any Target or Walmart store.

And to further naturally lift your mood, go for the

scent of citrus in the form of lemony/orangey

fragranced candles or room spray. It'll help balance

and uplift your mood making you feel less sluggish and

more alert, too.

Don't reach for some junk

food thinking it's going to help your mood.

So, the next time you're feeling down, don't reach for

some junk food thinking it's going to help your mood.

As a matter of fact, those extra calories from that

"comfort food," once you've eaten it, will only give

you something else to be depressed about...a

weight gain!

Take it from me. A good, calorie-free way to improve

your mood is to fill your room and your mind with the

soothing smells of the aromas you love.

Love,