Thursday, October 29, 2009

Fragrances and Their Effects On Stress

Stop and smell the roses isn't just an expression anymore. A good whiff of lavender, lemon, mango, mint, coriander or other fragrant plants have been proven by Japanese scientists to "relieve stress" but not just emotionally. These researchers have found evidence that inhaling certain fragrances does indeed alter gene activity and blood chemistry in ways that can reduce stress levels! It's not just "in your mind" - it's changing the blood chemistry of your mind!


The study, which appears in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, also demonstrated that linalool, which is found in over 200 species of plants (mainly mints, scented herbs, laurels such as cinnamon and rosewood, and citrus fruits) helped to boost immune function as well! The scientists also found that inhaling linalool reduced the activity of more than 100 genes that are normally significantly elevated in stressful situations!

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