Psychology Today, in general, as a publication, supports psychiatry without question and generally irritates the hell out of me with it’s unequivocal acceptance of pharmacology as applied to mental distress. Today though they go out on what is a limb for them when they talk about studies that indicate aromatherapy can indeed be helpful. Generally this is dismissed as quackery in the mainstream. There are so many gentle simple things we can do to help ourselves. If we put many of them together we find they may be enough to heal us.
…lavender’s impact on mood and cognition has garnered the most attention. A study by researchers at Charles Sturt University in Australia reviewed trials testing the outcomes of lavender aromatherapy. It seems there is mounting evidence that the essential oil does have physiological effects.
To measure the effects of aromatherapy, researchers compared responses with two essential oils thought to have opposite effects on alertness: soothing lavender and invigorating rosemary. One University of Miami study followed brain activity with an EEG machine, finding that the group subjected to lavender aromatherapy did in fact show brainwaves suggesting drowsiness, while the group subjected to rosemary experienced increased alertness.
My mom grows lavender in her garden and just gave me a whole bunch of it. I’m pretty excited to mix it up into sachets, exfoliator, and who knows what else. Also, I put in a few drops of lavender essential oil in the washer which makes my clothes so soft and smell awesome (I don’t use fabric softener).
Love, love, love lavender. It has gotten me thru some tough times.
Ah yes…so happy to have some currently growing in my garden. Very good stuff.
love lavender too and we have two large plants in our garden too!! mmm…
and I don’t have to pay for it mark!! It grows like a wild flower…
oh…I just looked at that mindhacks post…I read that back a while ago…I’m sure snobby people think expensive shit is better…and it’s definitely not always the case…
I use essential oils… rosemary and ylang ylang are the best for me…
Fresh air smells better when you have to pay for it. It’s a joke but it’s psychologically true. http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2008/01/higher_price_makes_c.html
I LOVE this! This is wonderful! THANK YOU, Gianna. Now we have a SCIENTIFIC STUDY showing that lavendar sleep pillows are REALLY worth using (AND giving as gifts to loved ones who have difficulty sleeping). …Not to mention, rosemary for remembrance!
This truly IS “a land with milk and honey flowing, with healing herbs, like thistles freely growing.” (Song sung by Pete Seeger)