Aromatherapy: More Than Just a Pleasant
Scent?
Aromatherapy touted as helpful in relieving tension, anxiety and
more, but it's not risk-free.
Aromatherapy is beginning
to enter the medical mainstream, with groups as diverse as the American Cancer
Society and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs touting the use of
fragrance as a therapy that can complement traditional health care.
There's little evidence to
suggest that aromatherapy can directly cure illness, but research has found it
can help reduce a wide range of symptoms and side effects in some people.
"Many specific
ailments can benefit from aromatherapy blends and treatments," said Monika
Meulman, president of the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists. "For
example, insomnia, nausea, headaches and migraines, and aches and pains are
often improved with aromatherapy -- just to name a few."
Aromatherapy involves the
use of what are called essential oils, which are very potent distillations of
the fragrant portions of plant life such as flowers, roots and bark, said Dr.
Hal Blatman, medical director of the Blatman Pain Clinic in Cincinnati and a
past president of the American Holistic Medical Association.
These oils are either
applied topically to the body, through a cream or a soaking bath, for instance,
or are inhaled after they've been diffused into the air in a room, Meulman
explained.
Researchers believe that
the oils trigger smell receptors in the nose, prompting the transmission of
chemical messages along nerve pathways to the brain's limbic system, Blatman
said. The limbic system is a part of the brain closely associated with moods
and emotion.
"It's easy to see
smells have an effect on the body," Blatman said. "Smells have deep
emotional triggers in people."
Aromatherapists recommend
using different oils for different effects. For example:
·
Lavender and rosemary oil
are suggested for relieving muscle tension and anxiety.
·
Peppermint and ginger oil
may relieve nausea and help perk up a fatigued person.
·
Eucalyptus oil is
considered helpful in treating respiratory ailments -- something known by the
legions of kids who've had Vicks VapoRub smoothed onto their chest.
The oils also can be
layered on to get a combination of effects, Blatman said.
"There are all kinds
of specific conditions and specific remedies," he said. "There are a
number of reference books for how to use the oils."
The potential plusses of
aromatherapy, however, come with possible drawbacks, too.
For instance, people who
decide to pursue aromatherapy on their own need to be careful because the
essential oils used are very strong, Meulman and Blatman said. The oils can
cause an allergic reaction when touched or inhaled and can prompt an asthma
attack in some people.
The quality of essential
oils also can change over time.
"Often the oils
sitting on the shelf in a health food store are no longer viable -- they break
down with time -- and may no longer have active compounds in them,"
Meulman said. "Many essential oils are only effective for several months
to a year. By the time they get to an end user, they have oxidized to the point
of not being useful and, in some cases, may be harmful."
People also should be aware
that the oils can have an internal effect even if applied to the skin.
"Some essential oils
can accumulate in the liver," Meulman said. "For example, eucalyptus
is broken down slowly by the body and tends to accumulate in the liver. If used
daily in large amounts, within a few weeks a person can experience signs of
toxicity due to this buildup."
For these reasons and
others, Meulman and her association recommend that people interested in
aromatherapy consult with a professional aromatherapist.
"For do-it-yourself
use, one can use some oils for ambiance, room spray experiences and other such
occasional uses," she said. "For daily aromatherapy use and
self-treatment, professional aromatherapist guidance is strongly advised."
More information
(SOURCES: Monika Meulman,
president, Canadian Federation of Aromatherapists; Hal Blatman, M.D., medical
director, Blatman Pain Clinic, Cincinnati)
Eating Berries Might Help Preserve Your
Memory
Blueberries, strawberries found to prevent mental decline in
study of older women.
Regular consumption of
berries, such as blueberries or strawberries, may help keep your brain
functioning well as you age, new research suggests.
The study found that women
with the highest intake of berries appeared to delay cognitive aging by up to
2.5 years. Cognition refers to brain activities such as thinking, remembering
and reasoning.
"Given that we know
that fruits and vegetables are good for our health in general, our findings add
to the idea that we should be consuming more, especially berries, as a way to
help maintain memory in older ages," said the study's lead author,
Elizabeth Devore, an instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and
Harvard Medical School, in Boston.
"Berries are a simple
dietary intervention that may be helpful to the brain," Devore added.
Results of the study were
published online April 26 in the Annals of Neurology.
Berries and other fruits
and vegetables are rich in substances known as flavonoids. Flavonoids help
protect the body's cells from damage and reduce inflammation.
"Flavonoids, which are
antioxidants found in berries, apples, citrus fruits, tea, red wine and onions,
have been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease,
diabetes and cancers," explained nutritionist Nancy Copperman, director of
public health initiatives at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck,
N.Y.
Berries contain a
particular flavonoid called anthocyanidin. Devore said anthocyanidin helps give
berries their rich colors, and it's found in fruits such as raspberries,
blueberries, strawberries, cherries, elderberries, and red and concord grapes.
Devore explained that one
of the things that's special about anthocyanidins is that they can cross the
blood-brain barrier and that these flavonoids tend to locate in the areas of
the brain responsible for memory and learning.
Another recent study, also
from Harvard but from a different group of researchers, recently found that
berries might help reduce a man's risk of Parkinson's disease.
The current study included
data on food consumption from the U.S. Nurses' Health Study, which began in
1980 and collected dietary information every four years. In the period between
1995 and 2001, the researchers began measuring cognitive function in just over
16,000 female volunteers.
At the time the researchers
started measuring cognitive function, all of the study participants were older
than 70. Cognitive function was measured twice with a two-year interval between
each assessment.
The investigators found
that women who had the highest intake of blueberries (more than one serving a
week) and strawberries (more than twice a week), appeared to delay cognitive
aging by as much as 2.5 years. Devore said other berries may also contribute to
a reduction in cognitive aging, but there wasn't enough consumption of other
berries, cherries or grapes to be able to study the effects of these fruits. A
serving of blueberries or strawberries is a half-cup, she noted.
Commenting on the study,
Dr. Robert Graham, an internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said:
"Large epidemiological studies, such as this one, add to the basic science
research that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of berries have
a beneficial role in age-related cognitive decline. I would advise all my
patients, at any age, to eat more berries. Berries are an easy, nutritious and
delicious way preserve brain function."
Copperman, the
nutritionist, said that "the current study demonstrates that women who
consumed the most flavonoids, especially berries, had a slower cognitive
decline over time than women with lower intakes. Increasing our intakes of
fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to live a healthy life."
While the study found an
association between eating berries and maintaining mental function, it did not
prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
More information
Read more about the
benefits of fruits and vegetables from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
.
(SOURCES: Elizabeth Devore,
Sc.D., instructor in medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical
School, Boston; Robert Graham, M.D., internist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City;
Nancy Copperman, M.S., R.D., director, public health initiatives, North
Shore-LIJ Health System, Great Neck, N.Y.; April 26, 2012, Annals of
Neurology, online)
Health Tip: Dealing With Stress
A key way to handle stress
is not to avoid life's challenges, but to deal with them head-on, the Cleveland
Clinic says.
The clinic offers these
suggestions for women:
·
Deal directly with
challenging situations, instead of avoiding them.
·
Accept and embrace change
as an opportunity to learn.
·
Focus on the present,
rather than worrying about the future.
·
Trust your instincts and
listen to what your "gut" tells you.
·
Honor and accept yourself.
·
Don't be afraid to seek
professional help when you need it
Health Tip: Why Is My Aging Skin So Dry?
As the typical person ages,
the skin looses its plump, smooth appearance. Ever wonder why?
The Cleveland Clinic offers
these potential explanations:
·
Not drinking enough.
·
Sun exposure.
·
Being in dry air.
·
Smoking.
·
Increasing stress.
·
Less active oil and sweat
glands.
·
Taking medication that
dries the skin.
No comments:
Post a Comment