Healthy Living

SCENTS DO MARE THAN SMELL PRETTY

In the days before indoor plumbing became a standard fixture in homes, women used herbs to freshen up rooms and fragrance their own clothing, which was infrequently laundered. Those sweet little bouquets of dried flowers—called tussie mussies—that we associate with the Victorian period were originally carried to mask odors.

Fragrant herbs have long been known for their medicinal and therapeutic qualities. As the industrial age took over and modern conveniences came into our lives, we began to rely on fragrances manufactured in a chemistry lab. Few urban dwellers could walk out their door to harvest a handful of herbs, after all.

Today, aromatherapy is making a comeback. Even traditional practitioners of medicine are recognizing the power of scent to heal our minds and bodies. And you don’t need to grow the herbs yourself. A cottage industry exists to grow, harvest, and distill those healing fragrances into concentrated oils. Diffusers, thin wooden sticks placed into vials of these potent oils, disperse the aroma throughout the room.

Try these herbs, alone or in combination, depending on which room you are scenting, the desired effect of the aromatherapy, and your personal preferences:

• For calmness, restful sleep, and relaxation: lavender, clary sage, marjoram
  
  
• For increased energy: rosemary, pine and spruce
  
  
• For mental clarity: basil, spearmint, peppermint (some people swear they perform better on tests if they suck on a mint while they are taking it)
  
  
• For romance: jasmine, sandalwood, ginger

Note: Avoid chemical-based room fresheners or artificial scents that come from a can. They merely aggravate the respiratory system.