Enhancing your sense of smell -- and protecting your health
Wake up and smell the roses -- or lavender, or any of a bouquet of scents! A new study shows that a decline in or loss of your sense of smell can be linked to inflammation and any of 139 medical conditions, from Alzheimer's disease to depression, sexual dysfunction, restless leg syndrome and Zika/Guillain-Barre syndrome. But other studies show that providing yourself with an enriched exposure to various odors can help protect your memory and actually encourage you to be more physically active and adventurous. It can also slow the progression of dementia.
Researchers from UC Irvine found that when folks ages 60 to 85 were exposed to a different pleasing smell (rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender) for two hours a night for a week, their memory, language skills and emotional well-being improved 226%. Another study found that being exposed to four scents twice a day for five months boosted verbal skills and reduced depression. That's because when your brain registers an aroma, it affects your blood pressure, emotions, breathing and memory.
Using aromatherapy for a couple of hours a night may raise your spirits, sharpen your wits, and make the room smell great. But talk to your doc first if you have allergies, asthma, are pregnant or have high blood pressure.
For info on how to give it a try, check out Dr. Mike's favorite site for aromatherapy, aeroscena.com. And explore these articles: "Essential Oils for Instant Focus" and "Top 13 Essential Oils and How They Can Benefit Your Health" at iHerb.com/blog.
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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