| Do a quick search on PubMed, and you can find | | | | brain. High-fructose corn syrup overrides the |
| abstracts of over 600 published articles about | | | | adiponectin hormone that tell your brain you are full and |
| aromatherapy science in the medical journals. These | | | | can stop eating. |
| articles report results of clinical trials and laboratory | | | | The French fries, the ketchup, and the ice cream you |
| experiments done by doctors and university-level | | | | get later are all packed with this insidious form of |
| research scientists at institutions in Japan, the USA, | | | | sugar-and an ingredient you don't expect. They are |
| Korea, China, the European Union, and Australia, all | | | | scented with vanilla. Later in life, vanilla can trigger your |
| subjected to the intense scrutiny of peer review, all | | | | appetite for happy meals! |
| designed to answer the question of does | | | | But if you happen to know that lemon scent and |
| aromatherapy really work. | | | | grapefruit scent cancel out this effect, you can use |
| And in 2010, it's safe to say, aromatherapy really does | | | | aromatherapy to help control your appetite. Knowing |
| work. Here are two important findings that explain the | | | | aromatherapy empowers you to use your nose to |
| astonishing, but credible potency of this ancient healing | | | | help your health, not hurt it. If you know these principles, |
| tool. | | | | you can use them to reinforce good habits, not bad. |
| 1. The way aromatherapy works is through your brain, | | | | 2. Different scents work in different ways |
| not through your nose | | | | The fact is, aromatherapists knew this principle a long |
| One of the key findings of aromatherapy science is | | | | time before scientists started publishing papers about it. |
| that aromatherapy works because of what the brain | | | | But these findings hold up in scientific testing: |
| does, not because of what the scent does. Our brains | | | | - Lavender relieves pain. |
| use scent as a way to remember vital experiences. | | | | - Lemon increases concentration and recall of verbal |
| For instance, most babies are fed formula, and most | | | | information. |
| infant formula contains vanilla. For a huge part of the | | | | - Clover, mint, peppermint (and, oddly enough, tempura |
| population, even in adult life the scent of vanilla lets | | | | batter) smells make it easier to concentrate through |
| them sleep like a baby. | | | | loud noise or stormy weather. |
| The downside of this principle is that it can be used in | | | | - Orange scent is appealing in the morning, but not in |
| ways to manipulate us to do things that make food | | | | the afternoon. |
| companies money but that are not good for our | | | | - The odors of "comfort foods" become more |
| healthy Huge food corporations know how to use | | | | appealing when you are mentally active but physically |
| aroma to manipulate the human appetite. When certain | | | | inactive-to kill you appetite for comfort food, just let |
| chemical-based "food" ingredients are added to the | | | | your mind wander! |
| food we eat, our brains notice everything about the | | | | Aromatherapy is compatible with science, and |
| food to help us find it later. | | | | aromatherapy really does work. Learning the basics of |
| Suppose as child you are treated to a McDonald's | | | | aromatherapy can open up new avenues of |
| Happy Meal. The burger bun is a mixture of white flour | | | | reinforcing healthy habits every day of your life. |
| and high-fructose corn syrup. White flour excites your | | | | |