A form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering mind, mood, cognitive function, or physical health. Aromatherapy does not cure conditions, but helps the body to find a natural way to cure itself and improve immune response.
When we think about plants we understand they have their own physiology, their own immune response, their own defense against invaders. These are the plants essential oils. They are ‘essential’ for the plants survival and function in its environment.
When we use steam or fat to extract those ‘essential’ properties we are getting a concentrated volatile compound. The volatility of essential oils makes them easily evaporate at room temperature. They disperse or diffuse into the air and are inhaled.
This is where the ‘Aroma’ part of Aromatherapy came in. Due to the fact that these volatile oils are often aromatic (carrying an aroma) means that we smell the compounds as they enter our nostrils. This also means that those chemical compounds have a direct connection to the brain through the olfactory bulb. Every smell we experience affects all of the systems in the body through the large olfactory bulb and it’s close communication with the brain and gut.
Through this direct connection to the brain and gut Aromatherapy can help the brain and body function more effectively through nourishment and support. The chemical compounds in essential oils are all natural, not man-made or synthesized, meaning they are readily utilized by the body because they are so similar to our own chemical compounds. Thus they are easily utilized in healing and maintaining health.
Instead of doing something for the body, interrupting normal functions, or forcing unnatural reactions, like pharmaceuticals, Aromatherapy provides nutrients not found in a multivitamin or even a balanced diet. Many aromatic plants are not edible so the only way to obtain their beneficial properties is through Aromatherapeutic application.
Aromatherapeutic Applications
In the Air – by spraying an Everclear alcohol based blend or diffusing undiluted oils. You can achieve the same benefits of an over-the-counter medication with simple and safe aromatic diffusion. Alcohol based sprays emulsify the oils for complete dispersion into the air and onto the body or surface.
On Surfaces – an Everclear alcohol based blend can be used to clean and sanitize surfaces without poisonous man-made chemicals. Using aromatherapy sprays to clean hard surfaces, mirrors, and windows reduces your exposure to the toxic chemicals found in commercial cleansers. Using a natural cleaner on pet cages and toys also improves your pets health.
On the Skin – dilution into a carrier oil and applying to the skin or soaking in the bath. The skin is an amazing organ that processes everything it absorbs. When essential oils are applied to the skin they are readily absorbed and rapidly transported to the blood stream and through the body to directly affect all organs and systems naturally through nourishment.
In the Mouth – dilution with Everclear alcohol, vegetable oil or powder and brushing and/or rinsing. Using an alcohol emulsifier like Everclear, completely disperses the essential oil molecules. When the oil molecules are safely broken down or emulsified and then diluted with water you can then rise your mouth without risking an acid type burn on the mucous membranes of the mouth. The nutrients in essential oils are great for healing and disinfecting our teeth, gums, and tongue.
Never for internal use! No matter what any rep of any company tells you! No matter how organic or ‘pure’ the products are, essential oils can damage delicate mucous membranes when taken internally. Herbal teas are much safer for internal treatments.
Aroma Spray – 8oz Spray
Water based sprays with 5% essential oils for personal Aromatherapy.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and not to mention expensive. So why waste them by using them undiluted? Why risk your health by using them undiluted? Of course diffusion is the exception, simply because the air dilutes the essential oils. See the dilution chart below to safely blend your own products.
Afraid to blend your own? Don’t have the time? Don’t want to purchase all the necessary supplies? Well no problem! Let Mother Jai do it for you! Shop our products or send an email below for a custom blend.
The name “lectin” is derived from the Latin word legere, meaning, among other things, “to select”.
Long before a deeper understanding of their numerous biological functions, the plant lectins, also known as phytohemagglutinins, were noted for their particular high specificity for foreign glycoconjugates (e.g. those of fungi, invertebrates, and animals) and used in biomedicine for blood cell testing and in biochemistry for fractionation.
Leucoagglutinin, a toxic phytohemagglutinin found in raw Vicia faba (fava bean).
Is Lectin the New Gluten?
In recent research by Dr. Gundry and several other doctors they found that Gluten intolerance only affects 1% of the population. So, what’s causing all this inflammation and weight gain if it’s not gluten? Lectin.
Fruits and vegetables that contain lectins are:
Tomatoes
Potatoes
String beans
Carrots
Zucchini
Carrots
Green peas
Soybean, mung bean and lentil sprouts
Cantaloupe
Grapes (especially the seeds)
Cherries
Pomegranates
Raspberries
Blackberries
Beans
Wheat germ
peanuts
dairy products
nuts and seeds
garlic
marjoram
allspice
mushrooms.
What are Lectins?
Lectins are a type of protein that may help cells interact with one another. Scientists also believe that lectins provide a form of defense in plants to keep insects away. Lectins are the natural insecticide and fungicide that plants produce to protect themselves from their environment. If an insect eats a tomato or eggplant, it dies from Lectin poisoning. So, what does this poison do to us?
These proteins also contain nitrogen, which is needed for plants to grow. While many parts of plants contain lectins, the seed is the part that people eat most often. Lectins may impact health in multiple ways, ranging from digestion to chronic disease risk. They have been shown to cause red blood cells to cluster together. They are categorized as antinutrients since they block the absorption of some nutrients.
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins, macromolecules that are highly specific for sugar moieties. Lectins perform recognition on the cellular and molecular level and play numerous roles in biological recognition phenomena involving cells, carbohydrates, and proteins. Lectins also mediate attachment and binding of bacteria and viruses to their intended targets.
Lectins are ubiquitous in nature and are found in many foods. Some foods such as beans and grains need to be cooked or fermented to reduce lectin content, but the lectins consumed in a typical balanced diet are not usually harmful. Some lectins are beneficial, such as CLEC11A which promotes bone growth, while others may be powerful toxins such as ricin.
Lectins: The Diet Connection
A chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. This reaction is part of your genetic inheritance. It is amazing but true that today, in the twenty first century, your immune and digestive systems still maintain favoritism for foods that your blood type ancestors ate. Simply put, when you eat a food containing protein lectins that are incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system (kidneys, liver, gut, stomach, etc.) and can begin to interact with the tissues in that area.
Let’s say a Type A person eats a plate of lima beans. The lima beans are digested in the stomach through the process of acid hydrolysis. However, the lectin protein is resistant to acid hydrolysis. It doesn’t get digested, but it stays intact. It may interact directly with the lining of the stomach or intestinal tract, or it may get absorbed into your blood stream along with the digested lima bean nutrients. Different lectins target different organs and body systems.
Once the intact lectin protein settles someplace in your body, it literally has a magnetic effect on the cells in that region. It clumps the cells together and they are targeted for destruction, as if they, too, were foreign invaders. This clumping can cause irritable bowel syndrome in the intestines or cirrhosis in the liver or block the flow of blood through the kidneys – to name just a few of the effects. Lectins can also act as ‘fake hormones,’ latching onto the receptor for a hormone and either blocking the normal action of the hormone (this is called an ‘antagonist’) or revving up the hormone receptor non-stop (termed an ‘agonist.’)
Signs that you might be experiencing problems from lectins in your diet:
Bloating and flatulence after meals
Changes in bowel habits
Achy joints and muscles
Hormonal fluctuations
Skin eruptions
Fatigue and tiredness
Common Foods to Avoid For Each Blood Type That Contain Harmful Lectins
Type O
Type A
Type B
Type AB
Wheat Soybean oil Peanut Kidney bean
Lima bean Tomato Eggplant Garbanzo bean
Chicken Corn Soy Lentil
Chicken Corn Banana Fava bean
What do lectins do to the body?
Humans don’t have the proper enzymes necessary to digest lectins.
As they pass through the stomach, lectins remain largely unaltered.
When they reach the intestines, they can attach to the lining of the gut. In one study that was conducted on rodents, lectins made it through the stomach and attached themselves to the small intestines. They temporarily thickened the walls of the small intestines, affecting their ability to absorb nutrients.
They also changed the length and function of the entire digestive tract. These effects were mostly reversed upon elimination of lectin from the diet.
Lectins can enhance pancreas growth and increase the release of digestive enzymes.
Lectins make it difficult for the body to maintain its own cells.
Therefore, people with damage from lectins may experience more digestive problems. This may occur gradually.
Phytohaemagglutinin are the most commonly studied lectins. Kidney beans are one of the main sources of these proteins. If you eat raw kidney beans, you can experience major pain in your abdomen, diarrhea and vomiting. These are symptoms of lectin toxicity.
Too Much Dietary Lectins Can Cause Leaky Gut
Consistently consuming lectins can damage the lining of the intestines and create a leaky gut that allows unwanted substances into the bloodstream.
The gut wall becomes damaged when lectins attach to it. The tiny hairs that line the mucosa become damaged and become less able to extract nutrients from food. In a normal intestinal lining, the cells are tightly packed. They form what is referred to as “tight junctions.” This prevents unwanted substances and molecules from leaking through the intestinal walls and entering the bloodstream.
These intestinal cells and their tight junctions are highly linked to immune processes. When they are compromised, immune responses to antigens change. As lectins enter the bloodstream through the now-permeable intestinal wall, they attach to glycoproteins on the outside of cells.
Overexposure to Lectins Can Trigger Autoimmune Disease
Although autoimmune diseases are connected to deficiencies somewhere in the immune system, some researchers believe that they are caused or exacerbated by certain lectins. Lectins may also target antibodies, which help fight disease. In reaction, the immune system attacks the cells. If the lectins are bound within the tissues of the body, the body may attack itself. Wheat gliadin is a lectin that causes celiac disease. It is often referred to as the “celiac disease toxin”.
People who are sensitive to this lectin may have a deficiency in certain peptides and a deficiency in their immune systems. The autoimmune disease diabetes mellitus is linked to the lectin found in tomatoes. Researchers have found connections between lectins and rheumatoid arthritis as well.
How to reduce Lectins in your diet
Lectins may be disabled by specific mono- and oligosaccharides, which bind to ingested lectins from grains, legume, nightshade plants (tomato, eggplant, potato) and dairy; binding can prevent their attachment to the carbohydrates within the cell membrane. The selectivity of lectins means that they are very useful for analyzing blood type, and they are also used in some genetically engineered crops to transfer traits, such as resistance to pests and resistance to herbicides.
Ways to decrease lectins in foods include:
boiling
fermentation
sprouting
peeling
deseeding
pressure cooking
While lectins have some undesirable effects, they also have some positive ones. Small amounts of lectins may help the good bacteria that live in human digestive systems.
What is the lectin-free diet?
Dr. Steven Gundry popularized the lectin-free diet. He is a former heart surgeon who switched his focus to food and supplement-based medicine. Dr. Gundry describes lectins as the main danger found in the American diet. In response, he has written a book that provides information on how to avoid lectins, alternative food choices, and recipes.
Possible benefits of the lectin-free diet
Following a lectin-free diet could be a way to lower inflammation in the body. Scientists believe lectins are harmful and cause inflammation. An older article links them to autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. One article discusses the research associated with wheat germ lectin. It may impact the immune system by increasing inflammation. Long-term inflammation is linked to many serious medical conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and depression.
Limit the Intake of Lectin Rich Foods
Beans & Legumes – Beans carry more lectins than any other food. Do your best to limit beans, peas, lentils, and other legumes or cook them in a pressure cooker. Also, some legumes hide as nuts – so it’s best to cut out peanuts and cashews as well.
Grains – For the most part, grains are a relatively new food to us. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors didn’t search for grains. Plus, most grains are lectin bombs, as well as gluten-free grain substitutes. It’s best to limit grain intake. If you must, eat white flour over wheat.
Squash – An easy rule to remember is that any vegetable with seeds is considered a fruit. Such is the case with squash, pumpkins, and zucchini. The seeds and peels of these foods are full of lectins. If you MUST eat squash, make sure to toss the peels and seeds aside.
Nightshades – Nightshades are vegetables that include eggplant, any kind of pepper, potatoes, and tomatoes. The peels and the seeds of these plants contain loads of lectins, too. Make sure to peel and deseed them or pressure cook or ferment them. All these techniques reduce the amount of lectins.
In-Season Fruit – Again, it’s nature’s candy, so you’ll want to limit the quantity you eat, but when it’s in season, fruit is okay to add to your diet.
Cut Out the Following Foods Entirely
Corn and corn-fed ‘free-range’ meats – It doesn’t take much to see why corn is among the worst lectin-filled grains. Just look at the American farm industry. Farmers use corn for the sole purpose of fattening up cattle. And, guess what? Corn has the same effect on us. Not only that, it causes fatty deposits in the muscle. So, avoid ‘free-range’ meats. ‘Free-range’ means the cattle are eating corn and, therefore, so are you. Instead, opt for only pasture-raised meats.
Casein A1 Milk – It may sound like science fiction, but a couple thousand years ago cows in Northern Europe suffered a genetic mutation. The result was a lectin-like protein in their milk called casein A1. Turns out, casein A1 is converted to a protein called beta-casomorphin. And this protein can prompt an immune attack on the pancreas of people who consume milk from these cows, or cheeses made from it.
Most store-bought milk in your grocery store, even if it’s organic, is A1 milk. The unmutated cows, found primarily in Southern Europe, produce a safe protein called casein A2. When people think they’re lactose intolerant, they’re generally affected by casein A1. So, eliminate casein A1 milk from your diet.
Instead, stick to A2 milk, Southern European cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and buffalo milk. Health foods stores are pretty good about carrying these. Also, consider these milks an indulgence, and consume them only in moderate quantities.
Add These Natural Foods to Your Diet
Cooked tubers – Sweet potatoes, yucca, and taro root are a great source of vitamins and minerals. That’s because their roots have strong absorption abilities and draw water and minerals from the soil for nourishment also, they’re also high in fiber that feeds your good gut bugs.
Leafy Greens – Romaine, red & green leaf lettuce, kohlrabi, mesclun, spinach, endive, butter lettuce, parsley, fennel, and seaweed/sea vegetables are all great to add to a lectin-free diet. They are high in nutrients and incredible for your health. To boot, they are very filling, especially if you drizzle olive or avocado oil on them!
Cruciferous & other great vegetables – Load up on broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. And include these lectin-free veggies in your diet as often as you like: asparagus, garlic, celery, mushrooms, and onion. They are full of fiber and polyphenols.
Avocado – Now, avocado is a fruit, but it’s actually okay to eat when ripe because it’s essentially sugar-free! Not to mention, it’s full of good fat and soluble fiber – key when trying to lose weight and absorb antioxidants.
Olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Olive oil is filled with essential vitamins and minerals. For instance, it contains vitamin K, vitamin E, calcium, iron, sodium, and potassium. Furthermore, olive oil contains polyphenols and fatty acids. It’s an all-around superfood. In fact, olive oil can contribute to the reduction of inflammatory activity in those suffering from autoimmune disorders. It’s an incredible source of polyphenols, especially oleuropein – a.k.a. the longevity polyphenol.
Other Ways to Reduce Lectins in Your Diet
Use a pressure cooker – If you’re cooking with beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and quinoa, the pressure cooker is your best bet for destroying plant lectins. But, using a pressure cooker doesn’t get rid of all lectins – it won’t even touch the lectins in wheat, oats, rye, barley, or spelt.
Peel and Deseed your fruits and veggies – If you’re going to use lectin-rich plant foods, make sure to peel and deseed them. Often, the most harmful part of a plant is its lectin-filled hull, peel, or rind. To reiterate, the peels and the seeds are often where lectins are hiding, so you can significantly cut down on your intake by eliminating that part of the plant.
White over brown – Finally, if in fact you must eat grains, opt for white over brown. So, instead of brown rice, eat white rice. Instead of whole wheat bread, find a healthier version of white bread. Turns out, though many believe brown rice is healthier than its white counterpart, those who eat rice as their staple grain have always stripped the hull off of brown rice before they eat it. That’s because the hull contains all the dangerous lectins.
Sprouting – Allowing seeds, grains, and beans to sprout can help reduce lectin content related to the process of germination. In general, the greater the sprouting duration, the lesser concentration of lectins.
Soaking and Cooking – Soaking raw beans and grains is suggested to minimize lectin content. As a general rule of thumb, soak beans for at least two hours, or overnight if possible. Adding baking soda and pressure-cooking can also lessen lectin concentration.
Fermenting – Fermentation is the process in which beneficial bacteria are able to reduce harmful substances in the body, and mostly known in sauerkraut, yogurt, tempeh, kombucha, and other fermented foods. The fermentation process has shown to reduce lectin content up to 95 percent.
Limit but Don’t Eliminate All Lectins
In summary, while I believe lectins have the potential to wreak havoc on health, complete avoidance is neither possible nor ideal. Conducting an online search for “lectin-rich foods” will yield lists that are so long, they basically encompass the entire vegetable kingdom. You cannot eliminate them all, and since SOME lectins have health benefits, you wouldn’t want to, either.
The key is to identify the worst culprits, cut those out, and make sure you prepare and cook certain high-lectin foods properly to make them safer to eat. Naturally, your individual situation will determine just how strict you need to be. Many people, especially those with autoimmune disorders, tend to be particularly sensitive to specific lectins found in specific foods.
So, experimentation may be needed to identify them. As a general rule, I recommend paying particular attention to lectins if you are currently eating a healthy, whole food diet yet continue to have health problems. While not a guarantee for success, eliminating or reducing lectins just might be the missing key to your healing.
Lectin Use in Medicine and Research
Purified lectins are important in a clinical setting because they are used for blood typing. Some of the glycolipids and glycoproteins on an individual’s red blood cells can be identified by lectins.
A lectin from Dolichos biflorus is used to identify cells that belong to the A1 blood group.
A lectin from Ulex europaeus is used to identify the H blood group antigen.
A lectin from Vicia graminea is used to identify the N blood group antigen.
A lectin from Iberis amara is used to identify the M blood group antigen.
A lectin from coconut milk is used to identify Theros antigen.
A lectin from Carex is used to identify R antigen.
In neuroscience, the anterograde labeling method is used to trace the path of efferent axons with PHA-L, a lectin from the kidney bean. A lectin (BanLec) from bananas inhibits HIV-1 in vitro. Achylectins, isolated from Tachypleus tridentatus, show specific agglutinating activity against human A-type erythrocytes. Anti-B agglutinins such as anti-BCJ and anti-BLD separated from Charybdis japonica and Lymantria dispar, respectively, are of value both in routine blood grouping and research.
Use in studying carbohydrate recognition by proteins
Lectins from legume plants, such as PHA or concanavalin A, have been used widely as model systems to understand the molecular basis of how proteins recognize carbohydrates, because they are relatively easy to obtain and have a wide variety of sugar specificities. The many crystal structures of legume lectins have led to a detailed insight of the atomic interactions between carbohydrates and proteins.
Use as a biochemical tool
Concanavalin A and other commercially available lectins have been used widely in affinity chromatography for purifying glycoproteins. In general, proteins may be characterized with respect to glycoforms and carbohydrate structure by means of affinity chromatography, blotting, affinity electrophoresis, and affinity immunoelectrophoreis with lectins as well as in microarrays, as in evanescent-field fluorescence-assisted lectin microarray.
Use in biochemical warfare
One example of the powerful biological attributes of lectins is the biochemical warfare agent ricin. The protein ricin is isolated from seeds of the castor oil plant and comprises two protein domains. Abrin from the jequirity pea is similar:
One domain is a lectin that binds cell surface galactosyl residues and enables the protein to enter cells
The second domain is an N-glycosidase that cleaves nucleobases from ribosomal RNA, resulting in inhibition of protein synthesis and cell death.
Yoga For Migraines is a gentle, healing yoga and pranayama practice to help support you when you have a headache or a migraine. It is also a great practice for those seeking regular self care, no headache required to do this session. Avoid life’s headaches by practicing these poses for 20 min most days. The yoga poses listed can be done anytime and are especially beneficial for reducing or preventing migraine.
Tips for Reducing Migraines
Reducing your triggers can go a long way in preventing migraine.
Identify your triggers
Eat healthfully and regularly, don’t skip meals
Get enough sleep, without oversleeping
Keep a regular sleep schedule
Stay well hydrated
Exercise regularly
Rest during and after a migraine, avoid overexertion
Reduce your stress response
Use meditation, hypnosis, or biofeedback
Ten Yoga Poses for Migraine Relief
Child’s Pose: resting belly and chest on knees with chin tucked and arms reaching forward. Use a bolster to support the head and reduce tension on the neck. Deeply relaxing and alleviates pressure on cervical vertebra.
Downward Dog Pose: on hands and feet with behind up in the air, making a 90 degree angle at the hips, hands and feet flat on floor if possible. Reduces pressure on the spine and neck, opens vertebra, and elongates spinal column.
Standing Forward Bend – Standing with even weight through the feet, or weight very slightly forward into the toes. Big toes touch, heels are slightly apart. Keep the tailbone tucked under, allow the spine to bend forward. Tuck the chin gently in towards the chest, lengthen the back of the neck. Gently work the palms towards the earth, fingertips in line with the heels. Relax and breathe.
Wide Angle Standing Forward Bend – Feet are wide. Press the toes firmly into the mat. Stretch the mat apart with your feet. Tuck the tailbone under, ground the sitting bones, lengthen the lower back. Take your hands to your ankles and bend your elbows, assist gently with your arms to draw the back of the head to touch the earth. Chin tucks in towards the chest. Gaze towards the navel. Head can rest on bolster if needed.
Head to Knee Pose – Sit with legs straight in front. Tuck the right heel into the groin, and uncurl the toes out from the left thigh. Press the sitting bones into the earth and lift the spine long into the sky, inhale the arms up above the head, then exhale bend forward to touch the toes of the left foot. Turn the navel gently out towards the left side. Chin gently tucks in towards the chest, lengthen the back of your neck. Forehead towards the shin. Both eyes and jaw relax. Then swap sides.
Seated Forward Bend – Sit with legs stretch straight out in front. Flex your toes back towards you. Big toes touch, heels are slightly apart. Press the sitting bones into the earth, lift the spine taller. Inhale the arms up into the sky, then exhale bend forward reaching the hands towards the toes or past the feet. Chin towards the chest, lengthen the back of the neck. Shoulders forward past the ears, and armpits towards the thighs. Throat relaxes, breath flowing.
Twist – Sit with both knees bent pointing towards the sky, then sweep the right leg through the left. Then turn the navel out towards the left side, then turn the chest, then turn the head and neck, and then the eyes. Then if you like you can assist with the right elbow against the outside of the left leg, and the left hand on the floor behind your back. Lift your left ears towards the sky slightly and tuck your chin in.
Upward Facing Dog Pose – With the hands back by the hips, fingers spread, index finger pointing forward, extend and lift through the spine. Then press the shoulders downward while straightening the arms and pushing the palms into the earth. Push the groin towards the hands, and pull with the hands towards the hips. Push the tops of the feet into the earth and strengthen through the buttocks and thighs. Without moving the hands roll the biceps and shoulders outward. Keep the front of the abdomen firm, but the sides relaxed. Finally tilt the chin up, throat forward, eyes back.
Bridge Pose – Lay on your back. Bend you knees and place your feet to the floor. Draw your heels close to your buttocks, your feet are hip width apart or narrower. Toes turn in slightly. Stretch your fingers towards your heels, and shoulders away from your ears. Press the feet firmly into the earth and slowly lift the pelvis into the sky. Tuck the tailbone under. Tuck the chin gently in towards the chest, lengthen the back of the neck. Look gently towards the tip of the nose or close your eyes. Care is required for the lower back, aim to stretch both the abdominal area and the lower back, lengthening the spine away from your head. If you like you can interlace the fingers behind your back and squeeze your palms together, straighten your elbows and wiggle your shoulders and shoulder blades towards each other, opening the front of your heart, create space through the chest. Don’t allow the knees and thighs to drift apart, keep them one fist width distance.
Although the human sense of smell is feeble compared to that of many animals, it is still very acute. We can recognize thousands of different smells, and we are able to detect odors even in infinitesimal quantities. The human nose is in fact the main organ of taste as well as smell. The so-called taste-buds on our tongues can only distinguish five qualities – sweet, sour, bitter, umami, and salt; all other ‘tastes’ are detected by the olfactory receptors high up in our nasal passages.
The Power of Our Perception
The reason we all feel it’s important to smell good is because it is. As humans, we believe you are what you smell like. If you smell good, it’s a reflection of your inner soul and overall self. If you smell bad or unpleasant, it sheds a negative light on you as a person.
Understanding how the sense of smell works has been heavily studied in recent years. Smell is an important sense as it can alert us to danger like gas leak, fire or rotten food but also is closely linked to parts of the brain that process emotion and memory. Unpleasant and bad smells can send pain signals to the brain to warn us of possible danger.
Certain scents can change the perception of your physical image, too! Want to shave a couple pounds off in minutes? Studies have shown that women who smell of floral and/or spicy scents are perceived to be 12 pounds lighter. It comes as no surprise that fragrance can be also be a vital tool in attracting the opposite sex. Scents like lavender and licorice have been proven to be especially alluring to men.
Research has determined that human attraction is a result of chemical messengers called pheromones. These chemicals trigger everything from physical and sexual attraction to deep emotions of love and empathy and can be detected subconsciously through a variety of avenues including, that’s right, the nose!
How Does the Sense of Smell Work?
The sense of smell, called olfaction—like the sense of taste—is part of the chemosensory system, or the chemical senses. The ability to smell comes from specialized sensory cells, called olfactory sensory neurons, which are found in a small patch of tissue high inside the nose. These cells connect directly to the brain. Each olfactory neuron has one odor receptor. Microscopic molecules released by substances around us—whether it’s coffee brewing or pine trees in a forest—stimulate these receptors. Once the neurons detect the molecules, they send messages to your brain, which identifies the smell. There are more smells in the environment than there are receptors, and any given molecule may stimulate a combination of receptors, creating a unique representation in the brain. These representations are registered by the brain as a particular smell.
Smells reach the olfactory sensory neurons through two pathways. The first pathway is through the nostrils. The second pathway is through a channel that connects the roof of the throat to the nose. Chewing food releases aromas that access the olfactory sensory neurons through the second channel. If the channel is blocked, such as when the nose is stuffed up by a cold or flu, odors can’t reach the sensory cells that are stimulated by smells. As a result, loss of much of the ability to enjoy a food’s flavor. In this way, the senses of smell and taste work closely together.
Without the olfactory sensory neurons, familiar flavors such as chocolate or oranges would be hard to distinguish. Without smell, foods tend to taste bland and have little or no flavor. Some people who go to the doctor because they think they’ve lost their sense of taste are surprised to learn that they’ve lost their sense of smell instead.
The sense of smell is also influenced by something called the common chemical sense. This sense involves thousands of nerve endings, especially on the moist surfaces of the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat. These nerve endings help to sense irritating substances—such as the tear-inducing power of an onion—or the refreshing coolness of menthol.
Variations in Smelling Ability
Our smelling ability increases to reach a plateau at about the age of eight, and declines in old age. Some researchers claim that our smell-sensitivity begins to deteriorate long before old age, perhaps even from the early 20s. But other scientists report that smelling ability depends on the person’s state of mental and physical health, with some very healthy 80-year-olds having the same olfactory prowess as young adults. Women consistently out-perform men on all tests of smelling ability. Although smoking does not always affect scores on smell-tests, it is widely believed to reduce sensitivity.
Schizophrenics, depressives, migraine sufferers and very-low-weight anorexics often experience olfactory deficits or dysfunctions. One group of researchers claims that certain psychiatric disorders are so closely linked to specific olfactory deficits that smell-tests should be part of diagnostic procedures. Zinc supplements have been shown to be successful in treating some smell and taste disorders.
Importance of Smell Today
We often take our sense of smell in our day-to-day lives for granted, and think we really rely on our eyes and ears. Smell has been an integral part of evolution and survival of the fittest for our species in the past. Although humans rely less now on smell for survival a huge importance is still placed on smell today for taste enjoyment and attracting a partner through use of perfumes.
Perfume houses around the world market their products as the latest and greatest new smell, which you can use to attract a mate. Entire industries exist as the humans have placed such a huge importance on smell. The fragrance industry is now bigger than ever and doesn’t just include retail sales of fragrances like perfumes.
Fragrances are added to many products as it makes us feel good. Smell is the only sense that affects the memory and emotion part of the brain. If we feel good when we buy a product then we are likely to continue buying it. This is why many companies add fragrance to their products such as soap, deodorant, and fabric softeners. Even those in the food industry use fragrance chemicals known as flavors or aroma chemicals to their products. Smell has become increasing important to us and as a result the industry has responded to these demands.
The Major Histocompatibility Complex
The reason we are attracted to some natural scents more than others is the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), which is tied to your immune system. This intuitive scent detection system has evolved to let us choose the best partners for a genetic advantage in reproduction, since we tend to be most attracted to partners with an MHC composition much different than our own. When someone has an MHC with a composition unlike yours, they have stronger immunity toward different diseases and medical conditions than you do, so they naturally smell better to you. Interestingly, the body odor of other people also affects attractiveness on another level. A recent study revealed that political ideology can weigh into scent perception. Participants in the study were not able to identify the political beliefs of others by smell, but they did find that those with beliefs similar to their own simply smelled more attractive.
Scent and Sentiment
Curiously, remembering a smell is usually difficult—yet when exposed to certain scents, many people—of whom Proust is the paragon—may suddenly recall a distant childhood memory in emotionally rich detail. Some aromas even affect us physiologically. Laboratory researchers exploring human olfaction have found that:
A faint trace of lemon significantly increases people’s perception of their own health.
Lavender incense contributes to a pleasant mood—but it lowers volunteers’ mathematical abilities.
A whiff of lavender and eucalyptus increases people’s respiratory rate and alertness.
The scent of phenethyl alcohol (a constituent of rose oil) reduces blood pressure.
Mood is demonstrably affected by scent. But scientists have found that, despite some extravagant industry promises, the attraction value in perfumes resides strictly in their pleasantness, not their sexiness. So far, at least, store-bought scent is more decoration than mood manager or love potion. A subtle “look this way” nudge to the nose, inspiring a stranger’s curiosity, or at most a smile, is all perfume advertisers can in good conscience claim for their products—not overwhelming and immediate infatuation.
The Great Pheromone Hunt
For an animal whose nose supposedly plays no role in sexual attraction or social life, human emotions are strongly moved by smells. And we appear to be profoundly overequipped with smell-producing hardware for what little sniffing we have been thought to be up to. Human sweat, urine, breath, saliva, breast milk, skin oils, and sexual secretions all contain scent-communicating chemical compounds. Zoologist Michael Stoddart, author of The Scented Ape (Cambridge University Press, 1991), points out that humans possess denser skin concentrations of scent glands than almost any other mammal. This makes little sense until one abandons the myth that humans pay little attention to the fragrant or the rancid in their day-to-day lives.
Humans possess three major types of skin glands—sebaceous glands, eccrine (or sweat) glands, and apocrine glands. Sebaceous glands are most common on the face and forehead but occur around all of the body’s openings, including eyelids, ears, nostrils, lips, and nipples. This placement is particularly handy, as the secretions of these glands kill potentially dangerous microorganisms. They also contain fats that keep skin supple and waterproof and, on the downside, cause acne. Little is known about how sebaceous glands contribute to human body odor.
Sexy Genes
It was found that how women rate a man’s body odor pleasantness and sexiness depends upon how much of their MHC profile is shared. Overall, women prefer those scents exuded by men whose MHC profiles varied the most from their own. Hence, any given man’s odor could be pleasingly alluring to one woman, yet an offensive turnoff to another.
Raters said that the smells they preferred reminded them of current or ex-lovers about twice as often as did the smells of men who have MHC profiles similar to their own, suggesting that smell had played a role in past decisions about who to date. MHC-similar men’s smells were more often described as being like a brother’s or father’s body odor… as would be expected if the components of smell being rated are MHC determined.
Fooling Mother Nature
Perfume; daily, soapy showers; convenient contraceptive pills—all have their charms. But they also may be short-circuiting our own built-in means of mate choice, adaptations shaped to our unique needs by millions of years of ancestral adversities. The existence of couples who long for children they cannot have indicates that the Western dismissal of body scent is not benign.
Why Do Some People Smell So Much Worse Than Others?
Our sweat doesn’t really produce an odor itself. It’s the bacteria that we have on our skin. People are a petri dish walking on two legs. When bacteria have a wet or moist environment, they tend to thrive and grow. And when bacteria thrive and grow, they can produce their own odors.
There are two types of sweat glands. Eccrine glands are the most common, and can be found throughout the body, secreting sweat directly onto the skin. Apocrine glands can be found in areas like the armpits and groin, and dump their sweat into hair follicles first.
Unfortunately, while these glands create sweat that mixes with bacteria to make us smelly, we kind of need them. Because they control your body temperature. If you’re out running or jogging in the summertime, it can get hot, and your body has to cool down. By releasing sweat, you have an evaporative cooling effect, and you don’t get high internal body temperatures.
So we’ve all got bacteria. Why don’t we all smell the same?
One of the big reasons is diet, which makes a lot of sense, given the whole “you smell like what you eat” cliche. Wait, is that how it goes? Let’s say you eat garlic, onions, and spicy foods that have odors. As your body digests these foods, compounds are produced and released through the pores of the skin, and suddenly you smell like a refrigerator crisper that hasn’t been cleaned in months.
Other explanations for why human beings smell different from each other include hygiene and health. Consider one’s lifestyle. People who are dirtier than others are going to have more bacteria on their bodies — especially if they don’t shower often. Money and income can be issues if cleaning resources and products are scarce, most dramatically in extreme situations like homelessness.
People who are overweight may have folds in their skin, which are breeding grounds for bacteria. This is common with diabetics — whose problems with smell can go beyond having a few extra pounds. If a person has higher-than-normal blood sugar, there’s a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, and those patients tend to have more of a fruity smell to them.
Mantra: Sanskrit word meaning “man”= to think/mind, “tra” = tool/instrument; literally means instrument of thought.
The dictionary defines a mantra as a Hindu or Buddhist practice of repeating a word or sound to aid in improving concentration during meditation. Cambridge Dictionary provides two different definitions. The first refers to Hinduism and Buddhism: a word or sound that is believed to have a special spiritual power. The second definition is more general: a word or phrase that is often repeated and expresses a particularly strong belief. For instance, a football team can choose individual words as their own “mantra”. Wikipedia defines a mantra as a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word, phoneme, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have psychological and spiritual powers. Mantra meditations have been proven to help induce an altered state of consciousness.
The first and simplest mantra is Aum or Om, the sound of life, the divine, or the universe, and is considered the first sound. The earliest mantras were recorded over 3000 years ago (1000 – 500 BC) and were composed in Vedic Sanskrit by Hindus in India. Since then mantras have become a practice of various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Janism, and Sikhism. Over time these practices were adopted by Japanese Shingon, Zoroastrianism, and Taoism. Even later, in Christianity, hymns, chants, and prayers were developed using the same purpose.
The use structure, function, importance, and type of mantra depends completely on the school and philosophy putting them to use. They are considered a sacred formula and a deeply personal ritual. Their formula is typically melodic, mathematically structured, and believed to be resonant with numinous qualities. This means they can be like a song with melody, rhythm, and rhyme. They really were the first human development of written song.
The Transcendental Meditation technique or TM is a form of silent mantra meditation, developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. TM is the most widely practiced and researched meditation techniques. The TM technique consists of silently repeating a mantra with “gentle effortlessness” while sitting comfortably with eyes closed and without assuming any special yoga position. The meditation practice involves the use of a mantra, silently repeated, and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with one’s eyes closed.
Beginning in 1965, the Transcendental Meditation technique has been incorporated into schools, universities, corporations, and prison programs in the USA, Latin America, Europe, and India. In 1977, a U.S. district court ruled that a curriculum in TM and the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI) being taught in some New Jersey schools was religious in nature and in violation of the First Amendment. However, the technique has since been included in a number of educational and social programs around the world.
Benefits of Chanting
Chanting is the practice of rhythmically repeating a sound, word, phrase, mantra or prayer for a certain amount of time or number of repetitions. Chanting provides for continued focus in meditation and can provide deep healing to the mind. Five key elements of chanting that make it such a powerful and universally appealing practice:
Association (or triggering), in which one’s experiential memories, built up over time, invest a piece of music with ever-deeper levels of meaning.
Entrainment, in which the body-mind is induced to align (or vibrate) with a melody or rhythm to which it is exposed.
Breath, the salutary effect on the chanter’s respiration as it slows from the normal 12 to 15 breaths per minute to between five and eight breaths per minute
Sonic effects, namely the pleasurable sensations and healing effects of extended vowel sounds typical of sacred chants.
Intent, which reflects our desire to be close to the divine.
Leslie Howard opens and closes all her classes at Piedmont Yoga with chants, both because of her own affinity for singing and because the clientele enjoys it. “Students say they love that we’re exposing them to other aspects of yoga besides the physical,” she says. “Sound, to me, is the most primitive form of life. It touches the deepest part of you.”
Historic Mantras
Shreem: evokes the presence of the goddess Lakshmi, an aspect of the Divine Feminine who represents the power of auspiciousness, harmony and abundance. She is said to bring both material and spiritual wealth and prosperity.
Aim: If you desire to expand your knowledge and tap into your inner muse, you’ll want to meditate on the mantra associated with the goddess Saraswati. She’s the goddess of creativity and represents the pursuit of art, philosophy, music and higher learning.
Om Mani Padme Hum: a reference to both compassion and wisdom, which are both necessary for attaining enlightenment. If you want to become a more calm, wise and compassionate human begin, meditate with this mantra, and get in touch with your inner Buddha nature. The star of Buddhist mantras is perfect for cultivating more compassion – for yourself and for others.
Om, or Aum: the vibration of the Universe. It’s been called the sound vibration for God and all of creation.
Saat Nam: Truth is my name. *Sat is extended eight times longer than Nam. If you really want the mantra to radiate from the base of your spine to the center of your head, make the Sat 35 times longer than the Nam.
Neti-Neti: Not this, not this. The phrase is a way to rebut something—be it harsh words or a situation in your life you would like to change.
Om Namah Shivaya: I bow to Shiva, the supreme deity of transformation who represents the truest, highest self.
Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung: Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity, All that is in infinity, I am Thee.
Essential Oils Provide Nutrients to the Scalp and Hair Follicles
Diluting these essential oils in an oil base (carrier) like coconut or sunflower makes them safe to apply directly to the scalp. A 5 to 10% dilution is recommended.
Cedarwood: Cedarwood is used to help stimulate the hair follicles by increasing circulation to the scalp. It can promote hair growth and slow hair loss; it can also treat thinning hair and various types of alopecia. Cedarwood can be applied topically to the scalp and hair. It mixes well with gentle oils like lavender and carrier oils like coconut oil. You can also add 2–3 drops of cedarwood oil to your homemade conditioner.
Chamomile: it adds shine and softness to your hair while soothing your scalp. Did you know that chamomile essential oil can be used to lighten your hair naturally? Combine 5 drops of chamomile essential oil with a tablespoon of sea salt and one-third cup of baking soda. Use warm water to create a paste and apply the mixture to your hair. Massage it into your scalp and at the base of your hair, then allow it to sit for about half an hour before rinsing it out. If you want a bolder affect, keep the paste on as you sit in the sun.
Clary Sage: works as a natural remedy for rashes, and it works as an antibacterial agent. But maybe most importantly, clary sage can be used to help you relieve stress and balance hormones. Three types of hair loss can be associated with high stress levels: telogen effluvium, trichotillomania (hair pulling) and alopecia areata. Because clary sage can be used to help relieve stress and reduce cortisol levels in the body, it works as a natural remedy for stress-induced hair loss. Clary sage works well with jojoba oil; the two can help to regulate oil production on the skin, helping you to avoid scaly or flaky patches that lead to dandruff. To ease stress, which is associated with hair loss, you can diffuse clary sage oil at home or apply a few drops to your wrists, temples and bottoms of your feet.
Lavender: has antimicrobial properties, and it can be used to combat bacterial and fungal disorders. Some other lavender oil benefits are its ability to soothe the scalp and heal dry skin and hair. Plus, because emotional stress is a factor that can contribute to thinning hair, lavender oil can be used to create a tranquil and stress-free environment.
Lemongrass: has healing properties, and it works as an effective cleanser and deodorizer. It can strengthen your hair follicles and soothe an itchy and irritated scalp. Some bonus benefits of lemongrass oil include its ability to work as a natural bug repellant, relieve stress (which is associated with hair loss) and treat headaches. You can add 10 drops of lemongrass oil to your bottle of shampoo or conditioner, or you can massage 2–3 drops into your scalp along with your conditioner daily. Lemongrass oil can also be diffused at home to reduce stress and detoxify the space.
Peppermint: helps to stimulate the scalp, and it can treat dandruff and even lice due to its powerful antiseptic properties. Research shows that peppermint oil promotes hair growth, too. In a 2014 animal study, topical application of peppermint oil for four weeks showed prominent hair growth effects, increasing dermal thickness, follicle number and follicle depth. Add 2–3 drops of peppermint to your shampoo or conditioner for a quick wake-me-up during your morning shower.
Rosemary: used to increase cellular metabolism, which stimulates hair growth and promotes healing. Research even shows that rosemary oil appears to work as well as minoxidil, a conventional topical hair loss treatment. When it comes to boosting your hair health, the benefits of rosemary oil also include preventing baldness, slowing the graying process and treating dandruff and dry scalp. To use rosemary oil for your hair, take 3–5 drops and mix it with equal parts olive oil, and then massage the mixture into your scalp for about two minutes. Leave it in your hair for 3 to 4 hours, and then wash your hair as usual.
Tea Tree: has powerful cleansing, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. When used topically, it can help unplug hair follicles and increase hair growth. You can mix 10 drops of tea tree oil into your shampoo or conditioner and use it daily, or mix 3 drops with 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil and leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing it out.
Thyme: help promote hair growth by both stimulating the scalp and actively preventing hair loss. Like cedarwood oil, thyme oil was also found to be helpful in treating alopecia areata. Thyme is particularly strong, even among essential oils. Put only 2 small drops in 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil before applying it to your scalp. Leave it on for about 10 minutes and wash it out.
Ylang Ylang: While those with oily hair and skin would want to skip this one, ylang-ylang oil is ideal for those with dry scalps, as it can stimulate sebum production. As lack of enough oil and sebum causes hair to become dry and brittle, ylang-ylang can improve hair texture and reduce hair breakage. Mix 5 drops of ylang-ylang oil with 2 tablespoons of warm oil. Massage it into your scalp and wrap your head with a warm towel. Leave it in for 30 minutes before washing it out.
DIY recipes that will also help to boost the health of your hair:
Thicken your hair: To help thicken your hair naturally, use this natural hair thickener that’s made with a combination of rosemary, cedarwood and sage essential oils. These oils will stimulate your hair follicles by increasing circulation to the scalp and helping to balance your hormones.
Isn’t it amazing that in this age of scientific and technological advancement people would still believe that the term holistic has to do with witchcraft? I am amazed by the lack of knowledge on holistic health and wellness. There is more to us than an ailing body and confused mind and we must understand the connection in order to be healthy. In this article, I will clarify what holistic health and wellness is and why Holistic Medicine should be the norm.
Holistic Medicine – the practice of treating illness and disease according to every aspect of an individual – mind, body, and soul. The purpose of the treatments and therapies are to restore balance to all systems and thus bring vitality to the individual.
Uses all forms of healthcare – conventional, complementary, and alternative therapies for the best possible outcome. Providing medications and surgical interventions when alternative therapies and herbal remedies have failed and, of course, in life saving situations.
Healing takes a partnership or team approach – patient and doctor(s) working together to achieve wellness goals. You know what’s going on with you because you take the time to understand your body and understand what the test results say, all while intelligently conversing with your doctor about your symptoms and actions.
Patients take responsibility for their health – patient involvement in treatments and lifestyle modifications provides for personal well-being and long-term success. No one can fix your health for you; pills and surgeries are often temporary solutions. If you want to feel good and be healthy you must do the things that are healthy.
Understands that every person has their own, innate, healing powers – practitioners work to educate individuals on their innate abilities, how to tap in to them, and how to utilize them for complete wellness.
Addresses all aspects of an individual’s life – social, spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical for the best possible lifestyle modification. Mental illness affects physical health as much as physical illness affects mental health. We are complete beings not separate systems.
All treatments are done for the purpose of fixing the cause of the disease – whether it be mental, physical, spiritual, or emotional – not just for alleviating symptoms. Holistic medicine looks to reverse disease by changing the individual’s cause of it; everyone is different. One person will smoke and die of cancer, another will smoke the same amount and will die of old age. Our practitioners must consider us this way or many treatments will fail.
Holistic physicians encourage patients to evoke the healing power of love, hope, humor and enthusiasm, and to release the toxic consequences of hostility, shame, greed, depression, and prolonged fear, anger, and grief.
Unconditional love is life’s most powerful medicine. Physicians strive to adopt an attitude of unconditional love for patients, themselves, and other practitioners.
Optimal health is much more than the absence of sickness. It is the conscious pursuit of the highest qualities of the physical, environmental, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of the human experience.
Holistic Health: a system of preventive care that takes into account the whole individual, one’s own responsibility for one’s well-being, and the total influences—social, psychological, environmental—that affect health, including nutrition, exercise, and mental relaxation.
Concept that concern for health requires perception of the individual as an integrated system instead of one or more separate parts.
A health attitude that an individual’s mental state and life experiences form the basis for his or her state of overall health.
Your overall state of wellness on all levels of your being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. It encompasses the health of your entire being and extends to everyone and everything that affects you in any way. That includes your resources, your environment, and your relationships.
World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely an absence of disease or infirmity.
Health and well-being as a continuum. What you think, how and when you eat, sleep, exercise and relate to others moves you either further on the continuum toward good health or away from it.
So, as you see, by implementing a holistic mindset in your life and in your health care you can obtain optimal health and wellness with minimal discomfort or cost. By taking steps to be in control of your health and in charge of your life you become empowered to live to the fullest. No, it’s not easy, but it’s so worth it!
