Lemon and lavender odours were tested and the researchers found a slight physiological support for the lemon scent but lavender did not have a noticeable effect when compared to just plain water.

The scent of lemon is supposed to improve your mood while lavender is often used to help someone sleep or relax.

I was curious to learn more so I found a book on the topic and it stated there is a misconception that aromatherapy remedies are all about the ‘smell’ of something.

People often use aromatherapy ‘essential oils’ on the skin in combination with massage therapy so previous support for the relaxing effects of lavender might have been a result of a massage treatment using lavender oil.

Personally, I think it is difficult to conduct experiments to conclusively prove aromatherapy works or not, since our own personal associations with a specific smell cannot be controlled.

Pleasant or negative experiences are often recalled through certain smells. This why some people might find the smell of tangerine and lemongrass invigorating, but another would not. Especially if this person was chemically sensitive. I doubt an allergic reaction would be described as ‘invigorating’.

Unfortunately, this means the ‘healing power of smell’ will continue to be debated since what makes one person feel good can do the opposite for another.

Other popular scents used in aromatherapy are:

* Jasmine and chamomile often used to reduce anxiety or stress.

* Rosemary and orange peel for fatigue

* Lemon or peppermint to help with mental clarity or concentration:

What do these guys have in common other than the fact they are famous action stars? Well, they have little or no hair on their heads but still received sex symbols status in Hollywood.

Our obsession with how we look is why a company in California is offering DNA testing for men to determine if they have the “bald gene”.

In a Globe and Mail article it mentioned how important this test is for men in their early 20s and 30s and that there was even a person who wanted to test their infant son.

Unfortunately, I think non-life threatening DNA tests help to proliferate the misconception that genetic testing is something we can use to ‘create’ the perfect human.

People then begin to fear genetic tests or forget that some tests are only predictors because certain conditions depend on external environmental factors.

The cost for the test is almost $150 (US). And the article mentions there is drug that can be taken, which can help slow down the hair loss process but does not prevent it.

The test sounds like a scam and the article addressed this because it revealed that the supporting research was funded by the American Hair Loss Association, which is a not-for-profit advocacy group.

Only at the very end of the article was there information about how researchers are using stem cells to help with wound healing and hair loss.

So I think the original idea for the article was probably about the stem cell research but it is difficult to make it sound interesting when the study is only in the early stages and testing is being done on mice.

Well, if you’re having trouble getting pregnant, then it might be something you’d consider.

I saw an article on CCN online about a study from the British Medical Journal that found a link between acupuncture and increases in the chances of conception.

The researchers observed a slight increase in the conception rates of women who used acupuncture in combination with In-vitro fertilization treatments.

I was curious as to how this would actually work, so I contacted an acupuncturist who has been practicing for 24 years.

She told me that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often takes a holistic approach to illnesses. This means it does not just focus on the reproductive system when dealing with infertility.

She talked about a client who could not bear children. It was discovered the woman had intestinal problems, which made it difficult for her to absorb nutrients easily. Acupuncture was used to fix her intestinal condition and she was then able to have two children naturally.

The basis of TCM is all about balance. Acupuncture works at bringing the body back into alignment through the release of pressure points. The needle placements are very specific.

However, TCM used in combination with other medical treatments is difficult to assess. And the researchers admitted that other studies did not agree with their findings.

But there were no negative side effects to using acupuncture during fertility treatments. They also said couples may still want to use acupuncture because of the expensive costs per fertility treatment. Any method that could increase their chances to conceive could save them additional money.

I am still unsure about the link but it’s interesting to know there are options that could help potential parents which are less expensive.

So what’s the secret? Think happy thoughts and you will be happy. Sounds simple but it’s not always easy to do.

In news stories we often focus on the negative or conflicts because that is what garners public attention. Drama sells. If there is a happy story it is often ignored or forgotten when compared to a prior story about a shooting or death.

Today in The Chronicle Herald there was an article about a Cape Breton University professor who will offer a new class next year that is related to sustainable happiness.

I think it’s a good idea and in my previous post, I said it would be good to have mandatory classes to help graduates feel less like imposters. This new course sounds like it could do the trick.

Yet I realize not everyone would agree with the idea because we often want something tangible to take in order to feel better. Many people exercise to get an endorphin rush or reach for comfort foods or drinks to numb negative feelings, but instead of physical activities, wouldn’t it be just as easy to change your emotional reaction?

Other blogs:
Project happiness

Key to happiness

No, I’m not talking about a condition that secret agents get after they retire but an actual phenomenon that has been studied by social psychologists since the 1970’s.

An article in the New York Times online website caught my eye, it was called “Feeling like a Fraud? At Times, Maybe You Should”.

It mentioned how graduate students and other professionals often have fears they are faking their competency and only received high marks or success from being lucky.

Their fear of failure is so strong they often think they do not belong in their program or profession.
Women are especially prone to this condition but there are men who feel this way too.

I feel this explains why some of us in graduate school often have moments of doubt. It’s very difficult to convince a person they have the skills to succeed when they think they are faking their success.

So I think in order to help resolve these feelings we should include some professional or self-development classes as part of the graduate programs. Not just optional classes or workshops that graduates must take outside of regular class times.

If it works well, we may see less graduates having a hard time at the start of their programs.

Related blog:

Imposter syndrome blog

I was thinking about all the diet programs out there and came across an article about using Ayurveda for weight loss.

Ayurveda originated from India. It uses an intricate system of food and lifestyle to deal with health concerns.

In terms of weight loss and cravings, if we do not satisfy all of our six tastes throughout the day then our bodies will keep sending us messages that we are still hungry.

The six tastes are – sweet, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent.

I think this sounds fairly reasonable yet I know people who have “sweet” or “salty” cravings, so they could use this reasoning as an excuse to indulge in unhealthy snacks.

Yet, the Ayurveda methodology takes this into account and mentions certain foods “should be eaten more sparingly.”

It also promotes a vegetarian lifestyle and mentions how our emotions can play a role in what we like to eat and how much we eat.

This is especially true when you are under stress and have a short deadline to meet, which makes us reach for those ‘comfort foods’ or favourite beverages.

So instead of reaching for that bag of chips, maybe next time a handful of carrots will do the trick… or maybe not but it’s worth trying.

Check out these other blogs on Ayurveda:
Mom’s blog
Ayurveda and Yoga blog

In a letter to her close friends and family she mentions that she believed her coach was giving her a natural supplement called “flaxseed oil” when in reality she was taking steroids.

This made me think about the use of natural supplements and the upcoming 2010 Olympics.I realize comparing herbal supplements with steroid use is like comparing apples with oranges.

But I wonder if an athlete took a supplement with sugar or caffeine, could that be considered ‘drug use’?

And if it’s not, then would this change if the supplement was found to provide them with an energy boost, which enhanced their performance?

I decided to look up the definition of the word ‘drug’ to see if this was possible to call supplements drugs.

This is what I found in the online Oxford dictionary:

A drug is “a medicine or other substance, which has a marked effect when taken into the body [or] a substance with narcotic or stimulant effects”

So it appears that certain herbal supplements could be considered drugs because they provide ‘stimulant effects’ on the body.

Even substances like sugar or caffeine could be categorized as drugs because both produce a ‘natural high.’

Yet, I doubt we will hear about an Olympic athletes being stripped of their gold metal for eating lots of chocolate or taking Echinacea for their colds.

That’s why an article in the New York Times caught my attention. It was about a group of yoga teachers who were providing classes to people in homeless shelters, prisons and juvenile detention centres.The teachers were from the Western part of the United States and they wanted to promote the benefits of yoga to those who normally would not sign-up for classes or could not afford expensive memberships.

Often people take yoga classes to reduce stress, so maybe yoga could help reduce prison riots? In the article there was a teacher “who fondly recalls the sociopath who never missed a class.”

Also, there are studies to support that yoga reduces stress and can help people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Current studies are looking at the effects of yoga on addictions, but results are not conclusive.

With the many styles of yoga, there is bound to be one you will enjoy and it just might be what you need after a stressful day at work or school.

Blogs about Yoga:

The accidental yogist

Everthing yoga

This was repeated again in the second paragraph:

“Researchers found that 73 per cent of patients whose stomachs were shrunk with the simple surgical procedure were cured of Type 2 diabetes.”The study was about a comparison between patients who received bariatric surgery to those who altered their lifestyle habits to loose weight. The findings displayed a higher rate of remission in diabetics who got the surgery because they lost more weight.

What bothers me about this article is the use of the word “cure”. It implies the patients will never get the disease again. I think it is misleading and I prefer the word “remission” which was used in the headline and the remainder of the article.

I firmly believe lifestyle choices play an important role in health. You may be predisposed for weight gain because of a slow metabolism, which is genetically based. Yet, the ability for a patient to drastically loose weight using this surgery is worrisome because it fails to address how the person got Type 2 diabetes.

An obese person who is diagnosed with diabetes may find it hard to change their caloric intake and exercise levels. Fortunately, the article mentions that researchers want to conduct a long-term study to follow the patients and see if they stay in remission.

I believe they will find that many patients will be re-diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes if they do not make lifestyle changes and we will hear about another “cure” for diabetes in the soon future.

Yes, it’s cold and flu season again.

And despite getting the flu shot some people still get sick and reach for over-the-counter cold medications. Yet, if you’re an infant you must rely upon old-fashioned remedies.

Yesterday, there was a news article reminding parents about the recall of infant cold medications.

Last October, the U.S Food and Drug Administration issued the recall and more media coverage was generated because there were worries some parents were unaware.

This story made me wonder whether adults should be taking cold medications.

I have always been interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine and other natural remedies, so I asked an international group of students about home remedies they have tried.

Here is a brief list of my findings:

The countries indicate where the person is from and not necessarily the origin of the treatment. Also, I do not endorse these treatments, so please use discretion if you try one.

For sore throats
• Crocodile meat in tea (China) It has a bitter taste and it may actually cause sore throats because people are selling “fake crocodile” meat.

• Three leaf tea (Zimbabwe). Boil fresh leaves from the gum tree, guava tree and lemon tree.

• Honey, lemon, peppermint leaves, ginger or apple cider vinegar are used in teas, either taken in combination or alone.

For flu symptoms
• Linden tea (Venezuela and Turkey). Flowers, leaves and wood of the Linden tree are used.

• Agua panela tea (Columbia). Drink it while wrapped in a warm blanket to encourage sweating.

• Concentrated oregano. Smells delicious! Unless your nose is too stuffed up to enjoy the aroma.