Curiously Awesome

There is a new study that has just been released that suggests that the pleasure of smelling coffee might provide as powerful an antioxidant as actually consuming coffee.

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate influences of roasted coffee aroma on rat brain functions and evaluate the impact. The impact was conclusive – roasted coffee bean aroma changes the mRNA and protein levels of the rat brain.

One of the fastest growing fields in alternative medicine today is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is a holistic option that uses botanical oils that are inhaled or massaged into your skin. These oils work on the brain and nervous system by stimulating the olfactory nerves.

The sense of smell is the most complex and unique of our five senses. The effect of scents on the human brain have not been fully researched yet. This much is known, however. A pleasant aroma evokes deep emotions.

Scents are powerful tools for bringing back memories or eliciting emotional responses. These responses affect our overall health. Experts now know that when a scent is combined with a learning task, recall can be 50% improved.

Think about the implications of this for children with learning difficulties or brain trauma victims!

Cinnamon and peppermint scents have been found to improve attention, recognition, memory, visual-motor response speed, mood and energy.

There is more to be learned, obviously, about how aromas impact our physiological and emotional responses…but in the meantime…try using aromas to boost your performance and well-being!