The newest and most exciting area of research involves the use of the sense of smell to help prevent disease and improve health. A leading U.S. fragrance firm, International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc., has been involved in testing over 2,000 subjects in order to determine the connection between mind, body, and sense of smell. It has found that the sense of smell can be used to control blood pressure, stress, and even relieve pain. Scientists are now calling it "aromatherapy."
In line with this, psychologist Gary Schwartz and his colleagues at Yale University have conducted a controlled study of forty-eight healthy, normal people to determine their reactions to stressful questions after smelling specific aromas. They were asked such questions as, "What kind of person makes you angry?" after sniffing an apple fragrance and a spiced floral fragrance. When contrasted with the result seen in individuals not given anything to sniff before questioning, the research proved very interesting. The "whiffers" had lower blood pressure and heart rate, as well as more relaxed muscles and slower breathing. They even reported that they felt more relaxed and less anxious and embarrassed.
Gary Schwartz observed that a peach fragrance mollified one patient with strong panic attacks, epilepsy, and narcolepsy. He believes that aromas may effectively supplement conventional treatments for various disorders such as cardiac arrhythmia, schizophrenia, migraine headache, food cravings, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. International Flavors and Fragrances sponsored the Yale research and now plans to market a perfume to ease stress. The company is already marketing a strawberry fragrance used by anesthesiologists, who calm patients by scenting surgical
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