Sweet Smell of Success

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  It's the same every time: when I'm choosing soap or shower gel, I choose grapefruit or lemon. Or sometimes, coconut.

Roses? Melon? Not so much. 

I've worn the same fragrance for years--I still love it every time.

My favorite candles? Vanilla.  And cinnamon.

What's your favorite scent? Why do you choose it? And maybe.. there's more to it...

The Healing Power of Aromatherapy

By Chrystle Fiedler

I’ve been learning, researching and writing about natural remedies for the past decade or so. The more I learn, the more I want to know. Recently when I was researching my newest mystery, I delved into the practice of aromatherapy, which is the practice of using essential oils to improve health and well-being. Aromatherapy can ease stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, aches and pains, and more.

It’s fascinating to discover how aromatherapy works. You see, plants produce essential oils for a variety of reasons to attract pollinators, to protect against bacterial and/or fungal invasion, to deter pests, and to inhibit other plants from growing near them. Through a process of distillation these essential oils are removed from plants.

Essential oils can be extracted from the leaves (eucalyptus), grass (lemongrass), seeds (fennel), fruit/zest (mandarin), flowers (rose), wood/trunk of tree (cedarwood), roots (ginger), resins (frankincense), and herbs (rosemary). Three of my favorite scents are lavender, jasmine and roses, so I thought I’d share a few simple tips on how to use them today.



Lavender

Not only does Lavender (the Latin verb lavare means “to wash”) smell terrific, it’s calming and soothing and good for cuts and burns, insomnia, diaper rash, tension headache, PMS and cramps (use with clary sage and Roman chamomile). The phytochemicals (plant-based chemicals linalool and linalyl acetate) in lavender are absorbed in the skin and in the membranes inside your nose, slowing nerve impulses, and reducing stress. An easy way to start using lavender is to put five to ten drops of essential oil in your bath. Add the oil after you have filled the tub so you can enjoy the full benefits of this wonderful aroma.



Jasmine


The aroma of jasmine (Jasminum officinale v. grandiflorum) is intoxicatingly sweet, exotic, and floral. It’s also incredibly therapeutic for a variety of conditions. Jasmine essential oil eases mild depression, anxiety, and tension. It also balances energy and helps you feel more optimistic. It calms coughs and laryngitis, soothes sore muscles, stiffness, and sprains. You can apply it topically, use it on a warm or cool compress, put it in the bath, inhale it from your palm, or put it in an electronic diffuser to disperse small aromatic particles into the air.



Roses






I love the rich, sweet floral bouquet of roses and the approximately 275 compounds have a myriad of therapeutic uses. For example, if you apply it topically, rose oil can help banish eczema, wrinkles, and acne. If you feel blue, rose essential oil will naturally lift your mood. If you have painful periods, it helps to balance hormones (just put the oil on a warm compress and apply to your lower abdomen). Rose oil also eases nervousness, anxiety, anger, sadness, and grief and can be helpful if you have respiratory problems such as allergies and hay fever. You also use rose oil to help you sleep better and feel happier. For all these conditions, simply put some on your palm and inhale it or put rose essential oil into a diffuser. Your bedroom will smell like an English garden.

To make an aromatic spritzer with any of these scents, just add 10 to 25 drops of essential oil per 4 ounces of water in a squirt bottle. Be sure to shake it each time before you use it.

The effectiveness of aromatherapy depends on the quality and wholeness of the essential oils you use, so it's important to use the very best essential oils possible. You'll want to avoid any synthetics, reconstructions, perfumes, and other adulterated versions. One of my favorite places for essential oils is Floracopia www.floracopia.com.

Start with one essential oil that appeals to you and see how you feel after using it. The wonderful thing about natural remedies like the practice of aromatherapy is that they are usually very safe and easy to use (don’t take internally though, and keep away from children) and the varieties are endless. Enjoy!


HANK: What's your favorite scent?  Is there any one you just can't bear? Tell us...for a chance to win a copy of Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery!


Here’s the scoop on Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery


Willow McQuade, naturopathic doctor, along with her hunky ex-cop boyfriend Jackson Spade, attend a party for a psychic TV show that is filming on Long Island’s idyllic East End. However, Willow is much more interested in visiting the estate’s lavender farm, seeking inspiration for the new aromatherapy workshops she'll be holding at her store, Nature’s Way Market & Café.



Before the party is over, Roger Bixby one of the producers is dead and the police suspect murder. Roger was working on the show, MJ’s Mind, with Carly Bixby, his ex-wife and the new girlfriend of Willow's ex from L.A., TV writer/producer Simon Lewis.



After Willow leaves the party, she gets a frantic text from Simon asking for her help. Since Simon had a fight with Roger earlier in the evening, and because of his death is now the primary shareholder in Galaxy films, Willow's ex becomes the prime suspect. Simon begs her to crack the case and clear him of the murder. MJ McClellan, the psychic and star of the show also asks Willow for help. She hires Willow to provide natural remedies, including aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture and yoga to soothe the agitated crew of her show.



To find the killer, Willow has to deal with ghosts in a haunted mansion, a truly dysfunctional family, death threats and “accidents,” while trying to untangle a homicide identical to one committed during prohibition. Thankfully, Jackson has been hired to provide security and is there to watch her back and help Willow solve this spooky mystery.



As a bonus, you’ll find dozens of natural aromatherapy cures throughout the book that can improve your health. I think you’ll be surprised as how much they can help you feel better in mind, body and spirit!



Chrystle Fiedler is the author of SCENT TO KILL, (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster) the second in the NATURAL REMEDIES MYSTERY series, DEATH DROPS: A Natural Remedies Mystery, the non-fiction title THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO NATURAL REMEDIES (Alpha, 2009), co-author of BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW! (Fairwinds Press, 2010), currently in its fourth printing, the BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW!COOKBOOK (Fairwinds Press, 2012) and THE COUNTRY ALMANAC OF HOME REMEDIES (Fairwinds, 2011). Chrystle’s magazine articles featuring natural remedies have appeared in many national publications including Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes & Gardens and Remedy. Visit www.chrystlefiedler.com.

O! U R A Q T Pi We Heart U!

HANK: Counting down til Valentine's Day. Remember in grade school? When we'd get those huge packages of valentines (some you could punch out and some had glitter) and there was a special one for the teacher? And there was such competition about who got the most, and it was SUCH a big deal.

(OH! I just had such a memory flash. A big shout out to Ronnie Murphy, wherever you are. I just remembered, when we were in 7th grade, you send me a homemade, lacy valentine. Made from construction paper and a doily, if I remember correctly, which I probably don't. But I honestly didn't know you "liked" me.)

As I grew up, it was all about getting roses. And who had roses on their desk in the office. And sometimes, that was me, and that was important and wonderful.

But now, I do stories about how florists double the price of roses, and fly the cheap ones in from Chile, and Valentine's Day sometimes seems--high-pressure and commerical. Am I getting unromantic in my old age? How about you? Valentine plans? Memories? I do heart you guys, no question about that. But don't expect roses. (Or maybe, do!)

JAN: I think when you are young, Valentine's Day is about proving to yourself (and maybe your classmates and coworkers) that someone loves you. As you get older, and a little more confident, you don't need so much proof. The diamond jewelry commercials on TV (Jared?) make me embarrassed for womenkind. A nice dinner somewhere. And yes, I'm still a sucker for flowers. But really, just having a good guy around after all these years is the actual gift.

ROBERTA: I loved those little valentines Hank! My dad used to send one to each of us with his name in secret code, that is "Dad" was "4-1-4". It's sad not to get those anymore!

And I do have a sweet spot for valentine's day because John proposed at dinner on that night eighteen years ago. He wrote a sweet, silly poem that I have framed over the bathtub:). but I totally agree--hate being taken advantage of with the valentine dinner specials--it's like New Year's Eve. Let's celebrate the night before or have a great dinner at home.
Hearts to all of you JRW and readers!

RHYS: Absolute envy of those like Roberta who have romantic husbands. Mine is generous, doesn't mind how much he spends on a present, but doesn't have a romantic bone in his body. Occasionally he will produce flowers and/or a card for Valentine's day, but usually with a complaint that the price of flowers has doubled. (and on this theme, my daughter got married on Mother's Day weekend and our budget for flowers went out of the window!)I guess I'd really love to have a goofy, romantic guy who writes me poems, but I have to remind myself that this one is great with money, trustworthy, hardworking so that goofy romantic type would hever have paid off the mortgage before he retired.Oh, now I remember--in college I did have a boyfriend who send me sweet little notes almost every day, in the days before email. He wasn't a keeper! Happy heart day to all. I'm taking my daughter's family to see Mary Poppins as my romantic outing!

HALLIE: Oh, Roberta - I love that the poem hangs over your bathtub. How perfect.
One memorable Valentine's day in my sophomore year of college, I got roses from two different guys. Neither of them were destined to last much longer than the flowers.
My husband does give me flowers on V Day (I prefer tulips because they ALWAYS open and look gorgeous and last last last) but what he really does great is cards. He's an artist and each card is a hilarious hand-drawn cartoon starring us. I also get hand drawn cards on my birthday, Christmas, Ground Hog Day, and I used to get one each Bastille Day.

RO: Holy cow...cards on Bastille Day? Totally jealous. I have to be reminded that it's Valentine's day. I like to go out for a nice dinner and I have a physical need for champagne but since I was one of those unfortunate little (loser) girls who was never showered with the red construction paper and doily cards in grade school :-( I never got used to them.My husband is wonderful and buys me flowers and cards. Thanks for reminding me, Hank..I should get him something this year! But presents...cheesh...that's a whole other blog isn't it?

HANK: Plenty of time, RO. How about you, JRWs? Do you heart Valentine's day? And Roberta, 10-18-23 12-15-22-5-19 25-17-21