The Fragrant Journey
Warning, Kate's attempt at being scientific approaching!
The most effective way to experience the power of essential oils it without doubt through inhalation. The process of inhalation takes place in a split second but its effect is incredibly profound.When you inhale an odour, the scent molecules travel up your nose and combine with water vapour (already in there, yuck!) this process warms the scent and enables it to cling on to tiny hairs/nerve endings. The nose contains millions of nerve endings that respond to particular aroma molecules. An impulse is then sent to the olfactory bulb (at the base of brain) and then sent directly to the hypothalmus and limbic system of the brain. Nerve messages from our sense of smell travel faster to the brain than those from any other of the senses. The limbic area of the brain is linked with our emotions which very neatly explains why scent is so connected to feelings and memories. Brain chemicals are then released and travel to the nervous system to be distributed to the rest of the body. While the odour molecules are on their journey to your brain, some will also travel through the lungs and down, down, down (via gaseous exchange, please don't make me go into that!!!) through to the circulatory system which will then distribute it around the rest of the body. Phew, I'm so glad to get the explanation out of the way!
Or To Put It Another Way
So basically the scent travels up through your schnozz, hits your brain and if its the right scent makes you feel oh so good!!!
