Aroma therapy works! Who woulda guessed the scent of vanilla soothes the savage beast

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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  1. Mundane Ö
  2. Pointless Ö
  3. Stuff Ö
  4. I must share: Who knows

Something unique happened at work this morning. About 200 yards from where I’m sitting (working?) - on the raceway we affectionately refer to as ‘Yonkers Avenue’ here at the office - two trucks collided. Accidents in this part of town are about as common as adultery, what made this crash different was the hauled cargo that ended up spilling all over the roadway.

Vanilla… Psst. There’s no spoiler, I just did that for effect.

Not ice cream. Not wafers. Drums of liquid vanilla. It’s been just about 8 hours since the highway department cleaned up the mess, but the entire neighborhood still smells like vanilla. All day, people have commented on it. The guy who owns Dunwoodie Pizza up the block is happy. The local florist appears to be doing alot more business. Strangers are saying, “Hi” to one another. Most recognize the aroma as vanilla, others have commented it smells like butterscotch. To tell you the truth, had I not been privy to the cause, I would’ve sworn it smelled like warm waffles smothered in maple syrup (and I don’t even have a sweet tooth).

Since the ensuing accident, my co-workers and I can’t believe how pleasant the entire day was. It was a busy day, the weather’s beautiful (hauntingly similar to the morning of 9/11 in fact) and yet everyone - I mean everyone - is in such a great mood.

Danny DiLeo came in, picked up his paving stones and didn’t even mention the words fire, brimstone or eternal damnation. His voice didn’t even exceed the 60db mark.

Manzoor was patient and understanding for the first time in his life upon learning the shade of brick he used on the PS87 project back in the nineties is no longer manufactured.

Ronnie the shoe-maker (who tries to pass himself off as a mason) treated his Mexican day laborers with respect as they shoveled 2 cubic yards of 3/4" gravel into the back of his van.

No one screamed, yelled or bitched about the damage waiver we charge on all equipment rentals. Everyone paid their sales tax without protesting. Not one contractor uttered the words, “there’s no way that’s your best fucking price.” When I went to use the bathroom I noticed the toilets were flushed. Everyone was happy. People were telling jokes. Even the employees are getting along with one another. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I was clunked over the head, kidnapped and brought to a Truth Seekers revival meeting.

My skeptical side keeps insisting something as new-age as aroma therapy has got to be about as beneficial as feng shui. The only time I’ve personally ever experienced something to the events of today was at an arboretum outside Phoenix - but that had more to do with eucalyptus and something that resembled a priapism. Nice weather or not, this place has never been as placid as it was today. Tomorrow, after the scent of vanilla completely dissipates and things get back to normal (i.e. insane) around here, I’m going to order a few 55 gallon drums of vanilla extract so we can open them up on those real hectic days. If there’s anything to this aroma therapy phenomenon, I guarantee you both Penn & Teller will be hearing about it.

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OK, here’s the deal with aromatherapy…

IT MUST BE THE REAL STUFF. Accept no substitutes.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from various plants to acheive a biochemical effect on the body, especially the central nervous system. The essential oils have particular chemical compounds that have particular effects. So, real essential oil of lavender dropped onto a light bulb or into your humidifier (or even mixed into candle wax), will have a relaxing effect on people in inhaling distance, but artificial lavender scented “aromatherapy” air fresheners or candles, or whatever, will smell nice, but that’s about it.

If you can’t get essential oil of vanilla, a decent quality of vanilla extract is sufficient quantities will do the trick, as you have already seen, of mellowing folks out, but it must be real vanilla extract. Not imitation vanilla flavoring. The real stuff.

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:d

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The question is: does this mean you do need a shower, or that you don’t?

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:cool:

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The cost of vanilla extract has risen considerably over the last few months. I can just see the next article in the Food Section of the newspaper…“Vanilla prices to skyrocket once again after massive spill in NY”…but it’s all worth it to have a really great day at work!

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My defining moment in Aromatherapy Believerhood happened a few Christmases back. I was pregnant, and in a downright horrendous mood - completely stressed out. I didn’t want to be there, I didn’t want to socialize, I was severely cranky and basically unapproachable.

Gift exchange began and I dutifully opened several gifts, forcing myself to smile and appear pleasant. Then I opened my next gift - an aromatherapy set, with oils and sachets and soaps, etc - a nice gift in and of itself, definitely good quality stuff. I forced out a thank you, smiled tightly and soldiered on.

After about 15 minutes, I noticed my mood was definitely easing - but in a big way. Out of nowhere I felt ten times calmer, much more at ease, sociable, once again fit for human consumption. The kit had been on my lap then entire time, and I definitely believe that it was responsible for the change in my mood.

Ever since, I’m a believer.

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Can we bomb the Middle East with barrels of vanilla?

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Yes, aromatherapy works well, for your mood at least.

This page is a bit long, but has some good info. Near the end is a list of some smells and their effects.

As noted in the article, smell is connected directly to the older parts of the brain, down in the dark with the basic emotions: hunger, lust, rage and terror. That’s strong stuff. No wonder it works well.

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Is it possible it’s not the chemical effects in the vanilla or lavender or what have you, but that the pleasant smell causes people to breathe deeply to inhale the lovely scent? And that it’s the deep breathing, not the actual scent, that has a calming effect?

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So what would happen if it was a truck full of madeleines?

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Thanks for the link rjk. I both read it and bookmarked it. I notice it lists vanilla as one of 3 scents that reduce anxiety (with neroli & lavender being the other 2). Based on my personal experience, I’d move eucalyptus’ funtion from productivity booster / error reducer to lust enticing.

Oh, that’s easy, astro. There’d be a sharp decrease in French bashing. (Now who was it who said rhetorical questions don’t warrant responses?)

Interesting theory ivylass. The only proof I could that refutes your deep breathing theory is Ronnie the Shoemaker. He’s had emphysemia for years and I seriouly doubt if he has the ability to inhale deeply.

Not a bad idea. If they miss their target and bomb an aspirin factory, it surely would help the medicine go down.

If that was a trading tip, why is it I can’t find vanilla extract on the COMEX?

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Not a stock tip, just a budgeting tip. I can’t quite remember WHY the price has skyrocketed…can’t find the article I clipped from the local paper…but it has.

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Hey John, now why can’t we get a big vanilla spill along Sunrise Highway or Merrick Road? :cool: