Page 18 2023 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April/May 2023 By Jeff Wyles All of us have been there. The world rests squarely on your back. In some cruel irony the days feel too long while time passes too quickly. Tension has taken hold and caused an uncomfortable tightness in your neck and shoulders. You can’t sleep. You can’t eat. You can’t do anything. Stop...and smell the roses. Literally! The dictionary definition for aromatherapy is “the use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils in massage or baths”. The National Cancer Institute’s medical definition of aromatherapy is “A type of complementary and alternative medicine that uses plant oils that give off strong pleasant aromas (smells) to promote relaxation, a sense of well-being, and healing.” The history of aromatic oil and plant use extends thousands of years before Christ and across many cultures, religions, and traditions. Egyptians incorporated plants into multiple Considering aromatherapy and your garden The Sense of Scent aspects of every day life including embalming the dead. Hippocrates burned plants for medicinal purposes. The Romans used, and grew, their knowledge of plants across a massive empire. Jesus was gifted frankincense and myrrh at his birth. Both are derived from plants. Even Simon and Garfunkel sang about “parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme”. Aromatherapy, and the use of aromatic plants, has played a major role in holistic medicine since the dawn of man. Many of the plants our ancient ancestors believed treated the mind, body, and spirit are still in use today. Based on thousands of years of belief, and a few decades of real science, you can turn your garden or home into a place of refuge. A place of healing. A place of peace. The following is a list of plants, their believed benefits, and a few tips to help grow them in central Illinois. Roses The scent of roses is thought to be relaxing and to help reduce stress. Scientists conducted a study from October 2015 through December 2016. They published their findings in an article titled “Effects of Continued --
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