Inhaling the Holidays

The holidays are my favorite time of year. I love everything about them – the lights, decorations, parties, and most especially, the delicious smells of Christmas. The aromas of evergreen, peppermint, cinnamon, and mulled cider all remind me of Christmas as a kid when the everything was magical and wishes came true.

It’s said that the sense of scent is the most powerful when it comes to memory. Why? Unlike the eyes, the nose doesn’t judge. It just smells. Your sense of smell can instantly transport you to another time and place, making you almost feel what you were feeling back then as the rush of emotions flood your body.

Humans can detect between 10,000 and 30,000 different odors through our sensitive nose. The nerve endings at the end of the olfactory bulb, which is situated at the back of our nose, is stimulated by our sense of smell. This in turn stimulates the part of the brain called the limbic system, which is involved in many of our emotions and motivations, including fear, anger, and emotions related to sexual behavior. Thus, our sense of smell is one of the most important senses when it comes to triggering memories.

Here’s a quick reflexology tip that can stimulate the nose’s powerful sense of smell.

The reflex area to the nose (and the sinuses as well) is located on both feet, at the tips of each of the toes and in the fleshy part behind the nail.

1. Hold one foot in one hand and, with your other hand, gently but firmly pinch the top of the big toe between your thumb and index finger. Rub the toe back and forth between your fingers for 10-15 seconds.
2. Next, move to the next toe and stimulate the tip of the toe for 10-15 seconds. Do this for every toe.
3. You can then move to another area of the foot, or repeat this technique on the other foot.