When my children were growing up, I tried to create a welcoming, comfortable, nurturing home where all their senses could be stimulated. One of my favorite things to do was to simmer different spices on the stove. My favorite concoction was putting cinnamon sticks along with cloves in a saucepan of water.
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One Halloween, I had my cinnamon “brew” simmering on the stove and a group of Trick or Treaters came to the door. As the aroma of warm cinnamon escaped our house, scents flooded the visitors and one little boy exclaimed, “Your home smells so good!”
I tried to always have some sort of natural blend in our home whether it was a simmering pot of herbs on the stove or freshly baked bread, muffins or homemade cookies in the oven.
Later I began to learn about essential oils. I discovered that the natural properties in them are said to “improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.” I began to diffuse Lavender in the evening for relaxing and “winding down” and lemon in the morning for freshness and “uplifting” the home.
It is important to note: do not use synthetic scents; they contain harmful chemicals that can cause things from headaches to depression. According to the analysis of more than
a dozen household air fresheners conducted by the NRDC or Natural Resources Defense Council, almost all of the air fresheners were composed of phthalates, along with other substances. These hormone-altering chemicals are quite dangerous, and for this reason, these processed air fresheners should not be used.
Creating mixtures to dispense in the air became a part of my daily routine of helping to create a memorable, loving environment. Experiment with your own combination of herbs and spices or you can purchase an aromatherapy kit that is all natural and phthalate free.
