While February was  healthy heart month, and while many have focused on preventing and treating heart disease, I believe the focus should be on what we can do to improve our heart health, which will prevent disease throughout the year.

I just read an article about a cardiologist, a fellow alumni of my alma mater (Brown University), Dr. John Kennedy, director of Preventive Cardiology and Wellness at Marina Del Ray Hospital  surveyed over 2500 cardiologists about the link between stress and heart (cardiovascular) disease.  He asked them if they thought that heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) are linked to stress.  Each cardiologist answered yes.

He said, “It’s hard to get cardiologists to agree on anything, so this is significant.” Dr. Kennedy also asked them if they taught their patients about stress and how to handle it.  Not one said she or he does anything to help her or his patients manage stress to reduce their likelihood of experiencing a heart attack.

Based on my observations during medical school and residency, my experience with family and friends, and numerous research studies, I have believed that stress plays a big role in heart disease and many others, and that holistic healing techniques, can enhance traditional treatment

One of the main challenges for doctors who recognize this fact is that we are not paid to teach our patients simple, powerful stress reducing techniques.  Plus physicians have very limited time with their patients, and medical schools do not teach about stress reduction.  Almost thirty years ago a leading physician recommended the addition of psychosomatic medicine into the medical school curriculum.  That hasn’t happened.

Thousands of studies have demonstrated the link between stress and disease, but they are ignored.

That’s why I created this website and the get well faster tools and holistic healing techniques.  I didn’t want to wait for health care to catch up with the research.  Because the industry focus is on drugs and technology, I will be very surprised if any drastic change in its primary treatment focus happens during the next  decade.

No one can afford to wait that long.  We all need to take care of our health today.

In fact most of the integration of alternative therapies, and a holistic healing  has occurred in response to consumer demand.

Your voices have been heard.

Dr. Kennedy goes on to say that stress is an independent predictor of heart disease.  It causes physical and chemical changes in the body that increase the risk of heart disease and heart attacks.  It raises the blood pressure, increases the heart rate and triggers inflammation.

So how do you easily keep your heart healthy using holistic healing techniques?

1. Reduce Stress

2. Take care of yourself emotionally

3. Express your creativity

4. Laugh often

Beyond the known risk factors, hundreds, if not thousands of research studies have clearly demonstrated a link between heart disease, anger, lack of forgiveness, hostility and depression.

You can reduce your stress in many ways.  Some people meditate, others exercise, while some express their creativity.  Do what feels right for you.  That’s most important.

Failure to express yourself emotionally can lead to emotional stagnation in the form of anger, hostility, the lack of a willingness to forgive, and depression.  Writing in a journal on a daily basis about your emotional challenges can significantly improve your health. Talking to a friend or family member, or a therapist with a compassionate heart is very healing.  The bottom line is emotional honesty, even when expressing difficult ones, is very healing.  Holding them in, repressing, and emotional dishonesty with oneself, contributes to the development of heart disease and other chronic conditions.

If you want to begin using holistic healing techniques today, click here now and get a free 20 minute healing meditation ( a $19.95 value).

To your good health,

Elaine R. Ferguson, MD

www.howtogetwellfaster.com

A dear friend of mine, Bill was diagnosed several years ago with terminal prostate cancer.  The tumor was so large, the upper portion protruded into his abdominal cavity.  His doctor recommended immediate surgery and chemotherapy.  Bill asked the doctor if he could wait a few weeks, because he felt within himself that he had a lot of emotional healing to do, before subjecting his body to the rigors of the recommended treatment.

He asked his five adult children who lived across the US to come home and share a weekend with he and his wife.  The experience was remarkable for all involved, as many deep and unresolved family wounds were healed.

A week or so later, Bill returned to see his doctor, with a simple request, to re-evalute his body before scheduling his surgery.  His doctor attempted to convince him that additional tests weren’t necessary, but Bill insisted.  And his doctor gave in. Much to the doctor’s surprise, Bills’ scans couldn’t find the tumor, that had only a few weeks earlier had threatened his life!

Most people don’t think that they do, because they tend to focus on outside resources as the source of their health, such as medications, doctors, chiropractors, nurses, therapists, etc.  When in fact they overlook the greatest resource they have-that lie within.

One of the key ingredients a self-healing person has is the ability to cope with stress in a very healthy way.

We all experience stress in our daily life. It is also quite common to have been prescribed a tranquilizer,  to help you cope with stress.  Juggling between a load of tasks and things to worry about has become a daily routine in all our lives. But amidst this stressful life that you’re living, did you ever stop to think how you   need to take better care of yourself? Did you ever stop to think about taking charge? Have you ever tried  to de-stress?

Stress is not always a bad thing! Stress is a natural reaction- a little of bit of stress is what keeps us going. This type of “acute” or “good” stress is what brings out the best in us in a project, or when faced with a deadline or challenge. It is also what helps us get through emergencies. However, how we perceive and respond to stress is the key to taking control.  It can be the difference between maintaining our health and developing a stress related disease.  More than 80 per cent of all doctor visits are stress related. When we are exposed to prolonged or undefined stress, or when several sources co-exist, it is much harder for us to recover and return to our normal state.

Our bodies created a response to life threatening situations.  Fear triggers an immediate surge of hormones that prepares the body to run or fight.  On the short term basis, that is an excellent, protective mechanism from which the body recovers.  However, dealing with stress on a continuous basis, in a way that constantly causes the release of these stress hormones, can lead to depletion of our adrenal glands.  Negative emotions actually trigger a cascade of physiological responses, including the release of norepinephrine, (noradrenalin), a chemical messenger known to suppress immune function. Also, the excessive release of stress hormones such as cortisol impacts the immune system by depressing the production of antibodies and messing up how our bodies function.

Chronic distress is known to cause high blood pressure and heart problems. It is also common to experience migraines, back pain and much more. As you can see, negative stress renders the body more susceptible to a variety of diseases physical and/or psychological problems. Unfortunately, some people repress their emotions. Others try to relieve their stress by smoking, or even taking illicit drugs. These responses are at best temporary diversions and provide a brief sense of relief and it leaves the person worse off than they were initially.

How do we start reacting positively toward stress? The answer is to learning how to view your stressful situation in a different way.  One that allows you to face the challenge, without essentially feeling controlled, defeated or doomed by it.  While most people believe they have no choice when dealing with the stresses that occur in our daily lives, both large and small, expected and unexpected, the fact remains that we do.

Perception Change: I learned how to step back and take a look at the bigger picture, and placed what seemed to be overwhelming into a broader perspective, which minimized its importance and meaning.

1. Is this situation that important?
2. Will it be as upsetting as it is to me today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year?
3. What similar situations have I faced and lived through?
4. How do I feel about those now?
5. Can I feel the same way about this one?

Affirmations: Another effective and valuable  technique I’ve learned is using affirmations.  Believe it or now, it is a powerful way to relax and overcome stress

Some of my favorite ones are:

1. This too shall pass
2. All things are possible.
3. I rise above this situation now, and move forward
4. Nothing can change my peace of mind—even this situation
5. I am in charge of the way I feel right now.  Nothing outside of me can change my peace of mind, unless I allow it to do so.

Deep Breathing: Did you know that taking a deep breath can actually change your body’s physiology and relax it?

Take a few deep breaths, the next time you feel stressed

Everyone needs to alter their perception and response to stress. By developing the characteristics that is self-healing. To lead a healthy productive life, we all must learn to deal with our negative emotions and stream them into a more positive and constructive outlook at life. A positive outlook at life starts by taking a deeper look within.

Stress affects us differently. Our unique personalities, genes and situations are all factors that help shape the way we deal with stress. Most importantly, how we choose to respond, rather than reacting as if we don’t have a choice to stressful situations is the key to distressing.

1.Identifying the source of stress is necessary to ensure that you are looking at things in a healthy positive way. Sometimes it’s not so easy to simply point a finger at the source of stress, but it’s a must to dig deep down inside.

2.Keeping a journal to write about your feelings, regarding the stressful events you encounter and your daily responsibilities will help you zoom into what is stressing you out. It will allow you to recognize and reflect on what is stressing you out, and realize any changes occurring in your life.

3.Time management, setting limits for yourself, sharing your thoughts, and realizing you need time off are necessary in our lives.

4.Thinking positively is key. A healthy outlook is a positive outlook that accepts change as a part of life. It takes time and patience to increase our self-awareness and focus our self-healing powers. But the belief that we can heal will get us there. Stressful times may cause depressed immunity, but self-healing personalities will bounce back. When we believe that we can heal we help activate the mechanisms that foster immunity and healing on every level.

To de-stress yourself, sustain well-being and a strong immune system, one must accept being in the world and honestly express one’s feelings. Try to know what’s stressing you out – try to have a little alarm go off inside you to warn you when you start getting those signs of stress.

5.Take up daily practices that build emotional strength, supercharge your immune system, and take better care of yourself. Try meditation, positive affirmation, relaxed deep breathing and other techniques that help you to relax. And do not forget to take the time to understand and express yourself.

Click here and get your free healing meditation ( a $19.95 value) today!

To Your Good Health,
Elaine R. Ferguson, MD

www.howtogetwellfaster.com

Numerous health studies have found that marriage can improve an individual’s health. Now, a new study illuminates how a long-term relationship promotes health benefits.

According to Dario Maestripieri, Professor in Comparative Human Development at the  University of Chicago and lead author discovered unmarried people in a committed, romantic relationship show the same reduced responses to stress as do married people.

“These results suggest that single and unpaired individuals are more responsive to psychological stress than married individuals, a finding consistent with a growing body of evidence showing that marriage and social support can buffer against stress.”

Between- and Within-sex Variations in Hormonal Responses to Psychological Stress in a Large Sample of College Student,” was reported in the medical research journal Stress. 

Five hundred masters degree students were evaluated by a team of researchers from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University studied.  Approximately 53 percent of the women and 40 percent of the men were married or in relationships.

There group was composed of 153 women and 348 men. The students were asked to play a series of computer games that examined economic behaviors.  Samples of their saliva were taken before and after playing the games to evaluate their hormone levels and changes.

The students were placed under stress as they were informed that the test was a course requirement, and it would impact their future career placement. This potentially stressful experience could have an impact on their cortisol levels, which is a major stress hormone.

What did the study find about marriage and stress hormones?

The researchers noted that all of the participants experienced a rise in their cortisol levels but the women experienced a higher average increase than males. The exercise also caused the male participant’s testosterone levels to drop, but interestingly not in the females, a stress effect previously observed in humans and animals.

Interesting, the marital status of the participants provided another interesting difference within the subjects.

“We found that unpaired individuals of both sexes had higher cortisol levels than married individuals. Although marriage can be pretty stressful, it should make it easier for people to handle other stressors in their lives,” Maestripieri said.

“What we found is that marriage has a dampening effect on cortisol responses to psychological stress, and that is very new.”

The study also found that single business school students also displayed higher baseline testosterone levels than their married or committed colleagues, a finding that mirrors previous human research as well as animal observations.

Source:

University of Chicago (2010, August 17). Marriage and committed romance reduce stress-related hormone production.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii have found that senior citizen men can improve their heart health by adapting to a lifestyle that includes positive coping strategies to deal with life challenges and uncertainties.

Men who were found to have good coping, also had higher levels of “good” cholesterol compared to those who were considered hostile.

Interestingly, the positive coping ability did not impact men with “bad cholesterol” levels, the researchers found.

The men were split between blue and white collar jobs.

After fasting overnight, their blood was analyzed for high-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol), low density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.

The researchers theorized that hostility would impact all three lipoproteins, but instead they found a direct effect on HDL and triglycerides, but not on LDL.

They wrote, “It is interesting that the coping variables were most strongly associated with this protective factor.”

“The results of our study suggest that coping processes also might influence lipid fractions differently and may play a protective role through their influence on HDL.”

Dr. Loriena Yancura, Ph.D., the lead researcher said she and her colleagues were surprised that there was no association between coping and LDL levels.

“One possible reason might be that measures of hostility, coping and lipids were taken at one point in time.”

“In other words, we asked people about their coping strategies in response to a problem in that past month and looked at a blood sample taken at the time we asked them.  It is possible that changes in the LDL might have been apparent in a lab setting or if we looked at longitudinal relationships among hostility, coping and lipids.”

Also, the researchers noted that the sample was limited and it is likely that there are gender, age gender or ethnic differences that occur in the dynamic relationship between hostility, coping and lipids.

Source:

American Psychological Association

New research indicates that several B vitamins may be the gateway to discovering more about the brain’s power and functions as well as detecting mental health issues.

Lindsay Allen, a U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritionist, reports that low levels of the B vitamins, folate, are associated with dementia symptoms and “cognitive decline” in brain function.

Allen in conjunction with scientists from the University of California-Davis, the UCD Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco teamed together on the long-term research project called the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging.

The study began in 1996 with Allen explaining in a news release that earlier research conducted before that time were inconclusive and had confusing results. The team’s ongoing work now includes about 1,800 Hispanics ages 60 to 101.

Allen notes that vitamin B-12 deficiency in particular has been very common in developing countries because the only foods you can get it from are animal sources, such as milk, eggs and meet, and many people in poor countries don’t consume them.

“But B-12 deficiency is also very common in the elderly U.S. population because they stop being able to absorb it from their diet as they grow older,” she says. “We think supplements will work in the elderly because even though they can’t absorb it naturally through food, they can through supplements.”

Mary Haan of UC San Francisco led the group as they collected blood samples from the volunteers to be analyzed.

An analysis of volunteers’ blood samples found that decreased  levels of one B vitamin, folate, are associated with symptoms of dementia and poor brain function, also called “cognitive decline,” as determined by standard tests of memory and other factors. The impairments were detectable even though less than 1 percent of the volunteers were actually deficient in folate.

Researchers also found that women with low folate levels fared worse than men. In women, low levels of folate were associated with symptoms of depression. Women in the bottom third subgroup with a folate deficiency more than doubled their risk for depression, when compared to those in the highest third.  This finding provided new evidence of an association between lower blood folate and depression. Other studies have previously determined that depression does impact brain function.

During the vitamin B-12, the SALSA team determined that a protein known as holoTC, short for holotranscobalamin, could be a doorway to a different approach for detecting cognitive decline earlier and more accurately.

The researchers have published these and other findings, beginning in 2003 and continuing through this year, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, The Journal of Nutrition, and The Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100817134302.htm

University of Pittsburgh medical researchers recently published a study in the Psychosomatic Medicine Journal.  It tested the theory that women with major depression would have a more significant progression of hardening of their coronary (heart) arteries, known as calcification when compared to women with only one episode of major depression.

Depressive symptoms and major depression are well known risk factors for clinical coronary heart disease (CHD) among healthy individuals and CHD patients.

It is not clear as to whether or not depression is related to the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) prior to the beginning of CHD symptoms.

Healthy middle-aged women, a total of 149 who reported no heart disease, stroke, or diabetes were enrolled simultaneously in two ancillary studies of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation at the Pittsburgh site: the Mental Health Study and the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation Heart Study.

These women were administered psychiatric interviews annually and CAC computed tomography measures on two occasions approximately 2 years apart.

The results found that women who had recurrent major depression had greater progression of CAC (logged difference scores) than did women with a single or no episodes.

The other significant covariates were body mass index, systolic blood pressure, initial CAC, and time between scans. Stratified analyses showed that the effect was obtained in those women who had any CAC on the first examination.

The researchers concluded that recurrent major depression may be a risk factor for progression of atherosclerosis, especially in those who have at least some initial calcification. Women with a history of depression may be candidates for aggressive cardiovascular risk factor prevention therapy.

Source:                                                                                                                                               

http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/PSY.0b013e3181eeeb17v1

A new study indicates that an over-the-counter supplement may help people with depression who haven’t responded to anti-depression drug therapy.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts general hospital have found that S-Adenosyl-Methionine or SAMe, when added to a patient’s antidepressant treatment aided more people with major depression to reduce and improve their symptoms than those that took a placebo in additional to their regular drug therapy.

SAMe  also caused fewer complications, in comparison to the FDA approved medications that are recommended for patients with depression that are unresponsive to antidepressants.

Dr. George Papakostas, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School and the study’s lead author said, “This is an exciting, yet preliminary finding.”

Also, he noted, during our lifetime, up to 10 per cent of people will experience a major depressive disorder, defined as at least 124 consecutive days of multiple symptoms of depression.  Approximately 50 per cent of those affected don’t improve, using multiple antidepressant drugs.

The FDA has approved only a few other drugs for these patients to take, in addition to antidepressants.  The atypical antipsychotic drugs can have significant serious side effects that are occasionally life-threatening.

The current study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Dr. Papakostas and his colleagues administered SAMe to 39 people with major depression that hadn’t responded to antidepressant therapy.  They took 1.6 grams of SAMe everyday with their regular treatment.  Thirty-four matched patients took a placebo (an inert substance) in additional to their antidepressants.  The participants did not know if they were receiving SAMe or the placebo.

The researchers used two standard tests for depression to monitor their symptoms for the next 6 weeks.

About 25 percent of the patients in the study did not complete it because they didn’t improve, or experienced side effects of either the placebo or SAMe.  There were no serious side effects reported, and a similar number of patients stopped because they didn’t like the placebo or SAMe.

Thirty-one of the patients taking SAMe and 24 receiving the placebo completed the study. Review of the depression tests revealed that more patients on SAMe than those receiving the placebo responded and their symptoms improved.

Earlier studies have determined that SAMe influences brain chemicals and may act as an antidepressant or interact with antidepressant drugs, but it’s action isn’t entirely understand. SAMe occurs naturally in our bodies and is sold as a supplement.

According to Dr. Papakostas, “(this finding) is exciting because SAMe works differently than what we have now-it doesn’t seem to be associated with the kind of side effects that FDA approved treatments for this niche have.  Like other findings in medicine, it needs to be replicated.

Source:  American Journal of Psychiatry

An insightful new study found that people who are extremely active are happier than those who sit and do nothing.

The finding may explain why people admit to being very busy in our current society.

“The general phenomenon I’m interested in is why people are so busy doing what they are doing in modern society, says Christopher Hsee, of the University of Chicago.  He is the study’s co-author, with Adelle Yang also of the University of Chicago and Llangyan Wang of Shianghia Jiatong University.

The participants completed a survey, and waited 15 minutes before the next survey was ready.  They had the option of dropping off the completed survey at a nearby location and wait out the time remaining or drop it off at a location farther away, while walking back and forth would keep them busy for the 15 minute intervals.

They were rewarded with candy when the surveys were turned in.  The participants who chose to stay busy by walking to the more distant location were happier than those who chose not to and remained idle.

The research is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Dr. Hsee thinks it’s possible to utilize this principle-people like being busy, and they like being able to justify being busy to benefit society.

“People are running around, working hard, way beyond the basic level.”

According to Dr. Hsee, “If we can devise a mechanism for idle people to engage in activity that is at least not harmful, I think it is better than destructive business.”

Source:   Association for Psychological Science

A recent review of complementary and alternative therapies in the treatment of depression are quite promising.  A study review of the medical literature, conducted by the American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine reported its findings  in the June, 2010  Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

The following is a brief overview of the task force’s findings:

• Several studies have determined that the omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial when used as an antidepressant supplement. However, there are limited and conflicting results regarding their use as a singular therapy for major depression, and doses are not included.
• Several trials have indicated that supplements of  S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe)—the major donor of methyl groups in human metabolism—are as effective as antidepressants in treating major depression.
• Exercise has been studied both as single therapy and as an antidepressant adjunct. Trial results have generally been positive in both men and women across a wide age range and irrespective of setting or mode. Also, patients who continued to exercise following study participation had a lower risk of relapse over several months to years.

In one study, for example, exercise’s effectiveness as a single therapy for mild to moderate major depressive disorder was tested in men and women aged 20 to 45. Some participants exercised from 1.5 to 3 hours a week, others 80 minutes a week, and still others served as controls. After 12 weeks, the high-exercise group showed a 47 percent reduction in symptoms, while the low-exercise and control groups showed a 30 percent reduction in symptoms. The differences were statistically significant.

• Although there is strong evidence that light therapy can counter seasonal depression, the effectiveness of light therapy as a treatment for major depression is not as well established. Also, it appears that light therapy might be even more effective against major depression if it is combined with an antidepressant than if used alone.

In one randomized, controlled trial, for instance, 102 subjects were treated with the drug Zoloft.  The participants  also received either supplemental treatment with 30 minutes of either bright morning (10,000 lux) or dim red (50 lux) light for five weeks. All clinician and self-report measures significantly favored active light augmentation.

• Review of St. John’s Wort, trials suggest that it is more effective for mild to moderate depression than for the severe form of the illness.
• Studies have failed to demonstrate the therapeutic effectiveness of acupuncture compared with a control condition for the treatment of major depression.
• Folates’s  effectiveness as a single therapy for major depressive disorder has yet to be adequately tested. A few trials have found folate to be efficacious and well tolerated, although the best dose and form of folate remain unclear.

The task force also reviewed the side effects and costs of these therapies. It found, for example, that the omega-3 fatty acids have a low risk of side effects and are inexpensive, that SAMe  has a relatively low risk of side effects and is expensive, and that St. John’s wort carries a risk of interactions with drugs such as antiretrovirals, immunosuppressants, antineoplastic agents, anti-coagulants, and oral contraceptives.

“The sheer scope of CAM use in the U.S. is fascinating and somewhat daunting,” Freeman said. “Over 40 percent of adults use at least one CAM treatment annually, demonstrating how accessible and attractive these treatments are to our patients. However, we found that very few CAM treatments [for major depression] have received rigorous study. Our task force hopes that our report will serve as a foundation for future research in this area…. Any treatment for a serious psychiatric disorder, whether considered CAM or conventional, needs to be rigorously studied for effectiveness and safety.”

Source:

http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/15/17.1.

http://article.psychiatrist.com/dao_1-login.asp?ID=10006918&RSID=61741980543423

German researchers have discovered that the jasmine’s fragrance calms down mice as well as tranquilizers or sleeping pills, and lacks any side effects.

They examined hundreds of fragrances to determine their effect on GABA receptors in humans and mice and found jasmine increased the GABA effect by more than five times and acted as strongly as sedatives, sleeping pills and relaxants which can cause depression, dizziness, hypotension, muscle weakness and impaired coordination.

Jasmine is a type of essential oil widely used in aromatherapy, which was pioneered by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. It is thought to offer various healing effects.

Inhaling jasmine oil molecules is said to transmit messages to a brain region involved in controlling emotions.

Known as the limbic system, this brain region also influences the nervous system.

Aromatherapy proponents suggest that essential oils may affect a number of biological factors, including heart rate, stress levels, blood pressure, breathing, and immune function.

The ancient Egyptians were the first to use jasmine for its relaxing properties. Its name is derived from “yasmin,” a Persian word, and means, “a gift from God,” named because of the intense fragrance of the blooms.

Jasmine oil is often touted as a natural remedy for stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, menstrual cramps and menopausal symptoms. It is also said to act as an aphrodisiac.

Professor at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Hanns Hatt, said the study is “evidence of a scientific basis for aromatherapy.”   “We have discovered a new class of GABA receptor modulator which can be administered parenterally and through the respiratory air,” Hatt said.  “Applications in sedation, anxiety, excitement and aggression relieving treatment and sleep induction therapy are all imaginable.

Hatt and colleagues found that after breathing jasmine-infused air, calmed the mice. They  would stop all activity and sit quietly in a corner.  They found jasmine’s scent appears to stimulate receptors for the chemical

GABA in human and mice brains and is more potent than tranquilizing drugs.

When the air was breathed in the scent molecules went from the lungs into the blood and were then transmitted to the brain.

Brain scans showed the effect on a chemical called GABA on nerve cells was enhanced by the fragrances and helped soothe, relieve anxiety and promote rest.

Professor Hanns Hatt said the results published online in the Journal of Biological Chemistry can “be seen as evidence of a scientific basis for aromatherapy”.

His team also hope that by changing the chemical structure of the scent molecules, they can achieve even stronger effects.

There are over 300 species of the plant that occur mainly in the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world, although a few are found in countries with cold winters. The scent rising off the petals is sweet and intoxicating.

Jasmine is found in more than 83% of all women’s scents and 33% of men’s.

More than five million flowers must be gathered to produce one kilo of what is known as “pure jasmine absolute”. As a result, much of the jasmine used in perfume is a chemical approximation.

The report was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7904712/Quantum-time-machine-allows-paradox-free-time-travel.html