Let Scents Soothe Your Stressed Soul

Mon., Feb. 7, 2000

Darcy Camden, Lewis & Clark

Ahhh-choo!

Viruses and bacteria hang in the air, infecting half the population at any given time, and cold sufferers swap decongestants like baseball cards.

But, if thosenightime-sniffling-wheezing-hacking-phlem-rattling-head-throbbing-shoot-me-to-put-me-out-of-my-misery medicines leave you feeling a little, well, out of it, maybe they’re doing more harm than good.

Many herbal therapists suggest the use of aromatherapy to combat the symptoms of seasonal ailments.

Aromatherapy oils (which can be purchased at drug stores, health food stores, and lotion manufacturers like Garden Botanika for about the cost of a bottle of NyQuil) added to bath water or to a handkerchief can provide just as much relief as those medicated gelcaps.

Here’s a quick guide to some soothing scents:

Chamomile: soothes headaches

Rosemary: relieves joint pain

Jasmine: acts as an anti-depressant

Lavender: a relaxant

Peppermint: eases body aches

Eucalyptus: restores energy, acts as an antibacterial agent

Basil: soothes coughs

Orange: helps you sleep

Martha Stewart suggests pouring boiling water over a concoction of dried herbs (any of those listed above) and then breathing the rising vapors from under a towel to trap the steam. Sounds pretty soothing to me - cold or no cold.

* Take a walk in my shoes.

So maybe you’ve resolved to get more exercise this year (I have). Need a little inspiration? How about the perfect shoes? At Nike.com, you can customize your own pair.

By pointing and clicking you can choose from four different colors for the shoe and six for the “swish.” Then create a signature design to fill eight blank spaces on the heel.

The personalized color comes at no extra cost, but the added design will run you an extra ten bucks. Cool, huh?

* College 411. Juniors: it’s not too early to start thinking about all the college applications you’re going to be filling out next year. Tip: Start early.

There are many online services that can help you with the college application process.

Check out collegequest.com; collegenet.com; collegebound.net and embark.com. These Web sites will help you practice for SATs, surf specific college homepages, and get information about student loans from guidance counselors and admissions directors. Then, when you’re ready, you can even apply online.

Believe me, every stressed-out senior drowning in a sea of application deadlines wishes she had gotten an early start.

* Random fact. The average person loses about 100 strands of hair every day. (Where do they go, I wonder).

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