Sage Improves Cognitive Function and Mood

According to the blog of Ananda Apothecary, a cited Journal of Psychopharmacology, Oct. 11, 2010 article, sage essential oil improved cognitive function and mood.

According to the study, "oral consumption [of sage essential oil] leads to improved performance of secondary memory and attention tasks, reduced mental fatigue and increased alertness." This is done through AChE inhibition or in other words, sage essential oil helps to prevent the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

According to the research cited on Ananda's blog, the ingestion of 1 drop of sage essential oil will not be harmful and in fact it states that it is well tolerated by the body.

Previous research has indicated AChE inhibition from other essential oils such as rosemary, eucalyptus and lemon. These stimulant oils have been shown to improve test scores and decrease error frequency.

Source Of Information:
Ananda Apothecary Blog post 10/20/10

Fun, It Does A Body Good

When you have fun, you relax. When you laugh, you relax. If you don't believe me, try it for a day or two or even a week. We all need this in life. Children are best at this. For some reason as we grow older, playfulness is replaced by seriousness, activity and responsibility. Yes, our responsibilities and priorities change as we grow older, but we should never cease to laugh, play and enjoy life.

I know that sometimes we get so busy that we think there is absolutely no time to stop and have some fun. Most likely though, that is the exact moment we need to do this. We need to heed those inner prompts and go outside to play.

Just a few moments or a day of doing stuff that takes our mind off of the worries and stresses in life, will pay dividends. it allows the tense muscles in the body to relax. It allows the heart to beat out of enjoyment rather than out of frantic moments. The head, neck and shoulders have a chance to relax and let the tension from stress flow out of them. Our mood goes from one of feeling overwhelmed to allowing ourselves to feel joy. Our movement changes from labored steps to skipping down the sidewalk.

It is true that we do have the power to change our body and mind in physical ways. We just need to allow it. What better way to allow ourselves freedom from stress than to give our self moments of fun and laughter in our life.


*For more articles, check out the Mind Body Thoughts Blog