You have a lovely little pot of Christmas spices today in your Advent box, together with a bag if you’d like to make mulled wine, cider or apple juice. This time of year is full of delicious scents, from cinnamon to spiced ginger.
But did you know the spices in your pot can also boost your wellbeing?
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is known as a euphoric oil – it has great “happy” properties and a great immune booster (especially in cold and flu season). It’s excellent at aiding stress-related conditions, too.
Citrus scents
Scents like lemon and orange are are energy boosters. Citrus oils can help reduce feelings of anxiety and irritability. Sometimes referred to as “liquid sunshine,” citrus oils are uplifting and ease stress and depression.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is known for its antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, pain-relieving, liver-protecting, and cancer-preventative properties.
Star Anise
Star Anise contains generous amounts of anti-oxidants which boost your immunity and reduce the risk of infection or sickness, but in addition to this - thanks to the presence of a compound known as Shikimic acid – it can reduce your risk of flu. Shikimic acid is a critical pre-cursor component used in the manufacturer of the flu vaccine Tamiflu, and as luck has it, star anise has the highest concentration of this compound found in nature.
Allspice berries
Allspice has a history of use as a home remedy for colds, menstrual cramps, indigestion, headache, fatigue, and nasal congestion.
Pepper
Pepper is another euphoric oil, and as well as being great for digestion (it stimulates digestive juices), it’s also excellent at treating aches and pains - ailments such as arthritis or cold weather-induced issues. Mild headaches also respond to pepper.
Enjoy the lovely smells of Christmas 😊