Daily Bread

Is there anything better than warm, home-baked bread, fresh from the oven? Imagine a slice smothered in butter. Think about it.  

Can’t you just see it in your mind; the tiny rivulets of light yellow, soaking down into the soft, heavenly, spongy mixture of yeast and grains?

Isn’t it just the best? Now, what if we made it even better? Let’s add a spoonful of your favorite fruit preserves on top?  Is your mouth watering yet? (No, don’t stop reading to go get food…..stay with me….)

Cravings are horrible aren't they?  Mine tend to be powerful! Especially when they are brought on by my sense of smell! 

It was like that this afternoon. Today, Bill and I made one of our regular trips to a discount warehouse not far from our home. You know the place. When we joined, we became unknowingly committed to purchasing our toilet paper in 36-roll bulk packages. And almond milk only comes in sets of three. Well, we have been members at this particular place for years, and it has become a habit to make at least one monthly trip for needed items. 

Today was such a day.

I found myself following a scent, seeking its source; hoping to purchase whatever baked delight was coming out of the oven….. I just stood there, eyes closed, lost in the luxurious odor; in the middle of an aisle. I was sniffing the air like a dog.

“What are you doing?” my hubby asked. I opened my eyes.  He was looking at me with his head cocked to one side.

“Don’t you smell that?” I responded. “It’s wonderful. Somebody’s baking bread.”

“Uh-huh. It’s great.”

He didn’t seem as impressed as I was. Smiling at me, he moved on to check on a tool further down on that particular aisle.

Not to be deterred, I closed my eyes once more. “I want some," I told him dreamily.

“We just ate, Honey," he answered. He reminded me of the facts.  Who wants to be reminded of the facts when an appetizing smell has hooked itself into your jaw, and is drawing you back into your childhood? And then, just like a Looney Tunes, that scent has the audacity to pick you up off your feet, and tempt you to buy a whole case of the delectable stuff you aren’t supposed to eat anyway?

“That’s very true,” I answered, pushing the cart further into the bakery. Needless to say, a few pastries ended up on the conveyor belt on the way out.

Just a few, mind you.

There is something powerful about the human olfactory system; our God-provided sense of smell.  Just like gazing at a photograph can help a person recapture a memory from the past, so a person's sense of smell can trigger forgotten and/or repressed memories as well. Several years ago, I had the privilege of helping a client heal from hidden pain such as this. As she climbed into a taxi cab while on a business trip, she was overwhelmed by the odor of the vehicle's interior. The smell triggered a sudden eruption of repressed memories of harsh abuse sparked a series of full-blown, trauma-filled panic attacks. It took several sessions to realize the trigger had been a smell.

As I stood in the warehouse bakery, my own sense of smell reminded of earlier days in our marriage, when the girls were small. Those were the days when I had baked our family's bread on a regular basis.  And in my remembering, I recalled how difficult it had been to get a warm, fresh loaf to the table for the evening meal, without losing several samples beforehand. The catalyst for that problem had also been the sense of smell.

Our sense of smell is tied to physical responses as well.  For instance, I remember one time when our oldest daughter became sick after eating a certain brand of canned spaghetti.  Because I was also dealing with nausea that particular day, it sealed a memory of nausea in my brain, along with the memory of the odor.  To this day, I cannot smell that brand of canned pasta without becoming nauseous.

You see, when a smell enters nasal passages, it travels through them, to the Olfactory Bulb in the center of the brain. Within seconds, the effects of the essence have saturated the Midbrain, Hypothalamus, and Pituitary Gland.  From there, the scent affects the Pineal Gland, the Medulla Oblongata and the Spine’s Sympathetic Chain, into the Spinal Cord.  Lastly, the smell affects the Thyroid.   

Which brings me to the subject of Essential Oils. The diffusion of distilled, therapeutic oils has made a tremendous difference in my own life.  For my birthday one year, a dear friend graciously provided me with a diffuser and two vials of essential oil.  Grateful, wanting to utilize the gift, and honor my friend, I set the appliance up with lavender oil in our family living room a few evenings later. I don’t know what I expected. In fact, I didn’t really expect anything to happen. But, I did think it would provide our family with a nice smell in the room.

But then, an hour after the diffuser was turned on, our entire family was asleep in the living room! My friend had mentioned we might sleep better using lavender.  I hadn’t given it any thought. After all, we all have busy schedules, so I guess I wrote it off to that.  But I liked the smell it made. So the next evening, I filled the diffuser again.  And once again, the whole family was asleep within an hour!

Curious, I began to research the effects of lavender. I was amazed at what I learned.

Did you know that therapeutic essential Lavender oil is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-fungal, anti-septic, and anti-microbial in its effects?  It is an anti-spasmodic. It also is hypotensive, and analgesic.  It is detoxifying, and provides a sedative effect. Just those few facts have placed Lavender oil on the go-to list of oils in our home. As far as I’m concerned, it’s good for just about everything!

Since the evenings of the family falling asleep in the living room (which they still do, by the way), we now have two more diffusers.  I run an air purifying/energizing mix during the day. We diffuse a sleep well/anti-snore mix in our bedroom. And amazingly, they really make a difference for all of us!

How does an essential oil accomplish such a thing? I’ll share a little of what I have learned.

You see, when a therapeutic essential oil is diffused into a room, the resulting vapor is inhaled. And, because of the pathways followed by the human olfactory system, not only is the brain stimulated by scent, but so is the nervous system, the circulatory system, the renal system, the digestive system, the skin and the emotional system.

How do they work?  Well, a plant’s oil is its life-blood.  During a plant’s life, the oil circulates within the plant, carrying life to the plant, and removing toxins.  Such oils are made up of micro-molecules, smaller than those found in many substances.  And, because the micro-molecules are so tiny, they disperse over a broader area.  When they are diffused, or applied topically, essential oils continue the same actions within the human body they did within the plant from which they originated.

I love the fact the oils are natural; organic; living.

I now use a diffuser in my counseling office. A blend of soothing and comforting oils helps my clients to experience calm and emotional healing on a deeper level.  All I can say is “it works!”  A dear friend was recently invited to teach a class on the effects of oils on the behaviors of hyperactive children at a preschool. The subsequent usage of diffusers in classroom has provided amazing changes in the learning environment.

I am now learning how to apply oils topically for several different health issues of my own. I am seeing strength returning. Years ago, before becoming ill, I always seems to have a vast physical reserve I could draw on.  Just before I was diagnosed, I discovered that reserve energy was completely depleted. (More on adrenal fatigue later on.)  But now, after several discoveries, made Providentially in order, one at a time, I am sensing my physical strength and energy returning; little by little.  

Next up: What’s iodine got to do with it, anyway?  

©2016 Debbye Graafsma/Awakened to grow. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer: Although I am a counselor, and hold my doctorate, I am not a medical doctor. So, the views and suggestions which have helped me in my own healing journey may or may not work for you. While I hope that my stories and suggestions will help and encourage you, nothing I post here should be taken as a diagnosis or medical opinion. If you are concerned about your health, please seek the advice of a professional.