Monday, March 31, 2008

WHY IT'S GOOD TO SMELL

WHY IT'S GOOD TO SMELL
Sunday Herald, UK -
The odour catches me at the back of my throat. Tolaas herself coughs and pulls back. "This is a guy who was into S&M. It is quite powerful. ...

How the nose sniffs out danger

How the nose sniffs out danger
Thaindian.com, Thailand
A single negative experience linked to an odour rapidly teaches us to identify that odour and discriminate it from similar ones, according to a new study. ...

Fowl odour on Highway 406; Truck filled with chicken carcasses ...

Fowl odour on Highway 406; Truck filled with chicken carcasses ...
Welland Tribune, Canada -
At least that's how it seemed to OPP Staff Sgt. Jan Idzenga who surveyed the overturned truck and the massive load of chicken carcasses, feathers and diesel ...

Jet flies back to PBIA for probe of odd smell

Jet flies back to PBIA for probe of odd smell
Palm Beach Post - FL, United States
Fire-rescue personnel boarded the plane to try to determine the source of the odor, passengers said. The plane then taxied to the terminal and passengers ...

Sniff. Smell nasty? Tackle that odor fast

Sniff. Smell nasty? Tackle that odor fast
Indianapolis Star - United States
Fish, broccoli, garlic . . . they are all culprits for household odors. Thanks to the folks at Arm & Hammer, there's a solution to ousting odors. ...

Monday, March 24, 2008

Aromatherapy is in your head, not your nose (power protection products)


Flower power
Tetra Images / Corbis
Of all the scents used in aromatherapy, lavender holds a prestigious place. It’s been around for ages, is still popular and is often promoted as a remedy for hectic lives.
The effect of lavender depends on how well it's marketed, experts and tests will tell you.
By Chris Woolston, Special to The Times
March 24, 2008
The product: For better or worse, strong smells tend to grab our attention. The air hanging over a bakery can make us hungry, and the atmosphere around a locker room can make us question our dedication to fitness. The typical nose can discern about 10,000 different scents; clearly, we're wired to sniff our way through life.

Many people think that smells even have the power to shape health. They light vanilla candles, burn jasmine incense and pour lavender into their baths in search of relaxation, stress reduction and protection against illness.

Of all the scents used in aromatherapy, lavender holds a prestigious place. It's been around for ages, and it's still extremely popular. Whether you're browsing online or shopping at a health food store, you'll have no trouble finding more lavender than your nose could ever stand.

You can buy large lavender aromatherapy candles for about $40. A small half-ounce vial of essential oil to dab on your skin or pour into your bath will cost about $10. For $20, QVC will sell you a lavender-scented aromatherapy shawl to wear after a shower. Other options include lavender-infused lotions as well as pillows and toy bunnies stuffed with the dried flowers.

The claims: Lavender is often promoted as a remedy for stressful, hectic lives. Two fairly typical examples: Lavender Fanatic, a website selling a wide variety of lavender products, claims that the scent creates "instant calm and relaxation." The same site also says that aromatherapy can treat anxiety, depression, insomnia and headaches. Another site, Essentials-of-Aromatherapy, claims that lavender and other aromatherapy scents can stimulate the immune system, energize the body and ease inflammation. Potential customers are assured that "aromatherapy is a great, natural complement or alternative to other health treatment options such as certain prescribed medications."

The bottom line: Charles Wysocki, a researcher with the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia and an expert in the science of smells, has one positive thing to say about aromatherapy: "The marketers do a fantastic job."

Unfortunately, he says, most of their claims don't hold up.

Though some scents -- including lavender -- may be pleasantly satisfying or even emotionally evocative, Wysocki says scent alone isn't likely to significantly improve a person's health. People who enjoy the scent of lavender may want the scent to permeate every corner of their lives. They just shouldn't expect any benefits beyond olfactory satisfaction. "There's a lot of misinformation about what odor is capable of doing. Smells don't have a magic ability to alter mood or physiology," he says.

Certainly, a fragrant bath or massage with essential oils can feel great, he adds. But it's the hot water or the masseur's fingertips -- not the odors -- that do the real work.

The few scientific studies on aromatherapy have had mixed results. A small Japanese study published in 2007 found that the scent of lavender and rosemary lowered stress hormones in saliva.

But a 2006 study conducted at an Illinois hospital found that lavender didn't reduce anxiety of patients preparing for a colonoscopy.

Lavender certainly didn't shine in a study to be published next month in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. Fifty-six healthy people volunteered to wear cotton balls under their noses for several hours on three different occasions. The cotton was soaked in lavender, lemon or distilled water, and volunteers had a chance to breathe in each scent.

In a questionnaire administered immediately afterward, subjects reported slightly better moods, on average, after smelling lemon. But lavender had no effect on their state of mind. In addition, blood tests showed that neither lemon nor lavender aromas stimulated the immune system (as measured by activity of the blood's T cells) or reduced levels of stress hormones. The scents didn't affect blood pressure or heart rate either.

Anecdotally, most subjects said they preferred the smell of lemon, says Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, a professor of psychiatry and lead author of the study. "People had less pleasant associations with lavender," she says -- commenting, for example, that it smelled "musty" or of "old people."

Some of the subjects believed in aromatherapy before the study, and the results didn't seem to change their minds, Kiecolt-Glaser says. At least one volunteer claimed that aromatherapy worked no matter what the tests showed.

When it comes to odors, expectations matter, Wysocki says. He once conducted a study showing that people felt ill if told they were smelling an industrial chemical. The identical smell had little effect on people who thought they were sniffing something harmless.

People who have especially high hopes for aromatherapy are the most likely to benefit, he says. For that reason, he says, the most important aromatherapy accessory isn't a spray bottle or a incense holder. "It will work best if it comes with a very effective marketing campaign."

For many people, aromatherapy comes down to one simple fact: They enjoy the fragrance. "I wear perfume because I like the smell," Kiecolt-Glaser says. "People use these products for the same reason."

Is there a consumer product you'd like the Healthy Skeptic to examine? E-mail the details to health@latimes.com.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Best Air Freshener gets sniffed out

In the world of Industrial cleaning supplies the use of odour supressants has become a surprisingly controversial topic. Criticised for containing chemicals that can aggravate asthma and affect reproductive development the safety of air fresheners has long been questioned. If you smell a rat and think it 's time for a breath of fresh air then take time to learn a little more about air fresheners.Air fresheners work in one of five ways;

Absorption
This is the process where adsorbents are used to absorb odours. Absorption refers to the chemical process where atoms, molecules, or ions enter a bulk phase; gas, liquid or solid. For the layman this is where the bad smelly chemicals in the air are attracted to a base and a chemical reaction happens that makes the bad smells turn into something that doesn't smell. In air fresheners this is typically activated charcoal or silica gel.

Chemical Neutralisation
Chemical neutralisation involves adding chemicals to stabilise the pH level of the air. High levels of acidity or alkalinity can cause smells and the right balance of chemical additives will alleviate the smell. Air fresheners use substances such as rubber to perform this process.

Disinfection
Bacterial activity is the cause of many unwanted odours. Disinfectants can eliminate these odours by killing the odour causing bacteria. Industrial cleaning supplies contain high level disinfectants that can kill up to 99.9% of micro-organisms. The disadvantage to having such effective disinfectants is that they are by their very nature harmful and potentially toxic to humans and animals.

Masking
Masking is simply covering unwanted smells with a more favourable fragrance. Most aerosol air fresheners work in this way by providing more favourable perfume flavours such as Lavender, Raspberry, Tangerine, Lemon and Pine. Joss sticks also work in this way and although they are not used as industrial cleaning supplies they are a popular household option.

Anesthetisation
Anesthetisation refers to those air fresheners that use anaesthetic to dull the sense of smell. Chemicals such as formaldehyde are used to reduce the ability to smell. Formaldehyde can be toxic and if it exceeds a 0.1ppm concentration in the air it can irritate mucous membranes and make your eyes water.

Air freshener products
Air fresheners produced for vehicles are typically solid pieces of material that can be hung from the rear view mirror. These air fresheners are embedded with a scent that overpowers the mal odour in the vehicle. Plug in air fresheners are typically used in houses they release a measurable amount of scent into the environment to reduce the effect of the bad odours. Public toilets often have an automated air freshener that sprays a fine mist into the air at pre-determined intervals. Aerosol air fresheners are a popular portable option that can provide relief in an enormous range of situations. Potpourri is a traditional form of air freshener that is both fragrant and can look good. It comprises of naturally fragrant materials that have been dried and mixed with other naturally fragrant plant material. Lighting sented candels made from natural products or natural incense sticks can be an environmentally friendly way to freshen the air. Air freshener can be purchased in liquid form and can provide a powerful option when used with the correct industrial cleaning equipment.

Criticisms
Air freshener has been criticised by some consumer groups due to fears over its safety. Their main criticism is that there are not enough regulations in place to ensure that products are tested properly and that manufacturers should clearly list the ingredients their products contain on the product label. Reports had been made that some air fresheners were responsible for the death of household pets but this is unsubstantiated. The University of Bristol 's Children of the 90s study published a report that said that children that grew up in houses that used aerosol air freshener were more likely to suffer from headaches and diarrhoea. Air fresheners are required by legislation to be safe in normal use.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Foul Odor Not Immediate Threat to People

Foul Odor Not Immediate Threat to People
KHNL-TV/KHBC/KOGG - Honolulu,HI,USA
Employees at Atlas Brake and Auto Repair say they reported the foul odor Sunday. They say the odor came from a nearby construction site and not from Atlas ...

DNR representatives to discuss Carthage plant's odor issues Friday

DNR representatives to discuss Carthage plant's odor issues Friday
News-Leader.com - Springfield,MO,USA
Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers and other agency representatives will update Carthage residents on odor investigations connected to ...

Some really odd jobs

Some really odd jobs
CNN - USA
What they do: Odor judges smell nasty morning breath or breath "insulted" with strong scents, like garlic or coffee. They rate the breath on a scale from ...

Moths or butterflies retain what they learned as caterpillars

Moths or butterflies retain what they learned as caterpillars
Thaindian.com - Bangkok,Bangkok,Thailand
Caterpillars younger than three weeks of age learned to avoid an odour, but were not able to recall the information as adults, whereas older caterpillars, ...

Proposed Rockingham development raises environmental concerns

Proposed Rockingham development raises environmental concerns
ABC Online - Australia
... they need to be addressed and they need make sure that people are, won't be living with issues such as noise and odour and a whole range of issues. ...

Local, national and world news for the Coffs Coast, NSW | Thursday ...

Local, national and world news for the Coffs Coast, NSW | Thursday ...
Coff's Coast Advocate - Australia
They have also recommended that his he be requested to provide further information on on-site wastewater treatment, odour treatment and assessment and noise ...

Dump to convert gas to power in attempt to cut stench

Dump to convert gas to power in attempt to cut stench
Canada.com - Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
Mr. French said the odour will be reduced considerably when the gas is converted. Waste Management now uses two flares to burn off the gas at the landfill ...