Bringing Happiness to Life

 
  

  Smell Peppermint for Weight Loss

There are two main ways that Peppermint Happy Scent can be used for weight loss:

 

  1. Smelling the scent throughout the day has been shown to suppress appetite and therefore decrease caloric consumption.
  2. Smelling the scent intermittently while exercising has been shown to inspire an increase in the intensity of your workout.

 

Appetite Suppression

According to Alan Hirsch, M.D., inhaling aromas can help you loose weight.  The most effective aromas for curbing appetite are neutral sweet smells such as peppermint.  Dr. Hirsch designed and performed a study (published in 1995*) in which the participants were given inhalers with peppermint.  In this study, Dr. Hirsh found that his test subjects with a normal ability to smell, who did not feel bad about themselves, and who used their inhalers frequently, lost nearly five pounds a month.

Inhaling the scents works because, as Dr. Hirsch states:  “inhaling odors has a direct effect on the satiety center in the brain, which is the area that tells your body when you’ve had enough to eat.”

In a similar study at the Human Neuro-Sensory Laboratory in Washington, D.C., the subjects were asked to inhale assigned scents (peppermint, banana, and green apple) three times for 5 minutes before eating.  At the end of a six month trial, the participants lost an average of 19 pounds.

Exercise Intensity

In her November/December 2007 Psychology Today, “The Hidden Force of Fragrance” article, Linda Andrews quoted Psychologist Bryan Raudenbush, “exercisers run faster and do more push-ups when exposed to the scent [Peppermint].”

In WEBMD Medical News, July 2001, “Peppermint:  The Scent of a Winner” Salynn Boyles writes that researchers say that “the smell of peppermint, researchers say, boosts mood and motivation during physical exertion and improves athletic performance. They suggest that sniffing peppermint during games and workout sessions “may give competitive athletes and weekend warriors alike the extra push they need to excel.”

*Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery.