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Saturday, June 8, 2013

Self-Love Lesson #6: F is for Flowers



I don’t know about you but whenever I see flowers I smile.  Yes I do!

And why wouldn’t I? They are beautiful and their fragrance can be so soothing. Flowers also boost morale and improve your mood and drumroll please flowers possess phytochemicals that aid in helping our bodies heal. 

A few examples: 

Lavender: Promotes relaxation and induces sleep when inhaled.  The oil exerts anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects when applied topically to the skin.

Chamomile: The bright right yellow flower heads contain numerous glycoside flavonoids and other compounds that have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.   Tea made from chamomile flowers helps to ease indigestion, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints.

Echinacea:  Known as purple coneflower, is a North American native with a long history of use in medicine. Various Native American tribes noticed that elk purposely look for this plant when sick or injured, earning the herb the nickname “elk root.” The Lakota used the plant to treat inflammation and pain, while the Kiowa and Cheyenne used it to ease cough and sore throat.  Preparations made from the flowers, as well as the root, help to thwart viral invasions when taken internally at the first sign of cold or flu symptoms.

As I type this post the song I Feel Pretty* from West Side Story in bouncing around in my head:

I feel pretty, Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright,
And I pity Any girl who isn't me tonight.

I digress but I do love to do that.  So where was I? Oh yeah, flowers and how they make me feel pretty, smiley and happy.  And they make me sing and sometimes actually convince me I can actually sing, which is a good enough reason to buy them every day because I CANNOT sing.  Not one note.  Even, if you gave me a suitcase I would not be able to carry a tune.  Daryl used to tell me everyone can learn how to sing and suggested I take some voice lessons, God Bless her beautiful spirit.  Just believe me when I say I cannot sing.  

So get yourself a bouquet of flowers, inhale the delightful aroma, drift off, feel better, smile and sing a little tune whether you can sing or not. 

FLOWER POWER!!!!








* Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

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