Forty years ago, Dr. Willem gave rosemary cineole to his patients for phlegm and cough problems. People came back to tell him that they were also regaining their memory. This is how, by chance, he discovered its effects on memory.
For him, Rosemary cineole is one of the most powerful essential oils for its effects on memory. Rosemary cineole essential oil restores acetylcholine. It must be inhaled.
He mentions that loss of smell precedes memory loss. Alzheimer's: 95% olfactory disorders. It is necessary to stimulate and awaken the sense of smell.
Dr. Willem mentions that essential oils can address behavioral problems and age-related problems. For example:
- For those who wander (ie, people with Alzheimer's who leave the house (and get lost) or wander) it is Griffonia simplicifolia for serotonin that should be given to them to calm them down.
- To calm down, 2 drops of pure neroli on the sternum is superior to Prozac.
He also says that eating cooked food makes the sense of smell disappear. While eating raw food nourishes and restores the limbic system. (He gives the example of a dog losing its sense of smell when it eats cooked food... (the kibble is cooked), the dog should eat raw food).
He also adds that it is necessary to feed, and repair the damage and as a preventive measure from the start, the main thing is:
- Healthy eating (60% eating raw would already be good to stay in the olfactory sense)
- Smell rosemary cineole directly from the bottle, 4 times a day for 1 to 2 minutes, no more, as it is a bit strong.
- Peaceful life (stress)
- 0 Heavy metals
- Take Omega-3 to make membranes permeable
- Not to mention products that stimulate acetylcholine, such as Bacopa, Lion's Mane, Saffron, Rhodiola, Ashawangandha, Huperzine
The methods he suggests:
The nasal olfactotherapy method
- Apply a few drops of diluted essential oil to the inside of the wrists, join your hands in a cathedral shape to cover your nose and take a long, deep breath, repeated three times in succession. Repeat as desired.
- Breathing the essential oil directly from the bottle is the simplest method (2 to 3 times a day for one to two minutes).
By inhaler (dry diffusion by air pump)
- 10-minute sessions, the quantity of 6 to 8 drops of EO in the inhaler.
By atmospheric diffusion (ultrasonic diffusion)
2 types of diffusion which are recommended:
- In the morning, stimulating oils: Put 10 ml of the two essential oils that can be diffused into the diffuser (black spruce, maritime pine, verbenone rosemary, rosewood, Chinese cinnamon, ylang-ylang).
- In the late afternoon or evening, calming oils: Choose one or two essential oils (true lavender, neroli, Himalayan spikenard, marjoram, frankincense, bergamot, exotic basil) for 20 minutes.
- For those who do not have a diffuser: They can buy 5 ml bottles of the essential oils they like and inhale them several times a day for a few minutes.
Dr. Willem – Some of his proposed synergies
Stimulate the olfactory system in the morning and calm the brain in the late afternoon and evening. So, two approaches requiring the use of different synergies.
1-Synergy to maintain intellectual alertness and stimulate memory
20% Rosemary and cineole
10% Garden marjoram (also called shell marjoram)
20% Lemon (zest)
20% Fine Lavender (also called True Lavender)
20% Black Spruce
2-To calm anxiety and reduce behavioral disorders (restore a certain harmony and allow a better quality of rest)
Synergy 1
HE Noble Chamomile
HE Lemon Verbena
He Neroli
Synergy 2
He Lavandin
He Saro
He Ylang-ylang
Synergy 3
True Lavender
He Neroli
He Santal
You will find all these comments and proposed recipes, among his various videos and his book entitled Alzheimer & Smell: when aromas restore memory: a path for treatment. 1-4
Dr. Olivier de Ladoucette, President of the Alzheimer Research Foundation (Psychiatrist and gerontologist who works in specialized homes for Alzheimer's patients) in France, is an expert on aging, very involved in the fight against this disease, he advocates a more optimistic approach to the disease and calls for general awareness. He has written several books on the subject, and an article on the benefits of aromatherapy, published on August 13, 2020. 5 Here is a short summary:
- He notes that smell is the only human sense directly linked to the limbic brain, where memory and emotions are located.
- He emphasizes that aromatherapy can be a great help in combating Alzheimer's disease. Once inhaled, essential oils quickly act on the patient's limbic system and impact their behavior. A familiar scent or odor can instantly awaken distant memories and reactivate buried feelings. This non-drug approach is increasingly being adopted as a complement to conventional treatments.
- The most popular essential oils that stimulate cognitive functions threatened by the disease (memory, concentration, attention, etc.) are those of Scots pine, peppermint, lemon, etc., and above all, rosemary, the effectiveness of which has been demonstrated by research led by Mark Moss (Northumbria University). 6
- Additionally, lavender oil, among its components, linalyl acetate, soothes and regulates heart rate, making breathing calmer. High agitation is common in people with Alzheimer's, which can lead to aggression and sleep problems. Lavender essential oil proves to be a valuable aid, thanks to its relaxing properties, and it has the advantage of causing almost no side effects. It may even encourage greater social interaction, as it influences the medial prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain directly associated with the olfactory nerve and which controls trust in others.
References:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skwdYvr19a8
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv6F7dV-bW8
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be_LDeYWSZg
4. Jean-Pierre Willem. Alzheimer's & Smell: When Aromas Restore Memory: A Path to Treatment, July 8, 2020, Publisher Guy Trédaniel, 324 p. ISBN-10: 2813222518, ISBN-13: 978-2813222510
6. Moss M, Cook J, Wesnes K, Duckett P. Aromas of rosemary and lavender essential oils differentially affect cognition and mood in healthy adults. Int J Neurosci. 2003 Jan;113(1):15-38. doi:10.1080/00207450390161903. PMID: 12690999. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207450390161903
Read in addition, two additional studies concerning the effects of rosemary on cognitive functions 1 and its neuroprotective effect 2 :
1. Pengelly A, Snow J, Mills SY, Scholey A, Wesnes K, Butler LR. Short-term study on the effects of rosemary on cognitive function in an elderly population. J Med Food. 2012 Jan;15(1):10-7. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2011.0005. Epub 2011 Aug 30. PMID: 21877951. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jmf.2011.0005?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed
2. Oresanya IO, Orhan IE. Deciphering Neuroprotective Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (syn. Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.) through Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Curr Drug Targets. 2024;25(5):330-352. doi:0.2174/0113894501255093240117092328. PMID: 38258779. https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/137619
Maison Jacynthe disclaims all liability. All information contained on this page is not intended to replace justified allopathic treatment or to disregard the expertise of the medical profession. It is up to each individual to take charge of their own health, to inform themselves, and to make the necessary changes to improve their condition. Therapeutic supervision by a qualified health professional is obviously recommended.
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