With spring right around the corner it is time to start thinking more seriously about refreshing our lives. Essential oils can be the easiest and more effective way in which to clean out the hard to reach, hidden corners of our lives. The beautiful and uplifting notes of the citrus and mint families can brighten and refesh everything from furniture and floors to our personal mind set. Essential oils such as clove, gernaium, lavender, spruce, lime and even spearmint are great natural additives in the laundry room and can be used by placing a few drops on a cotton cloth and thrown in the drier.

With the coming of summer the need for pest control becomes more of an issue and there is no better way to repel unwanted pests than the use of Essential oils. Everyone knows that citronella is a powerful warrior but did you know that oils used in a combination can keep the bugs away without harmful chemicals? The following recipe is easy to make, easy to use, SMELLS GREAT and best of all NO chemicals!

In a two ounce spray bottle, combine 1 Tablespoon jojoba oil with 50 drops of Sandlewood oil, 30 drops of cajeput oil, 25 drops of Geranium, 10 drops of Cedarwood and 15 drops of Lavender. Finish by filling the bottle the rest of the way up with 50% distilled water and 50% vodka. Try it you will like it! Mist the exposed areas of the body before going outdoors. CAUTION< avoid spraying the face, instead spray a small amount in the the hands and then gently apply to the face being careful not to get the mixture into the eyes as this will cause a burning sensation.

Spring time pests such as tiny "sugar" ants cannot stand the taste and aroma of lemongrass, tea tree and patchouli. Misting corners and doorways will keep them from returning.

Think about the many properties of the different oils and let your imagination run with great ideas for your home and property while enjoying the fresh aromas that will lift your heart and mind.

Understanding Is Key

Feelings of intense sadness can be the result of a recent loss or other sad event but another key element of mood disorders can be contributed to light deprivation such as during the winter months when the days are very short. During the winter months especially, feelings of depression come more frequently for some and last much longer for others. Statistics have shown that post holiday mood swings elevate in February and March as we long for spring to make it's appearance and the cold dreary days of winter to subside. Understanding the symptoms can always go a long way into helping deal with the experience of depression.
Symptoms will typically develop gradually over a period of time, days or weeks, and can include feelings of mild sadness, guilt or hopelessness. Other symptoms can also be a loss of interest, difficulty in being able to concentrate and a lack of decisiveness.
Just the right blend of essential oils can help to lighten and uplift one's mood. Just the right blend applied on the pulse points, similar to the wearing of perfumes, or diffusing in the air, using in baths or delicately adding to massage therapy can lighten as well as uplift the heart and mind.
Different oils speak to different symptoms and can be custom fit for each individual need. If your mood tends to be one of restlessness you might consider including the oils that help to calm, such as those in the chamomile family or Clary sage, lavender, sandalwood and ylang ylang. If you are suffering from feelings of lethargy you might want to consider some of the more uplifting oils such as geranium, jasmine, tangerine, bergamot and rose. Neroli can help with anxiety!
The exact causes of depression may not be fully understood, but there is always help and hope. Nature gives us both in the gentle uses of essential oils.

The Virtues of Lavender Oil

The sweet smelling herb, Lavender as a long and legendary history. In the 12th century, Hildegard von Bingen who was a Catholic nun and noted herbalist, had this to say about the many virtues of Lavender; "Especially good for all forms of headaches, especially migraine and can be used as a restorative and tonic against weakness, spasms, giddiness, colic and vertigo. It will cause melancholy to go away and will raise the spirits. A drop or two in a glass of water is a good gargle for hoarseness and the loss of voice."


Later in 1910, Gattefosse, the father of modern aromatherapy, experimented widely with Lavender oil. He found it to be very beneficial to the nerves, calming to the skin, useful in treating colds and flu. It can be useful for such skin disorders as acne

Lavender oil can be employed as an aromatic, an agent to sooth the digestive system as well as an agent to sooth the nervous system, making it the perfect oil for mental stress such as test anxieties or job interviews and even first dates.

Lots of things have been said about the virtues of Lavender oil, and many more things will yet be said as people fall in love all over again with this wonderful and therapeutic oil.

A Subject Of Great Controversy

A Subject of great controversy is whether or not essential oils can be used in oral applications. In the United States, most people avoid this conversation all together because most don't want to be involved in the subject so they give the advice of "when in doubt, don't."

With any subject we should take the time to think the situation through. The commercial Food industry has used essential oils for years as flavoring agents, and the American FDA provides a food-grade rating to indicate purity and safety even for some aromatic oils which are synthetic. These oils have no therapeutic effect however and should never be used for aromatherapy application.

In France and Germany, it is not unusual for a physician to prescribe oral doses of pure essential oils to treat many conditions that are routinely treated with antibiotics in other countries.

We now live in a world where knowledge and information travels, literally, around the globe in mere seconds making the world a very small place in reality. As people learn more about essential oils they will want to be able to take advantage of their potential healing power. It is important to remember that in almost every example, a little may do you great good but an overdose can do you great harm. The use of essential oils is no different in their applications.

The key to any subject is the willingness of the individual to engage in real and honest research so that they become informed consumers.

Current research has shown that assimilation of orally ingested essential oils occurs primarily in the duodenum and the first third of the intestinal tract. No digestion of fats occur in the stomach. Absorption of the active ingredients in essential oils occur on contact with the surface of the mucous membranes. Now think about the contact of 1 drop of essential oil, it is a very small area and the oil is very concentrated. If that same drop is then dissolved in an excipient such as a vegetable oil, honey, or water then the surface of contact is greatly increased and not so concentrate. This is why most therapist recommend that oral doses of essential oils be taken in an excipient for efficacy as well as safety. In fact a lot of therapist have recently started recommending that drops of essential oils be placed in gelatin capsules and then swallowed, however this application while useful and effective tends to defeat the purposes behind AROMA-therapy because it bypasses the olfactory system and does not include the brain in the message system.

Use A Helping Hand

Essential oils are highly concentrated and using a very small amount, counted in drops, can be very effective. Getting a helping hand from carrier or base oils helps the essential oils do their work more effectively especially when using them in massage applications or with young children.

The carrier or base oil serves as a gentle lubricant allowing smoothing distribution over the skin's surface. Different carrier oils are used for different purposes, but common to all is the need for the carrier to be 100% pure and without an odour that could overpower the aromas of the essential oils. Most carrier oils contain vitamins and minerals and the texture will moisturize the skin. These oils are produced from the nuts, seeds, beans or kernels of a wide variety of plants. A few of the more common carrier oils are sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado,
grape seed, sesame seed and wheatgerm.

Sweet Almond oil is derived from the kernels of the almonds by warm pressing; however this oil should never be confused with bitter almond oil which contains prussic acid or cyanide. Sweet almond trees have pink blossoms whereas bitter almond trees bloom with white blossoms.

Sweet Almond oil is one of the most popular carrier oils used in aroma therapy and massage. This oil is not expensive and the vitamin E content helps to preserve the oil. It will nourish the skin and is very useful in cases of eczema and other irritations. Sweet Almond oil is high in vitamins A, B and E.

Apricot kernel oil is high in essential fatty acids, although, unlike the fruit, it does not contain many vitamins. The is very light in texture, and is particularly suited to facial massage. Excellent for dry, sensitive or mature skins as it is absorbed easily.

Mechanical pressing followed by centrifugal extraction is used to obtain avocado oil from the flesh of the fruit. Grown largely in Mexico as well as part of the Southern United States and South America this oil is wonderful on the abdomen and legs of pregnant women who wish to avoid common stretch marks. The oil is a deep green colour and is full of vitamins, lecithin, protein and essential fatty acids. It has a tendency to become cloudy and thick when cold, but gentle warming of the bottle with warm hands will reverse this process.

Grape seed oil is obtained from the seeds of grapes, and is often imported from wine growing areas in Europe. Without any noticeable odour, grape seed is universally used in aromatherapy for its non-greasy, silky feel. Generally grape seed oil is even more inexpensive than sweet almond oil and many people will mix the two for color and texture.

Sesame seed oil is extracted from the seeds, it is light and has virtually no odour. This oil has the advantage of washing out of towels better than grape seed or sweet almond oil. Because it is a monounsaturated oil it will retain its freshness longer than some other oils and will not go rancid in strong sunlight or excessive heat.

Cold expression of Wheatgerm oil is performed to extract this thick, rich oil which is very nourishing and contains B vitamins as well as vitamin E and essential fatty acids. The vitamin E makes wheatgerm oil a natural antioxidant helping to extend the shelf life even after exposure to oxygen, light or temperature changes. It is useful for dry skin, scar tissue and burns.

There are many other carrier oils, but those outlined are easily available, relatively inexpensive and offer a versatile selection for the purpose of aromatherapy.

Knock Out The Bug!

Knock Out The Bug, Flu That Is






Sometimes the common or familiar can be just as effective as the exotic. When the flu bug hits and the body begins to ache our mind and reasoning most often goes right out the window, for me this is truly the normal.. Whenever someone else is sick I am full of great advice and remedy suggestions, HOWEVER, when it comes to be being sick I become completely stupid and void of any reasonable thought functions. Lying in bed sick and miserable my brain becomes totally useless, however by the bed was a small bottle of Essential Oil of Lavender that I try to keep within easy reach because this oil is so versatile.

Essential Oil of Lavender is a good and versatile oil that will relieve tension while at the same time it is antiseptic and analgesic in its actions. It stimulates the immune system and contributes to the healing process by stimulating cellular regeneration.

So I rubbed the lavender into the nape of my meck, under the jaw bone and down the sides of my neck. As my mind began to clear a little and the muscles started relaxing I remembered that Essential Oil of Ravensara is one of the oils used by French Doctors in their aromatic treatment of viral infections, especially those infections of the respiratory tracts.

For those of you who don't know, Ravensara is related to the Bay Laurel Family and smells very similar to the common bay leaf. By using the Ravensara with the Lavender I felt like I might just knock the flu bug out.

After sleeping for several hours I felt somewhat better, but I realized that the "bug" was trying a comeback round with a sore throat and almost laryngitis so I gargled with a water solution of 2 drops of Essential Oil of Tea Tree in 4 ounces of warm water followed by 1 drop of Essential Oil of Sandalwood in 1/4 teaspoon of honey.

Essential Oil of Sandalwood is a very powerful anti-bacterial agent and is not as hot as oregano. It can kill streptococci and staphylococci as effectivey as most antibiotics. The taste is very bitter but, it is well worth the assault on the taste buds. Not only is Sandalwood soothing, but it has a slight analgesic (pain relieving) quality.

Needless to say, my recent experience was truly a championship knock out! Score 1 for me, 0 for the bug.

Kitchen Cupboard Remedies

There are many common ingredients in every kitchen cupboard that have hidden or under estimated health remedy uses. For instance let's talk about the common mustard, this common seed is an excellent and very natural, easy laxative. By simply chewing on a few of the seeds (about 1/8 of a teaspoon) in the morning and the evening you can count on being regular once again without the harsh effects of other remedies. Mustard can be used in powdered form and mixed with olive oil for pain resulting from bruises. When mixed with enough vodka and olive oil to create a paste you can place it on the chest which has been covered with a layer of cheese cloth and it will relieve congestion and croup symptoms. always, always place a clean cloth between the mustard plaster and the bare skin because it can cause burns. Check the area often.

Oatmeal is almost unequaled when it comes to most skin disorders. It is extremely soothing in bath water for all types of rashes or in a poultice for minor insect bites. It can be cooked, mixed with olive oil and cornstarch then blended or stirred together and used as a topical ointment for such things as diaper rashes.

Wonderful, delicious pineapple is a naturally sweet fruit and it known as nature's sponge. When experiencing a sore throat, gargle deep in the back of your throat with pineapple juice that is room temperature and then SPIT IT OUT! This will draw infection out the throat and mouth. It will relieve sore throats and laryngitis. DO NOT SWALLOW as it will pull the infection down through the intestinal system Mashed pineapple can also be used as a drawing poultice on infected wounds. This wonderful fruit is great to aid in digestion and will help stop heartburn.

Whole grain, brown rice is an excellent source of protein and is very soothing for stomach problems if the following recipe is used. Boil one cup of rice in four cups of water and after the rice becomes soft, strain it through a small mesh. Drinking this "water" will help nourish and hydrate the body from excessive vomiting or diarrhea. Using white rice will NOT have the same effects.

Good old table salt is a good gargle for sore throats and swollen tonsils and adenoids, it will relieve inflammation. Warm salt water sprayed into the nostrils in small amounts will dry up nasal passages that are congested and swollen. Salt in the bath water will relieve sore muscles and will help to break down cellulite. It can also be extremely soothing for menstrual cramps.

Sage tea is a great rinse for acne, and dermatitis problems. When combined with nettle and chamomile it is great for dandruff and hair loss problems and when sage tea is ingested it will help control excessive sweating problems.

Thyme is good for fevers and is excellent for children who have persistent nightmares. Thyme helps in most headaches, stomach cramps and is a good choice for hard persistent, croupy coughs.

Ginger Root helps with digestion, endurance and energy. Ginger will help keep the sinus clear. Genger increases circulation and speeds up the leukosyte action of the blood which in turn stimulates the body's natural immune system. Ginger also helps keep the bronchioles free from congestion.

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