Gardening With Essential Oils

Essential Oils are invaluable in the garden to protect plants against munching insects and to protect and treat the gardener against insect bites and sunburn and the like.

Because essential oils are natural molecules originating from plants, they are not going to disrupt or poison the environment.  The goal in gardening with essential oils is not to massively attack and eradicate anything perceived as "the enemy."

 The creative use of essential oils in your garden will enhance the growth and fragrance of your flowers and the great flavour of your edibles while encouraging pollinators to keep coming into your garden to do their essential work.  Here are some tips for inviting in what you want and repelling what you don't want (non-violent pest control) in your garden:

Bambi Hates Rosemary

Deer can wreak havoc in gardens, stomping on plants and eating decorative ornamentals and veggies.  It turns out that deer have an aversion to certain strong-smelling herbs like rosemary, yarrow and lavender.  Commercial repellents generally contain a synthesized version of this and sometimes include coyote urine as their chief deterrent (ewww).   You can grow rosemary, yarrow and/or lavender around the perimeter of your yard/garden, or you can boil up 6 sprigs of Rosemary in 8 cups of water with 2 teaspoons of Tabasco Sauce (or a teaspoon of cayenne with a shot of vinegar).  Spray on the plants and around the perimeter of the garden/yard.  (Yes, it is ultimately the release of the natural essential oils in the rosemary that repel the deer-- it may also repel other animals such as bunnies, cats and raccoons, not sure).

Repel Ants

\Ants "milking" Aphids

The greatest harm that ants do in my yard is to 'raise herds' of aphids, which they like to 'milk' the honeydew from for their own (and their queen's?) tasty little libations.  Growing common tansy, mint and pennyroyal plants around your affected garden plants (roses? fig tree?) or door to your home will repel them.  You can put 3 neat drops of essential oils of Spearmint and Peppermint on cottonballs and place beside your doors.  You can spray their nests and along shelves with the essential oils (diluted 8 drops of E.O in 1 gallon of water).  Garlic oil and citronella are also helpful.
The SOLO Handheld Expert's Sprayer
Easy to use. Spray bushes,flowers etc

  (Sweet Little) Aphids

Getting rid of ants as much as possible (see above) will probably cut back on your aphid problem, since ants are the cowboys of the insect world and aphids are their beef herds.  Other than that, just interspersing your aphid-vulnerable plants with nasturtiums, spearment, stinging nettle, garlic, potatoes, parsley, basil and horseradish will keep their numbers down.  Also, making a tea with any or all of the above (boiling the above together or putting plant matter in a pail and adding water that you will use in a few days) will make an effective spray.  Nasturtium is a good bet!  Essential oils like Spearmint, Peppermint, Cedarwood, and Hyssop work well.  For a spray, combine 4-8 drops of the Essential Oil with 1 gallon of water.

Black Fly Shoofly!

Annoying little suckers... they bite as well as being annoying in that buggy way they have.  Plant Stinging Nettle (don't laugh-- I have this planted in several places), Basil and Lavender.  Put some Lavender Essential Oil on when you are out where there are black flies.  Tangetes, Tansy or Lavender Oil can be sprayed to shoo them away!  4-8 drops of the essential oil in 1 gallon of water does the trick as a spray.  Strips of muslin hung as in a clothesline or like a line of pennants from the used car lot, and sprayed with, or soaked in, the various essential oils (4-8 drops in 1 gallon of water), should deter the flies from frequenting places in or near the cottage where people are gathered or individuals are trying to read a good summer's book.

Cut Out the Cutworms!

Where I was when I heard that John Kennedy had been assassinated-- and the first time I saw a large cutworm-- both imprinted on my mind with equal gravity.  Oakleaf and Oak Bark (as in a wood chip walkway, say, as a garden mulch) keeps away the cutworm population.  Try putting 3 drops, neat, of either Thyme or Sage Essential oil on a cotton ball and placing where you suspect the cutworms are gathering.  Spray the base of nearby plants in an area affected by cutworms with 4-8 drops of Thyme or Sage in a gallon of water.

Beating Cancer with the Help of Essential Oils...

Steve Fillmore beat cancer twice, with the help of Essential Oils

In the hope-inspiring video, Steve Fillmore, a 42 year-old flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota tells Drew Canole how he combined chemo, great nutrition, and holistic methods to overcome testicular cancer.  He mentions that he used a combination of Frankincense Essential Oil and Turmeric to daily massage the areas where lymph nodes reside.*

CAUTIONS: SOME OILS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS 


Esteemed aromatherapist, author, and researcher Valerie Worwood cautions against using essential oils that are not organically-grown.  The chemical residues (fungicides, pesticides, herbicides) used in planting are also present during extraction and in the resulting oils.  Clinical aromatherapists are very careful about the oils they use therapeutically.

Aromatherapists also want to know what country their oils come from, and even what part of that country.  Worwood says that lavender is frequently grown in China and shipped to France from where it is "re-exported" as French.  French lavender used to be grown free of any chemicals under the clear blue skies of the Alps-- that is still the preferred place of growth, but, as everywhere else, massive freeways and industrialization exude their fumes and toxins over whatever fields they have growing near them... and there are a lot more fields of lavender growing this way than there were in the recent past. (The Fragrant Mind, p. 66-67)

Worwood also suggests that it is important to use an organic carrier oil and not to ingest essential oils without consulting someone who is in a position to recommend that to you based on their medical experience and training.

I would like to suggest that when dealing with cancer or other serious illnesses, that it is very important to consult with an actual working, well-trained aromatherapist, and not necessarily your friend who has an MLM investment and a few courses offered by the company that he/she distributes for.  As hopeful as the above video sounds, please do not do as he did without checking with a person with the aromatherapeutic, medical, nutritional background to assist.  *No information in this blog is meant to diagnose or suggest treatment.

Worwood has an extensive referral section in the back of her book.

The book

The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy

is highly reviewed by customers  and strikes me that it might be a good resource for people doing healing research.  Information you find in this book or others can be taken to your chosen health professional for consultation.

All the best!  Fragrant Blessings, Cynthia

        Click above or HERE to learn more

Essential Oils and Dental Pre- and Post-Op Care

So, today I went to the dentist and had two molars extracted.  I was a panicky mess when I arrived (I'm working on that, and yes, Frankincense, Lavender, Marjoram, and Geranium Essential Oils have all had a role in keeping me calm and/or balanced-- but the dental clinic is "scent/fragrance-free" so I went in unarmed).

Fortunately the dentist was a lovely guy who gave me permission to put up my finger for a break at any time, and the Assistant, Chynna (pronounced "China"-- isn't that beautiful?)   was sweet, chatty and proficient in her job. The teeth came out with relative ease, and NO PAIN.  I was given a sheet of instructions about post-op care (eg., don't eat anything on that side for a week; take ibuprofen every 6-8 hours for pain; ice the swelling).

After the icing, I made a compress of Roman Chamomile (a few drops in a square of gauze) and held it there for a while.  When my husband came home he was amazed at how the swelling had gone down.  I found this suggestion at https://www.aromaceuticals.com/blog/easing-dental-pain

I had a big green smoothie for lunch (apple, mango, mixed baby greens, chia seed for protein and water).  I did take one of the ibuprophen.  Amazingly, everything in my mouth is calm.

(I must also mention that my dear husband prayed for me before and during my appointment. I do  believe these essential oils are a gift from God-- and the great dentist and his team are a gift as well!)

Valerie Worwood's The Fragrant Mind: Pathway To The Mind Comments

Flower of the Lemon Tree courtesy of Thiagofest at FreeImages.com

You know how it is-- you buy a 'reference book' from Amazon and you use it just as that-- when something comes up that you must know.  But you do not read the book from page 1 on through to the end.  That is exactly how I have treated this book, "The Fragrant Mind: Aromatherapy for Personality, Mind, Mood and Emotion " by Valerie Ann Worwood.  So far.  But now I am going to read the entire book.  And review it as I go (big shout-out to my friends on the Facebook page Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils and the People Who Use Them)(<--Join us.  Keep me accountable :p )

Many years ago when I was more thoroughly immersed in essential oils-- using them daily, maybe over-using them daily, spending a huge sum monthly to keep myself viable as a distributor for an essential oils MLM-- I read V. A. Worwood's "The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy".  I was very impressed with her knowledge and the skills that she passed on.  When I mentioned this to another, more seasoned eo person she suggested that V.A.W. was not the 'real article'-- that she 'was said' to have plagiarized much of her material.  I was shocked.  I talked this over with a long-time friend who asked me, in her down-to-earth, no-BS style (for which I love her): "Honestly, Cynthia, do you think that this information hasn't been floating around for decades, maybe hundreds of years? Plagiarize?  Come on.  Worwood is just smart enough to get out there and share it before some of the pharmaceutical-grade oils guys got hold of it."  (If you get my drift).

Valerie Ann Worwood has been a practicing aromatherapist for twenty years, actually plying her arts with 'royalty and heads of state' and other celebrities as her bi-line states.  Her homebase is in England where she works out of her own clinic.  In research she has a particular interest on aromatherapy and its effects on endometriosis and infertility.  She teaches and conducts workshops internationally.  She has served on the executive councils of the International Federation of Aromatherapists and the Aromatherapy Organizations Council.

The Fragrant Mind is divided into four parts, and fourteen chapters:
Part 1: Pathways to the Mind
Part 2: Emotional Healing and Aromatherapy
Part 3: Aroma-Genera: Human Characteristics and Personalities of Essential Oils and
Part 4: Appendices dealing with Safety Data,  Therapeutic Components of Essential Oils and Absolutes, Suppliers, Useful Addresses, Notes, Bibliography and Index

What Are Essential Oils?

Worwood starts by talking about the history of plants and their powerful healing essences.  Did you know that the word chemistry derives from chemia which means plant juice.  Is that not the most intriguing realization?

  She goes on to a paragraph of descriptions of how different plants, and plant parts, are distilled or otherwise processed to produce the essential oils.  Science, of course, is quite taken with the isolating of various compounds in these essential oils-- the supposed "healing" compounds, etc.

 But, if you mix all of a plants isolated compounds together in a pot you will not get the essential oils you were hoping to replicate!  I recently read T. Colin Campbell's Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition in which he did a pretty fair job of describing the modern trend of reductionism-- highlighting the individual, isolated components and 'selling' their qualities to the un-knowing consumer without their realizing that plants are meant to be consumed as whole entities, that you gain the benefits of the whole, not of the isolated parts.  The same is true of essential oils.  "It is the synergistic effect of all the components that makes an essential oil what it is (p. 13, The Fragrant Mind)"

When you 'blend' various oils you always get something that is much more than the sum of the two oils' "healing" components... fascinating!

That's a small chunk of chapter 2.  I assure you that this book is a mine of gems that will amp your understanding of aromatherapy and essential oils far beyond where you currently are.   I will continue to do random chunks of information from this fascinating tome.

Essential Oils for Stress Reduction

Essential oils are particularly helpful in dealing with stress. They enter the bloodstream quickly through the skin or when inhaling or diffusing, or in some cases, ingesting. There is nothing more relaxing than an aromatherapy massage! It is very very important to realize that you will also allow many toxins this way in if you are using essential oils that are not pure. Here is a list of different sorts of stressors and essential oils to deal with them:

General Stress Kit: Bergamot, Bois de Rose, Cedar, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Marjoram, Neroli, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang



Antidepressant: Basil, Bergamot, Bois de rose, Chamomile, Clary sage, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Sandalwood, Rose, Rosemary, Thyme, Ylangylang

Anxiety: Bergamot, Bois de rose, Cedar, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Ylangylang.

Chemical stress (food, coffee, smoke, pollution, etc.): Clary Sage, Grapefruit, Geranium, Lemon, Lavender, Rosemary.

Emotional stress: Bergamot, Bois de rose, Geranium, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver.

Environmental stress (lights, noise, cramped space): Basil, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cypress, Geranium

Mental stress: Basil, Bergamot, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lavender, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Sandalwood.

Physical stress: Bergamot, Chamomile, Fennel, Geranium, Lavender, Marjoram, Rosemary, Thyme.

Sleep (Less is more! Too much can overstimulate): Chamomile, Clary sage, Lavender, Marjoram, Orange, Valerian, Vetiver, Ylang ylang.

Calming Children: Use a spray (inhalation) of gentle essential oils such as Sweet Orange, Neroli, Mandarin, Chamomile, Lavender

7 Natural Ways to Use Essential Oils For Prevention and Relief of Nausea

By Judy Lausch

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms that come from irritation to the intestinal tract, but they can also be associated with other illnesses such as diabetes, and are linked with disturbances in the inner ear. Putrid odors, jet lag, headaches, food allergies, poor digestion and both emotional and physical stress can cause this ugly feeling.

Nausea is that unpleasant sensation that makes you feel like you want to vomit. Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of contents from the stomach through the mouth.

There are several ways to deal with this difficulty and perhaps the safest and most effective way is very natural: the use of essential oils. Here are seven ways to use essential oils for the prevention and relief of nausea: 

1. Many aromatherapists recommend a very gentle massage with essential oils over the stomach area. In this instance you would dilute the chosen essential oils into a carrier oil base, and then rub a few drops of the blend over the tummy. You can also rub 1-3 drops behind each ear (over the mastoid).
2. Some may find a massage uncomfortable, and in this case a compress may be preferred. Here you could put about two cups of warm water in a sink or basin, add 10-15 drops the chosen essential oils, and after swishing the oils around to disperse them, put a cotton washcloth into the solution, gently wring it out, and then place the cloth over the tummy.
3. Simple inhalation may be the easiest and best way to relieve or prevent nausea. You can either inhale directly from the bottle of essential oil, or put a few drops on a tissue or cotton ball. This can be stored in a baggy, then taken out for a whiff when the sense of nausea come on.
4. Try adding a drop of Peppermint (Mentha piperita) or Spearmint (Mentha spicata) to an Altoid or breath mint, if you feel a bout of nausea coming on. Often this will prevent an attack, and is quite tasty.
5. Drink some chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Chamaemelum nobile) cinnamon(Cinnamomum verum), or peppermint tea. Or add a slice of ginger to some hot water. I have also found it effective to add a drop of essential oil to ginger ale. This and both of these teas are soothing to an irritated tummy. Don't have these items on hand? You can make a tea with essential oils, but you will want to dilute the oil before adding it to the cup of hot water. Put one drop of essential oil into a teaspoon of honey. Then you will only need to add about 1/4 to 1/3 of the teaspoon of oil infused honey to a cup of warm water. Remember that the essential oil is a very concentrated form of the herb or spice. One drop of chamomile essential oil is equivalent to about 30 cups of chamomile tea. So go easy here. And remember to use ONLY the purest therapeutic grade oils. This is very important. If unpure or adulterated oils are used, you can only make the problem worse.
6. You can also apply the essential oils to your feet. Pay attention to the reflexology point for the stomach: the area on the bottom of the foot, in the middle of the foot on the inside in line with the big toe. The acupressure point to relieve nausea is on the inside of the arm, just above the wrist in line with the long finger.
7. Sometimes using a diffuser to disperse an essential oil can be helpful. Here it is particularly important to select, ahead of time, an essential oil that is agreeable to the person. Choosing an oil that the nauseated person finds offensive, for whatever reason, can only make matters worse.

The most appropriate essential oils to use are peppermint, spearmint, Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans). Mailhebiau recommends using Dill seed ( Anethum graveolens) oil for children. Essential oils of carrot seed (Daucus carota), chamomile, turmeric (Curcuma longa), and Patchouli (Pogostemon cublin) have also been found to be effective. See your aromatherapist to determine which essential oils are right for you.

Here is an effective blend for nausea to be used as a tummy massage:

5 drops of Roman Chamomile

2 drops of Peppermint

2 drops of Patchouli

1 drop of Ginger

1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil or jojoba carrier oil (or unscented body lotion).

Combine ingredients and rub on hands. Have the person who is nauseated inhale slowly and deeply a few times, then gently massage this blend over the solar plexus area (below the rib cage) in a circular motion. You can store the massage oil in a glass bottle. This recipe makes about 1/2 ounce. Be sure to label the bottle with the ingredients, and the date the blend was made. You can also use this blend without the vegetable oil, and place a few drops on a tissue for inhalation. Store it in a plastic bag, and take it out to smell of it when the feeling of nausea comes on.

Simple acute nausea and vomiting that occurs following overeating or over indulgence of alcohol, or in the morning sickness of early pregnancy may require little or no treatment. But severe or prolonged nausea and vomiting requires careful management. Chronic nausea can be a sign of something more serious. See your health care professional for this.

This article is written for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical problems. The advice and care of a physician is recommended for your health concerns. Aromatherapy is intended as complementary care with health care providers, not as an alternative to care.

A registered aromatherapist, Judy has a special interest in using essential oils in health care and prevention. For information about Judy and for ways to obtain her favorite essential oils, visit her Web page at: http://home.comcast.net/~judy922/site/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Lausch

Make Your Own Special "Drawing Salve" containing Essential Oils

Flea bites are the most common
form of insect bite found on HUMANS.

I've had a lot of nasty bug bites and boils in my day.  I am so happy that there are ways to quickly draw off the toxins in the little pustule that develops... I am going to detail one method for doing that today using essential oils, activated charcoal and some other items.  The recipe I provide is called a "black drawing salve" and you will want to make some up for your Natural Medicine Chest.  You may want to take it with you when you go camping, etc.  It is good to use for bee stings, boils, slivers, infections and the like-- anything that requires drawing poisons out of your body.  For the grannies out there (such as I), it is a precious gift to give to the parents of your grandbabies-- you know what I mean.


Ingredients:

• 2 T. Beeswax
• 3 T. Cocobutter
• 3 T. Sheabutter
• 2 T. Organic Coconut Oil*
• 1 T. Vitamin E oil
• 2 T. Activated Charcoal Powder**
• 3 T. Bentonite Clay
• Pure Essential Oil (choose from list below)
• 8 - 1/2 oz. jelly jars with lids, or 8 baby food jars with lids, sterilized
• candy thermometer
• Old Crockpot/slow cooker/electric skillet/electric wok that you dedicate from now on to melting wax with

What to do:

• Have all ingredients on-hand and ready to go.  I am able to buy all of the above ingredients at my local health food store.  Please use only ORGANIC Coconut Oil so as to make use of the antibacterial properties not available in the heavily processed coconut oil.  Charcoal Powder: you may have to buy a bottle of charcoal caps and just break open the capsules and pour the powder into a small bowl until you have 2 T.  
• Put the beeswax, shea butter, cocobutter and coconut oil into an old crockpot that you purchase second-hand or pick up free from Freecycle-- this is the safest way to melt your oils and wax.  The most dangerous way is to melt over a gas fire.  If you are an old pro candle-maker, etc., go ahead and melt the items in a small pot over low heat.  Use your candy thermometer to heat and simmer up to 180 degrees (Medium)  Hold at 180 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes

Add all remaining ingredients (except for essential oil) and stir to blend.

• When the mixture is cool, add the essential oils (5 drops) that you wish to use.  The ones I recommend are (1)Lavender (2)Tea Tree (Melaleuca) (3)Myrrh (4)Chamomile.... other essential oils are useful as well.
• Spoon into sterile jars, lid tightly, and store in a cool, dark room.

How to Use the Salve

• Put about an 1/8 of a teaspoon-full of the salve on the boil or sting, etc.
• Cover with sterile gauze and a warm compress will be helpful in drawing the toxin out

(adapted from an article online at Herbs.Love to Know.com)

Stevia Julip?

Just discovered a tasty way to use the stevia I'm growing:
- 1 quart water
- 1 cup brewed stevia leaf tea, or liquid stevia extract drops to taste-
- a drop of organic therapeutic-grade peppermint essential oil -
- if you add a teeny splash of organic vanilla it tastes like cream soda or a cross between root beer and cream soda
- Pour over ice or let it sit in the refrigerator for a while. 
No calories. No side effects. Phytonutrients.

Essential Oils and Castor Oil for Cracked Heels

In yesterday's post we introduced the notion that Castor Oil-- that slightly bad-smelling, heavy oil reminiscent, for some of us, of purges prior to surgery in the old days-- is actually healing and effective when applied externally.  For whatever reason (old age?) I have cracked heels.  I have come across a really super recipe for smoothing and soothing the rough peeling skin on my heels.

Materials needed:

• Good quality cold-pressed Castor oil like this (carrier oil)
• Blend together, 10 drops organically-grown Geranium Essential Oil, 10 drops Chamomile Essential Oil, 5 drops Lemon Essential Oil, and 5 drops Lavender Oil in an amber glass bottle (recycled pill bottle?)
• Pumice Stick
• Foot Basin & Towels
•  Sterile Gauze Pads and Tape

Method:

Wash feet throughly and rub smooth with pumice stick
• Dry feet 
• Pour about a Tablespoon of Castor Oil on your palm.  Add a couple of drops of the essential oils 'blend'.  Gently mix together in your hand.  
• Apply generously to both heels.
• Tape gauze pads over heels and sleep on side to allow Castor oil and essential oils to be absorbed.  Repeat until heels are soft again.

Essential Oils and Comfort Pillows

kimharms.net

Wow, I haven't posted for a while... but today while I was out weeding in my front herb garden I got an extreme hit of mint fragrance and I thought immediately, "ah, the essential oils of mint!"  

I have a ton of herbs growing and sometimes I forget about their fragrant pleasures... I am trying to be a little more cognizant.   I love just to squeeze some of the leaves or needles (as in the case of my very mature rosemary). 

 I also have some herbs that I don't use for anything culinary (such as lemon balm) and am reminded about the OTHER things you can do with herbs, such as make 'comfort pillows'... clip and dry herbs of your liking, such as lavender and rosemary, and mix with the "stuffing" of the pillow (could be polyfilla, wool, flaxseeds, rye groats, etc.).  

There are quite a few different ideas you will find when you google "comfort pillow".  You can also, of course, add some actual essential oils to the pillow according to the purpose (i.e., sleeping, then add lavender).

And as a bonus, here is a great article about 10 Uses for small pillows for those with breast cancer:
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/tp/comfort_pillows.htm

Scented Recipes for Cleaning House

I'm helping my son and daughter-in-law with their move... here are some excellent natural cleaning, room-freshening recipes using essential oils and other non-toxic, inexpensive ingredients:

Hardwood or Vinyl Floors

To clean hardwood or vinyl floors, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water.  Then add 5-10 drops of lemon, pine, spruce, If the floor is especially dirty, add several drops of dishwashing soap.  This will clean even the dirtiest floor.

1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water

5-10 drops lemon, pine, or spruce essential oils

Liquid castile soap if needed

ALERT: Vinegar will dissolve grout between tiles, etc. and is not great on marble floors or fireplaces.

Floor Cleaner

 Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water.  Add 10 drops of lemon oil and 4 drops of oregano essential oil. Oregano oil has powerful antiseptic properties!

1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water

10 drops lemon essential oil

4 drops oregano essential oil

Carpet Freshener

To make a carpet freshener, add 16-20 drops of essential oils to a cup of baking soda. Mix well and place in a covered container overnight so that the oil can be absorbed. Sprinkle over your carpet the next day and then vacuum the powder up.

1 cup baking soda

16-20 drops essential essential oils

Vacuum Cleaner

You may also saturate a disposable cloth or tissue with several drops of essential oil and place it into the collecting bag of your vacuum. This will diffuse a pleasant odor as you clean.

If your vacuum collects dirt into water, simply add a few drops into the water reservoir before cleaning. This refreshes both, the carpet and the room.

Homemade Soft Scrubber

1/2 cup baking soda

Liquid Castile Soap

5 drops Lavender essential oil and/or 5 drops Tea Tree essential oil

Place the baking soda in a bowl. Slowly pour in liquid soap stirring constantly, add liquid soap until the consistency resembles cake icing or frosting. Add the essential oil/oils if desired. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, scrub the surface, and then rinse.

If you add a little pure vegetable glycerin to the baking soda, the mixture will stay moist for a long time in a jar with a tight lid. (this is why glycerin is added to toothpaste... always use a toothpaste without glycerin-- and other unnecessary/noxious ingredients-- like ToothSoap)

Basic Wood Cleaning Formula

This formula is for well-used furniture. The vinegar works to pull dirt out of the wood. It doesn't leave an oily residue because the little bit of oil keeps the wood from drying out. It will store almost indefinitely in a lidded jar.

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon liquid castile soap

5 drops jojoba or olive oil
few drops of favourite essential oil (lemon, other citrus oils)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Saturate a sponge and squeeze out the excess. Wash surfaces of tired and dirty wood. The vinegar smell will dissipate soon. Dry with a soft cloth.

*adapted from an article at www.healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com

Essential Oils for Sore Muscles

It is quite likely that some of the Olympians are using soothing and healing essential oils to deal with their overworked muscles.  Here is an article from EHow that gives a pretty good idea of the diversity of essential oils in taking care of muscular stress, fatigue and pain.     You will find some excellent recipes for putting together formulas that will allow your muscles to relax, and every one knows that relaxation is the first step to regeneration and healing!  http://www.ehow.com/way_5663655_essential-oil-recipe-sore-muscles.html

Arnica is a favorite essential oil for muscle and joint aches. Use it after strenuous activity to relieve pain. If you use it just after an injury, it can decrease the damage. Oils like wintergreen and cayenne or black pepper contain topical analgesics similar to aspirin, and they stimulate circulation in sore areas. Good circulation is necessary to get rid of the built-up lactic acid causing the sore muscles. Lavender, rosemary, ginger and eucalyptus oils are also able to soothe stiff muscles and increase circulation. Add ingredients like chamomile or sandalwood to your essential oil massage blend to make soothing scents to help relax your mind as well as your body.


Go to the article now and read about what you can do to get the relief you long for:http://www.ehow.com/way_5663655_essential-oil-recipe-sore-muscles.html  Pass this along to any Olympians you think might appreciate the information. : )

Caring for an Old Flare-up of Whiplash

Back in the late 90s I had two car accidents that left me reeling with what I prayed (and prayed and prayed) would not be an ongoing chronic pain. Classic whiplash-- it most affected my right "wing" on my back and the pain radiated all the way down into my right palm.

I tried all the usual venues-- trips to the doctors, "muscle relaxants", trips to the chiropractor, etc. etc. etc.

One day I was walking from our fave little health store past a nextdoor shop and spotted an older Chinese gentlemen using a pen-like apparatus on a woman's hand. I quickly read the poster in the window that told about the service (a non-invasive acupuncture-type stimulator) and went into the store.

He demo'd the device on me and rented it to me for a couple of weeks use.

My dear husband studied up the book that came with the device and using what he learned (he's an accountant, not any kind of body worker lol)in about a half-hour's reading, he found the applicable meridian points and applied the electronic pulses to them. After less than a week, of four treatments a day, I was DONE with that pain. It was a miracle to me! We have since lent it out to many people dealing with everything from diabetic neuropathy to fibromyalgia and the after-effects of cancer radiation.

This week I began a 28-day Raw Vegan cleanse with a community of folks on-line. The first day went very well. On the second day I felt lethargic and a little achey, not unusual signs of detox. Last night I swear I had a revisit of the awful whiplash pain of years ago. I absent-mindedly reached for a nearby bottle of Peppermint Essential Oil and rubbed it into several achey spots on my neck and shoulder and went to bed. I kept my shoulder warm.

In the morning: NO PAIN!

It is is my philosophy that pain relief does NOT have to be invasive, painful itself, or cost a lot of money and time. That's been my experience, too, I'm happy to say. Another technique I use is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) that uses the same meridian points that acupuncture does to tap away the energy blocks that create and maintain pain, both physical and emotional.


Do you have a comment or a technique or essential oil that you find particularly useful for dealing with muscle pain? Please share by clicking here. (Thank you!)

Fragrant Blessings!
Cynthia

The Power of Scent

I once had a boyfriend who claimed that his former love had liked the smell of his sweaty t-shirt... I seriously doubted that. 

Nonetheless, there is a lot of evidence that indicates that our sense of smell is far from being a weak and unimportant sense-- that our odour-detecting ability is surprisingly sharp and adds to our social interactions in ways that we often do not consciously realize. 

The sense of smell is often considered a far-off contender in a competition of sensory importance: we ask ourselves, for example, "What would I do if I went blind?" or "How could I manage if I couldn't hear anything?"  Not many of us think, "I wonder what it's like not to be able to smell anything?"  (Although there were a few times in my life when I thought that such an experience would be okay when driving downwind of a hog operation or a pulp mill.)

The fact is, our sense of smell is more influential to our species than we think it is.  Smell facilitates a number of human casual and intimate social interactions.   

Did you know that we use smell to assess whether we find someone likable or not? If you are a Boomer you will likely really identify with this-- remember our fears of "halitosis" and "B.O" (well, except for that one boyfriend of mine!). How about the thinly disguised racism behind statements like, "Oh, he eats all that stinky food".

We sort out friends and strangers by their scents. You have likely heard of people who have slept with a piece of clothing that belonged to their former spouse? Or children who are soothed to sleep by snuggling an old sweater of Mommy's? Does it make sense, then, that the olfactory organ (right up high on our nose, connected to our brain) can facilitate reproduction and even prevent risky encounters.

Inspired and adapted from the article "The Hidden Power of Scent" by Josie Glausiusz in the August/September 2008 issue of Scientific American Mind.

What are ABSOLUTES?

Jasmin, one of the materials for Absolutes

Hmm... in the non-essential oil world, 'absolutes' are statements of purported authority, true-isms... but in the world of essential oils, Absolutes are aromatic oils extracted from plants, but are not considered true essential oils because they are not obtained by distillation but by chemical solvents. This is NOT the most desirable way to extract the oil of a plant because there are always residues of of the solvents left behind which adulterate the oil and may be toxic.

Unfortunately, the aromatic essences of some plants cannot survive the heat and hydration of distillation. Extracting them as absolutes is the only practical way to obtain them at this time. The solvents are usually ethanol, methanol, benzene, or hexane. All but the first of these are toxic chemicals. Absolutes are sometimes called "essences". Absolutes usually contain a wider range of molecular sizes than essential oils, including some fatty oils such as lauric acid.

Among the most popular absolutes are Jasmine and Neroli, extracted from jasmine flowers and orange blossoms respectively. Onycha oil is another absolute oil, popular since the Old Testament days of Moses (Exodus 30:34). It has powerful anti-microbial properties and has been used as an antiseptic (called tincture of benzoin) in hospitals for more than 200 years, to the present.

(The foregoing information was extracted from Margarete de Gaston's Scent Pro newsletter, February -08 issue.)

Getting Closer to Your Loved One

Essential oils can be very helpful in shifting the negative feelings that keep us from being close to others: anger, depression, fear, worry, indecision, sorrow, to name a few. Here are some suggestions for oils that will flip those feelings and give you and your sweetheart opportunities for greater intimacy in all ways:

Add a couple of drops of Bergamot to the cuffs on your shirt and feel alert, confident, content and joyful. Feel really connected to your loved one with increased ability to focus on them.

Feeling generally fearful and worried or anxious? Dab on a drop of sandalwood, cypress, lemon, frankincense, clary sage or lavender. Make a blend of any of these and add a few drops to a bowl of hot water near where you are sitting, or in your bath.

Fragrant blessings to you and your Sweetheart!

Carpal Tunnel and Essential Oils

Yesterday I thought I was going to do a straight-through series of blogs about aspects of infertility, but I will defer that for a day since a good friend of mine is talking about the pain in the wrist of tenosynovitis-- more commonly known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I want to give her some ideas on how to deal with that using the most pleasant of all interventions (therapeutic-grade essential oils) along with other non-invasive aids to pain management and healing.

Here is a video about 'carpal tunnel release' done surgically. You may want to think seriously at some less invasive techniques for the release (as below with essential oils, icing, and NOT overdoing all the fine motor work without doing compensating exercises and resting properly "on purpose").

 
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of several conditions that result from repetition of a pattern of movements. Other examples of this Repetitive Strain Syndrome are 'tennis elbow', 'writer's cramp' and the ganglion cysts that develop on the wrists of computer keyboardists who leave their computer at work and then spend hours at home on Facebook, et al. In general, people who use their wrists a lot (carpenters, typists, super-nerds, pianists, painters, knitters)are prone to develop tenosynovitis.

A good diagnosis is important for treatment.

Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the fibrous sheaths that are wrapped around the tendons of the ankles and wrists. With the inflammation there is often a spectrum of related symptoms:

immediate acute pain and a dull ache that can travel up the forearms or legs

grinding and cracking noises

numbness

tingling

crampy stiffness

increasing weakness

sometimes, swelling

The ergonomic folks (usually people you work with who have taken a course with Occupational Health and Safety) have a whole list of recommendations. It's a good idea to use the furniture and assorted appliances properly when you have them-- don't slump or let your wrists flag (clue: if your wrists are tired and if your hands are cramped, what does that tell you?). Take breaks in your activities if they are repetitive. Those are the commonsense suggestions from people familiar with this condition.

Some Ideas of How To Deal With The Pain:

On the internet I see three other common suggestions for carpal tunnel sufferers. I have added my own spin:

(1)Take painkillers, both over-the-counter and prescribed. (I don't do this myself and have trouble recommending it... this is stuff that other people suggest for pain management... standard dealing with the symptoms and ignoring the effects of the drugs used to deal with the symptoms.  But this is your body and your decision.)

(2)Surgery. (My very last choice... but I'll let you do your own research and decision-making around this most invasive method of dealing with wrist pain and inflammation).

(3)Ice the area and stay away from the aggravating activity until there is no more pain. (My notes: ice the area by freezing water in a styrofoam cup and peeling it back to expose about an inch or two of ice. Holding the cup, rub the ice in small circles over the affected area continuously for exactly seven (7) minutes. Don't pause (can cause freezer burn). Reddening means that there is increased blood circulation, which means healing is taking place. After icing, use a warm damp cloth (a washcloth) and gently begin to warm the area a little. Massage lightly with any of the essential oils and blends as listed below. Take a break of a day or two and just ice on a regular basis (maybe every three hours or so) until the pain has disappeared or diminished entirely). Think of ways to vary your activities so that you will not re-afflict your wrists. Acupuncture and similar "energy" therapies are often successfully used either separately, or in conjunction with other treatment. 

(4)The strong 'silk worm enzyme' serrapeptase
 has been shown in some published studies to be effective in pain management and healing related to repetitive strain (carpal tunnel).

(5)These are essential oils that should be in your Repetitive Strain First Aid kit if you are someone who works using their wrists a great deal:

Chamomile (Roman) 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml

• Peppermint 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml


• Lavender 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml


• Eucalyptus 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml

Massage daily with: 10 drops each of: Peppermint, Lavender, and Eucalyptus Essential Oils diluted in 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil or a good nut oil.

To further decrease the inflammation, it is a good idea to pursue an alkaline-maintenance lifestyle. Many foods (particularly sugar, grains, and animal products)up the acidity of your system, which creates more inflammation. Eat more fresh, organic, ripe, raw fruits and vegetables and tender greens. Green Smoothies are a good tip for eliminating inflammation and building health!

Information about application and formulas for essential oil therapy is taken from The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.

Essentially, A Fertility Issue

I'm not sure if I have ever come across any deeper, more profound a disappointment than that expressed by adults who are unable to conceive a child.

Today, of course, there are any number of "interventions" to make conception possible. I'm happy to hear that, but I know that many women and men want to have an experience that is as natural as possible (i.e., artificial insemination and/or surrogate pregnancy, etc. is not generally a first choice). For that reason, when it is determined that there is some impediment to conception, many couples consider--at least initially--less invasive alternative or complementary strategies in lieu of the pharmaceutical and/or surgical options.

Essential Oils Can Help Clear The Way

Infertility is on the increase for a lot of different reasons. Determining who is infertile and why can mean umpteen trips to doctors and specialists, and many pretty invasive tests and procedures. While essential oils can not claim to help with 'structural' problems, they can help to clear up specific diseases that prevent pregnancy from taking place. Stay tuned over the next few blogs--I will be looking at some of these particular conditions and the essential oil possibilities in correcting them so that conception might take place.*

Can Essential Oils Help If Infertility is a "Hormonal Issue"?
Good news-- essential oils contain phytohormones which are similar to human hormones and act like tiny chemical messengers. Marcel Lavabre writes in The Aromatherapy Workbook that essential oils contain vitamins, hormones, antibiotics and/or antiseptics! In The International Journal of Aromatherapy, pharmacologist Tony Balacs states that essential oil constituents may have hormone-like activity. When their structure is similar enough to the hormone, they will interact with the same receptor as the human hormone. Aromatherapist Robert Tisserand explains, for example, that essential oils such as Coriander, Cypress and Fennel stimulate estrogen production.**

In Europe, Dr. Jean Valnet pioneered 'phytotherapy', or the medicinal use of essential oils. He found that essential oils amp up the function and health of the glands that produce the hormones. Of the hormones involved in conception, there are a number of plant hormones that imitate them. I personally have known of people who bathed in Geranium essential oil or used Clary Sage essential oil and became pregnant in spite of great odds against such a "miracle" occurring.

If the woman in the couple is infertile, she can try the following oils:

Geranium

Clary-sage

Thyme

Nutmeg

Cypress

Coriander

Fennel

Chamomile Roman

Start using the above on the last day of your period.

Use 6-8 drops of a single oil, or combine an equally-proportioned formula (drop for drop) of your favourite oils above, and use 6-8 drops.

Add 6-8 drops (above) to 1/4 C. epsom salts, mix, and run under warm bath water. Bathe daily.

Massage 5 drops of essential oil to 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil (virgin coconut oil or nut oils are good)over the whole abdomen, hips, across the lower back, and into the butt crease without going as far as the anus or the genitals. Do not forget the lower back because that is where you find the nerves that connect with uterus and ovaries.

Men who are infertile can use the same oils, and apply or bathe as above. Continue daily for about three months.

I Am Soooo Stressed About This Infertility Thing...

Anxiety certainly hasn't been shown to result in pregnancy. We have all heard of couples who have adopted, only to become pregnant after the pressure is off!

Essential oils are most famous for their pleasant aromatic qualities, their lovely, uplifting, de-stressing scents. If you think that stress is the "big deterrent" to your conceiving, merely combine 3 drops of Clary-sage and 3 of Geranium added to the 1/4 C. of Epsom salts in your bath. Diffuse these lovely scents in your home, particularly the bedroom.

Anything Else?

Look after yourself, support your partner in good health and harmony. Give up smoking. Eat lots of leafy greens and cut out the bad stuff (you know). Google for other information about alternative infertility treatment.

But never underestimate the power of those tiny little molecules!

This blog is dedicated to exploring the benefits of using only high quality, pure essential oils that are grown organically or selectively wildcrafted, distilled in a manner that does not use solvents or other harsh chemicals, tested in independent labs to maintain the standards of Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

Frankly, I would be extremely wary of using most essential oils and other substances-- particularly pharmaceutical drugs-- in the delicate application of treating reproductive problems. "Cheap" essential oils are often the product of rapid, chemical distillation of inferior plants with solvents, rendering them ineffectual at best and very dangerous at worst. On the other hand, organic, therapeutic grade essential oils, when properly used, do not remain in the body, leave no toxins behind, and offer a potent, convenient, practical, pleasant solution. 

* Information about application and formulas for essential oil therapy is taken from The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.
**Adapted from Laboratory of Flowers site.

Image by kirkandmimi on Pixabay