Essential Tip of the Week- Curbing Cravings

Find yourself reaching for yet another plate of holiday goodies?

A great way to avoid those unnecessary calories and reduce cravings is to use Peppermint Essential Oil.

My favorite method to stop the munching and freshen breath is to put a drop (just one!) on my tongue holding it in my mouth until I need to swallow. It can be a pretty intense sensation, so have some water nearby to swish and swallow! Remember, only take essential oils internally if they are labeled as a supplement.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) has a strong, clean, fresh, minty aroma. One of the oldest and most highly regarded herbs for soothing digestion, it may also restore digestive efficiency. A drop or two can be mixed with a little vegetable oil or jojoba and applied directly to the abdomen in a clockwise motion to soothe heartburn, cramping, and gas.

Alan Hirsch MD studied peppermint's ability to directly affect the brain's satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals. To aid in suppressing appetite for weight loss, individuals often put a drop or two of Young Living's Peppermint EO Supplement with a quart of water in a glass container, not plastic. Shake well before each serving. This can be sipped warm like a tea, room temperature, or ice cold throughout the day.

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Essential Tip of the Week : Fighting Fungi

Those who suffer with discolored, brittle toenails may be grateful to hide their feet in socks this time of year! Now is the perfect opportunity to get those nails on the path to looking healthy in time for sandal season. Toenail fungus can indicate systemic overgrowth of fungi and yeast, so attacking it from the inside and out is the best battle plan.


Many essential oils have very strong antifungal properties. A great heavy duty blend is Melrose, a powerful combination of Melaleuca alternifolia, Melaleuca quinquenervia, naoli, rosemary, and clove. Toenails have been restored to a healthy state, (even after completely falling off) by applying one drop of Melrose directly to the top of the unpolished nail twice daily. A cotton swab can be saturated with the EO and used under the nail to combat the infection beneath. Consistant application of the EO is a must to get good results.

Yeast and fungal infections can indicate improper ph balance in the body, especially highly acidic conditions. Stop feeding fungus by reducing or eliminating foods made of refined white flour, sugar, and yeast such as doughnuts, bagels, and white bread as well as cheese (high in microbes), alcohol, mushrooms, and high fructose corn syrup (skip those sodas!). A daily regimen of Inner Defense EO softgels and Life 5 probiotic is a user friendly one-two punch in fighting fungi on the inside.

Start now to be well on the road to showing off your pretty feet next summer!

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Please note that clicking the EO links in any blog post will take you to information about the product. You may order here or contact me for more information about purchasing.

Essence of the Season: Scents of Comfort and Joy

Nothing takes us instantly to a memory like our sense of smell. According to The Smell Report by Kate Fox of MCM Research, “The perception of smell consists not only of the sensation of the odors themselves but of the experiences and emotions associated with these sensations. Smells can evoke strong emotional reactions.”

The festive decorations and sparkling lights may come and go from our memories, but the scent of spicy cinnamon baked goods, minty candy canes, or the woodsy sweetness of a real Christmas tree seems indelibly etched into our minds. Often the holiday season can be very emotionally charged with memories of joyful times with loved ones gathering together, painful recollections of family strife, or tinged with the longing for those who cannot be near. All of these experiences are reflected in how we respond to the scents of the season. Because essential oils can activate the deepest emotional center of the brain, they not only can calm the stress associated with yuletide hustle and bustle, but also help soothe and heal the past emotional trauma which often results in anxiety, even depression, around what is expected to be the most joyous and peaceful time of year.

Need a way of taking a break from the holiday pressures, expectations, and tasks that leave you feeling overwhelmed? A nice relaxing aromatherapy bath! Believe me, it is a great healthy excuse to sit still for a few minutes and BREATHE! There is no fancy concocting of bath salts necessary. I just pour in a cup of Epsom salts and a tablespoon of baking soda, then drop in a few drops of pure essential oils while the tub is filling. Lavender, Believe Blend, and Peace and Calming Blend are among my favorites for relaxation.

Diffusing essential oils throughout your home is a wonderful method to create a calm and inviting atmosphere while purifying the air, killing cold and flu germs, and increasing indoor oxygen. Cold air diffusers work best for maintaining the therapeutic properties of essential oils. Avoid candle burners and light bulb rings, keeping in mind that E Os are extremely flammable and should not be allowed to scorch. Interestingly, pure cinnamon oil, whose fragrance is most commonly associated with the holiday season, is also one of the most antibacterial of all essential oils. Christmas Spirit Blend (orange, spruce, and cinnamon) is my top choice for diffusing during the holiday season.

“And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts , gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Since childhood, whenever the Christmas story was read, I would be left pondering why frankincense and myrrh were included as gifts for the newborn King. Gold, that is extremely valuable and understandable, but why the smelly stuff, I wondered? I was pretty excited to lay my hands on the missing piece of that mystery when I became an aromatherapist! In ancient times, frankincense was often used as a currency equal to, or in some cases, considered more valuable than gold. It was used to anoint the newborn sons of kings and priests which is why it was a very appropriate gift for Baby Jesus. The value was not purely symbolic, however.

According to Egyptian writings, Frankincense was considered a powerful and versatile substance used to cure everything from “gout to a broken head” , in other words, it was healing from head to toe. Very spiritually uplifting as well and could be found in temples, chapels, and cathedrals for centuries. Researchers are now discovering in recent studies that frankincense contains properties that may inhibit tumor growth in certain cancers.

Kind of a “first aid” oil in Biblical times, Myrrh is highly antiseptic in nature, excellent for skin conditions, oral hygiene, and was customarily used on umbilical cords of newborns to protect the navel from infection. Mary would have had many uses for this ointment to help her own post partum healing and for protecting her new baby from illness. Yes, the Wise Men had their reasons for choosing those specific aromatic gifts and we are blessed to be provided with ancient clues that can benefit our own health in the modern world.

Christians are called to be the “fragrance of Christ” in the world, which is a delightful reminder of how we should celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Heart Disease, Cholesterol, & EOs Part 2

Keeping in mind that it is the oxidized cholesterol that causes heart disease, our focus for a healthy cardiovascular system should be a plentiful diet of antioxidants.

Clove, (Syzygium aromaticum) is the top antioxidant on the ORAC scale, a device which measures both the time and degree of free radical inhibition and can determine the antioxidant capacity of a substance. Besides its high powered antioxidant ability, clove also acts as a hemostat(blood thinner) and an anti-inflammatory. Those taking a prescription blood thinner such as Warfarin or Coumarin should not take clove oil. The EODR suggests 10 drops of clove oil in a capsule per day as a dietary supplement. When taking oils internally I start with one or two drops and fill the remainder of the capsule with olive oil. Best taken with meals.

Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is a chelator that lowers and regulates cholesterol and reduces blood clotting. This amazing oil may help dissolve hemotomas (blood clots or blood filled tumor), improve blood circulation, as well as balancing blood pressure. It is imperative that the Helichrysum you use is of therapeutic/medicinal grade. It is a very pricy single oil, but in its purest form, worth its weight in gold!!

Also check out Aroma Life, a blend containing Helichrysum has been formulated by Young Living especially for the heart. A drop or two of pure Helichrysum blended with a few drops of Aroma Life (already contains sesame oil as a carrier) can be applied to pulse points where arteries are close to the surface( neck, wrists, inside arm at elbow, etc). Several drops of each of the oils above can be mixed in jojoba or grapeseed oil for a full body massage as well.

Omega Blue (softgels) is an excellent blend of omega fatty acids from fish oil and essential oils. Best taken daily as a nutritional supplement.

A colon and liver cleanse may assist balance in the case of high cholesterol. ICP powder containing oat bran helps bind up fat to prevent it from entering the bloodstream. This cleansing formula also includes Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) which reduces indigestion and improves cholesterol regulation.

Magnesium acts as a smooth muscle relaxant and supports the cardiovascular system. It acts as a natural calcium channel blocker for the heart, lowering blood pressure and dilating blood vessels. (Dr. Terry Friedmann)

This tip is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Heart Disease, Cholesterol, & EOs- Part One

Butter cookies, gravy, and generous portions of rich meats....'tis the season for cholesterol, right? In Part 1 I will share some facts about the real cause of heart disease and Part 2 we will look at the role of essential oils to support healthy cholesterol levels.
The facts and information below was compiled in a booklet by Ronald Lawrence MD, PhD called 15 New Discoveries That Will STOP Heart Disease



FACT: 150 years ago heart disease was virtually unheard of. Today it is the #1 cause of death in America. It kills nearly 30% of us. In fact, it kills more women than all forms of cancer, chronic lung disease, pneumonia, AIDS, diabetes and accidents combined.

FACT 1 : "High cholesterol alone is NOT the primary cause of heart disease". -Dr. Joseph Mercola

C-reactive protein level is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than the LDL cholesterol level.-Paul Ridker, MD, Harvard Medical School

FACT 2: The real cause of heart disease is OXIDIZED cholesterol.

A 2005 University of San Diego study found that high cholesterol only modestly increased the risk of coronary artery disease. But patients with both high cholesterol and high oxidized cholesterol had SIXTEEN times higher risk.

Circulating levels of oxidized LDL are strongly associated with angiographically documented coronary artery disease, particularly in patients 60 years of age or younger. The New England Journal of Medicine

FACT 3 : Free radicals ( i. e., superoxide) in the blood cause oxidized cholesterol.

Feeding a diet spiked with oxidized cholesterol caused a 100% increase in fatty streak lesions in the aorta, according to studies at the University of California. Ilona Staprans, PhD. UC, San Francisco

FACT 4: The world's best-selling drugs for heart disease (statins) only treat high cholesterol and do little to prevent oxidized cholesterol. Lowering cholesterol without reducing oxidized cholesterol can be harmful to your health.

Cholesterol is essential for life. It is:

• The building block of hormones that control blood sugar and mineral balance
• essential for creating testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone
• part of every cell membrane in our body
• precursor to vitamin D
• an essential part of bile salts, required for digestion

Patients with chronic heart failure benefit from having high levels of cholesterol rather than low.

Researchers in Hull, UK followed 114 heart failure patients for at least 12 months. They found that for every point on decrease in serum cholesterol, there was a 36% increase in the risk of death in 3 years.

FACT 6: Some antioxidant whole foods are powerful medicines to prevent and treat heart disease.

NEWSWEEK, January 17th, 2005: "but powerful as statins are, a healthy dose of exercise and the right foods are more powerful still."-Howard LeWine, MD, Harvard School of Medicine

In the next post we will look at some of the most antioxidant substances on earth- essential oils, and which ones support heart health.

This tip is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Dear Readers

Hi there! I am thinking about the new year ahead with lots of ideas for information to share here. I welcome your feedback, so please feel free to post comments requesting a specific topic/essential oil that you would like learn more about.

Also if you have a blog and would like to share my link, please save the pink Oils for Wellness...diffusing the fragrance banner as a photo to post on your sidebar or in a blog entry. Add http://oilsforwellness.blogspot.com/ to make the photo clickable. The html code for the banner hasn't been working in some places, so that is why I suggest using this method!

Thanks!
Jen

Christmas Spirit Giveaway Winner

The winner of the terra cotta diffuser ornament and Christmas Spirit essential oil giveaway is Cathy Davis! Congrats Cathy!