Natural Body Guru

My husband and I both use essential oils every day. After a while, you start using the same ones over and over because they are tried and true even though you know there are other oils that are also amazing. We ran across a lemongrass video on YouTube that changed my mind about what I’ve been doing for sore muscles.

When I have muscle aches and pains, I usually use rosemary to soothe the hurt. After listening to the video, I decided to add a little lemongrass to my synergistic blend. I don’t know why I always have to “change” the recipe when I make a blend but I do that when I’m cooking and also with my essential oil blends. I’ve been waking up with a sore hip for the past week. I usually works itself out by the time I get to work so I forget about it until the next morning. It must have to do with how I’m laying in bed. Anyway, this morning I added 2 teaspoons of coconut oil to a small container, 2 drops of lemongrass essential oil, 2 drops of rosemary essential oil and 1 drop of peppermint essential oil. After blending well, I massaged a very small amount of the mixture on my sore hip and it worked amazingly fast.

Yesterday I talked about using birch essential oil in the shower but there are many other wonderful uses for this well studied oil. Just remember, birch oil is not for internal use and if pregnant or breastfeeding, you shouldn’t use it at all. Birch should be diluted at all times and it’s only recommended for topical use.

Uses for Birch Essential Oil

1. Muscle pain and spasms – birch has analgesic properties and may help relieve muscle and joint pain and aid in alleviating spasms, headaches and toothaches. Apply it topically to the sore area or apply it to the outside of the mouth for toothaches.
2. Joint discomfort – birch essential oil may help improve circulation and it has detoxifying agents that may aid in reducing swelling and discomfort of joints. Apply it topically to the area of pain.
3. Inflammation & cooling – because birch oil helps cool inflammation, it might be useful to someone suffering from joint issues caused by too much uric acid. Apply 3-4 drops to the area to ease symptoms.
4. Stomach issues and cramps – since birch has anti-spasmodic properties, it may assist in relieving stomach discomfort and cramps throughout the body. Apply 2-3 drops in a carrier oil to the abdomen or add 3-5 drops to a warm bath.
5. Mood and self-esteem – birch oil stimulates the nervous, sensory and circulatory systems. It has a warming effect and can provide a sense of peace, confidence and awareness. Diffuse birch oil or apply it topically to wrists, the back of the neck and the soles of the feet.
6. Circulation – birch oil stimulates the circulatory system and can boost circulation. To aid and encourage blood flow, apply to areas where there is poor circulation.
7. Kidney detox – birch oil is both diuretic and a stimulant by nature so it aids in the removal of toxins through increased urination and perspiration. Dilute birch oil with a carrier ail and massage it into the skin to support kidney detox.

If you really want to feel good after a strenuous workout, take an aromatherapy shower. A shower with soap and warm water feels good but it won’t provide the deep cleaning you get with essential oils because they help to eliminate waste products from your body and that will prevent sore, aching muscles.

To take advantage of using essential oils in the shower, put 3 neat drops of essential oil on a clean washcloth. Rub the towel all over your body and then shower as usual. A good blend of oils to use for this purpose is a combination of equal parts rosemary, lemon and eucalyptus/peppermint essential oil. After your shower, massage your muscles with a muscle relaxing oil or a toning oil depending on which quality you seek.

Essential Oils To Use Before And In The Shower

• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• Lemon
• Eucalyptus
• Eucalyptus/Peppermint
• Eucalyptus/Lemon
• Birch
• Niaouli
• Juniper
• Bergamot

Depression affects people in different ways and from different causes. Nature has given us many plants to relieve the symptoms of depression, we just need to use them. There are antidepressant essential oils which are diverse in the ways in which they affect depression so it is important that the best essential oil is chosen for your depression symptoms. For example, it would not be helpful to use a sedative oil if the depressed person feels tired and lethargic.

If the depression is in the form of restless irritability and the inability to sleep, that might be the very oil you need. Chamomile, clary-sage, lavender, sandalwood and ylang-ylang are all oils that are both antidepressant and sedative. Just the opposite of that are bergamot, geranium and rose. They are all oils that that can help lift the mood without sedating the person. Sometimes, anxiety is part of the depression. Neroli is the most helpful essential oil for that kind of depression and if you mix the neroli with it, jasmin is believed to increase confidence in self and in your ability to overcome difficulties.

A massage therapist is very important for a depressed person because of the contact with another person but baths are very helpful too. Baths not only can be taken on any desired day,  they cause the depressed person to do something for him or herself. Also, when using essential oils in the bath, you can change the oil you use every time or blend different oils together depending on your mood.

Many essential oils have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. If you have a humidifier in your home to keep the air from getting dry, you can add essential oils to the water. Another way to use them is to inhale them directly to treat any respiratory problems you may have. There are five essential oils that are awesome for treating respiratory problems.

• Clove oil can be used in a home-made gargle by adding a few drops to a cup of warm water and gargling. Clove oil has a cooling effect and anti-inflammatory properties and this will sooth your sore throat.
• Peppermint is a great essential oil to use as an expectorant and decongestant so it will really sooth a dry cough and sore throat. Simply add a few drops to a cup of hot water and sip. Rub a few drops on the back of the neck or on the bottom of the feet and any fever you have will simply vanish. Peppermint is also good for eliminating the headache that so often accompanies a cold.
• Oregano is called a “natural antibiotic”.  It is very strong so only use 2-4 drops in a glass of water to eliminate sore throat and sinus infections.
• Eucalyptus has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-viral, expectorant, antibiotic, decongestant and many more properties that make it an exceptional essential oil to use during the cold and flu season. Eucalyptus oil can be used to fight tuberculosis and it can have an antimicrobial effect on all kinds of bacteria and viruses. It is also known to cure bronchitis and asthma.
• Juniper berry oil also has great anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. For bronchitis, add a few drops of juniper to your vaporizer for a very soothing effect. For deep chest colds, use a combination of juniper oil mixed with eucalyptus in an inhalation therapy treatment for an even better result.

I notice that the older I get the more my digestive processes (among many other things) change.  Yesterday we attended a friend’s 80th birthday party and after eating more than I should have of the delicious meal, my stomach was protesting. I usually drink peppermint tea when I have indigestion but this seemed worse than usual so I wanted a little something extra.

I made my peppermint tea and but then I also added a drop of ginger essential oil. My husband likes to eat crystallized ginger which is a candy and a little too sweet for me. The ginger essential oil in my tea was much better for my tastes. When I had finished the cup (and after an unladylike loud burp) my stomach felt much better.  The next time you have indigestion, try a drop of ginger  essential oil  in your peppermint tea.

Old age is part of nature, and nobody can control it. However, we can change some of the changes that occur at old age by using healthy products on our skins as well as eating healthy. Sensitive skin can easily irritated by some skincare products and therefore requires soft creams. If your skin is sensitive, you don’t have to worry about the best anti-aging skincare because we’ve got you covered right on this post.

Anti-aging skincare prevents your skin from being worn out and wrinkled as you grow old. However, you are recommended to start using the best anti-aging skincare as early as in your 20s to prevent the much damage that can be there on your skin by the time you are 40 years.

One way to prevent sensitive skin from external damage is by using a facelift. Some of its ingredients include; avocado oil, sheer butter, vitamin E and pure coconut oil. It also has a high level of essential fatty acids which make your skin more elastic and prevent it from sagging. A facelift is the best anti-aging skincare, and it makes all your body skin including your breast and abdomen skin moisturized, soft and firm. Go on and get this excellent product now that will work magic on your skin and enjoy your old age as it comes.

Bergamot is a citrus essential oil that is defined as a cross between a sour orange and a lemon. It is the oil that gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor. It has the unique ability to be both uplifting and calming at the same time. It is wonderful to use as a purifying and cleansing agent for the skin while also having a calming effect. It is also used to fight bacteria, help reduce scars and reduce headaches and muscle tension.

Seven Super Uses for Bergamot Essential Oil

1. Natural Mood Booster – bergamot can create feelings of joy, refreshment and energy by supporting healthy circulation. Rub 2-3 drops onto the hand and cup your mouth and nose. Breathe in slowly. Also apply it to your feet and the back of your neck.
2. Stress Buster – relieve stress and anxiety by using bergamot in a diffuser or apply 1-2 drops   topically to the wrists and temples.
3. Lymphatic Support – Apply 2-3 drops onto your feet before bedtime or mix 3-5 drops with a carrier oil for a calming and relaxing massage that may encourage lymphatic drainage.
4. Immune Boost – to fight harmful bacteria and stress, take a drop or two of bergamot oil internally in a warm tea (only under the supervision of your healthcare professional) or diffuse it, inhale it directly or add it to a warm water bath.
5. Digestive System Aid – To support digestion and regulate appetite, rub 3-5 drops of bergamot oil onto your stomach. This may stimulate muscle contractions in the intestines and the production of digestive juices.
6. Natural Deodorant – add bergamot oil to deodorant or apply it directly to the armpits to help prevent the growth of germs that cause body odor. Combine bergamot with lemon, cedarwood or sandalwood oils to make a personalized fragrance.
7. Food Cravings Fighter – Diffuse bergamot in the classroom, office or at home in between meals to help control hunger pangs.

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Over exercised muscles cause pain and sometimes even tremble as we try to continue using them. The best therapy is rest followed by a hot bath and a massage. Use ice if there is swelling and pain caused by inflammation. After the rest and ice, take a hot bath into which you have added two drops of lemon essential oil and three drops of marjoram essential oil and soak for as long as possible.

After your bath, massage the aching muscles with 5 drops each of eucalyptus, peppermint, and ginger essential oils diluted in one tablespoon of a carrier oil such as shea or jojoba oil. If there is no relief after this, you may have an injury and you should see a physician!

A customer of ours wanted to know about ginger essential oil so I thought I’d write a blog about it. The uses are so extensive, I ended up writing more than one blog about ginger for this week but that’s ok, learning something new is always good for you. Ginger has a distinct flavor than can be attributed to its main chemical compound – alpha-zingiberene and it has been shown to display calming, anti-ulcer properties in laboratory tests.

Ginger’s Seven Super Uses

1. Nausea and morning sickness – for relief of these symptoms, diffuse 2-3 drops or apply 1-2 drops topically onto the stomach.
2. Digestion aid – ginger is one of the best natural remedies for indigestion, colic, diarrhea, stomach spasms and stomach aches. Mix a few drops of ginger in a carrier oil and rub on the stomach, inhale it directly or add 1 drop to food or drink.
3. Infection fighting – ginger is an antiseptic that fights a variety of infections including intestinal infections, bacterial dysentery and food poisoning. To use externally, apply 2-3 drops topically to the affected area. To use internally, add it to tea, water or food 1 drop at a time, tasting between drops for tolerance.
4. Cold and sore throat relief – ginger helps remove mucus from the throat and lungs and naturally aids in relieving coughs, asthma and bronchitis while aiding with healthy breathing. Add 1 drop of ginger essential oil to a cup of green tea twice a day. You can also apply it topically to the chest.
5. Relief of joint discomfort – ginger contains a component called zingibain, which is responsible for its inflammation-cooling properties. This ingredient offers pain relief for muscle aches, joint issues, headaches and migraines. For relief, take 1-3 drops of ginger oil internally once a day or apply 2 drops topically to the affected area.
6. Calming benefits – ginger oil may be able to relieve feelings of anxiety, depression and exhaustion. Its warming quality acts as a sleep aid and stimulates feelings of courage and calm. To use for this purpose, diffuse 3-5 drops or add 5 drops to a warm-water bath.
7. Help for sprains and strains – research shows that consuming ginger essential oil daily is an effective way to relieve discomfort from sprains and strains. Simply apply it to the affected area or add it to warm bath water.