Natural Body Guru

Essential oils can be used in your bath four different ways. First, you can just add them neat to your bath water and swish it around. You will have a luscious aroma plus the therapeutic properties of whichever oil you use. The oils can also be used  to make homemade bubble baths, bath oils, and bath crystals.

If you like bath crystals, you will love the fact that you can make your own and not pay a lot of money for fancy packaging like you do when you buy them in the stores. To make your own you will need some attractive glass jars. You can save them over the year for next holiday season or for any occasion when gifts are given. If you don’t have any for this season, you can put the crystals in a small gift bag from a party store or simply put them in a plastic sandwich bag and add a ribbon.

All you need to make your bath crystals is washing soda crystals, a little food coloring, and the essential oils of your choice. Just crush the washing soda crystals, add a little food coloring (your choice of color) and the essential oil you want for that color. Use a corresponding color for the essential oil you choose like yellow for lemon or red for peppermint. To each 9 ounces of colored crystals add 20 drops of essential oils. Tie a ribbon around the jar or bag and voila, you’ve got your holiday gift.

Bergamot mint is great to use for late dinners and midnight snacks. It is also good for those nights when you’re out late and have dinner at a 24 hour restaurant.

Never worry about digestion, even on nights when you tumble into bed right after a big snack. Use bergamot mint to make this Magic Belly Balm to help  digest food easily. Here’s a recipe that makes enough Belly Balm for you and your whole family.

Bergamot Mint’s Magic Belly Balm

• 1 oz (28 g) beeswax
• 2 oz (60 ml) jojoba 
• 3 oz (84 g) coconut oil
• 1 oz (28 g) shea butter
• 42 drops Bergamot Mint essential oil
• 14 drops Cardamom essential oil 
• 21 drops Peppermint essential oil 

Directions

1. Create a “stovetop double boiler” by placing a Pyrex measuring cup into a soup pot that’s ¼ full of water. Bring the water to a gentle boil.
2. Put the beeswax in the Pyrex and melt.
3. Add the jojoba and coconut oil and remelt.
4. Add the shea butter and melt, stirring gently with a glass stirring rod or the handle of a stainless steel spoon. As soon as the shea butter is melted, remove the blend from heat.
5. Add the essential oils, stirring gently.
6. Pour your blend into two 4 oz (120 ml) glass jars. Give it about 20 minutes to solidify.

Massage your Bergamot Mint Belly Balm into your belly and low back when you feel overly full or have an upset stomach.

This recipe makes 7 oz (210 ml) . . . and that’s a lot of Belly Balm! You can use seven 1 oz (30 ml) jars and give some away as gifts!

If you’d rather use a belly oil than a rich balm, here’s a recipe from The Aromahead Blog for Belly Spasm Oil. It’s just as effective, but has a different texture.

Thanks to Andrea Butje, Aromahead Institute for today’s information.

Bergamot essential oil comes from the oils in the skin of oranges and it has a floral and also fruity aroma. It was originally used simply as a perfume because of its refreshing scent, however, its healing powers were soon discovered.  Today, we’ll discuss a few ways to use bergamot’s natural healing powers in your home.

• put a few drops of bergamot into a diffuser for a fresh, citrusy and slightly floral scent that will ease stress, anxiety and depression
• mix 2 to 4 drops of bergamot into a teaspoon of almond or jojoba oil and massage sore muscles to relieve tension and inflammation
• mix 1 part bergamot to 5 parts of aloe vera oil or aloe vera gel and apply twice a day to treat skin problems such as acne, eczema, athlete’s foot and other fungal infections
• add 5 drops of bergamot to your bath and relax for at least 15 minutes to relieve mental and physical tension and treat larger areas of skin problems
• blend bergamot with chamomile, lavender or geranium to make your own natural perfume

Bergamot is another essential oil to use in your home for healthier, natural living. Not only is it naturally antiseptic and anti fungal, it also smells wonderful.

If you’re looking to achieve firm, youthful, and healthy-looking skin, then investing in skin tightening creams and/or lotions make for a smart and practical solution. Skin firming doesn’t necessarily require a trip to the dermatologist; with regular exercise, lots of water, a good skin care regimen, and the right skin tightening products, there’s no reason why you can’t have and maintain a good-looking and firm skin.

With the plethora of products that promise the best skin firming solution, it can be an overwhelming selection process. To help you out, look for these particular ingredients and ensure a wise purchase. A good quality skin tightening cream and lotion carries a perfect blend of natural ingredients including shea butter, grape seed oil, and pure coconut oil. With these on the label, you’re sure to get a firm and tight skin thanks to their regenerative properties that aid in restructuring your skin while keeping it soft and moisturized.

Look for skin tightening products with the right levels of Vitamin E and fatty acids to prevent your skin from drying. Lastly, choose skin firming brands that are made only with 100% natural ingredients and do away with chemicals, fillers, and preservatives.

Osteoarthritis is diagnosed when the cartilage of the joints wears away and the bones form rough deposits. You basically have bone rubbing against bone which can be very painful. This form usually occurs in older people but it can also be genetic and occur at younger ages especially when other diseases or injuries are present.

Nutritional factors are very important in the treatment of osteoarthritis. So again take the following nutritional steps:

• Limit or cut out completely dairy and wheat products, red meat, salt, sugar, acidic fruits, and soft drinks.
• Eat vegetarian foods, white fish and poultry, plus lots of salads with raw vegetables and any form of cooked or uncooked cabbage.
• Drink lots of water and add carrot juice to your diet.
• Increase your vitamin and mineral supplements; especially take calcium, zinc, and vitamins C, B, and D.

To detoxify your body  before using aromatherapy and essential oil therapy for osteoporosis, the cabbage treatment has proven to be very effective. Iron the cabbage leaf to release its active properties and wrap it, still warm, around the sore joint. Rest for at least 15 minutes but longer is better (up to an hour.) Then soak in a warm bath to which you have added 4 drops of essential oils from the following list and 1 cup Epsom salts. You can use any one or a mix of these oils: ginger, eucalyptus, thyme, coriander, marjoram, lemon, or basil. After the bath, have a massage with the following oils mixed in 2 tablespoons of almond oil: 10 drops of ginger, 5 drops of basil, and 10 drops of marjoram.

Lips are for kissing and they should always be at their best and ready for a little romance. None of us like it if our lips become lined, infected or the site of a herpes virus infection or a cold sore. Dry cracked lips are unattractive whether they got that way from too much sun, too much cold weather or from ill health. Many commercial lip gloss products contain petroleum or animal fat which I don’t want on my lips so here is an all natural alternative that you can make at home.

Protective Lip Gloss Base

• 1 ounce white beeswax
• 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
• 10 drops jojoba oil
• 5 drops carrot oil
• 1 capsule vitamin E (optional)

Lip Gloss Essential Oils

• Geranium
• Lavender
• Chamomile
• Lemon
• Rose

Use a double boiler to melt the beeswax, then add the sweet almond oil stirring constantly. Next add the jojoba oil, carrot oil, and vitamin E and stir again. Finally, mix in 10 drops of your chosen essential oil from the above list. Store your lip balm in a small container and keep it in a cool dry place.

Your regular exfoliating practice is probably effective during the warm months, but it could prove to be too much for the cold season. Frequent or vigorous scrubs and cleanses will expose your new young skin to the harsh, dry air of winter without enough protection. If your moisturizing routine is still leaving you dry after exfoliating, consider cutting back on your weekly scrubs and instead use a natural exfoliating soap that can be used daily.

The following oil works very well when used after the drying conditions of winter activities. It is a thick oil but is great in protecting your face when it is exposed to sunburn after skiing, sailing, or hiking.

• Chamomile – 10 drops
• Geranium – 10 drops
• Lavender – 10 drops
  Diluted in
• Jojoba oil – 1 teaspoon
• Evening primrose oil – 1 teaspoon
• Almond oil – 2 teaspoons

Blend these ingredients together well and gently massage into the skin every night before bed and also during the day as a sunscreen.

One morning last winter, my husband and I had to dig out of our driveway so I could go to work. The streets were clear but there were snowdrifts in our yard that were 12 to 16 inches high. We kept going back into the house to warm up because the temperature was 3 degrees but the windchill factor made it feel like negative 15 degrees. I kept wiping my face because the wind caused tears and the tears felt like icicles on my face.

During the winter months, choose face cream and makeup that works hard to protect your skin from blustery breezes.  Choose products that might be heavier than your regular brand, but not so heavy that they clog your pores. Look for solutions that are particularly effective on your T-zone, as this area is most prone to dryness.

Cooler temperatures always make effective skincare more difficult so make the switch to winter skincare products early. Use your winter-ready products daily to help fight the effects of winter weather and keep your skin healthy.

I usually wait until too close to the season before I start writing blogs about Christmas, but not this year. I’m going to give you some essential oil ideas for the holiday season. These are simple to do, inexpensive and you can make it a project so your family can help. You can choose from spicy oils like cinnamon, clove and bay; tree scents like pine and cedarwood; resins like frankincense and myrrh; or citrus oils like mandarin, orange or tangerine.

Christmas House Spray

In a plant spray bottle, dilute 4 drops of pine, 2 drops of mandarin, and 1 drop of cinnamon in 1 1/4 cups of water. Shake before using. You can make your own Christmas blend by choosing from the scents listed above.

Christmas Candle Blend

Having a holiday party? Use 4 drops of mandarin, 1 drop of geranium and 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil on an unscented candle. Light the candle first and let the wax melt around the flame then carefully add the essential oils. Essential oils are flammable so be very careful. If you are fast, you can blow the candle out, add the oils and then relight the candle quickly.

Pine Cone Decorations

Gather some pine cones or buy them from a craft store – they will be dry but we’re going to fix that. Drop 4 – 5 pine cones into a large plastic bag with a cotton ball to which you’ve added 2-4 drops of pine essential oil and seal it tight. In the morning the pine cones will smell wonderfully fresh and you can decorate them with Christmas ribbons that have been steeped in a Christmas essential oil and then dried. To scent the ribbons, swish them around in a cup of water with 6 drops of one of the Christmas oil blends and then let them dry before decorating the pine cones. I have a few more ideas for you but I’m going to wait until Monday! Have a great weekend and go ahead and get started on your Christmas decorations with essential oils.