Natural Body Guru

Shea butter is a 100% pure and natural cream containing vitamin A and vitamin E which has exceptional healing properties for the skin. The vitamin A in shea butter is important for improving skin conditions including blemishes, wrinkles, eczema, and dermatitis as well as properties that treat skin allergies, insect bites, sunburns, frostbites, and many other common skin conditions. The vitamin E in this rich creamy extract may serve as an anti-free radical agent that aids in preventing the harmful effects of the sun and environmental exposure on the skin.

Shea butter is derived  from the seed of the shea tree and is extracted and prepared without the use of chemicals. The best shea butter for skin use is prepared by cold press methods without the use of added chemicals or preservatives.

Want to go all natural? Then try using organic essential oils in your beauty routine. These are extracts from natural sources that promise a multitude of benefits for health and beauty.

Do a little research on essential oils and what they can do for you. Whether you’d like to de-stress, energize, or cure a common ailment like a cold, there is an essential oil that is sure to fit your needs. Check out online catalogues for more information.

Did you know that you should eat your carrots because they can help you have great eyesight? This is something my grandmother used to tell me and I thought it was an old wives tale. Now I know that the beta carotene which gives carrots their orange color has been shown in studies to help protect the eye, particularly the cornea, and to be useful in the prevention or slowing down of cataract formation and age-related macular degeneration.

Carrot oil is also an abundant source of carotenoids or antioxidants which  are important for fighting the effects of harmful oxidants, or free radicals in the body. Free radicals can attack and destroy healthy tissue, causing many health problems, one of which is cancer. Because of the antioxidants it contains, carrot oil can reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and it is often used in sun tan oils to prevent over exposure to UV radiation from the sun.

Are you confused about whether to use an ointment, a lotion or a cream to relieve your dry skin? These terms describe the way skin care products are prepared. Ointments are prepared using oil and may stay on your skin longer but many people don’t like them because they are  greasy and don’t soak into the skin. Creams are less oily than ointments and can be made from natural products so they do soak into the skin easily. Lotions are water-based and get absorbed into the skin quickly, causing instant, but not long-lasting, relief. For longer-lasting relief, choose ointments or creams.

If you have dry or itchy skin, avoid using too much soap, antiperspirants,  hot baths or anything else that removes your natural oils. Skin dryness and itchiness is worse when the humidity is low and you should definitely avoid stress, too much exposure to the sun, and smoking or secondhand smoke.

Natural hair styles for African American hair include braids, french braids, twists, cornrows, afropuffs and locks. These hairstyles are very cute on my granddaughters but they really did not like to get their hair done. We have now found an easy way to comb their hair and get the kinks and snarls out without hurting their tender scalps.

We use a spray that quickly and safely removes braids and weaves, and allows us to comb through natural hair without damaging it. It is excellent to use after washing, before preparing and while conditioning your hair. The medicated formula will help fight dry scalp and treat fragile hair. It can be used on both natural and synthetic hair. Anyone who is tenderheaded will love this spray.

We are continuing our discussion of  using massage as a valuable method of applying essential oils to aid in the aromatherapy healing process. In previous blogs, we have discussed which essential oils to use for sore or fatigued muscles (see Essential Oil Muscle Relief). You can always look at the archived blogs if you have any questions. Now, let’s look at what kind of aromatherapy massage (aromassage) to use for different parts of the body.

• Shoulders – aromassage into the shoulder muscles with both effleurage and petrissage movements. Make firm strokes from the shoulder to the neck and back again using thumbs and palms.
• Arms – aromassage up towards the armpit, using effleurage or petrissage on the fatty or muscular areas only.
• Back – Use firm or gentle effleurage or petrissage but do not massage over the vertebrae. Start from the lower part of the back and with both hands stroke all the way to the shoulders. Slide your hands over the shoulders and then return down the sides of the back. Repeat these strokes as many times as you like, the longer you aromassage, the more relaxing it is.
• Abdomen – only use circular movements on the abdomen and move in a clockwise direction. Effleurage is the best method to use on the abdomen.
• Legs – use effleurage to aromassage the legs and always move upwards. You can use petrissage on the fatty or muscular areas only but not over varicosed areas.
• Women’s reproductive problems- aromassage using effleurage movements beginning at the lower back and sliding over the hips. Then slide each hand over the abdomen separately and repeat the whole process.
• Feet – aromasssage from the toes to the heel with the thumbs under the foot and the fingers on top.

All massage should flow as the blood does, toward the heart. After an aerobic workout, aromassage is useful to release toxins and keep your muscles supple.

Using massage is an excellent way to apply aromatherapy essential oils to the body as part of an alternative healing process. It is not hard to do and anyone can do it for family, friends, even for yourself. There are several different methods you can use to massage in your aromatherapy essential oils:

• Effleurage – this is a series of gentle, soothing strokes which allow essential oils to penetrate your body and help you to relax and become calm. For this method, use your whole hands in  either long or short strokes that can be either firm or gentle.
• Petrissage – is similar to gently kneading dough. Use the palm, finger tips and thumbs to slowly and gently knead the body. Petrissage is most helpful when used on fatty areas and on backs.
• Head massage – put the essential oils  on your fingertips to massage the scalp. Work the fingers all over the scalp.
• For migraine and headaches – massage around the base of the neck and work your way up to the base of the scalp. Massage in this manner for a few moments with firm effleurage strokes.
• For the neck – massage the neck using small, firm circular movements from the base of the neck, up either side of the vertebrae to the base of the scalp. Massage the sides of the neck and repeat these movements in a more gentle fashion and work your way down the neck. Repeat several times using appropriate essential oils.

Neuralgia is pain in one or more nerves that occurs without stimulation of pain receptor cells according to Wikipedia. I am interested in it because I have peripheral neuralgia in my thigh resulting from a bulging disk in my spine. I’ve had it for years but I’ve learned to live with it by using essential oils and ice treatments.

First you can numb the area to relieve the pain either with a cold compress or an ice pack. To relieve any inflammation or swelling, follow the ice treatment by massaging with the following essential oils diluted in 2 teaspoons of sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or liquid shea oil.

• 5 drops of lavender essential oils
• 5 drops of chamomile essential oils
• 2 drops of clove essential oils

If your face is the painful area, omit the clove oil and substitute 2 drops of rosemary essential oil. Other essential oils that could be used to treat neuralgia are: peppermint, eucalyptus, thyme, vetiver, and juniper.

What can’t green tea extract accomplish?  That seems to be a better question than what else it can do.  Green tea extract is one of the most amazing substances known to man, and it’s because of its antioxidants that it can be so good for our bodies.  Green tea skin care is quite prominent these days, and the antioxidants in green tea are used to rejuvenate skin in tandem with other beneficial substances like Aloe Vera and Vitamin E.  When our skin ages, it becomes thinner, less vibrant, and begins to wrinkle.  But with green tea skin care, we can help our skin continue to look more youthful.

The proper regiment of green tea skin care over time can even lead to having more years of youthful skin.  If possible, start caring for your skin with green tea and moisturizers at a young age; this will help to prevent damage and aging to the skin over time, and give you more youthful looking years.

Acne always seems to crop up when we least expect it and “backne” (acne on the back) usually comes when you’re stressed and at the most inconvenient times too, like prom time or sundress time. What can you do about backne?  You can eat right, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and exercise regularly to help control breakouts.

When you get hot and sweaty it is important to shower to prevent your pores from becoming clogged. Use an acne-fighting soap for your back and make sure that you exfoliate gently on a regular basis.  Then use a good moisturizer on your back to help clear up acne and treat dry skin.