Natural Body Guru

Xeroderma, also known as xeroderma pigmentosa is a rare condition passed down genetically through families in which the skin and tissue covering the eye are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light. Another symptom of the disease is an abnormal dryness of the skin. The skin in people with the disease lacks natural lubrication because they have fewer sebaceous glands than most of us have. The lack of lubrication in the skin causes it to look scaly and that’s why xeroderma is often called icthyosis, the Greek word for fish.

This disease is not easy to treat and there is really no cure for it. Children who have it often develop skin cancer by the age of 5. Rich creams like shea butter or mango butter cream are very helpful to make the person more comfortable. If you add an essential oil that is beneficial to dry skin, it will make it even more beneficial. The essential oils to choose from are chamomile, lavender, and neroli. Treatments used for psoriasis are also helpful so I would also recommend 30 Second Face Lift which has greatly helped my son with his psoriasis.

The time to treat the inevitable stretch marks new mothers get is before you receive them. Prevention of stretch marks is much easier than the cure. Stretch marks are a form of scarring that occurs when the skin is stretched during pregnancy. Once you have them, they are difficult to get rid of but you can make them lighter with dedication to daily massage using shea butter cream which is excellent for this purpose.

For prevention, expectant mothers should massage their abdomen and hips daily from the 4th or 5th month to increase the elasticity of their skin. Massaging with almond oil or shea butter alone is very helpful. Adding a blend of 10 drops mandarin and 15 drops neroli essential oils to  3 tablespoons hazelnut oil and enough liquid shea butter oil to fill a 1 ounce bottle will make it even more effective. If a cream is easier for you to handle, use shea butter cream instead of the liquid.

Many essential oils have a calming and sedative effect, especially on the nervous system. The most effective of the sedative oils are chamomile, lavender, bergamot and neroli. Others that can be used are rose, clary-sage, jasmine, marjoram and sandalwood. There are others but these are the most well known and most used. The best way to use the oil for its sedative effect is in massage or in baths.

The oil you use is strictly your choice and that will depend on your preference for a particular fragrance and on the situation when you use it. Each of the above oils has many other properties besides being sedative and you may choose the oil based on some of its other properties besides being sedative.

I want to say a few words about aromatherapy for grief because there have been two deaths among my family and friends recently. The best help for grief is from the loving care of a therapist or an aromatherapist. Talking with one after a death in your family will benefit you. The oils that are used for allaying grief are best used in massage.You can use them in a bath and they may be comforting but they are much less helpful that way.

The best oil to use is rose,  and it is actually an absolute, not an essential oil. An absolute is an essential oil that is very concentrated. Rose can be used alone or in combination with benzoin which has a degree of warmth. Another good  warming oil is marjoram, especially if loneliness is  accompanying the grief such as after a bereavement. I am not saying to simply use essential oils after a bereavement but please consider using the oils in conjunction with counseling. Other oils that can be used for grief are bergamot which is uplifting, and chamomile or lavender, which are both soothing.

High school was a rough time for me. Throughout my time there, I suffered with acne problems, and it did not let up when I went to college; people just stopped outwardly making fun of me for it and started pitying me. I had really low self-esteem because of my acne for a long time and tried many different products trying to get rid of it.

Things finally started to let up once I switched skin care products and started using natural black soap and a good moisturizer. I almost immediately noticed a change in my skin. Suddenly, acne was something I no longer had to worry about, and I owe it all to using natural skin care products. If only I had discovered them back when I was in high school.

Essential oils can be used in several ways to stop bleeding. The oils you to use are some of the ones that you should have on hand in your essential oil kit. Of course, there are many more oils than the ones in the kit and substitutes can be made but the oils below are the ones I suggest you use for bleeding.

If you are bleeding from an open wound, apply a compress to the area after adding the following oils:

• 1 drop geranium
• 1 drop lemon
• 1 drop chamomile

If you have a nose bleed, lie flat on your back and pinch your nostrils, then breath in the aroma of the following essential oils that you have put on a tissue:

• 3 drops lemon
• 1 drop lavender

If you have bleeding gums, make yourself a mouthwash (do not swallow) with the following oils added to a tumbler of warm water:

• 2 drops lemon
• 1 drop lavender
• 2 drops eucalyptus

Dilute these oils in 1 teaspoon of brandy to make your mouthwash and remember – do not swallow.