Natural Body Guru

For today’s blog, we have 4 synergistic blends for diuretic baths. As with the toning baths, make up a bottle in the proportional quantities below or use these quantities for two baths. Again, if you find one blend you like better than the others, whether for the aroma or for the diuretic quality, you can double, triple or quadruple the recipe.

Fat Blaster Diuretic Blends

Synergistic Blend 1

• 2 drops juniper
• 6 drops lemon

Synergistic Blend 2

• 5 drops fennel
• 3 drops cypress

Synergistic Blend 3

• 2 drops celery
• 6 drops grapefruit

Synergistic Blend 4

• 2 drops oregano
• 6 drops lemon

People are interested in using essential oils in their home because we now know that essential oils are the powerful medicines nature created to keep us healthy instead of the high priced chemically enhanced products we get from the drug store. If you want to start using natural essential oils in your home medicine cabinet as a natural alternative to chemicals, the ones I suggest for your basic kit are lavender, tea tree, peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, rosemary, thyme, lemon, and clove. These essential oils are chosen for their medical properties first and second for their ability to take care of a broad range of health problems.

Peppermint has been used by many cultures (Egyptians, Chinese, and American Indians) for thousands of years because of its healthful properties. It is a superb digestive, it helps the respiratory system and promotes circulation, it is an anti-inflammatory and it is an antiseptic. These qualities make peppermint oil an excellent choice to use in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence, bad breath, headaches and migraines, skin irritations, toothache, and fatigue. Peppermint oil is very strong so if you’re going to rub it on your skin, always use a carrier oil and do not ingest it. I have put ONE drop of peppermint oil in my green tea when I didn’t have any peppermint tea bags and I liked it just as well as the tea bag but it might be something you have to work up to. I’ve used it many times for upset stomach too but I never take it neat, always mixed in water or tea. Lastly, if you put 5 drops of peppermint oil on a cottonball and put it in strategic places in your home, it can help to keep pests like mice, fleas, and ants away. Talk about a versatile essential oil!

Do you like aromatherapy candles? Most people use aromatherapy candles because they like the scent. You can have the scent without the toxins of candles by using an aromatherapy diffuser. Here are three reasons you might want to consider for using a diffuser instead of candles:

• Most candles are made of an unhealthy petroleum by-product – paraffin. If you use candles for any reason, use only the ones made of soy or beeswax.
• If the candle has a metal wick instead of a cotton one, it is probably releasing lead into the air.
• Too many times the aroma comes from a synthetic scent that is toxic even when it is unburned.
• Some experts believe burning essential oils reduces their therapeutic value.

I usually use an aromatherapy diffuser to burn essential oils to scent my rooms or for other aromatherapy purposes. I also love burning scented candles but I am careful of the type of candles I burn. If you simply love the ambiance of flickering candle light, you can now purchase flameless candles.

This is the wonderful month of Ramadan. It is the month when Muslims all over the world fast between sunrise and sunset. In Kansas, where I live, we are fasting from food and water between 4:30 am and 8:50 pm. That’s a long time to not eat food but it seems even longer when we don’t drink anything during that time too, especially when we are having 100 degree weather.

When the time to eat comes around, I always say I’m not going to eat too much tonight. I always think that there is not very much on my plate but before I’m halfway done, I am full. I continue to eat at least most of the food because I know tomorrow is going to be another long day. I often get indigestion, especially when I eat with the congregation because the food is different but oh, so good. When I get home, I make “indigestion tea” and I feel better right away. All you need is a cup of warm water, 1 teaspoon of honey or to taste, 1 drop of peppermint essential oil and 1 pinch of baking soda. Sip the tea until it is gone and I’m sure you will feel better when you get to the bottom of the cup.

There are a number of essential oils that combat bacteria and viruses but not many oils are also effective anti-fungals. Tea tree oil helps to control fungal infections by reducing the rate at which the fungus reproduces. It is often used as an alternative medical remedy to treat fungal infections like athlete’s foot.

With plants being living organisms, it makes sense that tea tree oil can treat their fungal infections too. By just diluting 4 or 5 drops in a spray bottle of water you can treat plant fungus and mold. If you need a larger amount, you can use the kind of sprayer you put on a garden hose and add 15 drops of tea tree oil. Be sure to have the water coming out at a slow rate. This treatment will also rid plants of a variety of insects which makes tea tree oil an excellent ally for your garden.

My daughter’s dog is 19 years old which is very old for a dog and she has arthritis so bad that sometimes she can’t walk at all. My daughter asked me what essential oils I have for my “grand-dog” so that the next time she can’t walk or go up and down the stairs she can treat her without having to force  pet medicine down her throat. She’s a little Shih-poo and this is not the only ailment she has but let’s talk about the arthritis treatment today.

Just like with people, arthritis is painful for dogs and you must be careful when you are handling them but dogs do love to be massaged. If your pet has arthritis, they will love your touch as you massage them and the essential oils will be a beneficial treatment. The arthritis dog treatment I suggested to my daughter is 4 drops of rosemary, 2 drops of lavender, and 3 drops of ginger diluted in 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil like sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil.

Try to get the massage oil mixture onto the painful joints working it through the coat and into the skin. Start at your pet’s back  and massage the muscles in rhythmic movements working towards the haunches. Cover all of the legs and include the vertebrae. This may be a little messy but your pet will soon lick off most of the oil and enough will penetrate the skin to be effective.  Also, what they ingest will help their digestive system. An added bonus to this treatment is that fleas do not like lavender!

If your sebaceous glands are not producing enough oil to keep it healthy, your hair probably looks dry and flyaway. The protective oils produced by your hair are essential for protecting it from the elements but exposure to sun, wind, heat, and chemicals can damage hair, leaving it frizzy.  Split ends, broken shafts and a rough texture are all signs that your hair is lacking a sufficient sebum coating.

Ways to repair dry hair include:

• Using a very gentle natural shampoo followed by a cream conditioner that you leave on your hair (not your scalp) for several minutes
• Avoiding the use of chemical products such as hair dye and styling products because they can be very harsh on hair and wearing a hat if you’re going to be out in the sun, and a swimming cap if you’re going to be in chlorinated water
• Adding a few drops of oil (coconut, jojoba, olive oil, etc) will give protective moisture to hair if you simply place a few drops  in your hands, rub your hands together and then work through your hair to give it a light sheen
• Drying hair on the low or coolest setting if you must blow it dry
• Combing your hair in the shower with conditioner in it because this is the time your hair is at its smoothest and strongest; otherwise, use a boar bristle brush, which will be more gentle and less likely to tear hair, as well as helping to distribute oil through the hair
• Washing your hair less often and using a weekly deep conditioner
• Having your hair trimmed if you are experiencing split ends- at least 1/2 inch above the splits

Contrary to its name, mango butter is generally not something that is edible or should be eaten. There are a number of other useful purposes for mango butter, even if they may not live up to the deliciousness that the product’s name suggests. Mango butter is very similar to cocoa butter, in that it is a body butter that is often used for moisturizing.

Mango butter can be mixed with many different types of oils and other butters in order to make different types of creams. Mango butter is commonly used as a skin cream and a hair cream because of its moisturizing effects. Again, like cocoa butter, even though mango butter sounds like it would be tasty, it is highly advised that you do not eat it.

I am losing weight by eating healthier and exercising more. So far I have lost 28 pounds and I want to keep it up so that I get back to a healthier weight. When I retired, I started walking as often as possible but I probably missed as many days as I hit so it was inconsistent. Now I try to walk at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes or more. I also go to Zumba classes when I can but that has to be done at specific times that I can’t always make. I can walk anytime and I can do it in the house or in the neighborhood. The only problem is my ankles and leg muscles get very sore and sometimes swollen. Below is how I treat myself and it will be good for you too.

Aromatherapy can help tremendously when muscles are over exercised. Rest is the best medicine, followed by hot baths and then massage. If this doesn’t do the trick, you probably have an injury and you need to see a physician. Ice will help if you have swelling and inflammation. Follow that with a warm bath containing 3 drops marjoram and 2 drops lemon essential oils. Stay in the tub as long as possible and afterwards massage your sore spots with the following synergistic blend:

• 5 drops eucalyptus
• 5 drops peppermint
• 5 drops ginger

Dilute this blend in 1 tablespoon of liquid shea, jojoba or sweet almond oil.