Natural Body Guru

Do you want to know a simple and inexpensive way to cool off in this summer heat? Make yourself some lavender water and spritz your skin whenever the heat is getting to you. All you need is a plant spray bottle and a bottle of lavender essential oil. You can keep the bottle in the refrigerator until you get ready to go out in the heat. Be sure to shake the mixture before you spray yourself. The recipe below uses lavender water but you can use other calming herbs like rose or chamomile to help ease your skin’s discomfort in the heat.

• 8 drops of lavender (or chamomile)
• 1 cup spring or distilled water

Combine in a plant spray bottle like the one pictured above and shake well before using.

If your illness has caused you to be unable to concentrate, have a lapse in memory or have a feeling something is “wrong” all the time, try using myrtle, rosemary, peppermint, bergamot or basil linalol combined with lemon.

Memory/Concentration Post Viral Blend

• 5 drops rosemary
• 2 drops peppermint
• 5 drops myrtle
• 3 drops lemon

Dilute these oils in 1 ounce of sweet almond or jojoba carrier oil.

If your sleep patterns have been disrupted due to your illness, try using valerian, spikenard, patchouli, sandalwood, lavender or chamomile roman combined with sweet orange. Dilute your essential oils in 1 ounce of liquid shea oil or the carrier oil of your choice.

Sleep Regulation Post Viral Blend

• 2 drops valerian
• 2 drops chamomile roman
• 5 drops lavender
• 6 drops sweet orange

If you are always tired or exhausted, don’t use essential oils that stimulate the nervous system. Instead use oils that will work with your nervous system, like chamomile roman, lavender, clary sage, vetiver, frankincense, petitgrain, or bergamot. Combine any or these oils with grapefruit or lemon.

Post Viral Blend for Exhaustion

• 8 drops petitgrain
• 2 drops lavender
• 2 drops frankincense
• 3 drops lemon

Dilute with 1 ounce of jojoba carrier oil.

If your particular post viral symptom is more from muscular fatigue than from headaches and sore throat, use marjoram, clary sage, vetiver, ginger or black pepper essential oils combined with sweet orange, lemon or grapefruit. Always dilute these blends in 1 ounce of the carrier oil of your choice.

Muscular Fatigue Post Viral Blend

• 5 drops marjoram
• 5 drops immortelle
• 5 drops sweet orange

Digestive Issues Postviral Blend

If you have digestive problems after a viral infection, try peppermint, ginger, coriander seed, cardamom or black pepper combined with grapefruit or sweet orange.

• 5 drops coriander seed
• 3 drops cardamom
• 2 drops ginger
• 5 drops grapefruit

Viruses can extremely zap your strength. Instead of recovering from the infection, some people slip into a life of fatigue and medical problems like chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome. Symptoms vary from person to person but they can include extreme and constant fatigue, exhaustion after short periods of activity, insomnia, lack of concentration, memory loss, irritability and the list goes on and on.

Many times after a viral infection, we want to return to work to quickly when we should just ease back into a busy lifestyle gently. Essential oils are very useful during this time of recovery. Choose essential oils that are uplifting and whose scent you enjoy. Uplifting essential oils are rose, neroli, and frankincense. You can also choose cedar wood or clary sage. Below are two post viral body blends for general use.

Body Blend 1

• 2 drops cardamom
• 9 drops sweet orange
• 3 drops geranium
• 1 drop black pepper

Dilute these oils in 1 ounce of a carrier oil like jojoba oil or liquid shea oil.

Body Blend 2

• 5 drops bergamot
• 4 drops immortelle
• 4 drops lavender
• 1 drop chamomile roman

Dilute in 1 ounce of a carrier oil like jojoba oil or liquid shea oil.

Most men are not very concerned with their skin until there is a problem that needs solving. Whether you are male or female, the first thing people notice about you is your face so here are a few tips to ensure that your skin stays healthy and you look good.

• Cleanse by washing your face daily with a natural soap like Dudu-Osun Natural Black Soap. It not only cleans but also exfoliates so that you get a deep cleansing and your pores stay clear and your face looks healthy.
• Tone your skin with a natural astringent containing 1 ounce witch hazel, 3 ounces distilled water, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar and the following essential oils: 2 drops juniper berry, 1 drop lime, and 1 drop grapefruit. This mixture must be shaken each time you use it.
• Moisturize your face daily with a natural moisturizer that contains no alcohol or fragrances.
• Protect your skin by: avoiding overexposure to the sun, eating healthy, staying in shape with exercise, and steering clear of alcohol, smoking, fatigue and stress.

If you add essential oils to your massage oil, your massage can take you anywhere you want to go and do anything for you that you want. No matter what your reason for having a massage, there is an essential oil that will make it even better.  Always use a quality carrier oil for your massage. Sweet almond oil is my favorite carrier oil for massage but liquid shea oil is wonderful too.

Aroma Massage Oil Formulas

• Add lavender for stress relief and relaxation
• Add rosemary to relieve sore muscles and pain
• Add a blend of peppermint and grapefruit for an energizing massage anytime you need a lift
• Finally, add ylang ylang for a sensual intimate massage

Long hair is always fashionable and essential oils can help you have longer hair too. Hereditary factors can contribute to hair loss, as can your overall age and health as well as stress and prescription drugs.

A simple way to strengthen your hair is to use rosemary essential oil. Simply add 1 drop of this amazing essential oil to a cold water rinse when you finish washing your hair. There is no need to rinse the rosemary out because it will give your hair a lustrous shine. The cold water rinse will cause your blood capillaries to contract and that will cause the movement of nutrients into the bulb of the hair or the follicle that feeds the hair. Many of the best selling hair products contain rosemary essential oil.

I am stressed from writing about stress. Below is a list of essential oil synergistic blends to use for distressed conditions that we all have at different times in our lives. These blends are for specific uses such as:

Helplessness/Apathy

• 15 drops grapefruit
• 10 drops rosemary
• 5 drops lavender

Depression/Guilt

• 15 drops geranium
• 10 drops bergamot
• 5 drops lavender

Anxiety

• 10 drops geranium
• 10 drops lavender
• 10 drops palma rosa

Muscular Pain

• 15 drops cypress
• 10 drops lavender
• 5 drops rosemary

Unexplained Aches and Chills

• 15 drops ginger
• 10 drops lavender
• 5 drops cardamom

Digestive Problems

• 15 drops coriander
• 10 drops grapefruit
• 5 drops cypress