Essential Oils

Essential oils were the best kept secret for all of my formative years and well into adulthood. Until 2011, I had always used conventional prescription and over the counter medicines for myself and my family. I really didn’t know any better.  You see, like many or most of us, I was raised in the “pharmaceutical” world, because my parents didn’t know any better either.  All they had to go on was what doctors told them, or what they saw on television commercials for such things as pink liquids to soothe an upset stomach.

Well let me tell you about what I know now!  Medicinal quality essential oils are the best things since sliced bread!  I’ve used them extensively not only as my medicines, but in my personal care products, as my cleaning products, and even in my lawn, garden, and laundry.  They come straight from plants, and are considered volatile, organic compounds which means they can easily evaporate.  The essential oil of a plant is what serves as its security system.  It protects it from disease, drought, and predators.

The essential oil of each plant is unique to that plant with regard to where it resides.  For instance, the essential oil of a peppermint plant resides on its leaves.  It’s found embedded microscopically on the tops of the leaves, and when the leaves are crushed, the aroma of peppermint is very evident.  Other essential oils come from various parts of their corresponding plant; the stems, bark, rind, seed, flower, or sap.

Most essential oils are steam distilled from the part of the plant where they reside, with the exception of citrus oils which are cold pressed from the rind of the fruit.  Essential oils don’t contain any protein molecules, so they are normally non-allergenic, and don’t produce side effects or contraindications when used in conjunction with other conventional medications.

Essential oils serve as serious medicines for many people.  This is because their chemical structure is carbon based; a very similar cellular structure to that of humans and animals.  Because of this, the body recognizes the plant-based molecules and immediately knows what to do with them.

Essential oils are available as single oils such as lavender, which is very calming, and as blends of essential oils which serve specific purposes such as supporting the immune system or digestion.  I DO NOT recommend using essential oils that have been purchased from an organic grocery store, bed and bath store, or on the internet.  These can contain alcohols, fillers, and synthetics that can do the body more harm than good. Medicinal quality essential oils can be used in three different ways; topically, aromatically, and internally.

When used topically, essential oils are normally applied directly to the area affected, such as peppermint essential oil to aid in reducing an inflamed joint, to support the respiratory system, or to ease sinus congestion.

When essential oils are use aromatically, this is called aromatherapy. The oils are breathed in or smelled in some way, affecting the limbic system or the emotional center of the brain.  A very common aromatic use of essential oils is to diffuse them using a small machine called a diffuser.  When diffused, essential oils have the ability to uplift the mood, and support emotions. Lavender oil is a great example of how to diffuse essential oils to lessen tension and stress, while supporting sleep.  Essential oils can also be diffused for other reasons, such as to support the respiratory system, kill airborne pathogens in the home, or to support the immune system.

Essential oils are used internally for a variety of reasons.  They can be used sublingually (straight under the tongue), in your drinking water, in a vegetarian capsule, or in any other beverage or food that one might choose.  In this manner, essential oils are supportive to many body systems and for many reasons.

Several of the services that I provide include the use of essential oils to support my clients in naturally addressing physical, emotional, and spiritual maladies, thereby allowing them to live healthier lives. I invite you to look for ways to implement the use of essential oils in your life today. Your body and your loved ones will thank you.  For more information about the services that I provide, go to http://www.soulworks.biz or feel free to use my contact information to discuss your needs with me directly.

For more information on the use of essential oils or aromatherapy, you may contact me here or go here.

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Holiday Stresss

This time of year can be very stressful.  We have an overabundance of added responsibilities and demands on our time.  It’s seems that most of us cram more in to the month of December than any other month of the year!  We want to enjoy the season, but it’s sometimes difficult when we’re feeling so much stress!

As a Holistic Health Coach, I see this time and time again among the people who I serve.  Stress is one of the most frequent causes of dis-ease and discontent. It wreaks havoc on the body systems, causing a variety of unpleasant symptoms and dangerous imbalances. This very often leads to unwanted health conditions and the need for treatment with medications. Stress is actually the opposite feeling of happiness and joy.  If we can learn how to manage our stress, then we can help to reduce those feelings and enjoy the season more.

If you’re faced with seeing your ex at the family gathering, don’t panic! Keep calm, think positive, and try to implement some of these things that can help to prepare you to feel less stress, have more energy, and feel happier.

• Try to get more sleep in order to let your body rest and de-stress. You’ll have more energy to manage stress.
• Try to maintain a balanced and nutritional diet. Avoid junk and/or fried foods that contain omega 6 fatty acids, which increase inflammation and add stress to your body.
• Consider supplementing with a probiotic. You’ll have better bacterial balance in your gut, thus better brain health to better handle stress.
• Practice aromatherapy with high quality essential oils such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, or lavender. The compounds that are in essential oils have the ability to produce a physiological effect in your brain and body to reduce feelings of stress.
• Try to get some sunlight on your face on sunny days.

Several of the services that I provide, support my clients in naturally reducing their physical and emotional stress levels, thereby allowing them to live healthier lives. I invite you to look for ways to reduce your stress levels today. Your body and your loved ones will thank you.  For more information about the services that I provide, go to www.SoulWorks.biz  or feel free to use my contact information to discuss your needs with me directly.

For more information on aromatherapy or using essential oils, you may contact me here or go here.

You know you want to sign up for my newsletter.  To keep up to date on more detailed health information, you may register here.

Anxiety

It seems that a great many people suffer from anxiety today.  Anxiety is a normal response from the body to stress. This is a natural response, which can happen when one least expects it.  It can include both physical and mental symptoms, that include dizziness or lightheadedness, fear, nervousness, nausea, sweating, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate or palpitations, feelings of apprehension or dread, difficulty concentrating or focusing, irritability, restlessness, panic attacks, and much more.

Like many conditions, conventional medicines cannot cure anxiety; they can only treat the symptoms.  These medications are similar to antidepressants and usually come with unwanted side effects to include nausea, headaches, tiredness, nightmares, drowsiness, dizziness, difficulty thinking, changes in sex drive, and the like.

Anxiety can be influenced by a number of things to include hormones, food, sleep, relationships, stress levels, gut health, etc.  For many it is largely exacerbated by stress. The stress that creates the anxiety is based on underlying fears of all sorts.  Fear of not meeting deadlines, fear of not being able to pay bills, fear of just about anything that the mind can conjure up.  Stress itself is sometimes characterized by FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real). What this means is that our own perceptions can create a reality for us that is not true and correct, based on our emotions. Our thoughts about things in life create our emotions, which many times we are not thinking very positive thoughts during times of stress. We can however, train ourselves to think positive thoughts and have better outcomes.

Besides thinking positive thoughts about future events, there are numerous things that we can work at to reduce our stress levels.  Not discounting our diet, sleep, and exercise, we can purposely schedule down time for ourselves, take a hot bath with Epsom salts, listen to music, engage in Aromatherapy, or receive a massage or reflexology treatment.  I have seen great results in my practice of reflexology for clients with an overabundance of stress and anxiety. Through the feet, their major body systems are brought back into balance, which in turn helps to keep their nervous systems from going haywire.

Here is tip if you should find yourself overwhelmed by stress or anxiety to the point that you are having an anxiety attack:

1. Look around you
2. Find five things that you can see, four things that you can touch, three things that you can hear, two things that you can smell, and one thing that you can taste.

This is called grounding and can help you when you feel like you no longer have control of your surroundings.

Blood Pressure

Everyone is always concerned about their blood pressure these days. Most are weary of keeping it from elevating to “high blood pressure”, but there is a small population that actually has the opposite concern. Have you ever wondered what controls your blood pressure? It is a function of your autonomic nervous system. A part of your nervous system that automatically controls things such as blinking and heart rate, those processes in your body that you don’t control, and which are in autopilot without you having to think about them.

So what is it that causes your blood pressure to deviate from a normal range to a high blood pressure reading?  Stress is a leading cause.  When you experience prolonged stress, which many in our society do today, the adrenal glands release the stress hormone cortisol, and subsequently adrenaline is also released.  These hormones are meant to help us in dangerous or life threatening situations, but are then meant to go back down to a normal level when the perceived danger has passed. Much like a zebra being chased by a lion, these hormones kick in to provide the “fight or flight” state that is necessary to survive the situation, but after the danger has passed, they return to normal levels. This occurs naturally in animals, but not so in humans. Unfortunately our society is under such great stress in all aspects of life, that we live in a fight or flight state, and our bodies suffer from chronically high levels of stress hormones.

Remaining in a high stress state can cause imbalances to occur in our heart rate, our blood pressure, and even our sleep patterns. Our bodies are not meant to operate under these conditions, and will eventually start to complain by sending an alarm. This alarm will either be discovered during routine blood work or will be felt in the form of some symptom that causes us to seek a medical diagnosis.  These symptoms can include anything from light-headedness, to palpitations or stroke.

Meditation and conscious deep breathing are a good way to reduce stress, and thereby reduce blood pressure.  Diet also comes into play, as does regular exercise.  There are also natural remedies such as aromatherapy that can have significant effects on reducing stress and blood pressure. Do yourself a favor today and think of ways that you can reduce your stress and live a healthier life.  For more information on stress, see: Pain