INHALATIONS: USING ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HEALING

Happy Sunday!

So I've been under the weather for the past couple of days, and it's like a head cold/sinus something or other.  Whenever this happens to me, I always put together an inhalation using essential oils.  And since whatever I had seems to be going around, I thought I'd share with you guys what I personally do!  

So first, you need to get a large bowl (think large mixing bowl; I prefer using a glass bowl), a towel large enough to cover your head (hand towel or larger), boiling water, and your essential oils.  The essential oils to use are: eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme.  Basically, these will not only help to clear up your stuffy head, but help to boost your immune system, which you really need when you're sick. 

Once your water is boiling, take your bowl and put about 5-8 drops of each essential oil into the bottom of the bowl.  Find a place to sit where you can sit (at a table, on the floor, etc) and have the bowl in front of you.  Put the bowl wherever you'll sit, pour the hot water over the essential oils, put the towel over your head and lean over the bowl of hot water.  The hot water hits the essential oils, creating a steam that will loosen everything up, so you'll want to be sure you have tissue next to you.  Be sure you do NOT have your eyes open when leaning over the bowl, as the essential oils can and likely will burn your eyes.  You'll want to sit and inhale deeply over the bowl for 15-20 minutes ideally.  You can either set a timer, or I listen to music. 

You'll feel SO much better after this!  But what if you don't have all of these essential oils? You're not going to go out and spend $30-$40 just to have these if you won't use them for anything else, right?  I actually offer a Cough/Cold blend in my Etsy shop that will allow you to buy them in a slightly diluted form, in a smaller vessel, so you don't have to spend so much money. 

I hope you all find this useful, and here's to breathing through the nose :)!

Natural Blessings - 

Candace

RedSunflower Designs

Healing, The Way Nature Intended!

Happy Sunday all!

So last week, I said I was going to talk about the benefits of reservatrol for the skin. But I'm actually going to push that to next week's blog.  This week, I want to give something back.  I've always found folk remedies to be fascinating.  How did people back in the day figure out that a certain herb would help to heal a wound, or help with cramps, or cure a toothache?  I wish that I had learned more of these from my grandparents and great-grandparents when they were still around.  But I've learned through research, and personal trial & error, some of the ways we can use herbs and oils for healing, and that's what I'm discussing today. 

Lavender oil has so many uses, therapeutically speaking.  It's known for helping to calm us during periods of stress and anxiety, and is also known to help with depression.  It is also very useful as a bug repellent, and great for burns.  Not only will it help take the sting out of the burn, but lavender oil is a natural antiseptic/antibiotic, so it can help to prevent infection at the burn site as well. Many older French women keep a bottle of lavender oil in their kitchens for this very reason.  Additionally, lavender is one of the few essential oils that is safe to use "neat" on the skin, or without diluting. 

If you're looking to detox from a night out on the town in smoky bars, detox from stress, or just clear out your system, grapefruit oil is the way to go.  Whether it's pink or white grapefruit oil, it's great to help with muscle fatigue, and mental exhaustion.  It's tonic qualities make it perfect as part of any detox plan. One word of caution: grapefruit essential oil is highly concentrated, and thus, should always be diluted in a carrier oil for topical use.  You can also use this in an oil burner; this is a great way to reap the benefits if you're needing more of a mental vs physical detox.  Dispersing the scent of this oil by burning it will leave you feeling refreshed and restored.

Ginger has long been used for its medicinal properties for everything from nausea to colds & rheumatism.  Many cultures have used this remedy for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, because its application is so diverse.  For example, in Senegal (West Africa), tribal women will make belts of ginger to arouse their partners sexual interest ;)!  Ginger oil is most prized in the West for helping nausea.  This is why, if you have a stomach flu, you are often advised to drink ginger ale, as it will calm your stomach.  If you're just nauseous, however, you can use it easily as an inhalation.  Uncap the bottle, put it directly under your nose, and inhale deeply.  Do that for 2-3 breaths, and you should start to feel the nausea subside.  DO NOT use ginger oil neat; ginger, along with other spice oils, can be very irritating to the skin.  Always mix with a carrier oil, and then test a small area on your skin.  Some people, especially those with sensitive skin, may still not be able to use the oil topically. 

A great source for all of the oils mentioned here, as well as a plethora of others, is Mountain Rose Herbs .  Their quality is fabulous and I would recommend them to anyone.

I hope you've enjoyed learning a few ways to heal yourself with nature.  Next week, I'll walk about the benefits of reservatrol in skin care, as promised.  

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend everyone!  

Natural Blessings, 

Candace 

RedSunflower Designs