ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, stress reduction, Uncategorized

The Essence of Essential Oils ~ Tip for safe and effective use

A few years ago I created a document that provided 101 uses for the essential oils of lavender, lemon and peppermint (www.feelingfabulous.net) and now I want to share tips for safe and effective use of essential oils.

From the calming aroma of lavender to the invigorating scent of peppermint, essential oils can stimulate our senses, influence our mood, and even heal our hurts. For thousands of years, essential oils have been used in a countless way for health and well-being. The leaves, petals and other plant components naturally contain hundreds of beneficial chemicals that help attract pollinators, protect the plant from harm such as pests or bacteria and provide healing and nourishment to the plant. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from plants that harness these diverse chemicals. If you want to get started using essential oils, here are some tips:

FIND AN EXPERT. Many health food stores have essential oil selections that they’ve researched extensively before bringing them into the store and they usually have at least one person on staff with in-depth knowledge about the products they sell.
DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. A company’s literature and website can tell you a lot about the quality of its products, but don’t rely on them as your sole source of information. Watch out for companies that aren’t transparent about how they source their oils, or make outrageous claims that don’t measure up to an independent investigation.
LOOK FOR BOTANICAL NAMES. All essential oil products should include the Latin names of the botanicals as different species of plants can have different effects. Did you know that there are over 30 species of lavender alone and over 400 varieties? Stay away from products that don’t list this important information on the label.
BUY ORGANIC. Certified organic oils must meet stringent requirements regarding the use of fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals and additives. A company that obtains certification has already met these numerous and rigorous specifications, making it a good bet that quality is important to them.
BE CAUTIOUS OF TERMINOLOGY. Words like “pure” and “therapeutic grade’ are not regulated in any way, anyone can use them. Ask yourself how the company backs up the words it uses to describe its products. If you’re not satisfied, look elsewhere.
PAY FOR QUALITY. In the case of essential oils, price really can predict quality or a lack of quality. Stay away from essential oils that are cheaper than reputable brands. Cheap oils can indicate poor quality or dilution of the key ingredients that render these oils ineffective.
START SMALL. It’s best to start with one or two well-known essential oils that are easy to use. Try lavender for relaxation, lemon to give energy or eucalyptus as a decongestant.
DIFFUSE THEM. Diffusing an essential oil spreads the health promoting properties through the air. This can be as simple as putting a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and then placing the cotton ball nearby. Of course, a wide variety of diffusers is available for purchase. You can contact me and I will help you find one that meets your specific needs. (info@healthhealingwellness.com)
STORE ESSENTIAL OILS CORRECTLY. Essential oils should come in dark-colored bottles to protect the contents from light and should be stored in a dark, cool place. Do not store plastic eyedroppers in an essential oil bottle as the concentrated oils can dissolve the plastic.
Most essential oils are incredibly safe, but only when used properly. Pets and children can be sensitive to certain aromas, so do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Let these tips be your guide to the safe and effective use of essential oils. Have fun and experiment with aromas that suit your needs and smell preferences. Allow the essence of this beautiful, healing gift to invade the essence of your being and surround you with goodness, energy, wellbeing and the feeling of Bliss.

Wishing you peace, wellness & tranquility!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of Blissful Living Show

www.rochelelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.blissful-living.net

www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

www.stressassessmentmagic.com

www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

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ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, stress reduction, Uncategorized

Healthy Ways to Stop Headache Pain

Did you know that almost a fifth of the people presenting to the emergency department go there for headache pain and for women between the ages of 18 to 44, I jumps to a third of the visits. Wow when I read this it was mind boggling to me. You see severe headaches and migraines can leave you in agony, but even mild headaches can be painful enough to negatively affect your life. And stress, hormones and life can play a major part in bringing a headache on.

Instead of focusing on the headache pain and causes, I am going to focus on natural treatments for your headache pain.

The first remedy that I would like to talk about is the Boswellia tree. This ancient tree contains a resin that has potent anti-inflammatory properties. This tree resin has been included in studies treating people with cluster headaches, which occurred over the course of weeks, month, or even years. Cluster headaches are so intense that they have often been called the “suicide headaches.” The wonderful thing is that the Boswellia tree resin has been shown to provide long –lasting pain relief and has also been shown to decrease the intensity and frequency of these headaches.

Next there’s Butterbur. This is a perennial shrub and has been used to treat pain relief and headache prevention. This beauty has been shown to prevent migraine headaches, in clinical research studies. Butterbur taken twice per day has been shown to decrease the frequency of migraine headaches. Please note that some Butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which may cause liver damage, so be careful when selecting your supplement to ensure you get a supplement that’s free of these harmful compounds.

Lastly, I want to share this goody for decreasing headache pain and you are going to flip when you find out. Ready? Well it is the good old vitamin B complex. B vitamins have become a popular treatment for the reduction or the severity of migraines and headaches. B vitamins contain riboflavin that has been deemed effective for the prevention of migraines. In addition vitamin B-6 has been shown to decrease headaches associates with the menstrual cycle. Vitamin B-6 may even help decrease headaches associated with oral contraceptives.

All of these are available as supplements at your natural health stores. It is always suggested that you check with your healthcare provider for the correct dosage to take for you.

Wishing you peace, wellness and tranquility!

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of Blissful Living Show

www.rochelelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.blissful-living.net

www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

www.stressassessmentmagic.com

www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

www.linkedin.com/rochelelawson

ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, stress reduction, Uncategorized

Releasing Overwhelm By Establishing a Daily Routine

How does your day start off? When you wake up and step out of bed do you go into full gear? Wake up, check the cell phone, shower, grab a quick bite to eat, a cup of coffee, pack up the kids, rush out the door, drop the kids off at daycare or school and then drive in bumper to bumper traffic to get to work, hoping that you make it on time? Do you ever ask, why do I always feels to rush and overwhelm? If so stay tuned, I have a gift for you.

While it may be difficult to find time for yourself, Ayurveda promotes the vital need for certain daily activities to keep you at your healthiest. One of the most prominent ancient texts of Ayurveda, the Caraka Samhita, describes in detail a lengthy daily routine to keep one free from the ravages of imbalanced doshas, illness and poor aging. This can be simplified for the modern lifestyle while still reaping many of the life enhancing benefits.

In this article, I will give you 10 steps that have allowed so many people to take control and positively manage the hustle and bustle of daily life. The components of this routine come largely from the more detailed routine as taught in Ayurveda. Even if you cannot follow it exactly adapting it in whatever way you can will bring a noticeable difference to your day and to your well being.

The importance of a consistent daily routine can’t be underestimated. It sets the tone for your entire day, bringing a sense of calm and nourishment. It give the mind, body and spirit the chance to ground and cleanse, to start afresh Routine itself brings harmony, especially to a vata natured person; it also reminds pitta that there is need to put aside the drive to continuously “Go, Go, Go!” in order to rejuvenate oneself, and routine asks kapha to push past the inertia and laziness to not do anything for oneself. Routine allows you to rid the system of foreign materials that could otherwise become problematic, resetting any potential imbalance in doshas on a daily basis. Elements of the daily routine support a number of the bodily systems, including the nervous system, respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems.

Does this sound like something you would like to do for yourself? Then go ahead and get started, what are you waiting for? If you can’t incorporate the whole routine to begin with then pick one or two steps and move forward on your Ayurvedic journey to wellness; then slowly incorporate another step at a time, as you feel more comfortable.

Wake up at a routine time early in the morning preferably before or at sunrise.
Clean the eyes, mouth and face.
Have a bowel movement.
Brush your teeth.
Clean your tongue.
Perform a self-massage (Abhyanga) with warm oil.
Take a warm bath or shower.
Take 30 minutes for a self-enhancing practice such as meditation, pranayama, yoga, prayer or journaling.
Eat regular meals.
Keep a regular bedtime.

If you are in need of some spontaneity outside of this routine, Ayurveda makes room for that by accepting the fact that the spirit needs to revel in creativity and freedom. Select opportunities that bring you this joy and leave you feeling richer for having had the experience. Ayurveda asks that you indulge in moderation so as not to overwhelm your system and allow you the chance to rejuvenate following the departure from your daily routine. And to do that you simply return to step 1 of your daily routine.

Wishing you peace, well-being and tranquility!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

www.rochlelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.blissful-living.net

http://www.stressassessmentmagic.com

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