Educate your Senses

Summer Time Cleaning with Essential Oils

The dog days of summer are here and nothing is better than cleaning with essential oils. Not only does your environment appreciate this, but you are changing the minds of the people who are in this environment by infusing the uplifting power of therapeutic essential oils into the air.

In my last post I gave you some insight on how to use essential oils to enhance your environment. I am going a few steps further and giving you solid household cleaning recipes that I use regularly. As you have heard, Essential oils are nature's medicine. By using them to effectively clean your home, office or vehicle, you are eliminating harming chemicals and instilling this very medicine into the air you breathe. You are taking a step toward self care and wellness.

One of the best essential oils for cleaning is Lemon essential oil, which boosts the effectiveness of cleaning with natural products and leaves a fresh, clean scent all around. Why switch from commercial products with ingredients like bleach and ammonia? Because those cleaners can irritate your eyes, airways, skin, and nervous system, AND they also pollute and contaminate your indoor air and the water sources they wash into when they go down the drain.

Below are recipes to deodorize, disinfect, degrease, polish, and brighten your environment.

Window Cleaner

1 cup distilled white vinegar diluted with 1/4 cup water

10-15 drops lemon or orange essential oil

Mix well in a spray bottle, apply to windows, and wipe with newspaper

Floor Cleaner:

Pour 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to a bucket of water (1 gallon)

Add 15 drops lemon essential oil

Add 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Wood Love:

Add 4-5 drops lemon essential oil to a small amount of olive oil. (Olive oil is a natural oil that helps to nourish and polish wood.)

Mix, apply lightly to furniture, and buff for a perfect shine.

Everyday Disinfectant:

Fill a spray bottle with water 

Add a squirt of plant based soap

Add 5-10 drops each of lemon, lavender, and pine essential oils (can use individually)

Shake well and apply to all surfaces.

Mold & Mildew Spray:

Pour 2 cups distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle

Add 2 drops lemon essential oil and 2 drops tea tree essential oil
Shake well and spray on infected area

Enjoy your days, laugh often and shine your light from the inside out!

Heather A. Howell is a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist and owner/formulator of Aroma Pharmica, an organic skincare company and custom blend practice. Her life revolves around her 3 incredible children, nature and holistic healing. Aroma Pharmica is located in Charleston, SC. Contact Heather at 843.330.5941 On-line at http//:www.aroma-pharmica.com

The Essence of Health and Healing with Aromatherapy

If good things come in small packages, then aromatherapy is Mother Nature’s greatest gift to one’s health.

Aromatherapy is the ancient healing art of using essential oils, which are highly concentrated aromatic extracts from plants and flowers. These oils all contain unique healing properties that can both prevent and cure an array of health problems. Some oils possess properties that fight infection and inflammation. Some oils can relax sedate, invigorate, enhance memory, ease pain, balance the four energy bodies and rejuvenate. Aromatherapy is one the most popular treatments worldwide in clinics and spas throughout Europe. Aromatherapy also refers to the medical practice of using essential oils in some countries.

In our hustle and bustle world, often we forget to nurture ourselves as we are so busy making sure everyone else is taken care of. Aromatherapy is one way to experience self care and wellness on many levels at once. Essential oils are so powerful that one or two drops are all that is needed to perform healing actions. These oils are so potent that one drop of peppermint essential oil equals thirty cups of herbal tea in terms of concentration. Not only have essential oils been shown to improve mental health and well-being, but they are also a great way to invite serenity into one’s home and keep each room smelling heavenly.

The following are creative ways to use essential oils: to bring peace, relaxation, and simplicity into one’s space.

• Put a few drops of essential oil in the bag or filter of a vacuum cleaner. This will fill the room with aroma while cleaning. This instantly changes the energy of a room and the people in the room too.
• Put 3-6 drops of essential oil on a handful of cotton balls and place them throughout one’s closet shelves. Next time one reaches for new sheets or towels, a waft of the heavenly scent will be present. Do the same thing to one’s dresser drawers, desk drawers, etc.
• Add a few drops of essential oil to water in a spray bottle to freshen up one’s linen or spray on clothing before ironing. (Don’t use dark oils on white clothes, I learned the hard way, smelled great though!)
• To clean one’s fridge, put a few drops of orange, mandarin, mint, lavender, or lemon oil in a spray bottle of water. Not only will it disinfect and clean the fridge, but it will leave a wonderful scent when done.
• Simmer a few drops of Cinnamon and Nutmeg essential oils and other spice to create a warm and delicious scent in one’s kitchen. OR make a pot of incredible air freshener by adding cinnamon sticks, cloves and sliced lemon to water and simmer on the stove. This eliminates any odor in the kitchen.
• Take 30 minutes to relax in a sensuous bath infused with 5 drops rosemary oil, 4 drops lemon oil and 4 drops clary sage oil. It is believed that Rosemary will stimulate one’s thinking process, lemon will refresh, and clary sage promotes an all-over feeling of well-being.

These are a few quick and easy ways to enhance one’s mental and emotional health through aromatherapy, but one should consult a trained Aromatherapist who can read the chemical composition of an essential oil profile and make an educated decision about the safety of an essential oil before delving into this healing modality.

Heather A. Howell is a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist and owner/formulator of Aroma Pharmica, an organic skincare company and custom blend practice in Charleston, SC. Her life revolves around her 3 incredible children, nature and holistic healing. Aroma Pharmica is located in Charleston, SC. Contact Heather at 843.330.5941 On-line at http//:www.aroma-pharmica.com

Being on my Card...Part 2

Continued from the last post...

When the staff finished their examination, they began preparation for bandaging Zaya's arm. The nurse took out her supplies that consisted of medicated pads, gauze, tape and scissors. I asked her if she would use something I had brought instead of the medicated pads that contained petroleum. I showed her an herbal and essential oil infused product that I formulated for my business a few years prior called "Mother and Child." It contains chamomile, calendula and lavender organic herbs infused in an oil base of jojoba, hempseed, apricot, sweet almond and soy with lavender essential oil for extra healing power.

The nurse called the doctor in and they concluded that for malpractice reasons - the could not use my product. I refused to use petroleum based products on my daughter's burn, so I proceeded to apply "Mother and Child" and bandage her arm.

I repeated this process twice daily and went to the plastic surgeon's office the following week. He had read her chart and had an idea of what to expect, but when he removed the bandages, he was amazed at the progress and what I did for her. He was on board with alternative nature based healing practices and commended me for a job well done. Zaya did not require surgery. I continued with the same protocol for the next week, cleaning her wound and re-applying "Mother and Child" and clean bandages. With each dressing of her arm, the healing was evident. When I removed her bandage at the end of a two week process, there was no evidence that she had ever had 2nd degree burns. There is no scar or discoloration on her arm. She was and is completely healed.

This was one of the confirmations from the Universe that I was on my card and embracing my gifts that God had set forth in my creation. I am truly grateful for this passion of being of service to others through Nature based Wellness. What confirmations have you received that let's you know you are on your card?

Here is a great exercise that will help you stay on your card. Write down 5 people that inspire you and that you admire, now beside their name, write 3 traits that each possess. Now on a small card that you can carry with you or put in a prominent spot, write the traits from those that you admire and that inspire you because these are the actual qualities that you possess and those are the traits that you were given by God to develop and embrace.

Being on my Card...

"Being on your card" was the message from Unity service this past Sunday, which means showing up and living your truth, being who you came here to be, shining your light for the betterment of others.

I live in a world blessed by the essence of plants. I write to you often about the benefits of essential oils in your life. I tell you of ways to transition to Nature based wellness and care. I thought I would share how I got confirmation from the universe that I was on my card.

I had embraced skincare formulation in 2001 after the birth of my second child and created enticing smells with therapeutic essential oils. As I continued to explore and learn the realms of plant essences, it was in 2003 that I went back to school to become a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist.

One wintry day in late 2004, my daughter Zaya sat playing at her table; she dropped a toy. As she reached for it, she lost her balance and fell on the wood burning stove. She seared her skin from her pinky finger to her elbow. My husband scooped her up and rushed to the kitchen as I reached for my purse and pulled out a bottle of Lavender essential oil. I poured an entire 10ml bottle of this oil down her arm. Quickly her crying subsided and I assessed the situation, which did not look good.

As a parent wanting to protect her children, I felt we should go to the hospital for another opinion. Upon arriving in the ER, Zaya was laughing and talking about life as a toddler would know it. The severity of her burn was 2nd degree and the hospital staff was amazed that she was so calm and happy. I explained my profession and told them what I had done by applying Lavender essential oil to the burn site. I had actually stopped the action of burning further into the tissue and effectively sedated my daughter. The doctors and nurses looked at me as if I were speaking a different language and didn't understand.

As they gently examined and cleaned the burn area, Zaya continued to laugh and talk about her world as a toddler knows it. I was then told that we would have to schedule an appointment with a plastic surgeon as a skin graft would be needed.

Stay Tuned for Part 2....

Hyssop - The Holy Herb

Hyssop - hyssopus officinalis is a bushy perennial shrub with small linear leaves and small clumping flowers. These flowers are very aromatic and attract swarms of bees and butterflies. It is from the Lamiaceae family.

Hyssop is a herb that is referenced 12 times in the bible. The chemical constituents that make up the essential oil of Hyssop are quite complex. A medicinal therapeutic grade  consists of 48% Ketones, which exert a very powerful action on body systems and are potentially toxic compounds that should be used in VERY small amounts; 30% Monoterpenes which are hostile to microbes and reprogram cells with correct information; 8% Sesquiterpenes which are oxygenating, mood elevating and can deprogram miswritten and garbled codes in the DNA; and lastly 4% Phenols which are antiseptic, cleanse receptor sites and detoxify our bodies.

Ancient uses of Hyssop include spiritual cleansing, purification from sins, help in focusing your mind in meditation, and expelling of evil spirits. During Passover, the Israelites stuck the post and lintels of their doorways with a branch of hyssop as protection.

Hyssop is used today to relieve anxiety, arthritis, asthma, respiratory infections, parasites, sore throats, cuts and wounds. It metabolizes fats, increases perspiration, detoxifying and emotionally balancing. The monoterpenes reprogram miswritten information in the DNA and thus promoting permanent healing at a cellular level.

Hyssop is a quintessential cleanser, enabling a clarity of spirit. It purifies and cleanses, awakening closed hearts and minds, all which is needed for the ultimate oneness with the Universe. As a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, I have been using this precious Essential oil in my private practice. If you would like to heal yourself naturally, please feel free to  visit  Aroma Pharmica's custom formulation page for your own healing blend.

Integrative Wellness with Aromatherapy

I am here today to tell you about essential oils and how for hundreds of years, they have been used successfully for healing and deserve serious consideration as a current therapeutic option.

Briefly, the stance of aromatherapy as an alternative medicine in the present social and cultural landscape can be applied as a self care method, returning the power to the patient, lessening the dependency on the authority of the medical establishment.

With a population growing impatient with the expense and complexity of managed health care - it is time to return medicine to our communities.  The warlike fighting of disease is an expression of masculinity along with the creation of the "health care" system of the last 50+ years. Let's explore the realms of creatively solving problems of life through the feminine; our first mother - Earth.

God has laid before us a plethora of healing plants. In the garden of Eden, he provided absolutely everything we will ever need to keep ourselves well. To maintain harmony with nature and to prevent illness, we can take that first step by boosting our immune systems with essential oils.  These are the life blood of a plant and within each drop of essential oil are tiny molecules that can penetrate into every cell, administering healing therapy at the most fundamental levels of our bodies.

The medicines manufactured by man cannot compare with the healing capabilities of essential oils. Man-made pharmaceuticals lack the life force, the intelligence imbued by God and the vibrational energy found in healing oils. The point here is that essential oils are a gift from God to us, his children. They are special. They have been a gift too long ignored and misunderstood. The time is now to correct these misunderstandings and bring the art of aromatherapy back into the uses for which God intended.

Please join me at Aroma Pharmica, where we can together bring our energy bodies into complete health and wellness. I would love to hear your thoughts and views on how we can integrate with nature and live an optimum life.

The benefits of DMAE

DMAE is a naturally occurring nutrient found in high concentrations in fish, salmon and sardines in particular. Our brains maintain a small amount of it, which plays several crucial functions. Most fundamentally, this nutrient protects the integrity of cell membranes. The deterioration of cell membranes can lead to premature aging. 

One of the best DMAE benefits is that it promotes healthy skin, by preventing the manufacture of arachidonic acid, which is a substance that leads to the formation of wrinkles. For these cosmetic purposes, it can be both taken as a nutritional supplement and applied topically via a cream. 

Several controlled studies have tested the ability of DMAE, which is one of the B vitamins to improve the appearance and condition of aging skin. One study (reported in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology in 2005) measured DMAE benefits by comparing a group of volunteers using a topical gel containing the molecule for 16 weeks, with a group who used a gel that did not contain DMAE. At the end of the study, researchers found improvement in wrinkles in the forehead, around the eyes and nose, and on the throat. The shape and fullness of the lips also showed improvement. When the volunteers stopped using the gel for two weeks, the skin did not regress to its former condition.

DMAE information from studies indicates that the topical application of this product is safe: short term use was not found to cause redness, peeling skin, dry skin, itching or other discomfort. Further study found no significant problems after one year of use. Adding to DMAE benefits, it is apparently an anti-inflammatory, and continued use results in an increase in skin firmness. It seems as though this product may indeed have a role in anti aging skin care.

DMAE is an amazing nutrient that extends the life of cells, inhibits the cross linking of proteins, which gives the skin a tone and firm appearance. This serum is very light and can be put on over or under the makeup. The firm appearance that DMAE can bring to the skin occurs within about 20 minutes and wears off by the end of the day. DMAE has become very popular as a result of Dr. Nicholas Perricone, M.D.'s top-selling book, The Wrinkle Cure, in which he promotes supplementing with DMAE as a treatment for reducing wrinkles. When applied to the skin DMAE would stimulate acetylcholine release which would trigger a response in the muscles of the face. This activity creates a firmer facial tone and less sagging. 

New Year - New You!

It is my wish to you that you had a joyous holiday and are looking forward to a new and prosperous year!

The following astrological piece is from Heather Roan Robbins: Dec. 31st the line of authority, and of security, is in question. Stop all work and give into the holiday this New Year’s Eve, take stock of the year behind and strategize for the year ahead. Sweeten karma with good works and friendly gestures as the Moon conjuncts Jupiter this morning. The Moon enters Pisces around dinnertime and brings out a maudlin streak, adds fervency to our release of the old year, longing to our hope for a New Year, and touchiness to the present moment. Prioritize intimacy, not gregariousness, even if partying with strangers; be real with one another as midnight approaches.

Well said Heather! I am currently preparing for the Burning Bowl Ceremony being held at my church tonight for their New Year's Eve service. After you write out all the things that are unhealthy in your lives and the things that no longer serve your highest good, you burn it and so it is released. The next step is to write a letter to the Universe, stating your intentions for the New Year and all the great things you will accomplish on your purpose path.

I am filled with joy and excitement as the old is being released making room for newness and passion to enter at just the right moment. The term "Soulmate" refers to anyone your soul has come here to interact with on a personal, and especially an emotional level. This may include family, friends, co-workers, or anyone you encounter along the way who impacts your life. The year 2009 will be filled with Soulmates, so get ready to live your best blessed life!!!

Here's to you my friends and soul family: “If you look up, there are no limits.” —Japanese Proverb

May you live, laugh, love and grow ~

Heather

Tis the Season - Part 3

Moving along, I would like to share with you more ways to have aromatic holidays. I know everyone is familiar with pomanders, those spicy fragrant oranges that hang from beautiful ribbon. Here are simple instructions to make your very own and create memories that last a lifetime. At least in this life and you will be a happier person in and after the process, as the sweet nectar of orange essential oils are absorbed through your fingertips.

Decorations are an integral part of holiday celebrations and essential oils can be easily incorporated. How about pine cones? Most parts of the US have pine trees which produce these cones that can be picked up fresh from the forest floor and used in decorations. If you are not graced with pine cones in your area, you can easily buy them from a craft store or such. Now put these into a sealable bag and put a few drops of Holiday Essential Oils: Cinnamon, Clove, Bay, Pine, Cedarwood, Mandarin, Orange Tangerine, Frankincense, Myrrh on a cotton ball and seal the bag. Remove the cones the next day and enjoy the aromatic power of essential oils. You can also do this with wrapping paper. Leave it in a sealed bag overnight with a cotton ball with essential oil. Use a different aroma for different family members and create a harmony of blends right under your tree.

You can also infuse ribbon that you are using for decorating and for gift wrapping with essential oils. Simply add 6-10 drops of the Holiday Essential Oils: Cinnamon, Clove, Bay, Pine, Cedarwood, Mandarin, Orange Tangerine, Frankincense, Myrrh to 1 cup of water, swish the ribbons around in the blend and let them dry. Remember you can create your own Holiday blend by adding a combination of the above oils.

(Essential oils can be found at your local natural grocer or specialty store or the WWW.)

Happy Holidays from the studio of Aroma Pharmica to your family...As always, thank you for your support throughout the year and as a way to show you our gratitude, use coupon code "thanks" for 20% savings when shopping with us at Aroma Pharmica. 

Tis the Season - Part 2

Okay I am on a roll and want to share with you some the easiest and most effective ways to change your world and the world of the people around you through essential oils.

Let's Make Holiday Logs for the fire. Whether your fireplace is inside or outside, this will surely evoke memories of yesteryear and perhaps create new ones for years to come.

All you need is one drop of EO, that's right only ONE drop of Essential oil per log per fire. Surprisingly, this one drop will be enough to provide an aromatic boost to the Holiday ambiance. If you make a holiday blend from the essential oils below, simply use ONE drop.

Simply put the "Firewood or Holiday" oil onto the log and leave it to soak in before putting on the fire. I suggest 20-30 minutes, sounds good. The reason is that Essential oils are inflammable so unless the oil has been given time to soak in, you might see more sparks than you bargained for.  I usually prepare several logs at a time and set them aside and use as needed.

Firewood Essential Oils: Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedarwood, Cypress, Sandalwood

Holiday Essential Oils: Cinnamon, Clove, Bay, Pine, Cedarwood, Mandarin, Orange Tangerine, Frankincense, Myrrh

(Essential oils can be found at your local natural grocer or specialty store or the WWW.)

Happy Holidays from the studio of Aroma Pharmica to your family...As always, thank you for your support throughout the year and as a way to show you our gratitude, use coupon code "thanks" for 20% savings when shopping with us at Aroma Pharmica.