Blending for the desired effect through aromatherapy blends

Lavender has for long been known to have stress-relieving properties. But few know that lavender when mixed with lemon and clary sage gives a much more comfortable feeling. The mixing here is called blending. Creating an aromatherapy blend is like using a number of vegetables and spices to prepare that delicious curry. Do you need to be a renowned chef to create delicious curries? Not necessarily. Just have an idea of what you want and mix in proper proportions and you are ready to serve the dish.

Similar is the case with aromatherapy blends. The desire to experiment and knowledge of oils – this is all that one will need in order to create an aromatherapy blend. Within minutes you are ready with your aesthetically and therapeutically correct blend.

When using oils or absolutes for the purpose, do the homework before. Proper research on the properties of each oil used must be undertaken to assess if they are synergistic to each other. Certain oils work against the other oil used in the blend. This means that the blend is not producing the desired effect. Use oils which enhance each oil’s effect.

Always use pure essential oils in making an aromatherapy blend. Fragrant oils are available in the market. They serve only to add fragrance to your recipe. Also, because of the presence of artificial elements in the fragrant oils, the aromatherapy blend is susceptible to becoming adulterated.

Research on aromatherapy blends may demand time. Those who have found interest in blending essential oils become engrossed in the blending in the same way as a scientist loses sleep in his discoveries. And, thus they are ready to put in as much time in the blending as required.

Study well the aroma profiles of each oil. Take a blotting paper and sprinkle a drop of the essential oil on it. See and feel its effect. Note it down on a piece of paper so that you can refer to it in the future. Undertake a similar activity for numerous oils. In this manner, you will have a complete database ready with you.

Similarly, while blending note down the reactions that takes place in the properties of each oil. Any of the following three will happen. An oil will completely lose its property. A property will be enhanced. Alternatively, a completely new property will be discovered in the aromatherapy blend. A true blender is one who knows how to enhance or create the desired effect. This may take time. Sometimes, certain properties will become known all of a sudden; somewhat like French chemist Renй-Maurice Gattefossй who hit upon the medical properties of lavender by accident. You will not become as popular in the field of aromatherapy, but your blends are sure going to earn you a lot of praise ion your friend circle.

Should reiki really be considered a massage therapy

I don’t know about you but when I go for a massage I expect the massage therapist to use their hands, fingers and maybe even their elbows to loosen my stress-laden muscles. There is nothing more delightful than an experienced pair of hands that helps to expunge all of the bad stuff from my body that causes me to become tense, anxious and, perhaps, a bit unpleasant to be around sometimes.

I still vividly remember a visit with a physical therapist for a problem that I was having with a disk in my neck. The disk was pinching a nerve which was causing pain in my neck, back and arm. A particularly annoying area was near my shoulder above my shoulder blade. As I sat in a massage chair, the therapist used her elbow to dig right into the affected area with a force that caused some serious discomfort. But when I left that morning, the pain was almost gone. Now that was massage!

Recently, I was introduced to the concept of Reiki. I was reading up on the various forms of massage therapy and, quite frequently, Reiki was listed as a therapeutic option or as part of the curriculum at a massage school. Further reading about Reiki has caused me to question references to Reiki in the same context as massage. In fact, I began to wonder why Reiki was included in references to massage at all. And I’m not the only one.

Massage is generally defined as “the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for therapeutic purposes, healing or relaxation.” I would think that “manipulation” is the operative word here. The practice of Reiki takes a quite different approach. Like Shiatsu massage, Reiki seeks to balance “ki” or “life force energy” within the body. The theory, according to ancient Oriental philosophy, is that if this energy is out of balance in the body, or is depleted, then an individual becomes susceptible to physical and emotional ailments. Practitioners of Reiki seek to channel energy into their clients in a manner that corrects imbalances and promotes healing.

However, based on the prescribed methods of practicing Reiki, there is no “manipulation” involved. In fact, in some cases, there is not even actual touch involved in Reiki treatments. That would certainly present a conflict between the generally accepted definition of massage and the practice of Reiki.

Reiki, as practiced today, was developed by Dr. Mikao Usui, a minister and head of a Christian school in Japan. His students had asked him how Jesus healed. Usui did not have the answer but became fixated on discovering how Jesus had cured the ill and infirmed. ( I guess “because he was the Son of God” does not qualify as an acceptable answer.)

Dr. Usui spent years studying in Christian schools, Buddhist monasteries and temples. He found no answer to the healing question until he embarked on a 21 day fast. At the end of the fast he apparently had a revelatory experience that showed him the methods he had sought to understand. He then set about on a healing ministry. Eventually, he shared his knowledge with Dr. Chujiro Hyashi who, in turn shared the knowledge with Mrs. Hawayo Takata who trained 22 Reiki Masters who then shared the knowledge with thousands of others.

Essentially, Reiki transfers energy from the Reiki practitioner to the patient. Actually, Reiki teaches that the patient draws this energy from the practitioner thus giving the patient an active role and ultimate responsibility for their own healing. The energy is then realigned and balanced and harmony is restored in the body.

Though it is not a religion there is a great deal of spirituality at work in Reiki. God or a Universal Life Force is acknowledged and recognized as the source of all life energy. Though there are specific principles involved in Reiki, the actual methods are quite similar to the “laying on of hands” practiced by faith healers of many religious denominations. But “laying on of hands” is not quite the same as “the manipulation of soft tissue” required to be defined as massage.

There are a couple of issues here. First, massage as a stand alone practice, has struggled to be recognized by the medical establishment as a legitimate form of therapy and healing. Under the auspices of physical therapy, massage is readily accepted and practiced to restore muscular function and to assist in the rehabilitative process. However, there is the view by many that massage therapy is somewhat of a “mongrel” healing application with touches of mainstream medicine, alternative medicine, holistic, health, New Age cultism, sexual indulgence and mystical fakery. The simple fact is the “the manipulation of soft tissue” has been proven and is accepted as a healing modality. It is the desire to include any healing avocation that involves touch, or even the close proximity of hand to body, under the heading of massage that creates confusion and causes suspicion.

Scientists and doctors have dismissed Reiki as a placebo that encourages patients to feel better because they are supposed to feel better. Other questions about the motivation of practitioners is the fact that Dr. Usui, the founder of Reiki, determined that there must be an “energy exchange” between Reiki healer and Reiki patient to invest the patient in the healing process. This investment is monetary in most cases and is a core principle of Reiki.

Another problem with Reiki being considered a form of massage is that some states require that practitioners of Reiki be licensed as massage therapists. Many Reiki practitioners dispute this categorization specifically because of the distinction between Reiki and massage as stated in the definitions presented earlier in this article.

So, Reiki has a bit of a schizophrenic personality. On the one hand, courses teaching Reiki are offered in many massage schools. On the other hand, many practitioners themselves don’t consider themselves massage therapists. So, far be it from me to try and settle this dispute in one article. Reiki may or may not be a truly effective form of healing. All I know is that I still have difficulty categorizing Reiki as massage. I think there may be some “manipulation” of the definition of massage required to justify the inclusion of Reiki.

Lime for health and beauty

Although it has sour taste, lime (citrus aurantifolia) has many benefits, from as being used for flavouring beverage to supporting beauty. This fruit functions as expectorant, astringen, antiseptic and antioksidant. No wonder it becomes one of the most popular fruits in the world.

According to the historical data available, lime came from South East Asia before spreading to Africa, Europe and US. But whenever its origin, one should admit that it has many amazing benefits.

For instance, it works wonder for a smelly body. Having smelly body can reduce one's confidence, right? That's why some people also use it for washing their hands after eating.

For you who have oily skin, lime can solve the problem by causing the pores to contract. That is why this fruit is often used to reduce the oil on an oily face. By rubbing it on your face, particularly on your nose and forehead, you can overcome any problem that is commonly inherent in an oily face such as acne. Well, by opening your kitchen cabinet and with a few minutes of preparation you can find a safer, less expensive, and easy-to-use natural skin care.

The same goes for the skin of your head; lime can be used to vanish annoying dandruff. If you want to use this fruit as dandruff cure, first squezee it and use the water. Rub the water on your head skin and leave it for about half an hour. Then wash your head with water.

Having cold. and flu? Don't worry! This fruit is a good home remedy for cold and flu. Boil three limes in 500 ml of water. Leave it until the amount of water become half of the original amount. Add honey and drink it warm.

If you get cut, smear its water on it. Although it is painful, the astringen substance will stop the cut from bleeding and cover it.

Last, don't forget that this fruit is very juicy. Although not as rich as in other kinds of citrus fruits, Vitamin C contained in lime is much enough. You can make a fresh drink with it. Add sugar and ice to make it taste better. If you are experiencing throat ache, try to drink it. lime juice can also be drunk by dieting people. Vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamin C are very good for maintaining a balance diet.

The benefits of lime are much longer than just these few. But as always, If you are in doubt, you should consult with any knowledgeable health professional before using it. There will be times when you do need modern medicines or supplements.

Green tea and its amazing health qualities

The Chinese have known about Green tea as a powerful medication for at least 4000 years. According to legend, tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor called Shen Nung. Some tea leaves accidentally fell into boiling water, and he tried it and found it invigorating. Green tea became part of the Chinese diet and many important health benefits were attributed to it. Now recent medical studies in both asia and the west are providing a scientific basis for the claim that drinking green tea has very significant health benefits.

Green tea, like black tea is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. The difference between the three main types of tea is the way that they are produced. Green tea is unfermented tea meaning that the leaves used for green tea are steamed soon after been plucked in order to prevent the oxidation of the leaves. In this way the leaves remain green and the active substances within the leaves retain their qualities. Black teas on the other hand are made from fermented leaves and as a result have less nutritional and enzyme content as the green tea. Thus green and black teas have different chemical properties.

Modern science has in recent times been able to demonstrate that green tea is beneficial to one's health and this is mainly due to the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids. The antioxidant activity of tea has been compared to that of fruit and vegetables in a number of studies. One study concluded that consuming three cups of tea a day produced a similar amount of antioxidants as eating six apples. Antioxidants help your body fight against free radicals which cause damage to cells and tisuues in your body.

While all tea is healthy to drink, it is green tea that contains the highest level of flavonoids. Recent medical studies suggest green tea to be beneficial in many areas including the following:

-Digestive and respiratory health.

-Lowers cholesterol levels

-Boosts your immune system

-Reduces high blood pressure

-Arthritis - anti-inflammatory effect.

-Oral hygiene - due to antibacterial properties.

-Skin conditions such as acne

-Lowers blood sugar

Weight loss is another area that is attracting huge attention. Recently published research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that an extract from green tea may speed up fat oxidation. A study was conducted of ten healthy men over a period of 6 weeks. It was discovered that those men who were given green tea extract burned more calories per day than those who were not given the extract. Much more research needs to be conducted in this area but the signs are certainly very encouraging.

Anyone for tea

A constipation remedy using potassium and prunes

Potassium and prunes are a natural constipation remedy that you can quickly use to help you get constipation relief.

Potassium is needed in your colon walls to insure that peristaltic action occurs. Without potassium, colon walls are weak and unable to respond and contract properly when fecal matter needs to be move.

Potassium in your colon wall tissues brings in more oxygen, which is required for good cell function and elimination of toxins. In addition, potassium creates an alkaline environment inside and outside the cell, which help protect cell walls from bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens.

Potassium is a powerful source when it comes to cleaning, feeding and building your colon walls. Removing the thin layer of buildup – harden mucus, dried fecal matter, waste derby, heavy metals - against your colon wall can be accomplished by eating those foods that are high in potassium.

Excess buildup on your colon walls of fecal matter and toxins is a cause of continual constipation. This build up prevents your colon walls from functioning properly.

Potassium is necessary for reducing anxiety and depression. These conditions can affect peristaltic movements of your colon. Lack of it causes muscles and organs to sag and lack tone.

Potassium, also, draws water out of the body. So when potassium is in your colon it attracts water and pulls it into the fecal matter. This makes your fecal matter softer and easier to move along the colon.

To get more potassium into your diet make a constipation remedy drink by,

Pouring hot water over dried prunes and waiting 10 minutes. Then eat the prunes and drink the juice Do this on an empty stomach in the morning.

The high concentration of potassium and vitamin A, in prunes, stimulates enzymatic processes. These processes melt down fecal wall wastes and dissolve blockages. They also activate peristaltic action to move this waste out through your rectum.

The foods to eat that are high in potassium are:

Kale, cabbage, yellow tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, alfalfa sprouts, goat milk, sesame seeds, wheat germ brewers yeast, flax seed, grapes, green peppers, pineapple, beets, potatoes with skin Blackstrap molasses

If you have any kidney disease, do not take potassium supplements unless directed by your doctor. If you are pregnant, take potassium only under a doctor’s direction.

If you are on any type of drugs, do not take potassium unless directed by your doctor.

When you have constipation it is best to take potassium supplement. Once you have your constipation eliminated back off on the potassium you are taking and depend on your potassium dose from the foods you eat.

My recommended Potassium dose is 1000 – 3000 mg each day taken with meals.