Jo's Health Corner: peppermint

Emergency Preparedness – Heartburn

This is my seventh post in my Emergency Preparedness series where I address an important issue such as lack of access to medicine and medical care in case of emergencies.

What if access to medication and medical care is denied?
In my first post, Emergency Preparedness I was wondering how people on prescribed medications would handle an emergency situation if access to medication and medical care is denied. I encourage you to go back to my previous posts and read them. My other posts cover high blood pressure, a nxiety & depression, pain , diabetes and allergy.

I urge you to take charge of your own health so you're better prepared for any situation where you might not be able to fill your prescription or use any medical facilities.

Natural solutions
Below are some natural solutions to the most prescribed drugs in America today.

Why essential oils?

You can stockpile essential oils, and they have no expiration date if they are stored correctly. Herbs also lose their potency over time.
They are small enough so they can be put in a pocket if needed.
They are more potent so less amount is needed for healing. You have to drink 26 cups of peppermint tea in order to get the same healing effect as one drop of therapeutic peppermint essential oil.

Treat the body holistically
It is important to remember to take a holistic approach to healing and not only rely on natural remedies. Dietary changes, living a toxin free life, exercise, sufficient rest and sleep, and incorporating other healing therapies into your life should also be considered.

Okay, here we go:

#4 Heartburn medications are some of the most prescribed drugs in our country

The most commonly prescribed drugs for heartburn and acid reflux block the stomach's ability to produce acid. It is not always the best approach for the problems since typically the stomach is producing too little acid. According to Mitchell Katz, the director of San Francisco Department of Public Health, Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec are misused and overprescribed and hurt more than they help. These medications are designed to treat bleeding ulcers, infection with the ulcer-causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori, and severe acid reflux when it is confirmed that the esophagus is damaged. According to Katz these drugs were never intended for people with heartburn. 60-70% of people on these drugs only have mild heartburn and should not be on them. These drugs can also cause side effects such as pneumonia, bone loss, and hip fractures.

According to Mercola, 95% of the heartburn cases are caused by too little stomach acid and not too much. By reducing the stomach acid you eliminate the primary defense mechanism for food-born infections so the risk of food poisoning will increase.

Consult with your physician before you quit any of these medications since you gradually need to wean yourself off them.

Dr. Mercola's tips:

Eliminate food triggers since food allergies can be a problem. Eliminate things such as nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine.
Consume enough raw material to encourage the body to make enough hydrochloric acid. (Remember, the problem is typically too little acid)
Use high quality sea salt such as Himalayan salt since it will provide chloride needed to make hydrochloric acid. It also contains over 80 trace minerals so your body can perform optimally.
Take a betaine hydrochloric supplements, this will help you digest your food better, help kill the helicobacter and help normalize the symptoms.
Large amount of sugars and processed foods will upset the bacterial balance in the stomach and intestine so opt for a lot of veggies and locally grown foods.
Vitamin D is essential for this condition due to the fact that a infectious component is likely causing the problem. Optimized vitamin D levels will also optimize the production of 200 antimicrobial peptides, these will help eradicate any infections in the body that shouldn't be there.

Other tips from experts:

Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup of water and drink after each meal. It is said to bring digestive relief and calm stomach troubles.
Eat fresh or dried bananas.
Basil leaves are said to relieve heartburn.
It is said tea made of crushed cinnamon or cardamon can cool the heat of the heartburn.
A tea made from fennel, anise or caraway seed can ease the burn of heartburn according to herbalists.
One of the oldest remedies for heartburn is ginger. Mix 1 tablespoon ginger and lemon juice with raw honey in a cup of warm water. Drink when you start feeling the heartburn.

Time for the oils
Or should I say oil? Peppermint is one of the most effective essential oils for the digestive system. According to Essential Oils Integrative Medical Guide, peppermint can be used for heartburn. I've also had great success using peppermint for heartburn. Other oils suggested by the Essential Oils Integrative Medical Guide are lemon, spearmint, ginger.

Remember

Never quit any prescribed medication on your own since it may be dangerous. Some medications needs to be weaned of slowly. Consult with your doctor first.

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

Sources:

Connie and Alan Higley, (Twelfth Edition, revised 2010). Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Abundant Health
Gary Young, ND (2006). Essential Oils, Integrative Medical Guide. Essential Science Publishing

Salvatore Battaglia (1995). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd

Julie Behling (2011). Medical Preparedness for Adults E-book

Photo credit

This post is linked to:
Sunday School Blog Carnival, Mop It Up Monday, Natural Living Monday, Fat Tuesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Natural Living Thursday, The Homeacre Hop

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Essential Oils & Sinus Problems

Having sinus problems is very painful. I remember the first time I had a sinus infection, it was when my oldest son started daycare in Sweden when he was a year and a half. Unfortunately I didn't know anything about essential oils at that time. Over the years I have used essential oils successfully for sinus problems in our house. We have also changed the diet since then. I also learned from Steven Horne, the Herbalist, how to activate the healing when I feel a cold coming. So it doesn't happen very often that my family suffer from sinus problems anymore.

To activate healing
To activate the healing you need to give the body an energy boost to help it push the irritants out of the system. Herbs with pungent taste, such as capsicum, horseradish, ginger etc help generate wei qi energy. When you eat spicy food your eyes water, your mucus clear from your throat and lung, your nose runs and you start to perspire. You see, pungent herbs activate the energy that helps the body discharge whatever it is irritating it. So make them your best friends during a cold. As soon as you feel a cold coming on, stop eating, start drinking lots of fluid and start taking some of these pungent herbs.

Other tips

Check for inhalant or food intolerants.
Poor bowel function may be the cause.
Battaglia suggests to increase garlic, onion and ginger.
Eliminate sugar from your diet.
Avoid dairy.
Battaglia also suggests to make a sinus soup: vegetarian minestrone with added horseradish, hot peppers, garlic, and ginger.
Battaglia also suggests to use vitamin C to increase immunity against infection and to reduce mucus. He also suggests to add vitamin A since it increases the health of the epithelial tissue lining of the sinuses.

My favorites essential oils I've used for sinus problems
I have used different oils over the years, but one of my favorite is a Respiratory blend. I have also used an Antimicrobial oil successfully too. My son cleared his painful sinus congestion with a Pain Relieving blend within a day. I also like to use frankincense, especially if I don't have any of my favorite oil blends at home.

The Respirator blend contains the following oils:
Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil, myrtus communis oil, pinus sylvestris (pine) leaf oil, origanum majorana (marjoram) leaf oil, eucalyptus radiata leaf oil, eucalyptus citriodora leaf oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, cupressus sempervirens oil, tsuga canadensis leaf oil, and mentha piperita (peppermint) oil.

The Antimicrobial blend contains the following oils:
Clove† (Syzygium aromaticum), lemon† (Citrus limon), cinnamon† (Cinnamomum verum), Eucalyptus radiata† and rosemary† (Rosmarinus officinalis CT 1,8 cineol).

The Pain Relieving blend contains the following oils:
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and peppermint (Mentha piperita).

Some single oils I've used in the past
Peppermint, helichrysum, thyme linalol, rosemary, marjoram, pine, eucalyptus, ravensara, myrtle and ginger. These oils have also historically been used for sinus problems.

How I use essential oils for sinus problems

I like to use steam inhalations for sinus problems and it is really powerful. For steam inhalations I add a few drops of oil to hot but not boiling water and inhale. Most of the times I drape a towel over my head to increase the intensity. I bought an electric facial steamer and it works great for upper respiratory problems.
I also like to rub the oils on each side of the nose and over the sinus areas. It depends on the oil, some I may apply neat and others I mix with massage oil. I like to mix essential oils with some massage oil and put in a roll-on bottle, I use it frequently on my sinus areas throughout the day. This is great when I have to leave the house.
I've also put oils on the sinus Vita Flex points on bottom of the feet, this is especially handy when dealing with stronger oils or when using oils on children. Some oils such as peppermint and eucalyptus should not be applied on the facial areas of small children.
I also diffuse appropriate oils in my diffusers.
For a quick relief I may inhale straight from the bottle. I plug on side of the nose and inhale deeply and then I switch side.
I may also apply a couple of drops of oil on the inside of my hands, rub them together, and cup them over my nose and inhale deeply.
I've also used hot compresses over the sinus areas. (See at the bottom of page for how to make a compress)

Why I prefer to use blends
I prefer to use essential oil blends when possible since it will enhance the synergy between the oils, synergy is based on the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of the part. Essential oils with similar constituents can enhance activity. For example, research has shown a greater antimicrobial activity when oils were combined. Therefore, I like to mix several different oils into on blend for enhanced therapeutic value, and most of the times it is more economical for me to buy already blended oils.

How to make a compress

Place 5-15 drops of essential oils into a basin filled with warm water.

Agitate the water vigorously and let it stand for one minute.

Place a dry cloth on top of the water to soak up the oils that float on the surface. Wring out the cloth and apply on the body.

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Photo credit

Sources:

Salvatore Battaglia (1995). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd

This post is linked to:
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Add Essential Oils to Your Drinking Water

I like to add essential oils to my drinking water. I add lemon water to my drinking water first thing in the morning since it is said to counteract acidity and make the stomach more alkaline. Lemon is also a powerful antibacterial and it stimulates the action of the white blood corpuscles. It also tonic for supporting the nervous and sympathetic nervous system and it also has a tonic effect on the circulatory system.

When it is hot outside I add peppermint essential oils since it is said to cool the body down. Peppermint is also one of the most effective oils for the digestive system. It is best to dip a toothpick into the bottle of peppermint and then swirl around in the water.

Other oils I add to my drinking water are grapefruit, tangerine and orange. They are powerful antioxidants due to the d-limonene content.

Try to add some essential oils to drinking water but make sure that the oils you use are listed as dietary supplements. It is important that the company you buy the essential oils from list their oils as suitable for ingestion. Ask me if you want to know more the oils I use from Young Living.

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

Topical Application

Inhaling Essential Oils

Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?

How to Dilute Essential Oils

Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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This post is linked to:
Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, WFMW, The Mommy Club, Raising Homemakers Link Up, Healthy 2day Wednesday, Party Wave Wednesday, Natural Living Link Up, Simple Lives Thursday, All Things Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Mop it Up Monday, Homemade Mondays, The Gathering Spot, Fat Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Teach Me Tuesday

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Emergency Preparedness – Pain

This is my fourth post in my Emergency Preparedness series where I address an important issue as lack of access to medicine and medical care in case of emergencies.

What if access to medication and medical care is denied?

In my first post, Emergency Preparedness , I was wondering how people on prescribed medications would handle an emergency situation if access to medication and medical care is denied. I encourage you to go back to my previous posts and read them. My other posts cover high blood pressure, a nxiety & depression, diabetes and allergy.

I urge you to take charge of your own health so you're better prepared for any situation where you might not be able to fill your prescription or use any medical facilities.

Natural solutions
Below are some natural solutions to the most prescribed drugs in America today.

Why essential oils?

You can stockpile essential oils, and they have no expiration date if they are stored correctly. Herbs also lose their potency over time.
They are small enough so they can be put in a pocket if needed.
They are more potent so less amount is needed for healing. You have to drink 26 cups of peppermint tea in order to get the same healing effect as one drop of therapeutic peppermint essential oil.

It's not easy to discontinue the opiate prescription pain killers and can result in withdrawal symptoms such as chills, tremors, anxiousness, hallucination, sweating, confusion, flu-like symptoms, strong drug craving and more. It may even lead to seizures. Imagine how unpleasant if you run out of your medicine and cannot fill your prescription during an emergency.

Remember

Never quit any prescribed medication on your own since it may be dangerous. Some medications needs to be weaned of slowly. Consult with your doctor first.

Pain
In my post Essential Oils & Pain, I discussed that chronic pain sufferers should consider using essential oils that stimulate the thalamus and pituitary since it may increase the amount of endorphins and enkelphalins. You see, the body produces its own pain-killers called neurochemicals, and these opiate-like substances are called enkephalins and endorphins.

According to experts

Include fish oil in your diet, several studies have confirmed that omega 3 has anti-inflammatory properties.
Use ginger in your cooking since it is an anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach settling properties according to Dr. Mercola. Try fresh ginger as a tea steeped in hot water or grated in vegetable juice.
Include food such as onion, leek, chive and garlic since they provide sulfur for combating joint and muscle inflammation.
Include capsaicin in your diet since it is anti-inflammatory.
Eat unprocessed whole foods.
Balance your pH and make sure you are alkaline.
Include the top anti-inflammatory spice turmeric in your cooking.
Refined sugar, processed meat, most dairy, alcohol and cooking oil cause inflammation so avoid these or at least cut back.
Anthocyanins in cherries are powerful antioxidants that block inflammation and inhibit pain enzymes.

Time for the oils

According to Gary Young Peppermint has shown to block calcium channels and substance P, which are important in the transmission of pain signals. This is great news since peppermint is a fairly inexpensive and an easy to find essential oil.

According to Gary Young, other essential oils traditionally used for painful conditions are:

Helichrysum ~ Helichrysum italicum
Spruce ~ Picea mariana
Wintergreen or birch ~ Gaultheria procumbens or Betula alleghaniensis
Ginger ~ Zingiber officinalis
Clove ~ Syzygium aromaticum
Elemi ~ Canarium luzonicum
Douglas fir ~ Pseudotsuga menziesii
Balsam fir ~ Abies balsamea
Rosemary cineol ~ Rosmarinus officinalis CT 1,8 cineol

Thanks for reading and come back for my 4th part in this series to find out the solutions to the other medications on the list!

Emergency Preparedness - Part 1 - Introduction drugs in our country
Emergency Preparedness - Part 2 - Anxiety and depression
Emergency Preparedness - Part 3 - High Blood Pressure

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

Topical Application

Inhaling Essential Oils

Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?

How to Dilute Essential Oils

Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Wildcrafting Wednesday Featured Blogger Award

Sources:

Salvatore Battaglia (1995). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd

Julie Behling (2011). Medical Preparedness for Adults E-book

The Essential Oils Desk Reference. (Fifth edition 2011). Life Science Publishing

Photo credit

This post is linked to:
Mostly Homemade Mondays, Fat Tuesday, The Gathering Spot, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, WFMW, The Mommy Club, Raising Homemakers Link Up, Healthy 2day Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Natural Living Link Up, Simple Lives Thursday, The Homeacre Hop, Fight Back Friday, Sunday School Blog Carnival, Natural Living Monday, Teach Me Tuesday

2:00 AM | Read more...

Essential Oils & Allergies

The weather here in California has been lovely the last few days and I have enjoyed sitting outside soaking up some sun. Spring is the time when we feel awake and start living again after a long winter. If you suffer from allergies you probably don't enjoy the spring as much as you would like to. You probably suffer from congestion, have watery eyes, runny nose, earaches, and headaches. I know many people that have reduced their suffering by using natural remedies for their allergies. If you haven't tried natural remedies for your allergies yet, then it might be time to give it a try.

Triggers

As most of us know allergies can be triggered by many different things such as environmental chemicals, pollen, food, insect bites dander and dust. People with allergies may suffer from the following:

Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting
Dermatitis, rashes
Itching lips, swelling of the tongue or lips
Wheezing and labored breathing

Essential oils may be helpful
Essential oils may be of help when suffering from allergies but it is also important to look into what is causing the allergy. Looking into the underlying causes of your allergy is important, my post Do You Have Allergies? will give you other natural tips to consider when suffering from allergies.

What we used on our dog
We managed to get our dog's congestionunder control with the help of frankincense, but we also changed her diet. We put a couple of drops of frankincense on our hands and rubbed them together, then cupped them over her nose so that she could inhale the oil. It was an instant relief from her congestion. Our dog preferred frankincense since it also calmed her from the panic attacks she had when she couldn't breath.

"An allergy is a damaging immune system response to a substance that does not bother most people." Reference Guide for Essential Oils

Antihistamines
According to the Reference Guide for Essential Oils, Roman Chamomile, lavender and Melaleuca (tea tree) have antihistamine properties. It is important to avoid chamomile if you're allergic to the ragweed. Studies how that luteolin- 7-orutinoside in peppermint has antihistamine properties.

The Reference Guide for Essential Oils writes that patchouli, elemi (rashes), eucalyptus, melissa - Lemon Balm (skin and respiratory), and spkikenard are other single oils used for allergies.

What we do for allergies:

We apply lavender to the sinuses to work as an antihistamine.
We apply to bottom of feet.
We put 2 or more drops into the palm of our left hand, rub clockwise with the flat palm or the right hand. Cup our hands together over the nose and mouth and inhale deeply. Don't touch your eyes!
We apply oils to a cotton ball, tissue, or handkerchief and place in the air vent of the car. Make sure you don't use any synthetic materials.
Rub 2 or more drops on our wrists, chest, neck, or under the nose and ears. (Indirect inhalation)

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.

Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

Sources:

Connie and Alan Higley, (Twelfth Edition, revised 2010). Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Abundant Health