Jo's Health Corner: marjoram

Essential Oils for Exhaustion

Underlying physiological reasons such anemia, hypothyroidism and rheumatoid arthritis are some things that may cause exhaustion. It is also important to make sure that the exhaustion is not caused by overwork, excessive drinking, insomnia or that you're recovering from a bacterial or viral infection that would make you tired.

40% of the cases of tiredness/exhaustion cases are caused by lifestyle and psychological reasons. If these are recognized they can be worked on. It's a good idea to start with the working environment, is it too noisy, are you sitting too close to the photocopiers, do you use the computer all day, are you sitting in a good chair, is the lighting to dim, are you sitting close to the air vents?

Essential oils have historically been used for exhaustion, tiredness, and fatigue for a long time. The oils recommended for exhaustion can be used in all the usual way. At the bottom of this post you'll see some links to tips on how to use essential oils.

Worwood recommends the following:

Essential oils to help in cases of exhaustion:

Bergamot, eucalyptus globulus, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary, black pepper, cypress, grapefruit, ginger, marjoram, frankincense, lemon, cardamon and pine.

As you notice, some oils listed are traditionally used to calm, but Worwood says that overstimulation in tiredness can result in increased tiredness instead of relief from it.

Essential oils to help in cases of nervous exhaustion:

Juniper, rosemary, Roman chamomile, clary sage, lavender, petitgrain, orange, neroli and marjoram.

Essential oils to help in cases of general mental fatigue:

Basil, Eucalyptus Piperata, Eucalyptus Citridora, lemon, rosemary, peppermint, petitgrain,

Essential oils to help in cases of mental tiredness:

Marjoram, peppermint, clary sage, rosemary, lavender and grapefruit.

Essential oils to help in cases of intellectual fatigue:

Rosemary, cypress, black pepper, ginger, peppermint, lemon, grapefruit and basil.

Important

This information is for educational purposes only, and is not meant to diagnose or prescribe. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffer from a medical condition, consult with your health care practitioner prior to using essential oils. Be careful when using essential oils with hormonal activity and don’t hesitate to contact a professional. Make sure that you look over the safefy information before you start using essential oils.

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 contraindications 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:

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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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.

References

The Fragrant Mind, Valerie Ann Worwood, New World Library, 1996

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Hyperactivity

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Remember to use good judgement and don't hesitate to seek medical help when you think it is needed. This information is not meant to prescribe or diagnose, it is only for information and education purposes only.

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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.

9:17 PM | Read more...

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.

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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Photo credit

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

This post is linked to:
Titus 2 Tuesdays, Domestically Divine, The Gathering Spot, Healthy Tuesday Hop, Tuesday Greens, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Healthy 2day Wednesday, WFMW, The Mommy Club, Encourage One Another, Adorn from Above, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Homemaking Link UP, Simple Lives Thursday, Natural Living Link Up, The Homeacre Hop, Hearts for Home Link Up, Small Footprint Family, Sunday School Blog Carnival, Mop It Up Monday, The Better Mom Mondays Link Up, Natural Living Monday, Thank Goodness It's Monday, Mostly Homemade Mondays, Mama Moments Monday

9:34 AM | Read more...

Emergency Preparedness – High Blood Pressure

This is my third 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 won't bore you and repeat all I previously wrote so I encourage you to go back to my previous posts and read them. ( Some things on this post are a repeat but I felt some things needed to be repeated) My other posts cover 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:

#2 High Blood Pressure medications are some of the most prescribed drugs in our country

According to CDC, it is estimated that 68 millions of Americans high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk for stroke and heart disease, the leading causes of death in America. Instead of treating high blood pressure with dietary and lifestyle changes most Americans choose to take medication for their high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure according to Experts

Avoid all alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
According to Battaglia, use garlic, onions and ginger in your cooking. He says garlic has been shown to decrease the systolic pressure by 20-30 mm Hg, and the diastolic by 10-20 mm Hg.
According to Dr.Mercola, cut back on the fructose. "Fructose is a major promoter of hypertension - far more so than salt the connecting link between fructose consumption and hypertension lies in the uric acid produced. Uric acid is a byproduct of fructose metabolism, and increased uric acid levels drive up your blood pressure" Mercola
Cutting out fructose and grains from your diet effectively eliminates one of the underlying causes of a number of health problems, including hypertension. (Mercola)
Make sure that the carbohydrates come primarily from vegetables. (Mercola)
Normalize your omega 3-6 ratio. Most are getting way too much of the omega 6 in their diet but not enough omega 3. (Mercola)
Start an exercise regimen.

Time for the oils:

According to Battaglia, essential oils will alleviate hypertension by their:

Hypotensive effect
Sedating and calming effect
Detoxifying effect

Battaglia thinks the most important oils for lowering blood pressure are lavender, ylang ylang and sweet marjoram.

Battaglia also recommends to use a selection of sedative, uplifting and antidepressant oils such as frankincense, Roman chamomile, bergamot, and neroli.

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.

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!

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