Your Daily Source for Alternative Health News & Tips
You have heard of super foods but have you ever heard of super herbs? Just the word “super” conveys that these herbs are special, in fact, they are extraordinary. Super herbs have been used for thousands of years to promote health and well being. Continue reading
Essential oils are the oldest known form of medicine to mankind. Defined, essential oils are fragrant liquids drawn from flowers, seeds, stems, leaves, bark, bushes, herbs and shrubs.
History of Essential Oils
The evidence that essential oils have been used for a very, very long time is well documented in hieroglyphics and ancient manuscripts. A scroll that is carbon dated to 1500 B.C. reveals over 100 Egyptian remedies that use essential oil.
When King Tut’s tomb was opened in 1922, fifty alabaster mason jars to hold oil were found. The oils had been stolen by thieves who left gold in the tomb. In fact, in many cultures, essential oil was more valuable than gold.
The oldest surviving medicine book in China written by Shen Nong Shi in 300 B.C. shows over 350 herbs and their medicinal uses along with how to use essential oils.
Rene Maurice Gattefosse coined the term aromatherapy. He was working in his lab one day and suffered a severe burn. Reaching for something to numb the pain, he grabbed a vial of lavender oil. His burn healed without infection, and he experienced only minor pain and swelling.
For Gattefosse, this confirmed what ancient people knew all along; once essential oil is absorbed by the body it reacts with body chemistry to promote healing. Because of Gattefosse’s discovery, Dr, Jean Valet used essential oils to treat wounds and infections during World War II.
In the 1950′s Marguerite Maury used diluted essential oil a carrier oil and applied it directly to skin using Tibetan Massage techniques. She designed specific mixtures depending on individual needs.
Essential oils and aromatherapy are gaining more and more ground in mainstream medicine. With consumers becoming more discerning about the importance of toxic free and organic ways to heal, essential oils are now being seen as an invaluable resource worth study and recognition.
Here are three amazing essential oils that everyone should have at home.
Tea Tree: Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) can be used on any number of skin conditions. It is one essential oil that you definitely want in your medicine cabinet. Loaded with antiviral, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, this oil can be applied directly to the skin or mixed with a carrier oil such as sweet almond or grapeseed. Use this potent essential oil to treat bug bites, cuts, scrapes, ringworm, thrush, nail fungus, athlete’s foot and cold sores.
Peppermint: Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is an essential oil that is known for its anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, antibacterial, antifungal and decongestant properties. Many people use it when they have colds or headaches. When the oil is applied to the chest during a cold, it opens up and soothes the lungs.
A small amount diluted in a carrier oil massaged into the temples can ease the pain of a headache. Some people find that mixing peppermint oil with lavender will create a soothing and calming effect. Peppermint oil can also be used to treat nausea, fever intestinal gas, indigestion and stomach pain.
Lavender: Who can resist the sweet aroma of lavender (Lavendula officinalis)? This garden favorite is much more than a pretty and aromatic plant. It is a diuretic, with sedative properties that also has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral components.
One of the best known remedies for burns, lavender helps cool on contact and aids in healing. Additional uses of lavender include healing abscesses, fungal infections, lice, cold sores, cuts, hives, insect bites, stretch marks and other skin conditions. Recent research credits lavender with its ability to reduce pain, reduce high blood pressure, treat sinus infections, throat infections and congestion.
As with any medical treatment, always speak to a healthcare professional before using essential oils, and select only the highest quality essential oil available.
-The Alternative Daily
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No one likes to be in pain. Chronic pain interferes with quality of life and can lead to such things as depression and compromised immune function. For many, pain becomes so debilitating that any help is welcomed, even if it is in the form of strong pharmaceuticals or dangerous over-the-counter remedies that do little more than mask the problem. Continue reading
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As the weather warms, it’s hard to think about anything but getting out in the sunshine and enjoying a picnic, or perhaps heading out on a camping trip. Unfortunately, those pesky flying bugs known as mosquitoes can take all the fun out of spending time outdoors. Continue reading
The human body is designed to function, and function well. It is a complex system of nerves, muscles, bones, organs and trillions of very smart cells that all have a job to do. Some are house cleaners, some are in the repair business, some are in communications, and some are in the development department. Continue reading
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if acne concerns were non-existent for those of us who have survived adolescence and lived to tell about it? The irritating truth is, adult acne is a prevalent condition in the United States, and the number of sufferers continues to rise annually. Continue reading
We clean our bodies with soap and water, our hands with soap and water, our clothes with soap and water but our bottoms with dry paper…… does that make sense? Not everyone everywhere has the same hygiene methods – the Japanese toilet is like a toilet with a hair dryer, other cultures use bidets or hand held shower-type cleaning devices and in some countries, sponges, soft towels or wet naps are the preferred method of cleansing. But what is really best to take care of business? Continue reading
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