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Lavender, Glorious Lavender
Lavender is probably our best selling essential oil. It is well-known and appreciated for its many qualities. If you can afford only one essential oil, buy lavender. It is balancing, calming, relaxing, and helps you to sleep.
This year in my herb garden, I grew the biggest, most beautiful lavender plant that I have ever grown. Ohio is not the best place to grow lavender, as it usually likes a warmer climate. So many times my lavender has not returned after the winter. This plant was 3 years old and gorgeous! I purchased this lavender plant from companionplants.com who brings wonderful herbs to our annual plant sale every year. I think it was called Grosso Lavender. I harvested every flower and filled a laundry basket with them. I then watched a youtube video (my children would be proud to see that I used technology!) and I learned how to make a lavender wreath. Come into the store and see my creation. I confess it was harder to do than it looked in the video, but after three tries I had a wreath I could enjoy. I love to play in my garden, learning to make things that I can use, and share them with others. What fun!
Another way that I enjoy lavender is in tea. I like the Cup of Calm from Traditional Medicinals. This tea blend contains: passionflower, chamomile, lavender, catnip, rosemary, peppermint, spearmint, licorice, and stevia. It has a mild flavor and is deeply relaxing. I always keep it on the shelf at home and frequently share a cup in the store with someone who is a bit stressed and needs a friend. A box of this tea is the perfect addition to any “care package”, it makes a great gift!
Lavender is probably our best selling essential oil. It is well-known and appreciated for its many qualities. If you can afford only one essential oil, buy lavender. It is balancing, calming, relaxing, and helps you to sleep. Lavender oil is also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antispasmodic, analgesic, and stimulating to the immune system. Lavender is great to have in a first aid kit, useful for wounds, rashes, bites, and burns. It is one of the essential oils that you can use “neat” or directly on the skin. It is often used in personal care products and works well in a diffuser for aromatherapy. Lavender is an excellent choice for use with children or the elderly.
Tension Headaches Inhaler – Open the empty inhaler and drop the essential oils directly onto the wick. Use 8 drops lavender, 5 drops marjoram, and 3 drops peppermint essential oil. Close tightly. To use the inhaler: slide off the cover, with one finger press closed the left nostril, inhale from the tube into the right nostril. Repeat on other side. Exhale thru the mouth. Repeat both sides again. Inhale as needed to ease headache, clear the brain, and lessen tension.
We carry the empty inhalers, and would be happy to assist you to make an inhaler at our “Blend Your Own Essential Oils Bar”. Stop in to the store and learn how to create something you can use yourself or give as a gift.
Summer Reading
We are never too young or too old to read a good book. I have ordered several new books for you this year, so stop by and see what you can learn this summer.
I have a lot of books lined up to read this summer. How about you? I think it comes from memories of my childhood. We always went to the library and signed up for the summer reading program. I think one summer I read all of the Nancy Drew mystery series, what fun! I enjoyed taking my children to the library weekly, and now it is my granddaughter’s turn. We are never too young or too old to read a good book. I have ordered several new books for you this year, so stop by and see what you can learn this summer.
My BEST BOOKS of 2017! Body Balance, by Maria Groves: I discovered this book while on vacation last summer and it has become favorite! We are using a lot of information from this book for our classes this year. It shows you how to use herbs to bring balance to the body. This is a great read and then an excellent resource to have on the shelf. The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness, by Nerys Purchon and Lora Cantele: another vacation find, this has become my “go to” book to look up anything about essential oils! It has a great alphabetical list of essential oils with up-to-date information on each, including uses and cautions. It also has a section of ailments with recipes to make for specific situations. They WORK too!
My favorite most recent read is Happy Hormones, by Kristy Vermeulen, ND. Finally, a book that makes hormones simple to understand! It covers thyroid, adrenals, male, and female hormones. Believe me, if your hormones are out of balance, you are NOT a “happy camper”. The book includes a questionnaire to help you discover areas on which to focus attention, along with test information, so you know which tests to ask your doctor about. On this subject, I also recommend Thyroid Healthy, by Suzy Cohen, RPh. Suzy really knows about pharmaceuticals and how they affect the body. She gives excellent information on testing too and she writes so it is easy to understand. If you suspect that you have thyroid issues, you want to read this book!
These are a couple of books I have recommended to my daughter and for any pregnant moms out there! The Mama Natural week-by-week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth, by Genevieve Howland, this book covers everything to prepare you for a healthy birth experience. I also love the book, Aromatherapy and Herbal Remedies for Pregnancy, Birth, and Breastfeeding, by Demetria Clark. There are so many herbs and essential oils to avoid in pregnancy, it is great to have a guide to which ones are safe to use. There are lots of recipes too!
Lastly, books that I intend to read and try some recipes from this summer are: Ketogenic Cooking, by Maria Emmerich and Paleo Lunches on the Go, by Diana Rodgers, RD. What these books have in common is pretty much removing grains from the diet, which can be a cause of inflammation in the body. I have a friend who has lost a lot of weight by using an anti-inflammatory diet, and she feels great with an abundance of energy. Ketogenic diets are becoming more popular as people are discovering how good fat is for the brain! The right kind of fats that is. Most surprising, is that by adding these fats to the diet you can lose weight! I want to learn more about this way of eating. Stop by Healthy Life Solutions today and let me share my love of reading with you!
Women's Herbal Tea Recipe
This herbal tea has traditionally been used worldwide for its toning and nourishing qualities during pregnancy, breastfeeding, PMS and menopause.
This herbal tea has traditionally been used worldwide for its toning and nourishing qualities during pregnancy, breastfeeding, PMS and menopause.
To prepare tea: Mix the following herbs together and store in an airtight jar. Use ¼ cup of the herbs in a quart jar, cover with boiling water. Cover the jar and leave overnight. In the morning, strain tea, discarding the used herbs. You may dilute or sweeten tea if you like. Drink the quart of tea throughout the day.
Use 1 cup each: alfalfa, nettles, oatstraw, red raspberry leaves and ½ cup rose hips. My good friend likes to add peppermint leaves and stevia leaves to her tea mix, so you might want to try that variation too.
Alfalfa: one of the richest mineral foods in the world, contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, chlorophyll, biotin, chlorine, inositol, iron, PABA, sodium, sulfur, tryptophan, vitamins A, B complex, C E, and K. Restorative tonic which promotes pituitary gland function. It alkalizes the body, helping with arthritis, gout, and kidney function. It tones the intestines. Alfalfa is high in tryptophan, inducing better sleep. It is also antifungal.
Nettles: rich in chlorophyll, it contains iodine, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, vitamins A and C, facilitates absorption of vitamin D from the sun, proteins, iron and copper. Nettles tone and rebuild the adrenals. They help with energy levels, allergies, and kidneys. Nettles also improve muscle tone, reducing post-partum hemorrhage and vaginal tears. It promotes abundant breast milk. Nettles improve liver function, reducing jaundice, stabilizing blood sugar, and strengthening the nervous and immune systems.
Oatstraw: builds a strong resilient body, it contains calcium, high in vitamins A, C, B complex, phosphorus, potassium, and proteins. Oatstraw contains Avenin, an alkaloid which is highly nutritive to cells, improving reproduction. It is a premier food for the brain and nervous system, reducing anxiety, epilepsy, and assists addiction recovery. Oatstraw improves muscle tone, digestion, uterine function, back weakness, reducing leg cramps, and heart palpatations.
Red Raspberry: the most well-known pregnancy herb, it contains citric and malic acid, silicon, vitamins C, B, niacin, carotene, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and improves vitamin D absorption. Red raspberry tones the muscles, especially in the uterus, reducing spasms and improving labor contractions. It tones and nourishes the ovaries and is beneficial to the pituitary gland, helping to reduce nausea and morning sickness. It is also useful for menstrual cramps and hot flashes. Due to its astringent qualities, it is used for mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids and cold sores. Its high mineral content promotes healthy nails, bones, teeth, and skin. Red raspberry is an excellent tea for children with a natural source of vitamin C to help fight off a cold.
Rose Hips: a good all-around tonic, specifically used for the blood, nerves, and heart. Rose hips are excellent for nervous and stressful situations. It contains vitamins A, C, E, rutin and sodium. With high amounts of calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sulphur, and silicon. Trace amounts of vitamin D and zinc.
Is Your Heart Healthy?
One of the most common things people ask me about is heart health. What supplement can I take to help lower my blood pressure? Is there something I can do to lower my cholesterol?
One of the most common things people ask me about is heart health. What supplement can I take to help lower my blood pressure? Is there something I can do to lower my cholesterol? Actually, yes there are several things you can do to strengthen your heart and arteries. Let’s discuss a few of the most common supplements used for heart health.
Hawthorn Berry – One of my favorite herbs! Hawthorn berry is first herb which comes to my mind for strengthening the heart muscle. It is considered a cardiac tonic, increasing oxygen utilization and enzyme metabolism in the heart muscle. Hawthorn berry helps a damaged heart work more efficiently. It is useful for arrhythmias and heart valve problems. It dilates blood vessels, allowing blood to flow freely, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Garlic – Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, discourages platelet aggregation, and contains helpful antioxidants. Many studies have shown garlics ability to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while raising protective HDL cholesterol. One average size clove of garlic contains 4,500 mcg of allicin, the smelly but active component of garlic.
Red Yeast Rice – This traditional Chinese remedy is the fermented product of red yeast cultivated on rice. Lovastatin is a drug that was synthesized from a substance in red yeast rice. Like the statin drugs, red yeast rice lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and raises HDL, but in a safer, gentler manner. The recommended dose of red yeast rice is 1,200-2,400 mg per day. Do not take red yeast rice if you are on a statin drug.
Fish Oil – One of the most potent therapies for heart disease! Helps with inflammation, blood clotting and platelet aggregation, cholesterol and triglycerides. Look for high-quality fish oil that is harvested in northern waters and has been tested for mercury contaminants. The recommended dose for heart health is 2000 mg daily. Look for softgels which are enteric coated, meaning they open in the intestines instead of the stomach, solving the bad taste, burping, or upset feeling fish oil might otherwise cause.
CoQ10 – Coenzyme Q10 is the spark plug that gets things going! Its main role is in the energy production within your cells; because the heart beats more than 100,000 times every day, you need that energy! CoQ10 stabilizes heart muscle cells and protects them from free radical damage. It can reduce chest pain, lower blood pressure, help arrhythmias, and improve exercise tolerance. Studies at the Whitaker Wellness Institute have shown CoQ10 to prolong the life of patients with heart failure and even reverse their condition.
Yes, what you eat and the supplements you take can make a huge difference in heart health! To further pursue this subject I suggest the book, Reversing Heart Disease by Julian Whitaker MD. Give your heart the nutrients it needs to keep your body going…and going strong!
What are 5 uses for Silver?
Silver Shield with Aqua Sol Technology represents the latest in nanoparticle solutions, delivering 20 parts-per-million of pure immune support. It is non-toxic...
1 - Silver has a long history of use to fight infections and antimicrobials by traditional medicine. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered silver as a biocidal material since 1954, meaning it destroys living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
2 - Silver has been used by the Russian space Agency to purify drinking water for the Mir space station and the International Space Station. Silver nanoparticles have been shown to be non-toxic, without adverse effects, and to exhibit strong antimicrobial activity.
3 - Silver nanoparticles are currently being used in the treatment of burns and wounds, and in dental procedures to minimize the chance of infection. New technology has enabled silver tobe used in medical devices such as wound dressings, stents, catheters, bone prostheses, cardiac devices and surgical appliances.
4 - Silver nanoparticles have been studied and proven effective against drug resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus pyogenes. One of the best things about silver nanoparticles is that they demonstrate multiple modes of action against bacterial pathogens, thus there is a minimal chance of bacteria developing a resistance to silver.
5 - Recent studies have shown silver nanoparticles to have antiviral activity against influenza A (H1N1), HIV, hepatitis B, genital herpes, viral respiratory infections or pneumonia (typically in children), and smallpox.
Do you need any more reasons than these to have a bottle of silver in your home? Silver Shield with Aqua Sol Technology represents the latest in nanoparticle solutions, delivering 20 parts-per-million of pure immune support. It is non-toxic and poses no risk of heavy metal contamination, as the silver nanoparticles are eliminated from the body within 48 hours.
Anxious? Try Rescue Remedy.
When disaster strikes, what is the first thing you reach for? Do you have what you need in those first moments, available to you almost without thought?
RESCUE REMEDY – Perfect for any emergency!
When disaster strikes, what is the first thing you reach for? Do you have what you need in those first moments, available to you almost without thought? Every household should be prepared for emergencies. One of the best things to include in your emergency kit is Rescue Remedy.
Created by Dr. Bach in the 1800’s, from the flowers around his England home, Rescue Remedy is a blend of five of the original 38 flower remedies. It calms, stabilizes, and heals. It has been recommended in all types of accidents, hysteria, shock, collapse, panic, attack, stroke, burns, injuries, threat of suicide, or tense situations. I have used it when feeling stressed or anxious and felt almost instant relief. My daughter uses it before visiting the dentist. I also give it to my dog, before a visit to the vet. The Bach flowers are prepared homeopathically, which means that they are very safe! They have no side effects or interactions with medications. Bach flowers are safely used with children, the weak and sick, elderly, or animals.
The normal dosage of Rescue Remedy is three drops on the tongue at intervals of about 10 minutes, until improvement occurs, then lengthen the time between doses until no longer needed. If oral ingestion is not possible, you may place a few drops on a person’s lips or rub into their forehead. Rescue Remedy also comes in a cream, which may be more easily used in some situations…such as the hospital or at school.
The five flowers included in the Rescue Remedy and their descriptions follow:
Cherry Plum is for losing control and when hysteria is evident and violent, even to the point of doing harm to someone else or one’s self. When combined with the other flowers in this formula it has the ability to allow a person to maintain control when dealing with pain or when terrified.
Clematis restores consciousness; useful in fainting, coma, or injury. It has the ability to help a person remain conscious, to be focused, or to take action, even if in pain.
Impatiens is the remedy for PAIN! Impatiens helps, whether there is mental pain of irritability and extreme stress, or physical pain such as a toothache or even in the intense pain of an accident.
Rock Rose is the remedy for panic or terror, as in accidents or near death experiences. It is for paralyzing fear. It gives the ability to have courage, to sacrifice oneself for another, to do what is “right”, it also gives mental freedom from fear.
Star of Bethlehem is the remedy for shock and trauma. When you have heard bad news, after being in an accident, or subjected to harm. This remedy defuses trauma, so that it does not become locked into the subconscious memory pattern to haunt a person for life. Stories of use include: after being attacked by a dog, so as to not maintain a fear of dogs. Or perhaps when someone is returning to driving after experiencing a car accident.
Having these five flowers together in one remedy makes it easy to have ready and to use quickly. You don’t have to give much thought as to which flower remedy would be best, because it is perfectly blended together for you. If in doubt, if in an emergency, USE RESCUE REMEDY!
FREE DEMONSTRATIONS at Healthy Life Solutions
When? 2nd Saturday of the month at 9:30 am
Where? 232 W. 6th Ave - Lancaster, OH - 740.689.1111
February 11 – BACH Rescue Remedy
Learn how this homeopathic remedy can help you with anxious, stressful thoughts and situations, or even feelings of panic. SAFE and reliable, a remedy you can trust, even for children or pets. Best of all, anxiety relief without side effects!