Month: September 2019

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Using Essential Oils

Today, I was making a room spray with the essential oils. Next time when there is a cold or flu lurking around, the essential oils can help to cleanse and sanitize the air.* Many studies have documented the antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic qualities of the pure, unadulterated essential oils (Elshafie & Camele, 2017; Nieto et al., 2016; Sadlon & Lamson, 2010)*.

 

The essential oils, also known as volatile oils, are the natural and concentrated extracts. They are derived from the plants (flowers, leaves, barks, stems, seeds, berries, resins, or roots). The steam distillation, hydro-distillation, hydro-diffusion, or solvent extraction can be used to extract the essential oils. The composition of the essential oils is complex and consists mostly of synergistically acting terpenes, terpenoids (phenols, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, or ethers) and aromatic compounds (Man et al., 2019).

Making a room spray takes only a few minutes. You will need the following equipment (ACHS, n.d.):

  • The essential oils – several drops (see below the general recommendations for the dilution)
  • The empty spray bottle ( I like to use the 1-2 oz bottles to make small batches)
  • The solvents such as alcohol, glycerine, water, or vinegar
  • A cylinder and rod for mixing
  • A pipette (for accurate drop count)

Because pure essential oils are very highly concentrated, they have to be diluted! For example, the general safety guidelines recommend diluting the pure essential oils until the final product contains only up to 4% of the essential oil. It means to use up to 6 to 24 drops of the essential oil per 1 ounce of solvent or 12-48 drops – per 2 ounces of solvent (ACHS, 2019; NAHA, 2019). A little amount literally goes a long way!

Additionally, the higher the quality of the essential oils, the better! Remember that you will be inhaling and absorbing all of the constituents of the essential oils into your body (Herman & Herman, 2015). Organic or wild-crafted 100% pure essential oils are the best, and their aroma is irresistible. Moreover, the pure, unadulterated essential oils can have a different effect on the body (Boren et al., 2015).*

Book your holistic nutrition and lifestyle consultation or health coaching session today! The initial 20-minute exploration session is free of charge.

Nataliya.

 

References:

American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS). (2019). Three common and dangerous essential oil mistakes. Retrieved from http://info.achs.edu/blog/aromatherapy-essential-oil-dangers-and-safety

ACHS. (n.d.). Three irresistible recipes for the aromatherapy body spray. Retrieved from http://info.achs.edu/blog/natural-holiday-perfumes-sprays-essential-oils

Boren, K. E., Young, D. G., Woolley, C. L., Smith, B. L., & Carlson, R. E. (2015). Detecting Essential Oil Adulteration. Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2:132. doi: 10.4172/2380-2391.1000132

Elshafie, H. S., & Camele, I. (2017). An Overview of the Biological Effects of Some Mediterranean Essential Oils on Human Health. BioMed Research International, 2017, 9268468. doi:10.1155/2017/9268468

Herman, A. & Herman, A. P. (2015), Essential oils for transdermal drug delivery. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 67: 473-485. doi:10.1111/jphp.12334

Man, A., Santacroce, L., Jacob, R., Mare, A., & Man, L. (2019). Antimicrobial Activity of Six Essential Oils Against a Group of Human Pathogens: A Comparative Study. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland), 8(1), 15. doi:10.3390/pathogens8010015

NAHA. (2019). Safety information. Retrieved from https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety

Nieto, G., Ros, G., & Castillo, J. (2018). Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, L.): A Review. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland), 5(3), 98. doi:10.3390/medicines5030098

Sadlon, A. E., & Lamson, D. W. (2010). Immune-Modifying and Antimicrobial Effects of Eucalyptus Oil and Simple Inhalation Devices. Alternative Medicine Review, 15(1): 33-47. Retrieved from http://archive.foundationalmedicinereview.com/publications/15/1/33.pdf

 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is for educational purposes only.

 

 

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Making Herbal Powders

Hello! This week, I made my own herbal powders from whole, organic, recently harvested herbs for the first time! Once I opened the packages with the Motherwort leaves and Hawthorn berries, the inspiring process of creation has started!

I used a mortar and pestle and Vitamix blender to crush and pulverize all components of these herbs into a fine powder. Both of these herbal powders smelled and tasted so fresh and looked so bright!

 

 

The Hawthorn Berries powder and capsules:

Modern herbal therapy implements Hawthorn berries, leaves, and flowers. The Hawthorn plant has beneficial cardiovascular effects* (Holubarsch, Colucci, & Eha, 2018).

 

 

 

The Motherwort powder and capsules: The Motherwort plant has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial, tissue-protective, and sedative effects* (Fierascu et al., 2019).

I used to take herbal powders prepared by the Ayurvedic practitioners as a Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) approach for different purposes: to relieve stomach discomfort, alleviate muscle pain, improve digestion and elimination, decrease stress, and reduce congestion* (Patwardhan, 2014). I loved Ayurvedic herbal preparations! Each one smelled and tasted differently and affected my body and mind in a positive way.

The herbal powders can be taken in a powdered form or as capsules. The herbal powders made at home can be the purest and the freshest ones, as you can select the best quality herbs (organic, wild-crafted, or even home-grown) and the best quality capsules while avoiding any other ingredients that seem unnecessary (fillers, pesticides, additives, preservatives, etc.). I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that the Apothecary Shoppe listed the date of the harvest on each package with whole herbs. You can make the herbal powders in small batches to ensure freshness and maximum potency and prevent rancidity. Each batch can be stored in a refrigerator with a moisture absorbent packets.

It is best to contact a Certified Herbalist, an Ayurvedic Practitioner, or Naturopathic Doctor to inquire which herbs can be a good fit for your body as a part of the CAM approach to healing and wellness. In the United States, about 38% of adults (every 4 in 10) and  12% of children (every 1 in 9) are using some type of CAM.

The most common forms of CAM used in the U.S. include nutrition and diet-based therapy, herbs, Yoga, Pilates, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, energy healing/Reiki, and many others (John Hopkins Medicine, 2019; NIH, 2017).  The CAM approaches are non-mainstream and can be used together with conventional mainstream medicine (NIH, 2019).

Contact me today to discuss your nutrition goals! Our initial  20-minute discussion is free of charge. To help you succeed with your health and wellness goals, I offer holistic nutrition consultations as well as wellness coaching.

References:

Fierascu, R. C., Fierascu, I., Ortan, A., Fierascu, I. C., Anuta, V., Velescu, B. S., … Dinu-Pirvu, C. E. (2019). Leonurus cardiaca L. as a Source of Bioactive Compounds: An Update of the European Medicines Agency Assessment Report (2010). BioMed Research International, 2019, 4303215. doi:10.1155/2019/4303215

Holubarsch, C., Colucci, W. S., & Eha, J. (2018). Benefit-Risk Assessment of Crataegus Extract WS 1442: An Evidence-Based Review. American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs : Drugs, Devices, and Other Interventions, 18(1), 25–36. doi:10.1007/s40256-017-0249-9

John Hopkins Medicine. (2019). Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/types-of-complementary-and-alternative-medicine

NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2017). The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States. Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/research/statistics/2007/camsurvey_fs1.htm

NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2019). Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s in a Name? Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/integrative-health

Patwardhan, B. (2014). Bridging Ayurveda with evidence-based scientific approaches in medicine. The EPMA Journal, 5(1), 19. doi:10.1186/1878-5085-5-19

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is for educational purposes only.