Aromatherapy-Making Your Own Massage Oil

Aromatherapy is the use of specific fragrant substances in lotions and inhalants to affect mood and promote health.
Unless unable to detect scents, we all use aromatherapy every day: smelling an armload of freshly-washed towels which has dried in the sun, your boyfriend’s aftershave, newly-cut grass or fresh coffee: in all instances, aromatherapy is immediate pleasure derived from inhaling scent.
Aromatherapy is an age-old practice. In 3500 BC, Egyptians used incense made from herbs, aromatic woods and spices in religious tributes. They believed as the smoke rose, so did their prayers and praises, wishes and wants.
Egyptian women often wore waxy herbal cones on their heads, which, when melted, released fragrance.
Aromatherapy has also been used medicinally for centuries. In European monasteries during The Plague, monks worked overtime growing angelica, as it was believed the herb could ward off the sickness that was running rampant. During World War II, essential oils such as chamomile, clove, lemon and thyme were used to treat gangrene.
While certain essential oils are chosen for specific ailments, some are “adaptogenic” which means they will be of beneficial use to whatever the body needs at the time. Such oils are lemon and lavender.
The process of extracting oils from plants and herbs is very painstaking, and it is important to choose the best oils possible. Some manufacturers “standardize” their oils to comply with a specific profile , and oftentimes additives are used or product is diluted with vegetable oil.
However, it’s very easy to make your own aromatherapy oils. The healing benefits are many, including stimulating cell renewal and fighting bacteria, fungus and infections.
You will need a good amount of fresh plant material, as you will be adding new flowers/herbs to the mixture every day for four days. You will need a “base oil”, which can be olive, grape seed or sweet almond oil.
You’ll need glass jars with corks for storage, which will allow the oils to breathe (no plastic). Also have some ziplock bags handy.
Into a ziplock bag, place 2 cups of flower/herb petals. Seal and bruise petals slightly with mallet to release oils. Place petals in 1 cup of oil. Cover.
Next day, drain the oil, squeeze out/discard petals. Add 2 cups fresh plant material. Repeat this process for two more days.
If you would rather purchase ready-made oils, make sure you look for clinical, or therapeutic, oils produced by organic growers.
Then, simply combine essential oils with easy-to-find ingredients to produce your own massage oils, body sprays and gel fresheners. Some favorites:

[read more...]

A soothing herbal bath to bathe away the stress and pain

A soothing herbal bath to bathe away the stress and pain is fairly simple to prepare. If a person can make a pot of tea, then he or she can make an herbal bath preparation. The following guidelines can help those who are new to herbal relaxation.

[read more...]

How to Make Your Own Aromatic Cooking Oils

Cooking with olive oil will give certain foods a superior flavor and it is also healthy. Olive oil contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids that provide health benefits such as controlling the level of bad cholesterol and increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the body. Extra virgin olive oil is the purest form of olive oil and should be used to make aromatic cooking oils. These oils will add a bold flavor to pastas, meats, vegetables, salad dressings, and marinades because they bring out the flavor of spices.

[read more...]

How to Make Your Own Herbal Bath Vinegars

Looking to grow herbs is the first step in becoming a healthier and more organic individual. The advantage to growing herbs is that it’s easy and can be done at any time of the year, both indoors and outdoors. The easiest way to keep an herb garden is by having one on your windowsill. Not only will you have easy access to all of your herbs, but taking care of them requires little maintenance.

[read more...]

Aromatherapy for Beginners

Aromatherapy is holistic treatment that basically means ‘treatment using scent’ and is carried out by the assorted application of essential oils that are fragrant essences extracted from natural sources like herbs, flowers, fruits, grasses and seeds.

[read more...]