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2002 10: Aromatherapy Newsletter October 2002

President’s Letter

Hi Folks,

Hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter on “Men’s Health”. Credit goes to Monteagle Herb Farm for some of the information in this newsletter.

Barb is away in England this month and she is excited to share her experiences with you all when she returns. I will tell you that she has visited several essential oil growers and distillers on her journey and she has purchased many litres of oil and hydrosol. All of it is top-quality and organic too!

We are pleased to announce that our new catalog will be mailed out to you in the second week of October with price changes taking effect on October 15, 2002. We have some exciting new products including new books, new oils and an aromatherapy nebulizing diffuser.

We are also very pleased to announce that our product labeling is changing in early November. Watch for our fresh, contemporary new look!

Best wishes for a warm and sunny autumn.

Aromatically yours,
Emma Payton
General Manager

Men’s Health

For many men, it seems, the subject of their health can be summed up in one four-letter word, fine. There has been a stigma attached to men and their (lack of) desire to become more in tune with their bodies for decades. They go and go, not listening to the gentle messages their bodies are trying to tell them. Then when the body finally gets mad and shuts down, it’s owner reacts with shock and dismay, and is now forced to deal with an over-blown condition that could have been dealt with more easily in the early stages. Thankfully, there is a movement afoot within the male community worldwide to become more aware and educated regarding their bodies and the messages they are trying to relay. It is the focus of this newsletter to help relay some of the more natural methods of maintaining and regaining health to our male readers and to the women who have men in their lives to introduce these healthy practices to.

Depression

Technically, depression is a mental illness, though many of the symptoms manifest themselves in a physical manner. One of the first things that can be affected is sleep. Some depressed people have a hard time getting to sleep, find themselves waking through the night (or too early in the morning) and are then frustrated when they do not feel rested in the morning. When someone is depressed, they have little energy or motivation and can either lose their appetite or overeat to compensate for the feelings of emptiness. Concentration is difficult, memory suffers and usually simple tasks seem overwhelming in nature.

For some this state is temporary and can be handled with a change in diet, exercise, use of essential oils (to be discussed later in this article), and introspection.

Generally, an individual’s sense of happiness is dependent on two very basic things: feeling that you have a sense of purpose; a reason for being, and the sense of being connected to others. It is interesting to note that age, education level, sex, income or looks do not seem to be responsible for an individual’s level of overall happiness. Several studies have pointed out, however, that married people, in general, seem to be happier than single people. What has not been made clear is whether it’s being married that makes these people happy or if happier people tend to get married.

The scope of this article is to address the less severe feelings of depression to suggest ways that essential oils can be used to help alleviate some of the symptoms mentioned above. Some essential oils to aid in relaxation before bedtime are:

If you have the time and the inclination, diffusing some of these oils in a warm bath (6-10 drops total MAX.) and soaking for 20 minutes an hour before you go to bed can help you to drift off. The herbs valerian, catnip, hops or kava kava taken in a tea or tincture may also help calm and relax you. For the daytime, some oils that can help to stimulate the brain and sharpen the senses are Rosemary essential oil, Peppermint essential oil, Geranium essential oil, Basil essential oil, or any of the citrus oils to help provide an uplifting sense to the user. A good blend for diffusing at work, at home or even to be used in a massage oil would be 15 drops of Grapefruit, 10 drops of Rosemary and 5 drops of Lavender. Once this blend is combined, it can be blended into a carrier oil (for massage) at the rate of 1 drop of the essential oil blend to 1 ml of the carrier oil. This oil blend can even be applied after emerging from the shower to help get your day off to a swinging start!

Some suggestions to help yourself out of depression:

  • Talk to friends and family members who are supportive
  • Do things you enjoy
  • Don”t isolate yourself
  • Get into (and keep to) a routine
  • Get regular exercise (this helps your body to produce endorphins, the body”s natural feel good chemical
  • Eat nutritious meals regularly
  • Avoid alcohol

And by all means, if your depression is severe, DO enlist the help of a qualified professional. Life is too short to spend it being anything but happy!

Exercise!

For many, the idea of exercise is overwhelming in the scope of other day-to-day activities. Some feel unless they get to the gym and get in their full body workout, there”s just no point in trying. Studies are now showing that even a little exercise is better than none at all.

Mild to moderate exercise is healthy, and a little done more often throughout the day may be just the thing for those who, until now, have taken the “all or nothing” approach. Even things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, or parking your car further from your destination and walking, even just getting up off the couch to change the channel instead of using the remote is a good start! High intensity is not an absolute necessity, work on thinking health, not iron man training!

If you’ve been less than active, the first few weeks into a new fitness plan may be quite painful. Muscles that have not been used for awhile will be a little cranky to have been put into service again and will make sure you suffer the consequences of your actions for days after the original exercise is done. Of course, one of the best things you can do with a sore muscle is make sure you use it again, soon! By using the muscle (even with slow stretching) you are helping to dissipate the build up of lactic acid that is helping to cause that pain. Our natural reaction is to stop using whatever part it is that hurts and wait for the pain to go away… DO NOT SURRENDER TO THIS WILL! Movement and a massage with the following essential oil blend will help to cut your recovery time and get you back on the road to feeling good again in no time flat!

Prostate

There are many causes for an inflamed prostate. Some symptoms are: pain, a burning sensation when urinating, lower abdominal pain, tiredness, inability to retain urine, frequent urination, and fever.

It should be noted any concerns regarding your prostate should be directed immediately to your healthcare practitioner to rule out the probability of cancer.

That said, there are some essential oils that may be used to help with less serious prostate problems.

These oils can be blended at the rate of 1 drop of essential oil per 1 ml of carrier oil and massaged onto the lower abdominal area before heading to bed at night. Essential oils can also be added to the bath, ensuring no more than 10 drops (total) are used. Use less if you have sensitive skin, MORE IS NOT BETTER.

Gout

Too much uric acid in the body causes gout. This excess can be created in a number of ways; the body begins to naturally create more, under-elimination of uric acid by the kidneys or through increased intake of foods containing purines, which are metabolized to uric acid in the body. Certain meats, seafood, dried peas and beans are especially high in purines. Alcohol may also significantly Increase uric acid levels and cause gout attacks.

Over time, increased levels of uric acid in the blood can lead to deposits around joints. Eventually, the uric acid may form needle-like crystals in joints, usually starting with the big toe, and this can lead to acute gout attacks.

Some essential oils that may be able to help with this condition are:

Any of these oils could be blended into Epsom or Sea Salts to create a healing bath. They can also be blended into a carrier oil to create a massage oil blend specific to your needs (remember to add 1 drop of essential oil to 1 ml of carrier oil).

A recipe that has been tested out with one Green Valley staff member has been working very well for this condition, you may want to try it yourself and let us know if it worked for you, too!

  • 1/4 cup celery seeds
  • 250mls of vodka

Blend the two ingredients together in a sterilized glass container (with lid) and allow to steep for one month, shaking or stirring daily. This blend should be placed near an indirect heat source (sunny window ledge or wood stove) to help the celery seeds release their natural oils. At the end of the month, strain the seeds and mix 15mls of the blend with 15mls of distilled water in a 30ml bottle. This blend should be taken 30 drops in a glass of water (or juice) 2X per day. Store the remainder in a cool dark place until your supply needs replenishing.

Recipes

Massage oil for Overworked Muscles

Dilute in 15 drops of carrier oil and massage directly into the painful muscles. Repeat daily as necessary.

Note: If you find you went a little wild with the exercise and now have an inflammatory injury, we highly recommend Brian’s Arthritis Cream, specifically designed to help with inflammation of any sort!

Balding

In her book, The Fragrant Pharmacy, Valerie Ann Worwood provides a treatment for premature balding. This blend can help prevent hair from falling out, strengthen and possibly even make thicker the hair you still have. Some individuals have even noticed a downy return of hair that had once vanished altogether.

The Blend

Each day take 1 drop of the blend and mix it with 1/4 tsp water and rub it into the head, starting with the bald area first. Don’t rub too hard. It is best if this is applied at night because that”s when the body is working to regenerate itself. Next morning, shampoo the oils out using an all-natural shampoo. Keep up the treatments.

Seabuckthorn Oil

Seabuckthorn is a wild bush that grows in poor, arid soils or sandy wasteland. It can tolerate temperatures from -40°C to +40°C and has been in use since the 8th century! Scientists have discovered that seabuckthorn contains 106 bioactive components! It is the best single source known to man for Vitamin E (D a-tocopherol, 35X higher than wheat germ oil), Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, unsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 and 9), essential amino acids and flavonoids, Seabuckthorn also contains 11 of the 14 trace minerals that are essential to the body. This oil has been used in clinical trials effectively for burns (including radiation burns from cancer treatments), gingivitis, acne, dermatitis, wound healing and in cosmetics. Green Valley is excited to be able to offer this product to our clients.

*This is educational information and any opinions expressed here-in do not replace professional medical advice. If you are ill, see a suitably qualified medical practitioner.*

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