Nothing says love in quite the same way as a gift you’ve made yourself. The time, effort, and thoughtfulness that goes into each present speaks of your caring for each family member or friend who receives it.
Instead of offering sugar-laden cookies or cakes this holiday season, you can present health-enhancing aromatherapy gifts. Turn your kitchen into Santa’s workshop with some of our favorite recipes.
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood ($26.95, New World Library, 2016)
Stephanie Tourles’s Essential Oils: A Beginner’s Guide by Stephanie L. Tourles ($16.95, Storey, 2018)
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Many of us expected to leave acne behind once we were out of our teens. The blemishes we now find as adults seem like cruel, as well as unsightly, little jokes. With the help of aromatherapy and herbals, it’s possible to help clear the skin of breakouts and to keep them at bay.
Among the steps recommended for acne by aromatherapists Kathi Keville and Mindy Green:
Depending on your skin type, cleanse up to three times a day.
Take the time to gently steam your skin up to twice a week.
Use only gentle, natural exfoliants, such as papaya.
To a clay base, add toner and antibacterial essential oils.
Use vinegar and aloe vera or hydrosols.
Find a lotion that’s not heavy or greasy, one whose main ingredient is aloe.
Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art by Kathi Keville and Mindy Green ($19.95, Crossing Press, 2d ed., 2009)
Aromatherapy with Essential Oil Diffusers by Karin Parramore ($19.95, Robert Rose, 2018)
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Summer brings us warmth and longer days, as well as plenty of mosquitoes, ticks, gnats, and flies!
It may feel like Mother Nature is pulling a fast one on us, but she has provided tools for keeping things in balance.
Given the severity of the diseases carried by some biting insects, people will want to make careful choices about the insect repellents they choose for themselves and their families.
For those who want to stay natural, there are plenty of options, and one ingredient—lemon eucalyptus oil—matches up to DEET in repelling mosquitoes and may have some effectiveness against ticks as well.
Those of us who spend a lot of time in our backyards can start by making them less friendly to insect pests.
Dump any standing water that’s accumulated in buckets, old tires, tarps, and the like. Mosquitoes love to breed in such spots.
Next, try growing herbs that help deter pests.
House flies and mosquitoes will avoid basil. Plant it in the garden and in pots where people congregate—it will provide some insect relief and an ingredient for pesto!
Lemongrass, an ornamental that contains citronella oil, is a mosquito repellent and a nice addition to chicken and pork dishes. Grow it in a pot so it can winter indoors.
Try planting mint in pots too, then pluck the leaves and crumple them into iced tea while the plants help keep bugs off nearby plants.
Both mosquitoes and ticks will avoid rosemary and catnip plants. Other herbs to try planting include lemon thyme, lemon balm, and oregano.
For a natural insect repellent that’s applied to the skin or sprayed on clothes, look for one key ingredient: oil of lemon eucalyptus.
The only plant-based mosquito-repelling ingredient that’s recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s found in bug sprays and lotions made by natural products companies as well as companies that also make repellents containing DEET.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus isn’t safe for children younger than 3, so consider a soy-based repellent for preschoolers.
One commercial repellent containing 2 percent soybean oil along with glycerin, lecithin, vanillin, and oils of coconut and geranium was as effective as DEET in one study.
When (and before) using repellent on children, always follow the instructions on the product’s label.
Parents should spray the repellent on their own hands, then apply to a child’s face.
Use mosquito netting rather than repellent for babies under two months old.
Repellent is a must for anyone who’ll be exposed to potentially disease-carrying insects. But to get the most protection, follow these recommendations.
Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck your shirt in your pants and your pants in your socks.
Turn on a fan to deter mosquitoes on patios and porches.
Mosquitoes love dawn and dusk, so if you don’t love mosquitoes, avoid being outdoors during those hours.
People who may have been exposed to ticks should shower after spending time outdoors, in addition to doing regular tick checks on clothing and bodies.
A wasp, a yellow jacket, or a bee got the best of you? Homeopathy may help.
Always check the product’s label for the proper dose.
If the pain lessens after ice or cold applications, try this out. This is typically the first homeopathic remedy given after a bug bite.
This may be useful for swelling and burning.For swelling and burning pain, try .
This can be useful if you’ve been stung more than once.
“16 plants that repel unwanted insects” by Tom Oder, Mother Nature Network, www.mnn.com
“How to keep mosquitoes out of your yard” by Jessica Walliser, www.RodalesOrganicLife.com
“Keep pests off pets! Plants to grow that repel ticks and fleas” by Emily Cardiff, www.OneGreenPlanet.org
“Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing” by M.F. Maia and S.J. Moore, Malaria Journal
“Prevent mosquito bites,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.CDC.gov
Essential Homeopathy by Dana Ullman, MPH ($10.95, New World Library)
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Essential oils have been used for thousands of years to provide relief from common ailments—they can lift your mood, make it easier to focus, and help you relax after a hard day at work.
Derived from plants, essential oils can affect the body in a couple of ways:
Used properly, essential oils can be amazing natural remedies.
Since they’re highly volatile, essential oils evaporate when exposed to air. But when combined with carrier oils, they easily can be applied to the skin and hair, or used for massage.
Since essential oils are very concentrated, some individuals can have reactions to them if they’re applied directly to the skin. To prevent this, a carrier oil is used to “carry” the benefits directly into the skin.
Carrier oils are produced from vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Pressed from the fatty portions of plants, they do not evaporate the way essential oils do, nor do they have as strong an aroma.
They do, however, offer many therapeutic benefits of their own. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, they can help improve the health and softness of the skin.
Baths offer the perfect occasion to reap the benefits of essential oils. But you should never add essential oils directly into bathwater, advises Lora Cantele, author of The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness ($24.95, Robert Rose, 2014).
Oil and water don’t mix. Putting essential oil directly into a bath leaves the undiluted substance floating on the top of the water. It could then come into direct contact with the skin and potentially cause irritation and pain, Cantele explains.
Instead, while your tub is filling with water, mix a tablespoon of carrier oil like grapeseed with about 5 drops of essential oil in a nonreactive bowl.
After the tub has filled and the water’s off, add the oils to your bath and stir the water with your hand. This method avoids the loss of any essences through evaporation.
You could also use an unscented body wash or liquid castile soap in place of the carrier oil, Cantele says.
Throughout history, humans have extracted oils from grasses, seeds, flower petals, buds, bark, wood, stems, leaves, and roots. These powerful scents have been benefiting humankind in many ways—soothing minds, lifting spirits, and healing bodies. Here are some common essential oils and their benefits:
Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art, 2nd ed., by Kathi Keville and Mindy Green ($19.95, Crossing Press, 2009)
Aromatherapy for Life Empowerment by David Schiller and Carol Schiller ($19.95, Basic Health, 2011)
The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness ($24.95, Robert Rose, 2014).
Stephanie Tourles’s Essential Oils by Stephanie Tourles ($16.95, Storey, 2018)
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