Embracing Winter Stillness

As the wheel of the year turns towards the Winter season for us here in the Northern Hemisphere, many may consider how to best stay positive and energized through this season of short days. This is particularly true where I live in the shadow of a temperate rainforest, as the Autumn and Winter seasons here are characterized by months of dark cloudy skies and rain. 

For many, the Winter season is a difficult one to manage emotionally.  Many who are prone to depression suffer more through this season, and for these souls it is important to seek professional medical or psychological support. What I would like to share here is not a replacement for medical treatment, but rather an alternative way to approach this season of stillness. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Our predecessors on this Earth lived with the cycles of Nature and marked the change in seasons in a number of ways. In Earth Medicine we follow the teachings of Indigenous and Earth-based cultures. In my studies, we learned of the Medicine Wheel which is a way of living for many cultures. On the wheel that I learned, Winter sits in the direction of the North and its themes are those of stillness, wisdom, introspection, and renewal. It is a time of quiet solitude where we have the opportunity to go inward and  replenish our 'inner soil" in preparation for the light and growth of Spring. The North is held by Buffalo and Elk, and by the element of Earth.  It is the place on the Wheel where we feel most connected with our Ancestors. 

Ancient Celtic traditions speak of the Wheel of the Year, with similar connections to natural cycles and elements.  This Wheel is marked by 8 celebrations throughout the year as the Wheel turns and the seasons shift, including the Sabbat (main festival) of the Winter Solstice or Yule. In the Northern hemisphere this is the darkest time of the year, and for ancient people it was challenging not only to stay warm and fed, but also to remain faithful to the belief that the light would return. This was held as a time to create closure of the past year and to mark the shift into the new. Traditionally, this Winter Solstice marked the beginning of the Yuletide and the origin of the 12 Nights of Christmas (originally connected to Yule, not Christmas).  These sacred nights were considered time to have deeper awareness of our intuition and as such, these nights were known for dreams, visions, and other insights of the coming year.  

What a change from the celebratory state of our present society! Is it any wonder many feel unsettled during this time?  In losing our connection to our traditional and natural connection to the seasonal shift, we have created a state of imbalance.  

So how can we create a new sense of balance that may better serve us through the busy holiday season of our modern times? For me, this is a matter of allowing myself some time to slow down, time to breathe, and time to celebrate "being" rather than "doing".  And yes, this takes some planning.  While it seems contradictory with so many tasks and commitments, my meditation and journal practice have become more vital this season.  Even 20 minutes spent in stillness and/or journaling can have a profound effect on my days and ultimately increase productivity! The other important piece for me has been getting outside and breathing fresh air. Stepping into my garden to breathe under the trees, even if only for a few minutes as I gather garden herbs, serves to connect me with something greater than myself and has an immediate grounding and calming effect.  

Photo by Teddy Kelley on Unsplash

This season, I invite you to create some space for yourself to explore this ancient wisdom of seasonal living.  Some ideas for creating moments of stillness include: 

• being present as you wait for baking to finish- breathe in the aroma, observe the transformation from uncooked to golden goodness
• pausing between tasks to re-centre; go outside for a breath of air if you can
• creating a ritual to mark the Solstice - make time to take inventory of the past year, focussing on those things that you would like to leave behind (closing the old year) and those you'd like to carry forward (welcoming the new year)
• connecting to your soul by connecting to Nature.

After the holidays have passed and the New Year is upon us, I invite you to continue this practice of creating stillness in your day. Winter is naturally a dormant time in Nature; the trees are bare and the ground is resting waiting for the return of the sun. While much restoration is happening in the darkness within the trees and the soil, most of it remains unseen by us. Rather than fighting the natural season by trying to stay busy and energized, work with this seasonal energy to slow down in order to renew yourself. In honouring this season of stillness by going within ourselves, it serves to restore our own vital energy and create a strong foundation for the coming months. 

Essential Oils for lung support

My province of British Columbia is currently in a state of emergency with thousands of hectares of forest burning across the province.  While this in itself is devastating to people and wildlife, the fires have also resulted in very poor air quality across the province, even in the normally clear Lower Mainland.  

Photo from NASA showing the smoke over BC

In an effort to help family members ease their breathing through this smoky air, I created a blend to support lung health.  It occurred to me that it would be helpful to share some general information on how essential oils can help to support our lungs and alleviate the damage that the smoke can cause to our bodies.  

We can see the smoke in the air and even feel it in our eyes, and we may not be aware of the damage that this air can have on our respiratory tract.  Inhaling smoke can damage the tissues of the nose, mouth, throat, and lungs.  Some of the components of the smoke could even be toxic to these tissues.  This damage is in addition to the smoke decreasing the efficiency of our respiratory system in bringing oxygen into the body. 

There are a number of essential oils that help to both clear and soothe our lungs, and provide support to the respiratory system. Combining a few of these into a personal inhaler to breathe in throughout the day is a great way to keep your lungs healthy and to help counteract any damage that inhaling smoke might do. 

In choosing essential oils for this, we want to look at those with anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling), antispasmodic (calms coughing spasms), decongestant (helps to open breathing passages), expectorant (aids in removing phlegm), mucolytic (thins mucus), and balsamic (heals and soothes, and loosens phlegm) properties, and we are fortunate to have many beautiful essential oils to choose from! 
Some to consider would include:

• Eucalyptus - anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties
• Helichrysum - anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant, mucolytic properties
• Roman Chamomile - anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, calming properties
• Cypress - antispasmodic, decongestant, mucolytic properties
• Myrtle - decongestant, balsamic, expectorant properties
• Cedarwood - expectorant and mucolytic properties
• Frankincense - anti-inflammatory, expectorant properties; soothing and helps to deepen breathing
• Myrrh - anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties; soothing
• Lavender - antispasmodic properties; calming and soothing; helps ease stress  

As always, it is important to consider the contraindications of any and all essential oils used, taking into consideration allergies as well as any underlying medical conditions (particularly asthma in this case).  If you are uncertain which oils are safe for you to use, please consult with a professional aromatherapist (you can contact me here).

We are seeing a close to record-breaking level of devastation this fire season, and I am thinking of those directly affected and am grateful to those who are committed to fighting these massive wildfires. 

*With thanks to my instructor Bev Hawkins at West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy whose writing and teaching informed and supported my inspiration in writing this.

Enriching life through Ritual

Ritual is defined as "a set of actions or words performed in a certain way" by the Cambridge Dictionary, but I see it as more than that.  I see ritual as a way to make an ordinary day extra-ordinary; a way to bring a spiritual and sacred intention into everyday activities; and a way to surrender oneself to the magic of the Divine.
Ritual can be simple or complex, and can be personalized in many ways; all it takes is desire, intention, and regular practice.  
I have been working with ritual more regularly, and have found that these three practices in particular have brought me a sense of increased passion and productivity:

Begin and end the day with stillness
How often do you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up?  Is this necessary, or more of an automatic habit?  What if you could create a mindful habit and set your intention for how you would like to progress through your day?  Simply begin your day with stillness.  For me this means sitting with my morning tea, lighting a candle, focussing on my breathing, and journaling.  You may choose any of these or include mediation and/or yoga; any activity that brings you into an awareness of your body.  I have found that doing this every morning creates a sacred space where I can acknowledge how I am feeling and any thoughts that may be emerging, and also helps me to consciously set my intention for my day. 
The end of day is similar; I end with quiet time which includes a 'bullet-style' journal of gratitude and joy experienced and celebrated in the day, as well as a spray of one of my Aromatherapy blends. You could even set the intention of having a restful and restorative sleep at this time!

Connect with Nature
I believe that Nature is a powerful healer, and that when we take even a few minutes to go outside and be in her presence, we are connecting to a strong and infinite source of energy.  We all have our favourite places in Nature that fill us with peace, wonder, and joy; for some it is by the ocean, for some in the mountains; for me it is in trees. So often we say that we are too busy, but it is precisely those times that we can most benefit from breathing and finding our centre in Nature.  Try this the next time you are feeling stressed or uncertain...take a few minutes and go outside.  Breathe deeply, push down and feel your feet in contact with the Earth, look around and see what is all around you, smell, listen...engage your senses.  I bet you will find that you feel a renewed sense of calm and energy within you when you return to your activities.  Taking time each day to mindfully connect with Nature can greatly improve your mood and your day. 

Create a Sacred Space for working

While you may not have control over every aspect of your workspace, being intentional about how you want to feel while you are working, and arranging your space to support that, can make a big difference to your day and your productivity. 

I once fell into the trap of having a nice space for playing and creating, but a cluttered and disorganized work space which  did not support me with my work and was actually sabotaging my desire to move forward with my business.  I realized that while I regularly create a sacred container and set an intention for my creative processes, doing this for my business tasks was just as important!  What if I could set an intention for working through my bookkeeping with ease or even joy?  What if by something as simple as lighting a candle (of course keeping it away from my papers!), I could create a feeling of sacredness and magic that would make me more likely to do this task (one that I really dislike) and complete it in a timely way?  Who would have known that even bookkeeping could become a sacred ritual for me!

Of course, there are days when life happens and when I don't manage to practice these rituals, and while not ideal, it is okay.  I have learned that it is important to give myself the grace to know that I did enough and that tomorrow is a new day.  

Will inviting ritual into your day enrich your life as it has done mine?  I invite you to try it and see, and let me know how ritual changes your life!

Being Brave

I recently returned from a gathering called the Brave Girl Symposium in Boise, Idaho. This was a loved-filled inspiration-growing spirit-fest of over 500 beautiful souls. 
Brave Girls Club is an organization dear to my heart as the work that I've done through them has literally saved my life.  When I thanked Melody Ross and Kathy Wilkins, the sisters who founded the organization, and told them that they and their work saved my life, they both said, " *You* saved your life"...just an indication of the love and grace that goes into everything about Brave Girls. 

So, how does an introverted, intuitive empath manage to leave her house to travel alone across an International border and two states to gather in a room with 500 women?  It wasn't an easy decision.  I was filled with doubt and anxiety and thoughts of everything that could go wrong, and when my first flight was delayed and there was a chance that I might miss my connection, I nearly gave up.  But, the Universe had my back. I made my connection and arrived in Boise on time and at the same time as a flight from Portland, so I met a group of fellow Brave Girls at the airport.  Funny how the Universe conspires when we are on the right path! 

What ensued was an incredibly powerful and life-changing experience.  I sat with complete strangers and we had the most beautiful and deep discussions about life and love and what it means to be a woman in our crazy world. We sang, we danced, we hugged, we laughed, and we cried -  together - surrounded and supported by our love-bubble.  Amazingly a number of us found each other in the crowd, repeatedly.  We formed friendships that are bound by a mutual love of life and learning and wanting to be true to ourselves, in spite of the pressures of the world.  We have found a sisterhood and a tribe to carry us forward in this work and support us in sharing all that we are with our worlds.  

There is an army coming, and we are Brave Love-Warriors! 

Fresh-smelling compost

If you are like us and have a little container for organic waste in your kitchen, then you may be troubled by some odour from that compost. We use a stainless steel bucket and a biodegradable bag, but we still find that some food waste causes odour. I was playing around with some ideas for trying to neutralize the odours and came up with these cute little baking soda and essential oil pucks.  

I used inexpensive ice cube trays from the dollar store (since I am not using these for food, I am not as concerned about the quality of the plastic).  If you can find silicone trays, I think they would be ideal as it would be easy to remove the pucks, but the ones I have are solid on the sides and have silicone on the bottom and they worked just fine. I will now keep these exclusively for cleaning products and will not use them for food!

Baking Soda Fresh-Pucks 

*Safety notes* 

• Be sure to wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves to avoid getting concentrated essential oils on your skin.  This is especially important if you are using citrus oils.
• When making cleaning preparations with baking soda and essential oils I prefer to use glass or ceramic bowls to avoid reactivity with metal, and plastic or wooden spoons (craft or popsicle sticks work).  Plastic bowls can absorb the essential oils, making them unsuitable for food use afterwards!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp essential oil (about 100 drops) - I used 60 drops Lavender and 40 drops Lemon
• 1/3 cup distilled water

Method:

• Combine the baking soda and essential oils and stir until they are well mixed and no big clumps remain.
• Gradually add the water, mixing as you add.  Stir until the mixture forms lumps that stay together.  If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more water.  It is important that the clumps are not falling apart at this stage or your finished pucks will not stay together. 
•  Scoop out the mixture and press into ice cube tray.  Allow to dry for 24-48 hours.
• Once dry, pop the pucks out of the tray and store in an airtight container.  

• Place one puck in the bottom of your organic waste bucket, under the biodegradable bag, and replace when you change the bag and empty the bucket.
• Once used in the bucket, the puck can be put into the sink garbage disposal to freshen it!
• These would also be suitable for putting in your kitchen garbage pail, either taped to the lid, or in the bottom under the bag.
• Other essential oils to try: Tea Tree, Palmarosa, Orange, Eucalyptus, or Lemongrass.

I hope that you have fun making these and enjoy fresh-smelling compost buckets!

Aromatherapy: What's right for you?

It is easy to find information online regarding aromatherapy and  essential oils, but unfortunately not all of it is good, and some of it is downright dangerous! I have seen numerous posts and memes with clearly uneducated directions for use ranging from applying undiluted essential oils to young children to using essential oils that are just not safe in untrained hands.  We all want to use more natural remedies to improve our health, and the suggestions look impressively easy and healthy, so how do you know what is safe and what is not?

To begin with, consider the source of the information you see online: is it from a trained professional aromatherapist, or is it from a sales representative of a company mainly concerned with selling?  This is a vital distinction.  A professional aromatherapist has a minimum of 200 hours of training (many accredited schools offer 400+ hour programs), and will have a professional designation indicating their training.  Designations vary by country, but checking a professional aromatherapy organization such as the NAHA, AIA, BCAPA, or CFA can help you find a trained and licensed aromatherapist in your area. In the US, there are professional designations which include "Certified Aromatherapist" and "Clinical Aromatherapist".  In Canada, we carry the designation of "Registered Aromatherapist and Essential Oil Therapist" (abbreviated RA, EOT). In addition to the minimum level of training, we are required to maintain ethical standards of conduct, carry professional liability insurance, as well as have ongoing professional development education.  The primary concern for a Professional Aromatherapist is the wellbeing of his/her clients; sales are secondary. 
The next thing to do when seeing information online is to ask questions.  A professional aromatherapist will usually answer questions about information seen online.  While they are not able to provide help with individual issues without a full and private consultation, they are usually happy to provide general information as to whether something seen online is in fact true (particularly if it is something they themselves have written). 

So, what does a professional Aromatherapist do?  There are numerous applications of aromatherapy education, ranging from retail and spa environments to private practice. Generally, an Aromatherapist who has a private practice will create essential oil blends specifically for the client.  These blends are created after a private consultation where complete medical history, issues, and goals are discussed.  Being a holistic health practice, Aromatherapy takes into consideration all aspects of an individual's life and seeks the underlying cause of health issues rather than trying to 'fix' the symptoms. Holistic healing is based on the premise that bringing the body into balance will lead to wellness, and that given natural support the body has the ability to find its balanced state of wellness. A full consultation gives us the opportunity to really understand the issues and lifestyle of the client and is the key to providing safe and effective support. An aromatherapist will take the information from the consultation and create a personalized essential oil blend and application plan for the client to follow.  Some Aromatherapists provide massage or other healing modalities, while some provide the blend for the client to use at home, along with ongoing support. 

The question now is why would you consult an Aromatherapist when you can go into a store and buy essential oils off the shelf?   While it is true that you can walk into a health food store or specialty shop and buy essential oils, do you really know what to do with them?  Do you know which essential oils to choose?  Do you know which are safe for you, and for your family?  Do you know how to apply them? How to dilute them? Any contraindications or precautions that apply to these essential oils?  Chances are that the sales associates in the stores don't either!  You might be thinking that "essential oils are natural, so they are safe", but natural products have the potential to do harm just as easily as chemical products.  Think of Opium - a natural product, but one we know is not something that we should use without great care! 

While it is tempting to follow that nice-looking and perhaps well-meaning online advice, our health is vital and must be protected. Investing the time and money in consulting a professional is a wise investment in yourself and your health, and one that will pay dividends for a lifetime.

Storing Essential Oils

As the cool weather surrounds us, we seem to turn more towards using essential oils in our homes, and questions often arise as to how to store these precious (and often expensive) oils.  

In order to maximize the life of your essential oils, they need to be stored much like wine; away from light and heat. When you buy essential oils they should be in dark glass bottles to protect their chemical constituents and we want to keep them in these bottles.  Store your oils in a dark place, out of direct sunlight, and not in the bathroom where the heat of the shower could affect your oil's quality.  A cupboard or a shelf in your bedroom closet is ideal.  

Most essential oils that are stored properly can last a year or two, depending on how often they are opened and how much air is in the bottle. If you have a large but half-full bottle of essential oil, it would be wise to pour the oil into smaller bottles to minimize the air content in the bottle; less contact with air helps the oil to last longer.  

Essential oils rich in monoterpenes, such as citrus and evergreen oils, can oxidize quickly and are best stored in the refrigerator to maximize their longevity.  They should be used within a year, so it is best to buy these oils in small quantities. Interestingly, some of the heavier essential oils like patchouli and sandalwood actually improve with age!  

You can tell that your essential oil is past its best if the colour or scent changes, or if the oil thickens. If you notice a change in your essential oil and think it had gone bad, it is still useful for cleaning purposes. For example, Pine and Lemon essential oils are not advised to be used on the skin once they have oxidized, but they still retain their germ-fighting properties and smell fresh enough to use for cleaning!  (Remember that when cleaning you should always wear gloves, even if using natural products like essential oils.)

The best way to keep your essential oils fresh is to use them!  Using your oils and keeping them stored appropriately will maximize both your investment, and your enjoyment!

The Joy of Self Care

At this very busy time of year, it is easy to be overwhelmed with our to-do lists and put our own needs after those of others.  Is this wise?  I am reminded of my flight attendant training and the safety demonstrations we gave that said "put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others".  The wisdom of self-care...we know this, yet it is still so hard to put this knowledge into practice.  What if we found a way to re-define our perception of self-care and allowed ourselves to embrace the joy of taking care of ourselves while we look after those we love?

After a very difficult few months, I have struggled with trying to 'do it all' and to 'be all the things'...you know, that mother who is on top of all her child's academic and emotional needs and can schedule driving lessons and appointments with ease; the wife who creates a clean and uncluttered home for her husband to come home to, complete with a meal cooked from scratch; the daughter who supports her grieving family by being available for appointments or just to be together. We all have our own unique variation of this "being all the things"; but where does that leave us?  In my case, it left me exhausted, overwhelmed, angry, and sad. I finally reached my limit yesterday and took a day to stay home, and while I did clean up the house, I also gave myself permission to play in my art journal and have a bath!  Did I feel guilty?  Absolutely! And then, while soaking away the stress and letting the mental chatter of my to-do list flow down the drain, I was struck by a sense of peace, and even joy.  I had put myself first; listened to my body and my needs, and I felt revived and hopeful.  But what does this apparently selfish act mean for everyone around me?  A new and revitalized me, willing to face the season with renewed spirit!  I had been reminded that taking care of myself meant I was better equipped to help those I love: I'd found the *joy* of self-care.

If you are feeling the seasonal stress, why not schedule some time for yourself and see if you too can find the joy in self-care!

  

Inviting Joy... and fabulous Apple "Nachos"!

Yesterday was my birthday.  Being a milestone, we decided to mark the occasion by doing something I hadn't done as an adult, and have a party. This idea brought with it excitement, but also trepidation, and feelings of unworthiness.  Although I imagined an intimate gathering of close friends, I was faced with the fear that *nobody* would come...why would anyone want to come to *my* party, after all?  Instead of giving into this and planning the gathering from a place of fear, I tried something new and decided to "invite joy" and  plan from a place of celebration in which everyone could share.   The fabulous birthday Tea Party was born! I got out the bone china teacups and saucers, chose the tea, ordered tiny treats (befitting a tea party), supervised the making of cucumber sandwiches (he didn't need any supervision!), and even made a new treat, that I called "Apple Nachos", for the first time.  (Recipe to follow).  

It worked!  The day was perfect.  The tea was enjoyed, the treats were eaten, many laughs were shared, and precious memories made. It was the intimate gathering that I had dreamed of.  

The lesson here?  Try something new!  Go outside of that comfort zone and see what magic happens!  Invite joy.

Fabulous Apple "Nachos"

2 large apples, quartered and thinly sliced (I used Honeycrisp)

toasted almonds

coconut

dried cranberries

dairy-free chocolate chips

Raw vegan caramel sauce

For the sauce:

1 cup dates (soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes)

2 tsp almond butter (or any nut or seed butter)

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil

dash of salt

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding more water if needed to achieve the desired consistency.  

To assemble the "nachos":

Thinly slice the apples and soak in a mixture of water and lemon juice to discourage browning, pat dry. Layer apple slices onto a plate or platter.  Melt the chocolate chips (you could add a bit of coconut oil to thin the chocolate more) until it is runny. Drizzle the chocolate over the apples. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the apples.  Top with the almonds, cranberries and coconut (or whatever toppings you like)!

This recipe is my own twist, and is inspired by the caramel filling in Angela Liddon's  Oh She Glows Cookbook, (Penguin Canada Books, Toronto, 2014).

Autumnal Aromatherapy

Wishing you a Happy Autumn!
The Equinox in September marks the beginning of our Fall season where I live, and in the ancient Pagan calendar this time of "Mabon" represents the perfect balance of light and darkness.  Personally, I always feel this balance as a pull between the playfulness of Summer and the introspection of Winter, and find myself drawn to more inner reflection. 

According to Joni Keim and Ruah Bull in their book Daily Aromatherapy: Transforming the Seasons of Your Life with Essential Oils, (North Atlantic Books, 2008), 

"Autumn is the season of the soul that signals a time to reflect upon your life and assess the health and wellbeing of your body, mind, heart, and spirit.  It is a time for insights and using good judgement regarding your relationships, how you take care of yourself, how you spend your time, and what you have accomplished...  It is also a time to acknowledge and be grateful for the many blessings in your life, and to be generous of spirit.  In all of this, healing takes place." (p.153)

For me, this inward focus also extends to our home.  As the rains and winds of our West Coast Canadian season move upon us, I find myself bringing out my diffuser and essential oils to enhance our indoor space. At this time of year I am naturally drawn to warm and comforting essential oils, as well as many of the evergreen tree oils.  Likewise, Joni Keim and Ruah Bull suggest the essential oils of Spruce (self reflection); Fir (self-understanding); Bay Laurel (good judgement); and Clary Sage (intuition).  A nice way to use these oils, particularly today to mark the change of season, would be to make a blend of 1 drop Fir, 1 drop Spruce, and 2 drops Bay Laurel and either put it into a diffuser, or place on a tissue to inhale.  This blend could then be used as part of a meditation and affirmation to acknowledge the season and your own personal journey. If you have a seasonal ritual, this would also be an excellent blend to accompany your work. Have fun and play with the proportions and oils to suit your own taste...remember that this is intended for diffuser or inhalation from a tissue only as Evergreen oils can be irritating to the skin and are not recommended for baths or use on the body (unless blended and well diluted- consult a professional for information on this).

Other beneficial Essential oils for Fall include:
Palmarosa (self-accceptance), Roman Chamomile (forgiveness), Cardamom (generosity), Cypress (personal growth), Rose (love), Jasmine (gratitude). 

I often mark the change of season by creating a unique blend, and each Autumn I play with various combinations and create a new favourite for seasonal emotional support.  Is exploring scent a way that you mark the change in season? 

 "Aromatherapy Insight cards"by Jennifer Jefferies

Wishing you the comfort and balance of this glorious Fall season!

Sunshine and Citrus don't always mix

The warm weather is here!  
There are ways that using essential oils can increase our enjoyment of the summer, however with the warm weather comes some cautions for using essential oils safely.

While the best practices of safe usage involving dilution and external use only always apply,  phototoxicity is an additional concern in the summer months. This may seem like the ideal time to enjoy the light refreshing scent of the Citrus oils, but these oils are particularly dangerous to use in the sunshine.  Most Citrus oils are phototoxic; meaning that applying them to the skin and then exposing that skin to sunlight (or UV lamps) can result in blistering burns which can lead to permanent skin damage.  The chemical constituents known as 'furanocoumarins' are responsible for this phototoxic reaction and these compounds occur in nearly all expressed Citrus oils.  The worst offender is Bergamot, and it is this oil that lead to studies beginning in the 1950's which determined the chemicals responsible for these painful reactions.  

Happily, we don't have to completely avoid using all Citrus oils on our skin in the summer! We do have some alternatives, the most common being steam distilled Lime and Lemon essential oils, and a fractionated grade of Bergamot know as "Bergamot FCF" (furanocoumarin-free); this is the only Bergamot that I use, and while I am told the the scent is not as nice as the natural Bergamot, the safety is more important to me.  Remembering to properly dilute essential oils is also key to having a safe experience. 

Another way to enjoy these refreshing oils and manage the risk is by using them in the diffuser and not on our body.  Remember that if you are in doubt, it is best to avoid the oil!  Consulting a qualified Professional Aromatherapist is also a good idea when considering safety issues such as this. 

Phototoxic Essential Oils 

Bergamot

Grapefruit

Lemon (Expressed)

Lime (Expressed)

Mandarin Leaf

Bitter Orange

Possible Phototoxic Oils

Clementine

Non-Phototoxic Oils

Bergamot FCF

Lemon (distilled)

Lime (distilled)

Mandarin

Sweet Orange

Satsuma

Tangelo

Tangerine

Source: Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety, (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014),p.87 

Essential Oils are wonderful, and when we respect their power and use them with appropriate care, they can greatly enhance our lives.  

Wishing you a relaxing, fun, and safe summer! 

Essential Oils and the Flu

It is that time of year again, and the Flu is roaring through my community.  I have been hearing a lot about people using Essential Oils to help.  I do not promote or recommend the internal use of Essential Oils because it is beyond the scope of my Aromatherapy practice.  What I would suggest is using dried herbs in the form of a tea or tincture for internal use and saving your essential oils for using externally to soothe your body.  Seeking the guidance of a Professional Herbalist or Naturopath is a great way to get the information you need to choose and use medicinal herbs that are appropriate for you.

In looking at Aromatherapy for helping to ease Flu symptoms, it is important to know what you are using.  Essential oils are extremely powerful and many have contra-indications, particularly for those on medication or with pre-existing medical conditions like high blood pressure.  If you are not sure if an essential oil is safe for you to use, it is always a good idea to check with a professional Aromatherapist.

So, if you aren't drinking your essential oils, what are you supposed to do with them?
Inhalation is a powerful method of application and the simplest and oldest way to do this is to put a few drops into a bowl of boiling water, lean over the steam and put a towel over your head to trap the vapours.  My favourite essential oils for this are Thyme, which is highly anti-viral and anti-bacterial; Eucalyptus for loosening nasal and chest congestion; Peppermint, which also eases congestion; Lavender, which has anti-viral properties, but is also very good at calming and soothing your emotions.  Using one or a combination of these oils can help to ease your suffering.  Remember that you can have too much of a good thing, so only use a few drops of oil per bowl of water!

Essential Oils can also be useful if applied in a carrier oil to ease body aches.  Oils such as Lavender, Peppermint, Ginger are all very soothing when applied topically.  These should be diluted to no more than 2% dilution (no more than 12 drops of Essential Oil in 30ml of carrier oil).

Where Essential Oils can be of greatest benefit is in prevention!  Diffusing germ-killing oils like Cinnamon, Clove, Tea Tree, or Eucalyptus in the home can help to clean the air of bugs that may be lingering.  This is especially important when someone in the home is sick, as it can help prevent the spread of the illness.   Diffusing essential oils in combination with the recommended frequent hand-washing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces can greatly improve the odds of keeping the family healthy.

If you are interested in learning more about Aromatherapy, look here for our upcoming workshop!

Wishing you wellness.

Aromatherapy and Essential Oils - The Basics

Aromatherapy is an ancient holistic health practice. Holistic healing differs from our usual "Western Medicine" model where we say "I have a headache I'll take an aspirin". With a holistic approach like aromatherapy, we say "I have a headache; what is going on with me physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually right now?", and by dealing with the whole person we can help support the body in healing the cause rather than just the symptoms.

A Professional Aromatherapist will look at you as a whole person and make an essential oil blend specific to your needs. He or she will consider health history, pre-existing conditions, medications, as well as symptoms in order to create a blend to safely support your body in healing.

Essential Oils are very powerful and concentrated plant essences derived from various parts of plants including leaves, flowers, or roots. These organic compounds work on all levels of the body; physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, through both their scent and the reactions that their chemical composition stimulate in the body.  

Essential Oils are very potent and must not be used directly on the skin, nor should they be used internally unless prescribed by a doctor.  When used on the body, essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil...anything you use for cooking is fine. When we are diluting essential oils for general purposes and for a healthy adult, we want a 2% dilution, which is about 10-12 drops of essential oil in 30 ml of carrier oil.  For children, seniors, or sensitive individuals, we need to lower that dilution by at least half.  

As with any products for our health, there are precautions for using essential oils.  Each essential oil has a unique chemical profile and as such, its own precautions or contraindications for use.  In general, if you have allergies (including foods and cosmetics), high or low blood pressure, or conditions such as heart disease or epilepsy you must be very careful when choosing oils.  Also, most oils should not be used during pregnancy.  It is also important not to use any one essential oil too much, as we can become sensitized to it!

Aromatherapists spend a lot of time studying and practicing blending for a variety of people with differing needs, and this is where the science and art of their practice come together.

There are a number of different ways we can use essential oils. 

• In a diffuser or electronic nebulizer (add water to the bowl and drop in a few drops of your undiluted essential oil). 
• On a tissue, cotton ball, or Q-tip, 1-2 drops. 
• In a personal inhaler
• In a body product such as soaps, creams, body lotions, shampoos and perfumes.
• In the bath - 3 - 8 drops (dilute in 1 tsp - 1Tbsp of carrier oil first)  For more information on aromatherapy baths, see my Bathtime Bliss blog post
• In the shower - 1 - 2 drops on the shower cabinet floor. 
• Steam inhalation - 2 - 3 drops added to bowl of water.
• Added to compresses and poultices
• Carpet fresheners and/or air fresheners
• Potpourri

The key to using Essential Oils and incorporating Aromatherapy into daily life is to choose oils that are safe for you to use and that are suited to your specific needs...which is where a Professional Aromatherapist can help!  For more information, see Nature's Heart website.