Aromatherapy with clove essential oil

I have been using a lot of clove essential oil recently, especially for my teeth as a natural pain relief. It is excellent! I have undergone two courses of the root canal treatment and clove essential oil helped me enormously with any pain and discomfort during the treatment. It is all down to a substance called eugenol and clove oil has it about 80-90%. Eugenol is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, hence clove essential oil is a popular ingredient in some dentist products. Also nutmeg, basil and cinnamon essential oils contain eugenol, as well as marjoram and oregano, but in smaller proportion. Cloves have the highest amount of eugenol and the oil can be highly irritant so always dilute it before applying. I usually make a small cotton pad, moist it with water, add a drop of clove essential oil mixed with an almond oil and the wrap it around my sore tooth. It works like a local anaesthetic. It is a pain relief wonder.

Clove trees originated in Asia, today are grown in India, Indonesia, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Sri Lanka. Cloves  are aromatic flower buds and ave been used as spice for at least 2000 years. They are popular not only in cooking but also used medicinally to treat skin infections, digestive problems, toothaches and also as an excellent insect repellent.

Beautiful botanical illustration from Wikipedia

Clove essential oil is water distilled from the clove buds. It is warming and stimulating oil. The smell is spicy and woody.  I always liked them as spice but it took me a while to like clove essential oil because it is so strong. Its warming properties are useful when treating cold and chill. Well diluted can be massaged over your stomach to relief digestive problems from a cold. Also great to use in a room spray, especially when combined with other antiseptic oils like eucalyptus, thyme or lemon.  Clove pain-relieving properties are also beneficial in treating rheumatism, arthritis and muscle sprains, just use it in a rubbing oil.

Finally, few words about psychological profile of the clove oil. As Susan Curtis writes in her book “Essential oils” clove is good for a generally optimistic and happy person who has been feeling down because of an illness, trauma or pain. Someone who has been suffering for quite a while and felt discouraged and fed up. I just felt I was reading about myself! Using clove essential oil is helping to restore cheerfulness and enjoyment of life. Now, I always make sure I never run out of clove essential oil.

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Coffee and orange body peeling

Today’s recipes is quick and easy. After brewing your morning coffee you need to save coffee grounds, add sugar and any carrier oil. Voila, your DIY body peeling is ready. Enhance it with essential oils. Today I’m using orange essential oil, to combine energising coffee aroma and refreshing citrusy zing. And here is a beautiful botanical illustration of orange which I just could not to share with you.

From Wikipedia

To make this easy body scrub you will need

2 tablespoons of coffee grounds (after brewing)
4 tablespoons of sugar
2-3 tablespoons of carrier oil e.g. almond, olive, hemp oil
5-10 drops of orange essential oil

Mix coffee with sugar and gradually add the oil until you are happy with the consistence. Best is not too runny, resembling a paste, which works better in massage. Add the orange essential oil at the end. Voila!

Use it in a shower, on a damp skin and massage it with circular movements. The faster and smaller circles, the better massage effect. Pay special attention to cellulite prone areas as caffeine will improve circulation. Finish off with long upwards sweeping movements. Regular use of coffee peeling can help diminish the orange peel and improve skin appearance.

There is no excuse now to reuse your morning brew and turn it into quick DIY beauty fix.

Healthy start to 2015

Let’s kick off new year with programme of healthy habits to beat winter blues and get ready for a spring step. Hard to believe it but spring is in 3 months. It is time to start now.

My first campaign it dedicated to our skin, our largest organ, most visible. We all know that cold weather and layers of clothing make our skin dry and sensitive. Bad food choices may result in breakouts and dull looking skin. Here is mini-program to improve skin appearance and also boost general health.

Dry brushing, best daily, if time allowed. Use long sweeping movements up your body. It works like mini peeling, removes dead skin. Pay special attention to legs to improve circulation and cellulite prone areas.

Next step is shower and if you have spare minute, why not do a quick lymph massage with cold water. Use strong pressure of water on your legs and go all the way up. It is also good for tired and heavy legs as blood vessels shrink when treated with cold.

After shower, when skin is still damp, massage it with any carrier oil plus essential oils. Any citrus ones are good, also juniper, basil or thyme. Leave it to sink it, then pat it dry.

As Valerie Ann Worwood writes in her book Vademecum of essential oils and aromatherapy, cellulite is always a result of toxic substances in our life and diet, which means we need to address what we eat. Try to reduce amount of diary, processed fat and sugar. Stick to natural occurring sugars in fruits and healthy rich in omega
fats. Drink lots of water and herbal teas. Eat wholesome food, lots of veg. Limit wheat based food like bread and pasta. Raw cabbage salad is very helpful to remove toxins from our body.

Here is simple recipe to keep you veg intake up in winter months, when we reduce raw food as cooling down.

Shredded half of the green cabbage, black pepper.
Salt
Lemon juice, parsley
Thyme
Grated carrot, apple, flax seed oil
Leek (optional)

And last but not least, exercise daily, best in the morning, but depending on your day. Set the timer for 15 minutes to start and try to stick to it. Yoga works best for me at the moment. I start with couple of energising sun salutations followed by powerful warrior poses. Then down on the mat, few cat stretches, boat, maybe some twists. Finish with chair pose and balancing tree. I should stay creative and do different asanas every so often. Yoga is not only beneficial on the exercise level. Deep and regular breathing bring sense of relaxation. Yoga is also practice of mindfulness, here and now. Being aware of your body and being in the moment.

Be versatile. Feel motivated and inspired. Create your daily beauty rituals to rejuvenate and feel great.

Refresh yourself

It is Easter Monday today. In many countries, the tradition allows people to splash themselves with water to remove all problems, worries and be ready for a new time. So in this mood I encourage you to take a refreshing nice bath or shower. Light the candles in your bathroom. Add few drop of your favourite essential oil to the bath; I recommend rose, lavender, ylang ylang.

I am a shower person more than the bath one. You can still use a bit of aromatherapy in your shower. Once you are in, use few drops of an essential oil under running water and massage  it over your body. Wrap yourself in warm towel and relax for a bit. Then massage your body with the favourite body lotion or oil.