History & Benefits

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:15:00 +0000

HISTORY

Did you know that massage therapy is one of the oldest forms of health care if not the oldest? Massage therapy can actually be dated back to about 2000 B.C.! Hippocrates was the first in Greek Medicine to describe the medical benefits of massage. Paintings have been discovered on Egyptian tombs that show people being massaged. Massage has cultural roots in Chinese, Indian Herbal and Persian medicine.

What is truly fascinating is that massage is instinctive to all of us. When you hit your elbow or shin, the first thing you do is rub it to make it feel better. Our subconscious knows instinctively what to do to make the pain go away. And that is amazing!

SOME BENEFITS

Almost everyone knows that massage helps with muscle soreness, cramping and spasms. But there are a lot of benefits that people are unaware of.

Massage can:

Increase circulation which enhances your immune system.

Stimulates the nerve supply in muscles which improves muscle tone.

Improves the elasticity of skin which promotes skin rejuvenation.

Breaks up scar tissue.

Increases the production of endorphins, the body's natural pain killer.

Improves sleep and calms the mind.

Lowers blood pressure.

Lessens depression and anxiety.

Creates body awareness.

Helps those who are wheel chair bound by increasing circulation and muscle tone.

Has been shown to help premature babies gain weight faster therefore being released from the hospital sooner.

And the list goes on and on.

Lavender Essential Oil

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:26:00 +0000

Of all the essential oils, lavender would have to be the most versatile oil. Lavender not only smells wonderful, but research is showing that it is able to calm anxiety and reduce stress. But that is not all; lavender has a long list of medical properties as well.

Here is a brief look at lavender as a plant and some history.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia),

Botanical Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae (mint)

Plant Origin: Utah, Idaho and France

Extracation Method: Steamed distilled from flowering top

The symbolic meaning of lavender is devotion and loyalty

A French scientist by the name of Rene' Gattefosse' first discovered that lavender has the ability to promote tissue regeneration and speed up the healing process. He stumbled upon lavender's ability to heal when he was severely burned in a laboratory accident and by mistake he grabbed lavender oil instead of water. Lavender is still one of the few essential oils to still be listed in the British Pharmacopoeia!

Lavender is very well known for its relaxation properties. The fragrance of lavender has been shown to influence: calming, relaxing and balancing both physically and emotionally. Researchers at the University of Miami found that inhalation of lavender oil increased beta waves in the brain, which would suggest increased relaxation. Lavender has several medical properties. It has been found that lavender is an: antiseptic, antifungal, analgesic, antitumoral, anticonvulsant, vasodilating, anti-inflammatory and helps combat excess sebum on the skin.

That was just a quick look at lavender and some of the wonderful healing properties it has. You might be wondering how to actually use lavender in your life. Well, for starters lavender oil can be inhaled directly and/or diffused into the air by using a cold air diffuser. Lavender oil makes a wonderful massage oil when diluted with carrier oil. Just ask your massage therapist if he/she carriers 100% therapeutic grade lavender essential oil.

Lavender can also be applied to the skin to help with:

• Burns

• Acne

• Insect bites

• Dry skin

• Deodorant

• On an open cut to kill bacteria

• Sunburns (add lavender to all natural aloe vera gel)

• Add a few drops to a wet cloth and put in the dryer to freshen clothing.

• Add a few drops to a cotton ball and place in linen closest to keep away moths and insects.

Lavender essential oil can be purchased at a local health supply store or on-line through a qualified source. You will want to make sure that the lavender essential oil that you purchase is 100% Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil.

The source that Natural Balance Massage Therapy uses is, Young Living Essential Oils at www.youngliving.com

Information in this e-mail can be found in Essential Oils Desk Reference 4th edition and Young Living Essential Oils.

Peppermint Essential Oil

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:59:00 +0000

Peppermint essential oil is one of the best oils to incorporate into your healthy lifestyle. The scent of minty fresh peppermint is enough to invigorate anyone! The aroma of peppermint is widely used to help ward off mental and physical fatigue. Inhaling peppermint prior to your morning workout will help give you that boost you need to get going. You can ingest peppermint by adding a drop into a cup of tea or into your water. By digesting peppermint you will notice an increase in your concentration along with an aid in digestion. Peppermint is known to help with upset stomachs.

Commonly, peppermint is used to reduce tension headaches. You can apply 1 drop of peppermint essential oil on the temples, forehead and sinus area (avoid eyes). If you apply peppermint to the skin be sure to have a carrier oil such as olive oil or grape seed oil on hand in case you experience any discomfort. If you experience any discomfort place a drop of the carrier oil right over the peppermint oil. Peppermint applied to the back of the neck and shoulder area will help keep your energy level up as you go about your day.

When looking to purchase peppermint essential oil it is extremely important to make sure that they oil is 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential oil. There should be standard nutritional/supplement information on the back of the bottle. If there isn’t then do not ingest the product. For a reliable source of oils check out Young Living Essential Oils at www.youngliving.com