Do you need to make different and empowered choices to move yourself towards that which inspires you, gives you joy, and allows you to live well? Changing tack if you need to, will help you build resilience, have the energy and vitality you need to sustain the life you choose and to give to those you want to help without the overwhelm.
Aromatherapy massage will delight your senses and reconnect you to the priorities which support your highest good. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you to spend some dedicated time in self-care.
Here are 5 reasons you need to book a massage with a certified clinical aromatherapist.
Last night I met a beautiful successful woman in business, who was suffering from a cold. She shared with me that she had been sick for a number of weeks and just couldn’t shake it. I admire her resilience for being out promoting her business even while she was unwell. She is dedicated to her clients and their success.
It is this very dedication to others which can be our own downfall when we don’t prioritise self-care as part of our daily routine.
The thing is we are all time poor, but the impact of getting sick really does take away from our ability to thrive in our lives and business. Looking after yourself has to be a non-negotiable in your day.
Here are a few simple and quick ways you can use essential oils to boost your immune system and treat cold symptoms if you do get the dreaded lurgy.
Prevention is obviously better than cure. Support the immune system with energising, refreshing and uplifting essential oil blends with antibacterial and antiviral properties.
A great immune boosting blend to diffuse in the home or office is 1 drop sweet thyme, 2 drops palmarosa, 2 drops bergamot and 1 drop niaouli.
Diffusing essential oils is much more than just experiencing a pleasant aroma. Diffusing essential oils helps to eliminate airborne microbes, lift your mood, balance your body energetically, all of which contribute to boosting the immune system.
Get some quality sleep. Have a dedicated wind down routine in the evening; have some quiet time free from technology at least one hour before bed. Spend time in quiet reflection, journal, read inspirational stories, spend quality time with your loved ones. Calming, balancing, soothing and stabilising the nervous system allows the body and mind to rest and restore building your immune response.
Add 20 drops of sweet orange, 5 drops of lavender, 5 drops of petitgrain, 5 drops of sandalwood and 5 drops of roman chamomile to 100mls of distilled water in a PET spray bottle. Shake bottle well before lightly misting bed linen, curtains and room prior to going to sleep.
If you have come down with a cold, essential oils are wonderful healing tools to relieve some of the symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness.
Headache blend – Blend 3 drops of lavender and 2 drops of peppermint in 20mls of raw organic coconut oil and gently massage into base of the skull, temples (be careful not to get near the eyes), and bottom of feet. Use broad gentle strokes and take slow deep breaths.
Chest rub – (adults) Blend 2 drops of eucalyptus, 2 drops of niaouli, 2 drops lavender in 20mls of coconut oil. Rub into chest, back and bottom of feet, put socks on feet and try to get some rest. Safety tip do not use eucalyptus essential oil and niaouli on children under 10 with respiratory issues. Alternative recipe for children; 2 drops mandarin, 2 drops lavender and 2 drops frankincense in 20mls coconut oil.
Bath blend – there is nothing like a soothing warm aromatic bath to make you feel better when you have a cold. A restorative blend is 2 drops of lemon, 2 drops of niaouli, 2 drops of lavender in 15mls of coconut oil and 1/2cup of magnesium bath flakes. Soak for up to 20 minutes breathing gently and deeply.
For tips and hints on how to use essential oils in your everyday routine for improved health and wellbeing why not join my Facebook group Healthy Vibrant Living, here or attend my FREE event in East Brisbane to support Natural Medicine Week here.
Yours in Living Well,
Kim
I’m not sure about you, but I was feeling a little anxious and frazzled this morning. We had the tail end of Cyclone Debbie here in Brisbane and yesterday afternoon the whole city bunkered down to weather the storm. After more rain in 24 hrs than we normally get in a month and strong winds, our city is in clean up mode today. Gladly the sun is shining but there is a lot of work still to be done.
When we are busy and strung out it is very easy to get overwhelmed and less productive. During these times it is important to take a few minutes each hour to recharge so that you can get to the end of your day without the burnout. Read more
ESSENTIAL OILS + BREATH = INSTANT STRESS RELIEF
It is well known that emotional stress and strain has an effect on your physical body. I’m sure you’ll agree that there are times every day when you could use a little help to “just let go”.
Essential oils when inhaled go directly to your brain’s emotional centre making them particularly useful for emotional support. In this calmer head space you will feel more connected to your heart centre and will be able to ground yourself and think clearer before reacting to situations in your life that may be challenging.
In acute situations where you need instant calm, such as trauma, shock or emotional overload inhale the appropriate essential oil directly from the bottle, or place two drops on a cotton makeup wipe and take a few slow deep breaths.
Mandarin is an oil of choice for this purpose. Mandarin takes us from Chaotic to Composed. Take a few slow deep breaths and feel the relief. Bergamot is another calming and uplifting essential oil which can offer you encouragement when faced with overwhelm.
To create a relaxing atmosphere in your home or work space diffuse essential oil blends in a burner or diffuser. Place up to six drops in water and enjoy the beautiful aroma.
To be Calm; blend 2 drops Mandarin, 2 drops lavender and 2 drops roman chamomile
For clear thinking; blend 2 drops lemon, 2 drops of petitgrain and 2 drops Basil
To nurture your heart space; blend 2 drops of rose, 2 drops lavender, 1 drop of Jasmine and 1 drop ylang ylang.
Essential oil safety tip – When diffusing essential oils turn off your diffuser after ½ hour and wait an hour before using for ½ hr etc. Two half hour sessions a day will be enough to give you lasting relief.
Combing the fragrance of essential oils with the breath and gently holding or rubbing emotional stress relief points on the body can calm the mind, provide space for more focused and clear thinking and provide an opportunity for a shift in the way we feel and react to stressful situations.
This approach promotes insight, self- responsibility, participation and education as important factors of the healing process.
You can use the following techniques as a preventative measure regularly throughout your day or as a way to relieve an acutely stressful situation.
Place two drops of stress relieving essential oil blend on a cotton makeup wipe and inhale the aroma using gentle slow deep breaths counting to six on the inhale and slowly breathing out for the count of six. Continue breathing in this fashion as you gently place your fingertips on the stress relief points located at the frontal eminences. These are the bumps on your forehead about 1 inch above the eyes brows. The pressure is very light, light enough to notice the pulses under points, you may notice that pulses may feel erratic or uneven.
Now take a gentle breath in for six counts and exhale for six counts, take another breath in and continue breathing in this way enjoying the aroma of the essential oil after a couple of minutes you should feel the tiny pulses synchronising under your fingertips and feel more relaxed calm and clear.
If you don’t have an essential oil another great variation on this is just to hold your forehead and the back of your head and breathe for a few minutes until the pulses regulate.
Another easy stress relieving technique is the TW/Spleen hug. Place one hand on your side over the ribcage just under your breast area, and use the other to cup your elbow or hold just above on the arm. Hug yourself while taking at least three deep and relaxing breathes incorporating your preferred essential oil blend. Reverse sides when ready.
TW Smoothie. Begin by taking two deep breathes incorporating your essential oil blend while resting your face in your hands, with your palms at your chin and place your hands at your temples or over your eyes. Take two deep breaths. While breathing deeply move your fingers from your eyes over the temples to above your ears, smoothing the skin as you go. As you exhale circle your fingers around the ears, press down the sides of your neck to the shoulder muscles. Hang there while pressing your fingers into the shoulder muscles. Take at least two breaths, and then draw your hands to the center of your chest and take at least one deep breath.
Use these stress relieving techniques regularly during the day to reduce the build-up of stress related symptoms.
For more information on Aromatherapeutic Self-Care techniques for enhancing quality sleep see my blog here.
Yours in living well,
Kim