Nausea and Essential Oils

When it comes to research and the use of essential oils, the Brits are way ahead of us.  Here is a note from researcher in England describing how and which oils they are using for nausea due to illness and the effects of chemotherapy.

From : 

Jeannie Dyer

Clinical Lead for Complementary

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Our normal practice at this hospital, outside the study, is to offer aromatherapy massage for any patient who wishes to have it for whatever reason they feel it will be helpful to them. We do see patients while they are undergoing chemotherapy if that is what they want, and they are able to choose the essential oils which they like – or choose to have just base oil if they prefer not to have an odour. We use sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and calendula infused oil (in sunflower oil), as the bases. We have a range of essential oils. We have recently performed an audit of our aromastick use for nausea in which we used three different combinations of oils to inhale to help patients combat nausea caused by a variety of things, including chemotherapy, and found all three blends were helpful. This article will be published shortly in the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy. The oils used in the reflexology / massage study are whatever oils are chosen by / offered by / considered suitable by the four therapists on the study.

The most recent article we wrote about the use of aromasticks for nausea will be in the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy vol 7 issue 2, 2010 which has got held up and has not got published yet as far as I know. An earlier article on the use of aromasticks was published in vol 5 issue 2 2008 same journal. Information about this journal can be accessed online if you google IJCA. An aromastick is like a Vicks inhaler device but you put 10-20 drops of essential oils on the blank wick, place the wick inside the plastic tube, put the stopper in the end and then it is sealed in, you screw it shut or open to smell it or not smell it – so very effective for quick whiffs rather than a constant stream like from a diffuser, and can be carried around, and is not expensive.

We consider any of the oils we use safe for chemotherapy patients as long as they like the smell. The only oils we would consider not safe would probably be considered not safe for other people also, not to do with the cancer.

The oils we used for nausea were ginger / peppermint / lavender; eucalyptus / lemon; cardamom / spearmint / orange. And some others chosen individually. We try not to use single oils for nausea so that a smell association is not built up to a familiar oil like peppermint or spearmint which the patient may then encounter in some other situation, which might then trigger nausea. We use a blend which will not smell like anything else.

Turn his Lust into Love with Essential Oils-The Summer of Hot Desire

Meterologist were predicting a cool, wet summer.  Instead its turned out to be pretty hot indeed - lets call it the summer of hot desire.

The internet is plastered with experts weighing in on "How to Tell if its Love or Lust?"  or "What is Lust?" or "Lust vs. Love."  Is love preferable to lust?  who really cares?  Just as lust can cause unhealthy reactions it can cause postive ones as well and it doesn't diminish with age.  Good lust is about feeling "high," invincible, happy.  Bad lust makes us anxious, obssesive and frightened. 

Scientists and psychologist and experts on romance seem to draw a line between love and lust.  I believe that sometimes you can turn lust into love not only by prolonging the outcome but also by using essential oils to both heighten the impact of lust and calm your mind in the throes of the moment.

Let me explain.  Lust begins in the limbic system, the oldest part of the brain. This part of the brain causes us to work on automatic - such as fight or flight, sleep and hunger. Essential oils are thought to work on the limbic system as well. So here's some advice:

1. Cool down your own passion with a "hit" of a blend of euclyptus, rosemary and lemon to clear your head so you can gain better control of your emotions.
2. Combine a drop of cypress, a few drops of bergamot and mandarin in an ounce of jojoba oil and add to your bath to stop obsessive thinking about your intended.  This gives you the upper hand, once you are cooler not so eager, the object of your interest heats up and begins pursuing more intensely
3. Make him weak at the knees with a perfume of ylang ylang and jasmine combined in jojoba oil.  Ylang ylang can reduce pulse rate while increasing arousal.  It also is reassuring, calming and fosters inner peace, elation and releases endorphins.  He'll smell it too and the little chemicals -will reach his brain too. He'll wonder why he feels soooo good and trusting with you.  Don't feel obligated to share your secret. Side benefit:  excellent aphrodisiac.  Side benefit number 2:  controls those butterflies when you are with him, giving you more of a chance to actually enjoy being with him. Jasmine will relax you as well but better yet, is highly sensuous and reassuring.
4. Sensuous bath.  Relax him with a tub filled with warm water and sandalwood.  Add a drop of frankincense and then watch your tiger turn into a pussycat.  He'll be amenable to all.  
5. Never give away your secrets. Especially about the oils.  He'll feel maniupulated. 

Keep that hot lust but by keeping yourself cool, you can watch the fire of desire turn into the warming flames of the home hearth.

  

Who Says Detox Baths Have to Stink?

People new to the realm of essential oils are often surprised to learn that certain oils smell unpleasant, lending credence to the idea that anything good for you feels bad, tastes bad and looks bad. 

It is unfortunate that simple techniques that can enhance your lifestyle are thought to be stinky.  A detox bath enhanced with essential oils, which is beneficial to detoxifying our bodies of acids, other unhealthy matter, stimulating the lymph system, decongesting the liver, relaxing the mind and some believe relieving cellulite is sometimes avoided when people get a whiff of some of the oils suggested.

A detoxifying bath soak can be calming or invigorating and always smell wonderful depending on the oils selected.  That is why it is important to speak to a qualfiied aromatherapist before blending any oils yourself. Some oils have contraindications you may not be aware of.  A certified aromatherapist can also create a detox bath essential oil blend that slips in a few of the icky smelling oils which have excellent properties and then disguising the scent with pleasant smelling oils.

I like using epsom salts which are very beneficial to the liver. They are also inexpensive and very relaxing to the mind.  A calming blend which I like is cedarwood (atlas) which revs up a sluggish lymph system. Sunny lemon brightens the mood, boosts the immune system by thinning the blood and reduces the acidity in the body.  A dash of grapefruit amps up bile. It may also stimulate the appetite, however, the aroma is devine.

For a fresh minty aroma, and clarity of the mind add in a drop or two of peppermint - but only if soaking during the day.  Peppermint is excellent for lymph drainage.

Although the combinaion of peppermint and grapefruit is divine the two together can have you dashing out of your bath and crashing your refridergator, so try not to combine