Essential Oils: Quick and Easy Ways To Add Them To Your Daily Routine
Essential oils are extracted from plants, herbs, flowers and fruits their oils offer us powerful and amazingly potent plant power. Here are some of the ways I use essential oils on the daily and recipes that I have found to use around my house, my skin and other uses.
My daily routine and the daily products I use have to be a quick process, with most of my day spent on the go. As I am sure many of you can relate. A great product I wanted to share because of the wide varieties of uses with great impact are essential oils. I use various types of oils that vary in the countless ways they can be used, from helping me to focus on a project that might be a little tedious (like writing ha), to helping me gain ease when feeling some anxiety creeping up, or if my allergies are kicking my ass, again essential oils come into use. I know some of you reading this you might be familiar with essential oils, but if your like me I love to hear from people about their techniques in using products, specifically if their processes are simple yet beneficial, like the applications I wanted to share with you are.
Essential Oils can be utilized for in home cleaning sprays, in baths to help with sore muscles or stuffy noses, hand sanitizers, flavoring in soups (lemongrass my favorite) and skincare. So the fact that essential oils are extracted from plants, herbs, flowers and fruits their oils offer us powerful and amazingly potent plant power. This concentration of plant power has so many various benefits and their effectiveness are backed by science (https://draxe.com/essential-oil-uses-benefits/) and centuries worth of techniques from a wide tradition of medical modalities and religious practices.
My appreciation has grown for essential oils as I have learned new uses for them and how easy they are to incorporate into my everyday routine. This appreciation goes a bit further then just their use but also their ability to trigger bodily responses even by just simply smelling. Take an oil like Lavender which increases inclinations to slow down and triggers a response to your nervous system to relax and just taking a few deep breaths no matter what I am doing makes me feel more at ease. Yet Lavender is also high in antioxidants so topical use on skin is known to soothe skin especially skin that might be suffering from bug bites, minor burns, and acne. I will link all the Oils I use at the end.
Here are some of the ways I use essential oils on the daily:
Meditation
I practice meditation daily in the mornings. Some days I am sure you can relate either I have a full to do list, or my mind is extra busy and all over the place. I use essential oils to help trigger myself to be more present. I love to use lavender or a mental clarity blend which also has lavender in it. I dab it on the base of my palms and rub my hands together to warm and activate the oil further, then cup my eyes making the base of my palms at nose level and taking a few deep breaths. This practice lets me sink into meditation more immediately and deeper. And if my son makes an appearance he also likes to take a few whiffs of the oil. This method of using essential oils for calming is also great before bed.
Skin
So yes winter did find us here in California, and boy has my skin been having a tantrum over it. One way I like to help soothe my skin is a skin mist. I make it with 10 drops of Chamomile Oil and only around 5 drops or so of Lavender. I keep my reused bottle in the fridge which adds another layer of comfort to my skin with the cooler temp. In the summer time I will switch up the mixture by adding Lemongrass Oil instead of Lavender. Lemongrass oil I love the refreshing vibrant scent but it is potent add around 3 drop of it and your set its that powerful in how potent the scent is.
Facial Mist
1 Cup of Purified Water
2 Organic Green Tea Bags
10 Drops of Chamomile essential oil
Direction: Brew the two tea bags in 1 cup of water let cool, remove tea bags, then add essential oil than add all liquid to preferably a glass bottle.
Schedule
Home
Essential Oils have such an instant impact to your senses and are a way to change the mood feeling of a room/home. To our diffuser in the morning time a more vibrant scent like citrus based scents add an uplifting boost I often add lemon, orange, lemon grass or even tea tree. The citrus scented oils make especially early mornings more doable in the way the scents help to naturally offer your senses a kick of zest that are nice especially on early winters morning when it is chilly and dark out. The essential oils to me also just make the house feel cleaner by having a fresh scent filling the room. I like a little warmer scents in my bedroom such as Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and switching up the oil at night time with a more calming scent. I use diffusers around the house I find diffuser easy to use and maintain.
Another way I create with the oils to make beautiful scents is by diluting the oil with water to make a room spray. Again super easy to make but I can change the scent quickly depending on what I am liking at the time. These sprays are just another way I like to make our house feel fresh especially during the winter when you are likely to be more enclosed in your house or if you have pets for roommates. One other tip I have only done only a couple of times is spray our bed and pillows with a more relaxing scented spray before bed. I know bedtime pillow sprays are totally in right now but by the time I am finally able to get to bed I just pass out, or don’t have the capacity to even think about any spray haha. However I will turn on the diffuser and add additional relaxing sleep time oils in it. However I do have a simple pillow/sheet spray that you can use like I said I always forget about the spray when it does come down to me going to bed but those handful of times I did remember I found the scent to be very relaxing.
Pillow Mist
1/4 cup distilled water
3 tablespoons witch hazel
20 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops frankincense essential oil
Room Spray
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
10 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Chamomile essential oil
Cleaning
So another way essential oils keep our house fresh is by helping me clean it. And I must say that one way I pick cleaners is by their smell and yes it takes me awhile to shop because I do have to smell everything thankfully my son is totally a professional smeller like his mom. My husband however….. I digress. So I like to make a couple of my own concoctions that work really well and I can simply change the scent whenever.
Cleaning Scrub
2 cups of Baking Soda
10 Tea Tree essential oil
10 of your Favorite essential oil
Cleaning Spray
1 cup of Water
1/2 cup of White Vinegar
15 drops of Tea Tree Oil
20 drops of Eucalyptus Oil or your favorite oil
I am continually adding oils to my collection, as I learn about new uses. For example last week while our family was battling a cold, so I used Tea Tree oil with water as hand sanitizer. I get most of my oils from my naturopathic doctor, and the oils she uses are of such high quality and I love them and will be linking them below. I found a wonderful essential oil blend on my last visit to her office ( I get B-12 shots) that is made to clear your sinuses and had a few ways to use it ie q-tip up your nostrils, rub on the chest and for my son I added several drops to his bath.
So here are some of my oils that I have on hand:
Chamolmile (http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/chamomile-german/)
Eucalyptus Globulus (http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/eucalyptus-globulus/
Lavender (I dont know what they do but this is the best ever lavender scent I have ever smelled) http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/lavender-angustifolia/
Frankincense http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/frankincense/
Orange, Sweet http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/orange-sweet/
Lemon Verbena http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/lemon-verbena/
Lemongrass http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/lemongrass/
Tea Tree http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/tea-tree/
Ylang Ylang Complete http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/ylang-ylang/
Thyme ct Linalol http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/thyme-linalol/
Peppermint http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/peppermint/
Lemon http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/lemon/
Geranium, Rose http://pranarom.us/products/essential-oils/geranium-rose/
Mental Clarity http://pranarom.us/products/wellness-blends/mental-clarity/
Stress Recovery http://pranarom.us/products/wellness-blends/stress-recovery/
Sinus Formula http://pranarom.us/products/wellness-blends/sinus-formula/
So these essential oils are all the same brand this is not sponsored like I said previously I just buy the oils from my naturopathic doctor who sells this brand but I must say I do like the brand for their quality and easy use. Please comment below and leave some of your favorite essential oils and your favorite concoctions! And would love to hear feedback on if you tried any of these recipes.
Ways To Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer (That Have Nothing To Do With Sunscreen)
We are too quick to focus only on sunscreen and forget all the other things that put you at risk for skin cancer. Here are four ways to prevent this disease that have nothing to do with SPF:
One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer during their lifetime. Many people don't know this, but skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer worldwide, and in the United States, there are more new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers combined. Research shows that the incidence of melanoma in women 18 to 39 increased 800 percent from 1970 to 2009. In other words, we should all be reading up on how to prevent it.
I say this not only as a skin cancer expert and dermatologist but because I am one of those five. And if I had known then what I know now, there's a chance I wouldn't have had the extreme displeasure of having to diagnose myself with the most deadly skin cancer there is: melanoma.
And while sunscreen is an important part of skin cancer prevention, we are too quick to focus only on sunscreen and forget all the other things that put you at risk for skin cancer. Here are four ways to prevent this disease that have nothing to do with SPF:
1. Get your beauty sleep.
Your body is regulated by your circadian rhythm, which regulates one of the body's most important hormones: melatonin. Melatonin influences your body weight, reproduction, and hair growth and helps your body know when to sleep and wake up. One of the most important roles melatonin plays in skin health is its ability to protect it from UV radiation. In fact, melatonin has been shown to be a stronger scavenger of free radicals than vitamin C or vitamin E, which are both often used to treat cellular damage. As an antioxidant, melatonin has a protective role against UVB skin damage and can block free radical damage, decrease inflammation, and stimulate the formation of other potent antioxidants in the body such as glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Translation: Getting quality sleep every night helps block the damaging effects of UV rays.
2. Eat the rainbow.
UV exposure and other environmental factors can quickly deplete your skin's innate antioxidant reserve. As a result, cellular and DNA damage is created, and this increases your risk of developing melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Eating foods rich in antioxidants like collards, strawberries, kale (which all contain plenty of vitamin C); avocados, dark-green leafy vegetables, salmon, nuts (great sources of vitamin E); carrots, squash, sweet potatoes (vitamin A); and romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach (which contain lutein and zeaxanthin) is extremely important. These foods have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties, which is why they are considered among the most promising group of compounds to be researched and implemented as an ideal cancer-prevention strategy.
3. Get caffeinated.
Studies have shown that higher consumption of caffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk for basal cell carcinoma and may also have an effect on lowering the risk of melanoma. In a clinical study of over 90,000 Caucasian women, it was found that those who drank six or more cups of coffee per day had a 30 percent decrease in the prevalence of non-melanoma skin cancer. In a separate study, coffee consumption of one cup per day was associated with a 3 percent reduction in melanoma risk, while another study showed a 20 percent decreased prevalence of malignant melanoma consuming four cups a day. The sweet spot may turn out to be somewhere in the middle but more research needs to be done. For now, though, we know that the benefit is tied to the bioactive chemicals in coffee, including caffeine and chlorogenic acid, so don't switch to decaf just yet!
4. Get naked.
The only way to examine your skin is to see it—up close and personal. Get ready to party in your birthday suit and be on the lookout for any uninvited guests. I can't stress this enough: When you take notice, you can take action. So make a date with yourself and pick one day a month that you commit to checking your skin, and put it in your calendar. Get naked. Examine yourself either before or after your shower. You're already naked, so make the most of it. Start at the top of your head and work your way down to your toes. Look in all your nooks and crannies: your mouth, lips, ears, armpits, belly button, nails, between your fingers and toes, the tops and bottoms of your feet. Check out your intimate bits—front and back. Grab a hand mirror so you can see the skin externally and internally. (Here's a guide for what to look for.)
Skin cancer is both the most prevalent and the most preventable cancer in our country. Remember to keep up with these four tips, as well as being diligent about sunscreen if you're going to be spending time outside. Cheers to your resilient health!