Tips on Staying Mellow: Part 2
Extending Healthy Living Beyond the Massage Center
An E-Series by Vanessa M. Hazzard-Tillman, CMT
Lavender (lavendula angustifolia) essential oil is widely known for its wonderful scent and calming abilities. A little known fact is that this versatile oil is helpful for muscle aches and pains, anxiety, and depression as well! An article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that in a U.K. study, aromatherapy massage helped relieve depression and anxiety in cancer patients.
Lavender can be used in several ways. The most common way is the essential oil. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and must always be diluted. Be sure to only use 100% essential oils, not fragrant oils. Fragrant oils are synthetic and though they may smell nice, they do not have the therapeutic benefits of essentials oils which are extracted from plants.
If you have a garden or are near a natural food store, pick up some lavender herb. You can make it into a tea, make a sachet, or use it in a footbath.
Simple Lavender Recipes
Sleepy time Tea
1 part lavender herb
1 parts valerian
1 part cat nip
Bring water to a boil. Add lavender, valerian, and cat nip and turn off heat. Keep the lid on and let steep for 15 minutes. Drain herbs and serve with honey and lemon.
Muscle Relief Footbath
¼ cup of Epsom salt
Tsp of lavender herb
2 Tsp of arnica herb
3 drops of camphor essential oil
1 drop of lavender essential oil (optional)
Combine above ingredients in a foot basin full of warm (as warm as you can stand it) water. Put a large towel over the basin to keep in the heat. Soak feet and enjoy!
1 comment:
ooo these seem very nice!
Post a Comment