The Joys of Lavender!

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!

Tips on Staying Mellow!

Tips on Staying Mellow:
Extending Healthy Living Beyond the Massage Center

An E-Series by Vanessa M. Hazzard-Tillman, CMT


Welcome to the first installment of Tips on Staying Mellow! If you are reading this then you are already on the wellness path. I like to think of being healthy as a journey that changes with and complements your life as opposed to an unattainable destination met only by the select few. It’s those little steps you take now that pay off big months and years down the line. Those steps could be taking a 20-30 minute stroll on a nice day, grabbing an apple with peanut (my personal favorite) as a refreshing snack, or even just taking a moment to stretch after sitting at a computer all day (great for preventing carpal tunnel syndrome).

Here, you will find these tips and more on a weekly basis. I encourage your feedback! If you try any of these tips or have any of your own, please post them! The wellness path is best traveled with a group of sincere, positive people! In fact, according to an article in Whole Living Magazine, a study at the University College London found that people in troubled relationships had a higher risk of health problems. “Such bad vibes can lead to chronic stress, elevating hormones, that can cause aging, arrhythmia, diabetes, and high cholesterol,” explains Mimi Guarneri, M.D., cardiologist and medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, CA. Though this study was more referring to dating and marriage, any kind of negative relationship can cause wear and tear on you emotionally and mentally which undoubtedly can take a stressful toll on your body.

…Which brings us to Stay Mellow Tip #1: Get therapeutic massages often.
Now coming from a massage therapist, that’s kind of a no-brainer. But massage therapy is extremely effective in relieving mental and emotional stress as well as physical stress. According to Prevention Magazine, receiving a massage can cut cortisol levels up to 31%. It also is extremely effective in the increase of dopamine and serotonin. Massage is also affordable. You can book a relaxing Swedish massage or an invigorating deep tissue massage at Mellow for only $75 for an hour session. If you get a massage twice a month, that’s less than $5.36 a day. That’s less than a trip to Dunkin Donuts…and better for you too!

Stay tuned for the next edition of Tips on Staying Mellow: Recipes For Getting a Good Night’s Sleep…its easier than you might think!