Got Allergies? Try Essential Oils for Relief.

These past few weeks we have seen a lot of clients at the studio suffering from seasonal allergies.  With that in mind we decided to pull this blog from our archives to help you out!  May you seek relief soon.

Using essential oils is a great way to help bring some relief to allergy suffering.  If you have been a sneezy, itchy, watery eye mess this season you are not alone.  Let’s take a look at which essential oils will help bring some relief and how to use them.

Itchy watery eyes soother

Use a compress.  Place a small amount of cool water in a bowl (about 1/4 cup) add to it 2 drops of Roman Chamomile (anti-inflammatory) and 3 drops of Lavender (anti-inflammatory).  Soak a washcloth in the water and wring out.  Place over eyes (5-10 minutes) for soothing relief.

Runny nose, sneezing relief

Use essential oils for decongesting: Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Rosemary.

Inhaling any one of these essential oils directly from the bottle can provide quick and easy relief.  You can also put a few drops of the oils on a tissue to take with you.

Hay Fever Diffuser Blend

Cedarwood: 5 drops

Eucalyptus: 3 drops

Peppermint: 2 drops

Rosemary: 3 drops

Place the above essential oils into a tea light diffuser or nebulizer.  Breathe in the aroma to find comfort and relief.  For best results diffuse for at least two-hour intervals.

*Use this blend in an electric diffuser at bedtime.  Omit the Peppermint essential oil (too stimulating for sleep) and add a total of 7 drops of Cedarwood essential oil in its place.

Steam inhalations are a great way to clear up nasal passages if you are congested or experiencing sinus congestion and pain .  A great blend is 1 drop of Peppermint and 2 drops of Eucalyptus in a bowl then add to it about a cup of boiling water.  Breathe in the steam; keep eyes closed when doing this as Peppermint can irritate the eyes.

Asthma and lung congestion

Cedarwood, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Rosemary and Sandalwood.  These oils help to open and soothe the lungs and expand breathing.

Breathing Expansion Diffuser Blend:

Frankincense: 4 drops

Cedarwood: 3 drops

Sandalwood: 4 drops

Rosemary: 2 drops

Place the above essential oils into a tea light diffuser or nebulizer.  Breathe in the aroma to find comfort and relief.  For best results diffuse at two-hour intervals.

*Use at bedtime with and electric diffuser for relief while you sleep.

Stay Healthy Tips

In addition to using essential oils make sure you are drinking water to keep your body hydrated.  Also ensure you are getting adequate amounts of sleep.  Allergies can take a toll on our immune systems so rest is important.  Because our immune system is working hard Thyme is another essential oil to keep handy as it provides support to our immune system.

Try using a tea light diffuser  or electric diffuser in your bathroom during your morning shower routine using one of the above blends or with Thyme essential oil.  The steam of the shower and the diffusion of the essential oils help to clear nasal passages and open your lungs.  Be sure to place the tea light diffuser in a safe place so nothing comes in contact with the candle flame.

Here’s to finding some allergy relief this season!  Take care everyone.

…And one last quick tip…place one to two drops of Eucalyptus essential oil on your shower floor right in front of where you are standing.  The aroma will envelope you and open your respiratory system!

Aromatherapy for a Good Night’s Sleep

We have all been there.  Long nights  laying there with thoughts zooming around in your head, your mind won’t stop, the to-do list just keeps going and going with endless thoughts churning like an ocean during a storm.  You simply cannot sleep and time keeps ticking by leaving you awake while the world is at rest.  A sleepless night is miserable to say the least.

In order to function and perform daily tasks we need good quality sleep.  We spend an average of one-third of our lives asleep.  Sleep is necessary in order to recharge our minds and our bodies.  According to Harvard Medical School the average American adult gets 6.9 hours of sleep on a weeknight and 7.5 hours of sleep on  weekends and about 70 million of us sleep poorly and for more than half of Americans poor sleep is a long-term problem.  Sleep helps with memory function, attention and awareness to our surroundings, reduces stress, makes us less prone to accidents, increases  our creativity and more.  If you are not getting adequate sleep or if you want to enhance your sleep, the use of essential oils can truly help.

How Aromatherapy Can Help

Diffusing certain essential oils in your bedroom can help you get the restful sleep you need.  Essential oils will not cure insomnia or the cause of it however, using essential oils with therapeutic properties for calming the nervous system can help to promote a good night nights sleep.  Many of us are familiar with tea light diffusers however nebulizers (electronic diffusers) are perfect to use while you sleep; there is no candle and they turn off automatically.  You can fall into a slumber and not worry about a thing!

Here’s a list of essential oils to use for a restful nights sleep:

Chamomile, Roman– Helps to promote calm and restful sleep.

Clary Sage– Balancing to the mind, calming.

Frankincense– Helps to reduce anxiety and stress.  Also

helps with the respiratory system.

Lavender– Calming.  Helps to reduce mental stress and anxiety.  Very helpful for insomnia.

Neroli– Has sedative properties, soothing.  Useful in times of insomnia.

Orange–  Calms the nervous system.

Rose– A sedative for the nerves.  Helps to alleviate irritability and insomnia.

Sandalwood– Helps to relax the nervous system.  Useful for insomnia.

Aroma Blends for a Good Nights Sleep

Here’s a few sleep inducing blends to get you started.  These blends are based on using a nebulizer– in each case add distilled water to your nebulizer along with the essential oils.

• 5 drops Neroli essential oil, 3 drops Orange essential oil and 4 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 3 drops Clary Sage essential oil, 4 drops Frankincense essential oil, 5 drops Sandalwood essential oil
• 3 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil, 6 drops Sandalwood essential oil, 4 drops Rose essential oil

Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

• Place an aromatic blend in your nebulizer about 15-20 minutes before turning in; the aroma will fill your room before you get there making it a sanctuary for sleep.
• Take an aromatic bath using essential oils listed above.  Use no more than 6-10 drops total in your bath.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages after noon.
• Avoid rigorous exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Avoid falling asleep with the television on, better yet, remove the television from your bedroom completely.
• A few minutes of meditation can help and gentle yoga stretches can also help you relax after a busy day.

Take time to wind down before bed so your body has time to switch gears from the activity of the day.  Perhaps spend some time reading or writing out your to-do list for tomorrow.  Find a routine that works for you.  You may find that you look forward to bedtime with the use of a nebulizer and essential oils and wonder how you lived without it!  Combining the use of aromatherapy with an evening routine to wind down is a healthy habit in which you will be rewarded with shut-eye, a well rested body and mind to take on the day!  Good night and sleep well everyone!

 

Aroma Yoga- Enhance Your Experience

Your Body Needs… is excited to announce our newest class, Aroma Yoga!  Aroma Yoga will be starting Monday March 18th at 5:30 and will be held every Monday thereafter.

Description:

Your yoga experience is about to get better.  We have crafted yoga practice to complement the therapeutic benefits of pure essential oils. If it is your first or 100th yoga class, the use of these precious oils will  enhance your experience.

Classes include: 

• Breathe Deep– Focus on combining  breathing techniques and  yoga poses to open and expand all the muscles that help us to do what the body does naturally, breathe.
• Happiness in A Pose– Yoga poses and postures to lift the spirits; you will leave feeling uplifted.
• Still the Mind– Explore poses to change your focus and clear your mind.
• Stretch, Flow, Focus– A great class designed to stretch out and move your body.
• From Energy to Ahh…– Explore postures and challenge yourself.  This is a class where postures are held a bit longer taking you to your edge then followed by a well-earned release!
• Wring it Out– Experience a series of twists to wring it all out!

Experience Aroma Yoga at Your Body Needs… with true aromatherapy, you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic class!

Cost:

$28 for an individual class or $150 for a package of six classes.

Registration:

To register call the office (443-292-4395) or come in to the studio during business hours (Monday-Saturday 10 AM-5 PM).  Please make sure to register, space is limited for each class.

Upcoming Workshops…Don’t Miss Out!

Here’s a list of the workshops left for Winter.  Stay tuned, the Spring Workshop schedule will be out soon.  Register for workshops by calling the office (443-292-4395) or via email (info@yourbodyneeds.com) .  Spark your interests, learn something new, and while you are at it you are doing something good for you!!

February

Love the Skin You’re In: Tonight (2/19) 6:30 PM

Learn the benefits of taking care of your skin naturally using pure aromatherapy ingredients. You learn how to keep your skin healthy and make your own body moisturizer and exfoliating salt scrub! An excellent class combining fun and education!
Cost: $45    Instructor: Nikki VanZandt

Aromatherapy Blending One: Wednesday February 20th 6:30 PM

Learn to blend your own aromatherapy health and beauty products! Blending One helps you formulate and build a product from scratch using natural ingredients that will benefit your body. Learn the art of blending and about the carrier oils you would use. In this class, you create and take home a 2 oz blended product and a stress blend you create all on your own! This is a standalone class however it is recommended you take the “Introduction to Aromatherapy” beforehand.
Cost: $68    Instructor: Rose Chard

March

Flexibility-What You Need and How to Get it On Your Own: Thursday March 7th 7 PM

You don’t need to stretch everything!  And if your tissues are too tough, you can’t stretch anything.  Discover simple strategies you can do at home to soften your tighter areas, and then improve mobility around tight joints.  Experience less pain with movement by understanding how to help your body heal itself.  The best part: You can do many of these strategies at home while watching TV or reading so you don’t need to devote more time to a separate activity.

Cost:$25    Instructor: Jonathan Ross

Guided Aromatherapy Meditation: Wednesday March 13th 6:30 PM

This workshop is being offered on a monthly basis, you will experience a different guided meditation each month. Also, incorporated into the meditation will be the use of essential oils. Meditation is beneficial to everyone as a way to reduce stress and bring awareness back into your mind and body. Chairs are provided, if you wish to sit on the floor bring a mat and or cushion. The meditation will be approximately 30 minutes in length.

Theme for March: “Welcome Spring”- A meditation for the season!  Focus on the renewal of life and beauty that spring brings.
Cost: $15 or $48 with the purchase of four sessions.    Instructor: Nikki VanZandt

Clean Your Home Naturally: Tuesday March 19th 6:30 PM

Learn how to clean your home using essential oils and some other products you have in your pantry!  You make an all-purpose surface cleaner, a carpet freshener, and a room spray.  Also included are recipes and tips to creating an aromatically clean environment.

Cost:  $48    Instructor: Nikki VanZandt

Awaken the Feet-Massage Techniques for Stress Relief: Wednesday March 27th 6:30 PM

There are approximately 7,800 nerve endings in one foot; that’s why massage to the feet feels so good!  Learn effective techniques to massage the feet for stress relief.  We will also discuss and explore what points on the feet correspond to parts of the body (reflexology).  Bring a partner, or just yourself either way be prepared to exchange foot massages!  Your feet do a lot for you, not only will they feel relief but so will you!

Cost:  $30    Instructor: Nikki VanZandt