In this newsletter we will try to help you further your knowledge and use of essential oils.

Physical Ailments

Slips & Falls, Bruises & Painful joints

This time of year always seems to be full of more slips and falls due to the snow and icy conditions. Although these types of injuries can happen any time of the year.
You might want to keep this page handy.

The type of injuries in this article are not serious type injuries but are the bumps and bruises you experience occasionally when doing everyday activities including things like: tripping over a toy or rug, twisting a foot/ankle while playing backyard sports and boom - you are on the ground, slipping on the ice and falling on your buttocks. Maybe even getting elbowed in the chest/or breast while playing with your kids. The scenarios are too vast to list here, but you know what I'm talking about.

Your elbow and knee joints, along with any fingers and toes can also get bruised and strained, (but not broken). Of course, bruising occurs around these joints involving the soft tissue.

Heaven forbid, if you should hit your face. This can produce terrible bruising too.

As with any of the above injuries, the first step is to apply ice or cold compresses. The sooner you can apply cold, the less likely for tissue damage occurring from broken blood vessels. Ice or cold helps to reduce pain and swelling. If you suspect something is sprained or broken, keep the area quiet, keep the ice on and seek medical attention.

If you suspect bruising, apply a few drops of Pure Helichrysum to the area immediately. Then continue applying the cold compress. Helichrysum has the ability to reduce the under the surface bleeding associated with bruising and is also great at reducing pain.

Applying ice or cold compresses for the first few days - 3 or more times a day will help. When using ice packs, please pay attention as you don't want to cause frost bite or frozen skin. Between the ice and cold packs, lightly massage the following blend on the affected areas.

For General Bruising
Hyssop - 10 drops
Cypress - 10 drops
Geranium - 8 drops
Lavender - 2 drops
Sweet almond or Sunflower oils- 1 ounce.
Blend well and apply to bruised areas several times a day.

For General Joint Pains
Hyssop- 5 drops
Ginger - 6 drops
Cypress - 10 drops
Eucalyptus - 9 drops
1 ounce carrier oil
Blend well and massage onto affected joint/s 4 to 6 times a day.
After 3 days, you can begin to apply heat compresses.

Bruise - Diminishing Blend
Marjoram- 4 - drops
Geranium - 3 drops
Helichrysum - 3 drops
Lavender - 3 drops
Ginger - 2 drops
Juniper - 2 drops
Thyme - 2 drops
carrier oil of your choice - 2 ounces
Blend well and apply to the bruised area several times a day.

Recipe adapted from "Aromatherapy for Vibrant Health and Beauty" by Roberta Wilson

Emotional Concerns

S.A.D. aka Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression due to the lack of light. Sunlight of course being the light of choice.

This time of year when clouds are abundant and the daylight hours short, it is easy to see why so many folks especially in the northern climates are so affected.

SAD is caused when not enough sunlight travels via the eye’s optic nerve so that it cannot stimulate the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus helps the brain to regulate our moods, helps sleep and hunger patterns. When we are deprived of our sunlight we can have less energy, fatigue, a hard time concentrating, become sleepy easily and become depressed. Some folks will crave sweets that will give you a short term 'high' that then can lead into mild depressive states.

What essential oils can help S.A.D.? Several oils known to stimulate the hypothalamus include: Frankincense, bergamot, geranium and any of the citrus oils. Try to get outdoors especially during daylight hours will help the chemical reactions needed to stimulate the hypothalamus. Sunny days of course being better than cloudy, but any natural light will help. Any essential oil that makes you feel good or happy are always the best oils to choose during the winter months if you suffer from S.A.D. Normally citrus and floral scents will make people feel happier, but as I said, any oil you enjoy and especially crave the scent, may be the oil you need to help you the most during this time.

There are specially made natural light bulbs that are very helpful for severe cases. These would be a benefit. These bulbs are not inexpensive, but for those of us looking for natural cures, the price for a few bulbs is worth the extra cost.

Here are a couple blends to help stimulate the brain and to help with depression
Bergamot - 9 drops
Geranium - 11 drops
Ginger 10 drops
or

Geranium - 15 drops
Lavender - 5 drops
Bergamot - 10 drops

Blend and use in diffuser, or add several drops to bath or shower.

Beauty and Skin Care

Itchy Skin (Pruritis)

Everyone scratches their skin every day. Most of the time it goes unnoticed. Occasionally, it will become an obsession to the point you actually will cause the skin to break open and bleed.

Trying to figure out what is causing the itchiness may take several days. The most common cause of itchy skin in the winter months is due to skin dryness. Many people do not drink enough water in the winter and so their skin dries out. If the pruritis is due to dry skin, simply drinking more water, and applying moisturizing lotions or sorbolene cream will help immensely.

One very important thing to note is that when you start to scratch, the body will begin to release histamines. Well, histamines cause more itching. Sometimes they will cause welts and hives to appear. The more you scratch, the more it feels itchy, so you scratch even more and the cycle continues.

For quick relief of itching, try applying a couple drops of Lavender or Roman Chamomile directly on the skin. Just a couple drops. Lightly rub in. Then try to leave the area alone.

If the itchiness is not caused from dry skin then you need to look for other causes. Fungal and bacterial infections may have established themselves on the skin.

The most common fungal infection that can be very itchy is athlete's foot affecting the feet and between the toes or Jock itch - in the groin area - women can be affected too. Jock itch (a fungal infection) and Anal itching (commonly caused by bacterial type irritations but may be fungal) are seen more often during warm weather or at times when the person is perspiring a lot and may not have cleaned and dried off as they should have.

To treat dry skin - apply moisturizing lotions where you have added a few drops of Lavender essential oil and a drop or two of Rose Otto or Absolute. (Otto is better but Absolute will work too).

To Treat fungal skin irritations - Clean affected areas well, dry well and then apply a blend of 2 drops essential oil to 1 teaspoon of almond or sunflower oil, apply morning and night. The essential oils of choice (pick one to use) include, Lavender, Tea Tree, Cypress or Patchouli. Treating fungal infections will take several days of treatment. If no improvement after 2 weeks, you may need to try different essential oils or consult a medical professional.

To treat bacterial skin irritations - Clean and dry affected areas well. Apply a blend of
Geranium - 5 drops
Lavender- 4 drops
Bergamot - 3 drops
1 ounce Sweet almond or Sunflower oil
Apply morning and night until healed. If no improvement after a day or two, you may need to seek medical attention.

For inflamed or itchy skin on the face:
Geranium - 5 drops
Rose Otto - 2 drops
Frankincense - 5 drops
1 ounce Sweet almond
Blend well and apply a few drops to you palms of your hands and apply with a light massage over your entire face. This is best done after you have cleaned and toned your skin.

Around the House and Garden

Planning Romance for the Day or Evening

We are often asked about essential oils that could help with a romantic setting.

Aphrodisiacs are used to enhance sexual pleasure and desire. Believe it or not one of the best known aphrodisiacs is food.

Of course the sense of smell plays a large part in the enjoyment of food.

The next in line is perfumes. Not only do they affect your emotions, they can also attract romantically.

Aromatherapy is much more than perfumes when it comes to affecting the circulatory, hormonal and other nervous systems involved with romance. Because essential oils can create many different feelings, from physical warmth, to euphoria, femininity, masculinity, romance and such, they can convey general feelings of joy and wellbeing. Both very important for a romantic date.

Jasmine absolute is one of the most sought after scents in the perfume industry. Jasmine has a very strong effect on humans when it comes to oils used to excite and stimulate the erogenous areas. Other oils include but are not limited to: are Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Clary Sage, Vanilla, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang , Anise, Cardamom, Coriander, and Rose.

Some sexually stimulating oils include Neroli, Basil, Nutmeg, Bois de rose ( Rosewood) Peppermint, Clove bud, Pine needle, Fennel, Ginger , Thyme and Juniper .

The following recipe is from Aromatherapy A Lifetime Guide to Healing with Essential Oils by Valerie Gennari Cooksley. Please note that women and men are more affected by different oils depending on your hair and skin tones.

Love Oil Massage Oil
2 ounces Sweet almond Oil
Sandalwood - 12 drops
Ylang Ylang - 6 drops
Clary Sage - 4 drops
Rose Oil - 2 drops (for dark hair and skin)
OR
Neroli Oil - 2 drops (for light hair and skin)
Blend all the essential oils and add to the warmed Sweet Almond oil.
Apply to the body using comfortable pressures. Stokes should be always working towards the heart.
This blend should not be used on the genital area or on the face.

More great recipes
A warming Winter Bath - great to share before climbing into bed with your partner!
Sandalwood- 4 drops
Myrrh - 4 drops
Ginger - 4 drops
1 cup of whole milk Add the essential oils to the milk, blend well. Then add the entire blend to your bathtub. Enjoy!

A Stimulating and erotic Love Perfume
Jasmine absolute - 10 drops
Rose absolute or essential oil - 10 drops
Ylang Ylang 10 drops
1 ounce Jojoba .
Blend well, Apply to pulse points wrists and ear lobes, behind the knees, along the hairline at the back of the neck.

Or for a Light Sensual Lotion Blend the following
Ylang Ylang 2 drops
Jasmine 2 drops
Bergamot 2 drops
1 Tablespoon unscented lotion So to help you with your romantic day, date or evening.

1. Plan a wonderful meal. Not too heavy, but light and flavorful, several different textures too.
2. Music - play quietly in the background.
3. Use candle light - you might want to use a Tealight diffuser and diffuse an oil from the list above.
4. Give each other a bath.
5. Give each other a massage.
6. The rest is up to you!
7. One word of caution. Don't over due it with essential oils. Use them to compliment your evening, not overpower it. Subtle scents will work wonders while over powering will be a turnoff.

Product Review

Vitex agnus castus Essential oil also known as Chasteberry or Monk's Pepper.

This essential oil is also our new product for the month.

We have had several requests for Vitex or Chasteberry Essential oil. So when we get over 5 requests within a couple of months we look into carrying that item.

Vitex agnus castus essential oil comes from the leaves and the berries (fruit) of the Chasteberry tree. It is steam distilled and from the country of Croatia, (Other sources include Europe and Mediterranean area.)

Vitex is known for its use by women for hormonal system problems. There have been more than 30 studies on this plants affects on women’s menstrual problems.

It has been used to treat a variety of problems with breast and menstrual abnormalities. It is known as a hormonal balancer. The problems including cysts, infertility (increases ability to get pregnant), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), cyclical breast discomfort, menstrual cycle irregularities, and pre and post menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Chasteberry has an effect on the hormones - prolactin and progesterone. Because of its affect on these hormones, it has been known to decrease estrogen levels also.

Vitex has been used by women to relieve menopausal symptoms, PMS and to help regulate their cycles if still menstruating. Many women had less cramping. A few menopausal women have experienced bleeding, even though they may not have had any for several months. In some women use of Vitex resulted in the return of their periods. For many women, they had improvement with hot flashes and night sweats and as a result, less insomnia.

In some lactating women it has caused increased milk production. Even men can show increased levels of prolactin and therefore should avoid contact with Vitex. In other women, it may cause them to slow milk production.

Chasteberry as it's name states, can also cause a decrease in sexual desire or libido. Because Chasteberry is a balancer it may, in rare occasions, actually increase desire.

The best way to use Vitex to relieve the afore mentioned symptoms is to simply use a Personal Nasal Inhalers. Place ONE drop of Vitex on the pad in the inhaler and breath in several times a day. Replenish the drop every few days. Be sure to label this inhaler for YOUR use only, as you don't want your husband or male companion to accidentally smell this. It is strong and has been known to cause nausea and migraines in men.

If you prefer you can blend a few drops into your favorite lotion or cream and apply daily to your hands, face and arms. Again, make sure the men in your house do not use your lotions.

Side effects are rarely seen but do include: headache, tiredness, nausea, unexpected vaginal bleeding, depression and loss of efficacy of birth control pills. Avoid using Vitex if you are using Premarin and Provera.

If you are on any medications for Parkinson's disease, or drugs such as Haldol, Zyban and Wellbutrin, seek your physician's approval before using Vitex.

Vitex should not be used if pregnant. Also, if you are using Birth Control Pills realize that the use of Vitex may make them ineffective and you could become pregnant. If you are using hormone replacement therapy, you may have to have the dosing changed after a few months.

Most information on Vitex is from research on the herbal preparations, tinctures and such.

Please remember that essential oils are many times stronger than their herbal counterparts so when using Vitex you will only be using a drop or two at a time. NO more.

Information about Chasteberry - Vitex was obtained from articles written by Barbara Chopan Lucks, The Sept. 2005 issue of American Family Physician, and other Alternative Medicine magazines.

Recipes to try

BIRCH HILL HAPPENINGS NEWS

Hello Everyone,

The hope of spring is just around the corner. I hear the Groundhog is to determine if we are to have six more weeks of Winter or if it's six weeks til spring! Huh? Sounds a bit the same if you ask me!!

In either case - spring will be here and even though we have had a rather mild winter here in Northern Minnesota - (actually we made a historical weather record of being the warmest January on record since before the 1870's. WOW!) We are definitely looking forward to spring.

Sure hope your winter has been enjoyable too.

As you have read, we have a new essential oil, Vitex agnus castus. This is a very powerful essential oil, so please, read all you can about it's use before trying on yourself. This is an oil for women only. Follow the above instructions or that of your physician.

In order to make room for a new line of tealight and electric oil warming diffusers we are having a CLEARANCE SALE on several of our tealight diffusers. We are selling them at a discount. So, if you would like a new diffuser, or want to give one as a gift to a beginner, now is the time to take advantage of the reduced prices. Please see the line of discounted diffusers on the following pages. Ceramic Tealight diffusers, Soapstone Diffusers, Metal Tealight diffusers.

We are also offering our empty Perfume roll on bottles (find them on the bottles pages) for those of you who are experimenting with making your own perfumes.

We are in the process of searching for the best French Lavender, Angelica seed and a few other essential oils you have requested. We will announce them as soon as we have them available. Watch our site or update your e-mail notification selections to be notified when new products are available.

Of course if you have any thing new you would like us to carry or suggestions, please let us know.

As always, if we can help you with any aromatherapy question please send us an E-mail at bhhinfo@birchhillhappenings.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

‘til next month,

Yours in Aromatherapy,
Alan and Penny

E-mail us at bhhinfo@birchhillhappenings.com

**Resources for information in this newsletter (including recipes) and others were obtained from the following sources:
"Aromatherapy A Lifetime Guide to Healing with Essential Oils" by Valerie Gennari Cooksley
"500 Formulas for Aromatherapy" by Schiller and Schiller
"The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Aromatherapy" by Schiller and Schiller
""The Fragrant Veil" by Elisabeth Millar
"The Fragrant Mind Aromatherapy for Personality, Mind, Mood, and Emotion" by Valerie Ann Worwood
"Aromatherapy An A-Z" by Patricia Davis
"Aromatherapy for Vibrant Health and Beauty" by Roberta Wilson
"Aromatherapy through the Seasons" by Judith Fitzsimmons and Paula M Bousquet
"Advanced Aromatherapy The Science of Essential Oil Therapy" by Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.
"Aromatherapy Companion" by Victoria H Edwards
"We have a large reference library and confer with many books while answering questions on Aromatherapy.
"Practical Aromatherapy for Home and Garden Decoder"
"Aromatherapy Decoder"
"Advanced Aromatherapy Decoder"
The Decoders are available from Birch Hill Happenings