Birch Hill Happenings Aromatherapy, LLC

Presents

Aromatherapy – Tips and Useful Information! Tips & Suggestions from our Readers and Customers

by Penny Keay
edited by Penny Keay because the article is written by Well, really by our Readers and Customers!!

Every week we get several suggestions and comments from our readers and customers of ways they use essential oils and some of our products. It is always fun and interesting to find out what works for every one.

So in this issue I’m going to list a few of the suggestions and ideas that we have received. Hopefully they will be of interest to many of you too and you can use them as needed.

Last Names have been omitted to protect everyone’s privacy. But we do have these e-mails on file. Although we may not have personally tested these suggestions the folks that submitted them have.

1. For Mosquitoes, Fleas and Ticks

– from D. B. in South Africa writes:

A mixture we use often as a personal spray here in South Africa to keep mosquitoes away is:

1ml Peppermint
1ml Lavender
1ml Lemongrass
Mix this with 50ml Vodka
Dilute to 1 Liter with water.

Spray directly onto skin and clothes.

This works quite well, especially on children, late afternoon. Remember that some essential oils and sunlight aren't friends on skin. It is effective for approximately 2 hours, depending on temperature (normally 25+ C here in summer evenings)

This mixture does not work on flies though. Should work for fleas and ticks.

Lemongrass does not work for flies, nor mixtures of Lemongrass, Camphor and/or Citronella.

2. For those that Love to Knit

- L.M. Washington

I'm a knitter and spinner, and use the Talc Powder on my hands especially in the summer to keep the yarn or fiber from getting all sweaty and gummed up. It works great.

3. For Flies, Wasps, Hornets and more including in the Horse barns

- L. S. South Carolina

Incidentally, we use a formula for keeping flies down in our horses' stalls.

20 drops Lavender
10 drops Tea Tree
10 drops Peppermint
1 quart of water

It is marvelous. The horses like it....loll in the stalls rather than standing out in their paddocks....and it is non-toxic. It repels, rather than poisoning.

The Lavender seems to soothe them.

And, believe it or not, it soothes and tranquilizes hornets and wasps. You can spray them...they stop whirring their wings....they sort of wander around aimlessly.

You can then scrape down their little nests (not big ones...but the ones they have just started to build) and they wander around mumbling "Where is it? I thought I had a little nest started here..." They seldom rebuild.

We are not into killing....but we can't have wasps in our stalls. I'm allergic (and easily annoyed.)

The point, for BHH, we ran out of Peppermint and bought some locally, at one of our Natural Food stores. It says it is the same stuff as yours, but there is no comparison.

It doesn't smell like Peppermint ....it smells like Cedar needles, crushed.

That's why I've reordered from you.....You do much better with your essential oils....and my horses depend on your Peppermint, and Lavender.

The spray is used on the stall walls, not on the horses. We spray daily, before we bring them home from the pasture. We have no flies in the stalls at all and the horses notice this and tend to stand inside. Their tails seldom swish, so we can see that it is continuing to be effective.

We also use your oils directly on the horses' skins. For cuts, scrapes, irritations we use a mist of Lavender, Tea Tree and Aloe Vera, equal parts of each. We seldom get an infection and minor cuts heal without scarring.

One of our friends, who raises Arabians, told us about the healing mix. She swears by it, and now, since trying it, so do we.

We use the same mixture on our own scratches and small cuts. It is a very healing mix.

Penny Comment: We no longer stock pure Aloe Liquid as it has a short shelf life. However, our Body Spray is safe to use in the above mixture as it can be used on the skin. Only a very light spray will be needed. You may want to use emulsifiers to help keep the essential oils in the blend better.

4. OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

- Katie.

Just wanted to add some information about OCD and panic attacks (since I suffer from both). Usually you would recommend seeing a councilor but also, it appears that OCD and panic attacks are both caused by low activity of the "happy" neurotransmitters in the brain (generally serotonin) and can be treated with antidepressants that raise serotonin.

This is important because my guess is anything oil or oil blend that might help with depression would also help with OCD and panic attacks.

My favorite blend for dealing with panic and anxiety is

4 drops Sandalwood (or your The S'WOODS)
1 drop Ylang Ylang
and 1-2 drops of your diluted Jasmine (the 5%).

It does the trick every time, calming and uplifting. I also like your Comforting Spray blend,** I mix just the oils and put them in my vaporizer at night - that also helps. Just incase that was something you guys didn’t know or wanted to pass on.

COMFORTING SPRAY

by Penny Keay

Lavender - 8 drops
Vanilla or V'nilla's - 3 drops
Ylang-Ylang - 3 drops
Orange -10 drops
Cedarwood - 8 drops
Coconut Emulsifier - 1/2 teaspoon
Distilled Water or Room spray base - 2 ounces

Add oils to Emulsifier, shake well then add the distilled water or room spray base. Shake well and spray in room. OR as an alternative you can omit the water or room spray base and use the blended essential oils in your favorite diffuser, fan diffuser or tart warmer!

5. Restless Legs

- Suzanne

I recently had horrible restless legs at night, and I tried a variety of oil combinations with little success.

I found your recipe, and it worked within minutes and I haven't had any problems since. Thank you so much for making all your recipes available. I refer to them often. Thanks again.

RESTLESS LEGS RECIPE

by Penny Keay

We have used this blend several times for people, especially those folks in assisted living or care centers that seem to have problems keeping their legs comfortable. This blend can be used in a diffuser, or if someone is available, mix into a carrier oil and massage the legs.

Lavender - 24 drops
Roman Chamomile - 20 drops
Vetiver- 16 drops

Blend well in an glass bottle. If inhaling, put a few drops in a personal inhaler and take several deep breaths when legs are feeling restless. Or mix 15 drops in 1 ounce of Sunflower oil, shake well and use for leg massage.

6. Colds and Nasal problems

- Julie

Here's a tip you might like to try. I have a cold with the usual nasal problems and found this helpful.

Put a drop of Rosemary oil on a cotton swab. Exhale, getting all the air out. Now carefully put the swab up inside your nose, and do a long inhale, holding the air inside your sinuses.

This draws the Rosemary right up inside. Repeat on both sides. You can prepare a swab and leave it handy on your bedside table at night. Hope you find this useful.

Note: A nasal inhaler works great for this.

7. Rosacea and Delicate Skin

- Gloria

I purchased the cream for delicate skin (Penny’s Cream de La Creme) and it has been a wonderful experience. I am scared of trying face creams because most cause a lot of itching.

During the winter I have a hard time because the skin of my face feels tight. Your cream has helped me with all these problems and it also has kept my Roseacea under control. I am very pleased.

Added comment by Penny – My Cream de La Creme was created for use with dry skin and specifically for eczema that Al suffers from but we have had many folks write us

Just like Gloria did and the list continues to grow for uses of my Cream dela Crème – Bed sores, diaper rash – both to treat and prevent and for other rashes, eczema and some cases of psoriasis.

If you have used it for other skin problems please let us know.

Of course it works great for normal skin too!

For those of you that suffer with Hemmorroids, try the 'Bum Cream' it is very soothing for those sore irritated anal tissues.

8. Arthritis Lotion

– Mary

I wanted to tell you about my experience.

I have been using Ravensara and find it is extremely helpful for aching bone (Arthritis). I put a few drops in my lotion for my hands or use it straight for my hips. I find it better than anything else I have used. It was recommended by my massage therapist. I love your oils!

Please note: we never suggest using essential oils ‘neat’ or straight from the bottle if they are to be applied to the skin. Please – always dilute them with a carrier oil or mix with a lotion if you are using them on the skin. But there is an occasional exception to this rule - see below - Bee Sting.

9. For a Great Natural Sleep

– Karen

Some medicine I have to take keeps me from sleeping at times, this works wonders

2 drops Rose
1 drop Jasmine
1 drop Roman Chamomile

Mix with carrier oil (I use a 2mm bottle) put on temples, neck pulse, wrists and a little on the soles of your feet. A great natural sleep.

10. Dental and Medical Offices

– that don’t want to smell like a ‘Dental or Medical Office’
– Dr. D. a DDS in Alabama

I tried the aromatherapy today in fact (I just had to try it out before Monday). And quite frankly I was not expecting it to work as well as it did.

I was pleasantly surprised. Within about 5 minutes the whole office was filled with a wonderful, relaxing NONDENTAL fragrance. I am very satisfied. Thank you so much. I look forward to doing more business with you in the very near future.

Our Note: Many of the Doctor and Dental offices

Purchase one or more of the following Essential oils and Blends from us to make their offices not smell like a ‘conventional medical office’: Calming blend, Relaxing blend , Elation blend, Inspiration blend , Peaceful, Darryl’s, Celebration and Take Five blend.

They also order single essential oils – Lavender, Cinnamon leaf, Cedarwood and many others. Most medical offices seem to avoid any of the mints, eucalyptus and such as these are used so often in scenting and flavoring medicine.

11. To Relax and Fall Asleep for Man, Women and Dog:

From S. W. in Indiana

I used the following recipe from www.birchhillhappenings.com to make an EO water blend to then use it as a spray on our pillows:

“Sweet Dreams" - a pillow spray

by Penny Keay

15 ml of distilled water
2 drops of Lavender
1 drop Roman Chamomile
1 drop Orange
1 drop Ylang Ylang

Shake well and spritz on pillow cases. Let dry. Great for your guests.”

When I was mixing and testing it, I noticed the aroma of Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile and Orange in that order, but not really the Lavender. It was a very pleasant blend, not overwhelming, but soothing with a little orangey freshness (“zest”).

I sprayed the pillows a couple of hours before going to bed. The aroma lingered not just on the pillows but also in the air for about an hour. When I went to bed, the aroma in the room was gone, but it was still noticeable on the pillows when you put your nose in it.

I re-spritzed the pillows and laid down and immediately relaxed. I was reading a book “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert (definitely worth reading!), and I had a tough time keeping my eyes open J.

The other interesting thing was that my 5 ½-year-old female dog Ronya, who sleeps on the bed with us, actually moved over to my husband’s side (who was still sitting at the computer at that time) and laid her head on the pillow, inhaled and stayed there! She really enjoys the essential oil aromas of the oils and blends that I use.

12. Miracle – Bee Sting remedy

– from Kirsten W.

I was stung by a bee a few days ago - first time since I was a child - and the following was miraculous: Ice for 10 minutes immediately after the sting

One drop of Helichrysum and 1 drop of Lavender on the swollen sting

Thirty minutes later the swelling was almost gone, 6 hours later the swelling and pain were totally gone That's the LAST I knew of any bee sting!! Amazing. Thought you would like to know.

Please note: we do not suggest using essential oils ‘neat’ or straight from the bottle if they are to be applied to the skin. Please – always dilute them with a carrier oil or mix with a lotion if you are using them on the skin. This is one of the FEW exceptions to the "don't apply neatly".

If after an application or two you see no improvement or symptoms worsen, discontinue use and seek immediate medical attention. Bee and Wasp stings can be life threatening in some cases. Please seek medical care in necessary.

We have many, many more suggestions, helps and tips from our customers and readers. We’ll share more at another time.

If you have some you would love to share – please send them to us. You never know when it could make a BIG difference in some ones life!

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