miessence

Tiny molecules of essential oils are taken into the body in two ways – by osmosis (through the skin) and by olfaction (breathing them in).

Essential oils and osmosis (external application)

When essential oils (dissolved in a carrier oil) are applied externally via massage, the tiny molecules are absorbed through the skin and reach small blood vessels. They are then carried to the muscle tissue and joint via the blood stream to reach all the tissues and organs. The oils are then excreted through the kidneys and bladder, skin, and exhaled through the lungs.

Essential oils and olfaction (inhalation)

When essential oils are inhaled, the molecules are absorbed directly into the bloodstream via the lungs, which affects the entire respiratory system, and are absorbed by the olfactory nerves through the nose, where they travel directly to the limbic system that deals with integration and expression of feelings, learning, memory, emotions and physical drives. Once they reach the limbic system, they trigger the release of neuro-chemicals which may be sedative, relaxing, stimulating or euphoric in effect.

For more information or to purchase certified organic essential oils click here.

Driving home from picking up my kids from preschool today we made a quick stop at a neighbor’s “home grown veggie” stand.  I was delighted to see fresh broccoli and my kids squealed with glee.  My eldest Angel (4.5 yrs old) insisted on helping me prepare lunch so we started with grilled cheese sandwiches.  She is mastering the knife and spread the coconut oil evenly on the bread.  A quick rinse of the broccoli and into the steamer got all of our mouths watering.  A handful of grapes for each of us, grilled cheese sandwiches and fresh from the garden steamed broccoli…I love it when a meal comes together.

I enjoy watching my kids develop a love of food….REAL food.  They often follow me into our own garden to pluck swiss chard for a green smoothie or tomatoes for sauces and soups.  Most recently I have noticed they like to smell everything before they taste.  They understand that food is meant to nourish our bodies and that an excess of sugar is an unnecessary part of a nutritious diet.  I am thankful for the growth I have made in the food choices for our family.  It has been a struggle at times, but baby steps and repetition seem to be the key for me.  I embrace the learning and sharing these lessons with my children is a gift I hope we will continue to receive for many years to come.

P.S. After my Angel finished her lunch, she informed me that she only likes broccoli that comes “fresh from the ground”.  Now who could deny such a request?

Feet are an amazing framework of bones, ligaments and muscles designed to efficiently bear the weight of your body and enable proper mobility.

• On average a person can take up to 18,000 steps per day. A 70 year old person will have walked in their lifetime, an average distance equivalent to walking around the world 3 times!
• Feet put up with hard surfaces, poor exercise, increased work-stress and poorly designed footwear which inevitably equals hidden causes to many foot problems.

Understanding Feet

• In an ideal natural environment the surface on which we walk conforms to our feet providing support and absorbing impact.
• Modern surfaces and footwear often provide the opposite – that is little (if any) support and increased shock.
• The tripod formation of weight bearing points and arches of the foot give us the balance and mobility which we need. However, if the structure of the foot is disturbed or inhibited, foot and general health problems will often occur.
• For this reason our feet need to be properly supported, balanced and protected.
• Foot disorders can affect the body in a variety of ways:
  • If the foot is not functioning correctly the alignment and function of the knees, hips and shoulders can be incorrect, causing pain and at times loss of mobility.
  • Nervous strain, fatigue, irritability, backaches and headaches can be related to foot problems.
  • Excessive impact and shock to the feet can lead to damage of joints, bones and tendons over time.

Proper Care Is Vital

• Your feet must last you a lifetime and therefore proper care and treatment is vital.
• If ailments are neglected your foot condition can easily deteriorate and treatments that are more invasive and expensive may then be required.
• It is never too late or too early to pay attention to your feet – prevention is better than cure.

Tips For Healthy Feet

• Exercise and massage your feet each day. Choose a pure essential oil to lighten your mood and rejuvenate your feet.
• Pamper your feet with a regular ‘foot spa’+ daily walk is advisable in lace-up footwear which is well-balanced and supportive.
• Cut your toenails correctly – not too short or too rounded
• Watch the way the soles and heels of your shoes wear – it could mean a ‘gait’ problem
• Examine your feet regularly – watch for:
  • Corns – a small cone shaped build-up of hard skin
  • Calluses – an area of hard, dead skin which sometimes has a burning sensation
  • Tinea (athletes foot) – a fungal infection between the toes
  • Deviation or swelling in any of the bones or joints
  • Abnormalities or wounds in the skin
  • Ingrown toe-nails

Why Do Hands Age So Fast?

The skin on the backs of your hands has few oil glands so it shrivels and chaps easily upon exposure especially around the joints. Add to this the overall fragile structure of your hands and you can understand why the skin on our hands is especially vulnerable to aging.

You can however slow the aging process by protecting your skin with gloves and by using moisturizer and sunscreen all year round.

Gloves. Get accustomed to using rubber gloves whenever you do housework or a little gardening.

Finger Massage. Using four fingers from the opposite hand, start at the top of the finger and knead your way down to the tip of each finger. Feels wonderfully relaxing.

Hand Massage. To stimulate circulation, rub your palm over the back of the hand and repeat with other hand. This movement is very similar to washing your hands and not only stimulates circulation, it also warms the hands.

Nourishing Hand Cream. Keep your Hand Cream on the counter and get into the habit of applying the cream several times a day. And remember the nails. They can benefit too.

Beauty Sleep. Before you go to bed, lavish on your hand cream and then put on a pair of cotton gloves. Hands will be incredibly soft by morning.

Exfoliate your hands once a week.

Czerral, inventor of In-Liven and Fast-Tract Probiotics, reminds us why these two products are so important to our health and wellbeing

The most important secret to good health is to unlock the body’s potential to heal itself. With our understanding of the different philosophies of the body we must focus upon the immune system and assist it to evolve to its highest potential.

For the immune system to reach this potential it must have raw materials in the form of organic nutrients at its disposal. Ideally these organic nutrients would come from whole foods grown in organic soils because the quality of any plant is a reflection of the environment it is grown in.

The immune system is so intelligent it recognizes the difference between man-made biochemical nutrients and natural ones produced by the body’s own cells or found in nature’s whole foods.

The body reacts in a form of shock to man-made nutrients which it identifies as a ‘foreign substance’. Foreign substances cause the body to shut off other parts of the immune system, particularly in the stem cells where the basic building blocks of healthy new cells are spawned. Therefore the potential for future repair of damaged cells is compromised.

To actualize the potential of the immune system we must first address the needs of the body in relation to bacteria. The balance of good bacteria and what has been labeled as ‘bad bacteria’ must be in a ratio of 85% good and 15% bad.

Once this most important ratio falls out of balance, disease manifests in the body and overwhelms the immune system.

Most holistic practitioners agree that disease begins in the colon. Once putrefactive bacteria take hold in the bowels all kinds of toxic materials are released into the body environment. Bad bacteria imbalances allow fungus and yeast to cross these important lines of balance resulting in Candida and thrush.

Antibiotics found in drug therapy and in the meat and foods we eat destroy the important balance of bacteria in our body.

The air we now are forced to breathe in the world’s cities has over 600 toxins that also affect this balance. Birth control pills, heat, cold, preservatives found in most foodstuff, salt, alcohol, colas, fluorides, and chlorines, just to name a few, also destroy or compromise this delicate balance of bacteria in the gut!

So – we need to adjust the bacteria balance in our intestinal tract and then saturate the body with a broad spectrum of whole food organic nutrients. We must learn to replace the good bacteria on a daily basis. If this is not done then no matter what remedy, therapy, diet or drug is used, it is all for naught!

Source: ONEgroup News #36