Quick Tip for Colds

A tiny amount of Vapor Rub (sore bought or homemade)  under the nose can help with the problems of a runny nose and the soreness that comes from blowing your nose all the time when you have a bad cold. The eucalyptus and menthol (or peppermint if homemade) in the rub help with the congestion, can ease a runny nose and are anti-inflammatory, antiviral and healing to skin.  The base of the rub, whether from the store or homemade, helps with the skin irritation from tissues from blowing your nose so frequently by moisturising and protecting the skin.

I've done this for myself a great many times and it does seem to help. I will say that Vapor Rub does sting when you first apply it but it fades after a bit especially the next time you blow your nose. Also try not to apply too much as the aromas can make the eyes water and sting if you apply too much.

Ginger: More than a Culinary Herb

Image from Wikipedia

Ginger (Zingiber offiniale) has been around for thousands of years as a culinary and medicinal herb. It's warming, spicy flavour is wonderful in stir frys and curries and I like it as ginger beer (plain or in a shandy which is lovely in the summer) and also has been used to disguise the flavor of other medications, but are you aware of it's other uses?

Uses 
The most common forms of ginger are as a fresh root (rhizome) dried and powdered (used in baking and as a flavouring in tea or coffee), pickled (sometimes known as gari , served alongside sushi as a palate cleanser), as a tea, wine and candied (I've used this as just a candy and for nausea- it's easier to carry in my purse). Ginger is also used as a flavouring in sodas as well as in perfumes and soaps.
As a tisane or tea it is used for nausea, colds, bronchitis, menstrual cramps, coughs, back pain and for digestive problems such as diarrhea, but it can also be applied as a poultice to the skin as a rubefacient to increase blood flow to the area particularly for osteoarthritis and muscle pain. In supplemental form, ginger is possibly effective for menstrual cramps, post-operative nausea, dizziness, morning sickness, and osteoarthritis. The essential oil is used as a compress in dilutions of 1%-1.5% for muscle aches, fatigue and arthritis as at higher concentrations it may irritate the skin too much. I use it aromatherapy blends for arthritis as I find it safer to use for people with high blood pressure in stead of rosemary.
Ginger is also being looked at as a cancer preventative and treatment in ovarian, colon and skin cancers.

Side effects, interactions and cautions
Ginger is considered as generally safe when taken in small doses (under 2 gm per kg of body mass) but some minor side effects that have been noted with ginger are bloating, gas, heartburn and nausea mostly with powdered ginger and too much tea (I did that once with too much tea, not fun). Caution is advised if you are taking blood thinners like Warfarin or Aspirin as it may increase your risk of bruising and bleeding. If you have a heart condition and are taking calcium channel blockers use caution as it may lower your blood pressure too much and cause an irregular heart beat (I learn something every day. I take a calcium channel blocker for tachycardia and didn't know this. I've never had a problem but then I don't have ginger tea often). Also, if you are diabetic, ginger might lower your blood sugar so be careful if you are taking medications to control your blood sugar as it may go too low, so monitor your levels and adjust your medications if necessary (under medical supervision). Ginger can also cause problems for people with gall stones as it can increase bile flow. Never take the essential oil internally.

How to use Ginger
The standard dose for ginger supplements is 250 mg four times a day by mouth. 
An easy way to peel ginger is to use the side of a spoon.
Tea is the most pleasant way to take ginger and some like it with lemons or milk and it can be drank either hot or cold. I'm too lazy to make my own tea so I like to get the instant honeyed ginger drink from the supermarket.

Here's a recipe for homemade ginger tea from Smoking Hot Mom 

1-2 Tablespoons freshly grated Ginger (depends on how much you like ginger, I like a strong ginger tea, so I use 2 tablespoons of ginger).

• 2 cups of water
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Honey

How to:

• Grate Ginger (if it’s frozen, leave the skin on and use a microplane to grate) into 2 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15- 20 minutes.
• Strain into a cup.
• Add Raw Honey  (which is a healing food in it’s own right: it supports the immune system, soothes sore throats, and more)

Sources: Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger,

Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/961.html ,

National Centre for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine : http://nccam.nih.gov/sites/nccam.nih.gov/files/Herbs_At_A_Glance_Ginger_06-15-2012_0.pdf?nav=gsa

Aromatherapy: An A to Z    by Patricia Davis

Aromatherapy, the Common Cold, Flu and Seasonal Allergies

It's March, Spring is right around the corner and with it comes allergy season but right now we are not yet finished with cold and flu season. When you are suffering from a cold, the flu or allergies, runny noses, tearing or itchy eyes, cough and general feelings of sickness are all easily helped with aromatherapy. And, believe it or not, you have probably used aromatherapy in the past to help. If you have ever used Vicks Vaporub, a hot cup of peppermint tea, Hall's throat lozenges or Tiger Balm you have used aromatherapy. What all these products have in common are menthol (the primary constituent of peppermint), eucalyptus and camphor (both of which contain eucalyptol which gives them their scent). These compounds are used as decongestants, to reduce mucus, ease sore throats ( anti-inflammatory) and are anti-microbial and immune system stimulants. Eucalyptus oil and peppermint oils also aid in reducing temperatures and muscle aches.

In allergies, two essential oils that are helpful are Frankincense and Chamomile and, if you think of it, chamomile has a long history of soothing itchy, irritated skin such as in the hand cream Glysomed. Frankincense also has a long history for treating asthma and coughs as it promotes deep and even breathing and is also an expectorant. Frankincense is now being added to skin care products for its anti-inflammatory properties because of its usefulness in helping in rashes, redness, and aging skin. Look for frankincense in the ingredients as Boswellia. 

But what are some of the easiest ways to use pure essential oils to help when you are feeling like death warmed over from a cold, flu or allergies?

An Aromatherapy Bath or Shower

For coughs, stuffy noses, a cold or the flu, a steamy bath with 8 to 10 drops ( either singly or combined) of eucalyptus, frankincense and lavender oils in the water before bed will help with aches and pains as well as breathing. The lavender essential oil also helps to promote sleep, relaxes achy muscles and is good for coughs because of it's bactericidal effect. If you are time crunched or too tired to wait for a bath, an aromatherapy shower using peppermint and eucalyptus or frankincense and eucalyptus are useful for coughs and noses and you get the added benefit of the steam from the shower.

Steam Inhalation

If most of your symptoms are from a stuffed nose or lung congestion, the old stand by of draping your head with a towel over a steaming bowl of water for about 5 minutes is always a good option. Adding 2-3 drops of eucalyptus, peppermint, frankincense, or a combination of two or all three to the water will help with congestion, cough, and ease breathing. Personally, I find the combination of eucalyptus and peppermint highly reminiscent of Vicks and very relaxing. Use cooler water if you have rosacea because if the water is too hot it can increase redness and irritate the skin.

Compresses
Compresses are done by putting 8-10 drops of essential oil(s) in a bowl of cool (anti-inflammatory) or warm water (pain relief) and using a washcloth, cotton ball or cotton pad (what you use depends on what you have in the house and the size of the area to be treated), placing it in the water and wringing the cloth out so that it is wet but not dripping and placing it on the area to be treated. Replace the compress when the temperature changes and repeat for about 30 minutes.

For hives, a compress of frankincense and chamomile is cooling and soothing. You can also use this combination in a bath.

For itchy eyes, I do not recommend using essential oils but using cold chamomile tea as a compress and placing it over the eyes. It is very soothing and will reduce the inflammation about the eyes as well as itching. Even a cold teabag of regular tea will do as it is cooling and contains caffeine as well as tannin which reduces swelling and tightens the skin (also good for tired eyes).  Mind you, be careful of using chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed, some people react to chamomile because it is related. To check if you are sensitive, place some cold tea (or an essential oil) on a cotton swab and apply the swab to the inside of your wrist and observe the spot for 24 hours. Any redness or itching means on the spot where you applied the substance means that you probably are sensitive and that you should not use it.

Lotions/Creams

Adding essential oils to your favorite lotion, unscented lotions or creams are another easy way to get the benefits of essential oils. Add 1-3 drops of essential oil to an amount lotion about the size of a grape in the palm of your hand and apply.  Some examples are: frankincense and/or chamomile for skin irritations, eucalyptus and peppermint as a chest rub for congestion and, frankincense as a daily massage for asthma. 

Enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy and hopefully you will be feeling better in no time.