The Power of Music

                  Music is great it can be motivational and uplifting it can make a struggle easier.
        It was a beautiful spring day today and this afternoon I walked. For the first time I carried a pack with somewhere between 10 and 12 pounds. It was also the first time I took my I-Pod. I usually like to walk and ponder on things, but I thought what the hell. I had bought some new head phones on a recent trip to NYC and hadn't really used them much, maybe I would get a good work out. I turned the I-Pod to shuffle and started out at the usual quick pace I've developed. The first half is all up hill and although I kept my pace, I was soon huffing and puffing. I have a minimum of three miles but I usually do a little more even if its just a dozen steps or so. Today the extra weight was giving me an excuse to do just the minimum, at that point the music was good but wasn't really getting me going. As I was just about to turn around The Good Ol "Grateful Dead" came on and got me going. Walking to the beat of the "Dead" I walked an extra mile.  
         

 "You don't have to be a wreck. you don't have to be sick. One's aim in life is to die in good health. Just like a candle that burns out."
Jeanne Moreau

Pain Management and Essential Oils

5 Natural Pain Relief Remedies Using Aromatherapy Essential Oils

By Yvonne Handford

Living with pain can be very difficult and overwhelming, especially over a long period of time. The use of natural pain relief remedies such as Aromatherapy Essential Oils has become very popular, as generally people do not want to take pain killers over an extended period of time as they are addictive and have nasty long term side effects.

The Aromatherapy benefits on pain relief have been well studied and documented and for many have become the preferred method of healing pain and many common ailments today.

Essential oils can be used safely to assist with pain relief. There are many different oils which can be used to assist with the relief of pain and discomfort. These pure essential oils can be added to a base oil or cream and rubbed or gently massage into the affected area.

The 5 Commonly Used Pure Essential Oils Used For Pain Relief

1. Curry - Helichrysum italicum is excellent for pain relief as it has antispasmodic and anesthetic properties as well for relief of deep pain.

2. Peppermint - Mentha piperita has been used through the ages for headaches, aches and pains, backache and arthritis. Peppermint has excellent pain relief properties and is also know as a powerful anti-inflammatory.

3. Basil - Ocimum basilicum which is very good for any type of muscle or nerve pain. Basil is excellent muscle relaxant and also contains powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties as well.

4. Marjoram - Origanum majorana also has muscle soothing properties for any type of muscular or nerve pain and is also very beneficial for headaches.

5. Clove - Syzygium aromaticum which is well know for relief from toothache. It has analgesic properties along with anti-inflammatory, analgesic properties and anesthetic properties.

Aromatherapy oils are generally safe and easy to use and people have been successful using Aromatherapy pure essential oil either on there own or combined in a blend to assist with pain relief.

Do not apply any pure essential oils directly on the skin as severe reaction or intolerance may occur. Always blend pure essential oils with a suitable base oil or cream.

The holistic benefits of combining aromatherapy pure essential oils and massage therapy, is well known to assist with relief from pain and discomfort and is suitable for people of all ages.

Coping with pain or any form of discomfort is emotionally taxing and distressing. Other pure essential oils can be used to help cope with the psychological aspect of dealing with pain including Lavender Oil which is excellent for people who are suffering from emotional pain, anxiety or distress. Lavender promotes a feeling of calmness, confidence and relaxation. Lavender also soothes the spirit and provides relief from anger and exhaustion whilst restoring and healing the body.

Aromatherapy essential oils  can be used alone with base oil, or three or four oils combined together in an aromatherapy essential oil blend to bring relief and comfort in pain management. For a full list of aromatherapy oil blends, visit [http://www.universalhealingcentre.com/aromatherapyrecipe.php].

Yvonne Handford is an Author, Speaker, Soul Healing Coach, Psychic and Healing Master trained in Usui Reiki and many other healing modalities and alternate therapies. Yvonne is a Healer who specializes in promoting the "Golden Keys" to Healing Within and assisting others to live the life of their dreams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvonne_Handford

How to Achieve Everything

‘If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.’ ~Lao Tzu

Cooking With Essential Oils

I've had a lot of success using essential oils in food and drinks. I LOVE a drop of peppermint oil in my bottle of water. I also use many of the citrus oils in cocktails and to add flavor to chicken and pork dishes. the following is an article I found with some great info and recipes!

By Tawne Bachus

It is believed that essential oils were first extracted from plants by the ancient Egyptians, approximately 6,000 years ago. Since that time, the known benefits of essential oils have continued to grow. Some people use essential oils for their health benefits, while others use them to keep their houses clean and sterile. Also, let us not forget that thousands of people purchase essential oils to simply enjoy the smell of their pleasant fragrances.

A fourth benefit of essential oils comes when they are used for cooking. However, before adding them to a food or beverage, be sure that you have a top quality essential oil. Quite simply, essential oils are oils extracted from plants. A number of methods are used to extract essential oils, however steam distillation produces the highest quality essential oils. Removing the oil essence of a plant with steam allows the oil to remain completely pure while retaining its natural properties. Avoid using essential oils that were extracted with harsh chemicals or alcohol solvents, like SD40 alcohol, carbon dioxide and propylene glycol.

Essential oils may come from any number of various plants and plant parts. Common plant parts from which essential oils are extracted, include: flower pedals, seeds, stems, leaves, roots and even bark.

The flavors of essential oils encompass a range as wide as their known benefits. Citrus oils, such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, mandarin and lime, are tangy. More traditional cooking ingredients also produce the following essential oils: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, oregano, basil, dill, rosemary, sage, tarragon and cumin. While some essential oils, like peppermint and spearmint, have a minty taste. Please remember that essential oils are the extracted essence of plants. Therefore, they have an extremely concentrated flavor and can impact a drink or food dish with as little as one or two drops.

These oils also differ from traditional cooking oils like olive oil or sesame oil, in two dramatic ways. First, they do not contain glycerol. Because of this, they do not posses a slippery feel and do not leave a "greasy" residue on things they touch. Second, distilled essential oils do not contain any fat or cholesterol.

It is also important to point out that using essential oils in your kitchen, may actually save you money. Typically, the citrus oils are quite inexpensive. Instead of spending money on whole lemons for water or tea, use one or two drops of lemon oil or spearmint oil. Essential oils are extremely stable and will last for many years when stored in a cool, dry, dark place, like a pantry.

Because tastes preferences are unique to each individual, it will be necessary to experiment with essential oil flavors and quantities that are perfect for your pallet. To help speed up this experimental process, the following general guidelines are offered. Just don't forget to let your nose help guide you.

Meats: 1 drop of essential oil per 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. Apply with a brush.

Vinegars & Salad oils: 1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of vegetable oil.

Steamed vegetables: 1 drop of essential oil per 12 ounces of water.

Desserts: add 1 drop of essential oil to egg mixtures.

You may also want to try using essential oils in various combinations, when preparing certain dishes.

Beef recipe:

1 drop Orange essential oil

1 drop Nutmeg essential oil

1 drop Cinnamon leaf essential oil

Chicken recipe:

Make a marinade of: and let soak ½ hour or store until needed.

4 Tbsp Honey

1 wine glass of white wine or apple cider

2 drops of Orange essential oil

2 drops of Lemon essential oil

Fish marinade:

Combine 1 drop of Fennel essential oil, 1 drop of Black Pepper essential oil and 1 drop of Lime essential oil with 1 Tbsp olive oil and brush onto fish. Add oiled fish to the following marinade and let soak for at least 3 hours.

1 cup white wine

1 crushed clove garlic

1 small onion diced

For best results, when possible, add the essential oil after the cooking process has been completed. Also try adding essential oil to batters before allowing the batter to set overnight.

When baking breads, cakes, cookies, pies or making pudding, try adding cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, lemon, spearmint, ginger, coriander and fennel.

When making stuffing, vegetables, dressings, fish and poultry try adding thyme, oregano, sage, marjoram, rosemary, dill, basil and tarragon.

Happy cooking and don't forget to share your successful experiments with your friends and relatives!

Copyright © 2007 Tawne Bachus

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not provided by a medical professional and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.

Tawne Bachus is the President of HealthDirectNet.com [http://www.healthdirectnet.com]. HealthDirectNet.com offers affordable quality of life through better health.

Discover The Healing Power of Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, Part 1

 I found this great article. It has good info for those looking to get into essential oils and for those of us who are already into them.

By Emma Sanford

While Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils are neither food nor medicine, they sometimes act as if they were! They are, in a word, mysterious. They are also unique in nature, different from any other natural product you have ever tried, enhancing every part of your body, mind, and spirit, with just one or two drops at a time. Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils are hydrocarbons and have been called "God's Love Manifest in Molecules."

Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, freshly cultivated and steam-distilled, are life-enhancing gifts from the plant kingdom, neither food nor medicine, are key solutions to the wellness challenges facing our modern lifestyles. They are easy to use through inhalation, topical application and internal consumption.

Plant essences are made of nature's ancient molecules: complex substances whose structure allows them to pass easily and quickly through our skin, and through the cell membranes of every cell in our bodies. We breathe them in and instantly, as they touch the brain, the molecules of essential oils enliven neurons, inspire emotions, awaken immune response, stimulate hormones, which can then enhance energy, digestion, mental clarity, body temperature, circulation, and the feeling of being connected to nature.

Aromatherapy in one drop of a Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil can carry as powerful a message as an entire bouquet of flowers. One drop can carry as bio-chemically complex a message as a food or a medicine: It can stimulate our immune activity, open our lungs, enhance our hearing, ease tired and achy muscles, improve flexibility and so much more!

Aromatherapy; aroma and the therapy, a natural wellness alternative supporting the mind, body and spirit of our mordern lifestyes.

A Sample List of Single Names and Oil-Blends Names of Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils Uses by Category; Warming/Hot Oils: Birch, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Fennel, Ginger, Melissa, Palmarosa, Black Pepper, Thyme, Oregano, Lemongrass, PanAway, Aroma Siez, Di-Tone, Thieves, and Xmas Sprit.

Cooling Support Oils: Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Peppermint, Spearmint, and Tangerine.

Digestion Support Oils: Basil, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Clove, Fennel, Ginger, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Peppermint, Spearmint, Thyme, and Di-Tone.

Insomnia Support Oils: Lavender, Geranium, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Lemon, Frankincense, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Orange, Sandalwood, Tangerine, Ylang Ylang, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, and Dream Catcher.

Energizing Support Oils: Birch, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Ginger, Lemon, Geranium, Grapefruit, Juniper, Peppermint, Rosemary, Spearmint, Melissa, Petitgrain, Rose, En-R-Gee, and Lazarus.

Calming Support Oils: Basil, Bergamot, Birch, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Myrrh, Myrtle, Nutmeg, Orange, Mandarin, Tangerine, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood, Spruce, Petitgrain, Melissa, Ylang Ylang, Peace & Calming, Valor, Citrus Fresh, Joy, Hope, Xmas Spirit, and Harmony.

Pain Management Support Oils: Basil, Birch, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon Bark, Sage, Clary Sage, Ginger, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Marjoram, Peppermint, Rosemary, Melaleuca, Thyme, Helichrysum, Lemongrass, Melissa, PanAway, Relieve It, Aroma Siez, Ortho Ease Massage Oil, and Relaxation Massage Oil.

Anti-Inflammatory Support Oils: Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint, Helichrysum, German Chamomile, Frankincense, Fir, Lemongrass, Melaleuca, Ravensara, Birch, Spearmint, Blue Tansy, PanAway, and Relieve It.

An added benefit of Aromatherapy is healing at a cellular level with out the cost and side effect of prescription drugs.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Always wash and rinse your hands thoroughly, before and after the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils, also avoid contact with your eyes. Keep therapeutic-grade essential oils out of the reach of children.

Emma Sanford is The Founder and Wellness Consultant of Good Health - Good Scents, a Distributorship of Edible Wellness Products, Located in Atlanta Ga.

Thieves Oil

     Here is an interesting article I'd like to share with you on thieves oil. I know from personal experience that the Thieves oil and the Thieves house hold cleaner are great organic disinfectants  fungal killers, smell great and they are great at  hard to clean jobs.

Thieves Essential Oil - The Organic Germ Killer

By Valerie Cehonski

Thieves essential oil blend is hands down my favorite oil of the season. Well really, one of my favorite oils ever. Young Living produces only therapeutic grade essential oils from organic ingredients, so you can be sure that this organic germ killer is of the highest quality. Nothing is more effective, yet completely natural and chemical free.

Thieves essential oil is a blend of highly anti-viral, anti-septic, anti-bacterial and anti-infectious oils. The formula was created by four thieves in 15th century France who would cover themselves with oils to prevent contracting the plague when robbing plague victims. When they were arrested, they were given a lighter sentence in exchange for their secret formula. The most powerful ingredient in this organic germ killer oil is Clove oil, which is the highest scoring single oil on the ORAC scale (which is one of the most sensitive and reliable methods for measuring a substance's antioxidant capacity). Clove is highly antiviral and antibacterial, and has a delicious, sweet scent. Clove is blended with Lemon (powerful antioxidant), Cinnamon Bark (digestive aid and support), Eucalyptus Radiata (highly antibacterial) and Rosemary (energizing and antimicrobial) to create the most powerful organic germ killer oil on the market today. A 1997 study at Weber State University found Thieves blend to be 99.96% effective in killing airborne micro-organisms.

Young Living has created an entire line of Thieves products, making this organic germ killer simple to incorporate into your everyday life. When the oil itself is diffused, it kills airborne germs, odors, micro-organisms and even molds. Applied topically to the bottoms of the feet or ingested in a capsule, Thieves organic germ killer properties boosts your immunity with anti-viral and anti-bacterial capabilities. The line of soaps and oral care products cleanse without adding synthetic ingredients, and the household cleaner is highly effective without harsh chemical cleaners.

Thieves essential oil blend is a must if you are looking for a healthy, organic germ killer, especially for the cold and flu season. Essential oils are an amazing, powerful way to make your life healthier and more enjoyable, and the Thieves oil blend is hands down one of the most amazing oils out there.