Purification Essential Oil Versus Bug Spray

Purification Essential Oil

Sold by Young Living Oil Representatives

Purification® can be used directly on the skin to cleanse and soothe insect bites, cuts, and scrapes. When diffused, it helps to purify and cleanse the air from environmental impurities including cigarette smoke and other disagreeable odors. EarthKosher Certified

How to Use

For topical or aromatic use. Diffuse, apply topically on location as needed, or put on cotton balls to place in air vents of home, car, hotel room and office. Diffuse and rub on feet for cleansing.
Possible skin sensitivity. If pregnant or under a doctor's care, consult your physician. Dilution not required; suitable for all but the most sensitive skin. Generally safe for children over 2 years of age.

Product Tips

• Dilute several drops of Purification essential oil blend in a spray bottle and spray to repel insects.
• Apply one drop of Purification essential oil blend topically to soothe existing bug bites or scratches.
• Add Purification essential oil blend to your washing machine to freshen laundry.
• Add a couple drops of Purification essential oil blend to shoes to help neutralize odors.
• Add a few drops of Purification essential oil blend to a cotton ball to help eliminate stale air in the office or your child’s room.
• Diffuse Purification essential oil blend to dispel unpleasant odors and clear the air of impurities.
• Diffuse Purification essential oil blend to eliminate odors after the dog returns from playing outdoors in the rain.

Ingredients

Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Melaleuca (Melaleuca alternifolia) lavandin (Lavandula x hybrida), and myrtle (Myrtus communis).

 

 

 

 

Massage Therapy Cupping

Massage Cupping Therapy

By Karen Benford Smith

 

Massage cupping is an ancient form of vacuum therapy that was used in early Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Ancient practitioners would hollow out animal bones or horns to remove toxic poisons from venomous snake bites and skin lesions.  The horns were later replaced by bamboo cups and today the glass cups are the choice of most therapists for massage cupping. 

The theory behind cupping is that blood is diverted to a particular site on the body  In the 18^th through the 20^th century cupping was used to reduce congestion and build up associated with colds.  Breast cupping is used for lactation dysfunction.  The breast pump resulted out of breast cupping to ensure that the mother could continuously produce milk and store the milk for future feedings of the child.

Massage cupping currently is used in addition to a massage therapy session.  Cupping adds suction to the body and helps the nervous system by sedating and relaxing the area that has built up lactic acid or adhesions.

The deep rolling effect of cupping that is done on the entirety of the back and mimics a deep tissue massage.  Long and intended cupping actions will drain fluid, or circular actions will remove stubborn or ridged tissue build up.  Often the skin turns red, which is a sign that the circulation has been brought to the surface.

Some conditions that benefit from cupping or fibromyalgia, anxiety, insomnia, post-injury trauma, chronic pain, post- surgery adhesions, and sluggish coon.

Cupping is a new addition to my practice.  Creating a suction and vacuum pressure to soft tight muscles and tone attachments may produce reduction in inflammation, drain excess fluids, and toxins by opening lymphatic pathways.  Be sure and request cupping as part of your therapy treatment.

Understanding Shoulder Pain

By Karen Benford Smith

 

The shoulder is an integral part of the body because the shoulder joints move each time the arms move.  Understanding how the shoulder is put together may help an individual better understand the purposes of the shoulder.  The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint with three main bones:  the upper arm bone (humerus), collarbone (clavicle), and the shoulder blade (scapula).  Muscles and ligaments hold the shoulder bones together.  Because the shoulder has the highest range of motion of any joint in the body it is prone to more injuries, overuse, and wear and tear.  The process of aging may also increase the chances of pain in the shoulder.  Determining if a shoulder injury or pain is serious or minor can often be regulated by the range of motion of the shoulder.

Shoulder injuries often occur during sports related act ivies, work related accidents or activities, falls, and change in the weather.  Most shoulder injuries or pains are treatable at home.  Other injuries that are more serious should be treated by a medical professional.  Acute or sudden injury, overuse of the shoulder, and other symptoms of shoulder pain such as muscle tension, breakdown of the cartilage of the shoulder, and calcium build up on the tendons of the shoulders, and herniated disc or pinched nerve of the neck. 

As stated before understanding how severe the overused shoulder injury is found out by the shoulders range of motion.  A frozen shoulder, which is a condition that permits limited use of the shoulder, is usually followed by an injury. 

Bursitis is the inflammation of the sac of fluid that cushions and lubricates the joint area between one bond and another bone, a tendon, or the skin.

Bicipital tendinitis is an inflammation of one of the tendons that attaches to the biceps on the front of the arm and connects to the humerus (Bicipital bone), which the tendon routes through to attach above the shoulder joint.

Rotator cuff syndrome or shoulder impingement syndrome is verified by overhead arm movements, causes rubbing and scraping and inflammation of the acromion.

Acute injuries of the shoulder are brought on by bruising or contusions from a twist, bump, or fall. 

Sprains to the tough, ropy ligaments that connect to the bone and aid in stabilization of the shoulder may occur.

Separation of the shoulder occurs when the outer end of the collarbone (clavicle) separates from the acromion of the shoulder blade and causes the ligaments to tear.  The injury often happens from a blow to the shoulder, fall or to break a fall with an outstretched arm or hand.

A dislocation or subluxation is when the shoulder is pulled or pushed in an abnormal association with other bones.

Treatment for shoulder injuries may include first aid measures, physical therapy, massage therapy, and in some instances surgery.  Treatment varies and is dependent on the location, type, and nature of the injury.  Other variables are how long the injury has occurred, age, health, and extracurricular activities.

 

 

 

 

Stress and the master gene trigger

By Karen Benford Smith

A recent article found in the Journal of Clinical Investigation reveals that the stimulation of the master gene known as ATF3, which aids in the adaption of cells to reduce stress may be a primary aid in reducing the spread of breast cancer, as well as other cancers that metastasis (spread to other parts of the body).

Stress, a major culprit in the instigation of breast cancer, may also be the contributor to the spread of this disease.  ATF3 normally protects the body’s cells by disposing of cells permanently that have been harmed by stress due to lack of oxygen or irradiation (radioactivity or x-ray treatment).

Healthy cellular structure is composed of an immune system that eliminates foreign agents or harmful compositions, which is beneficial in early stages of cancer.  If for some reason the immune system decides that the destruction of certain harmful cells is unnecessary, the cancerous cells will begin to multiply and take over a system.  This is when tumors develop.  The AFT3 is called upon to create a malfunction in the cellular organization and permits the cancer cells to leave the cell and escape with the cancer to other areas of the body.

Things that promote ATF3 are a diet high in fat, radiation, chemotherapy, UV damage, and chronic stress.

Western medicine is currently studying ways to create a drug that would focus on the destruction of the ATF3 cells and promote the creation of more productive cellular growth.

If an individual would work on reduction of stress naturally the need for a new drug would not be necessary.  Here are some ways that stress can keep the master gene cell ATF3 from inhibiting the body.

1)       Passionflower (for stress and anxiety)

2)      Massage

3)      Meditation

4)      Exercise

5)      Organize your life

6)      Eat Healthy

7)      Limit internet and Cellular phone use

8)      B vitamins

9)      Aromatherapy

10)   Sleep

	Experts: Interviews Print this page | Sign up for free e-bulletins	11/19/2013 | Bookmark This Page
	Don't Just Change: Transform A Message from Dr. Matt Mumber and Heather Reed: In our new book, Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit, we introduce a series of safe and reliable techniques that can help you to make adjustments needed to rebalance yourself as you move through the stages of life. These particular techniques come out of Dr. Matt's extensive training and experience as an integrative radiation oncologist and Heather's experience as a Yoga and meditation teacher. The book reflects our decade of work with people facing challenges of all kinds - including life threatening ones. Rather than a quick fix or fad diet, this program is grounded in the cultivation of awareness. After interacting with hundreds of people in retreats and group settings, we've learned it's the familiar tools consistently applied that facilitate the greatest benefit and become our strongest allies, even if these tools change over time. Our Website, www.sustainablewellnessonline.com, offers further resources, practices, and ways to stay in touch with us. Please think of us as guides and part of your support team as you take gradual steps toward sustainable wellness. Here's an excerpt from the book: A sustainable approach to health should be practical and should fit into everyday situations. Our actions reflect our inner nature, and vice versa: Consistent choices made over time can influence this inner nature and its expression. This is the work of transformation via the use of well-chosen tools. Small changes can have a big impact on our lives. Heather describes this through an experiment she did as a child: As a little girl, I wandered through summer fields of wild-flowers. Queen Anne's Lace was always my favorite. I wondered how the rain got into the tiny white petals and asked my father to explain. He said the flowers would show me. We picked a bunch of lacey flowers and placed them in a jar of water. My father asked me to choose among the small vials of food coloring in the kitchen cupboard and to squeeze a few drops into the water. I saw the water turn blue and asked what would happen next. He smiled and said, "You'll see." I watched the flowers throughout the day. By the next morning it happened: the tinted water had traveled up the flower stems. The petals were blue! Later, I learned the science behind the flowers' transformation. It paled in comparison to the magic that I witnessed with my own eyes. Over time, the power and significance of my experiment has deepened. More than ever, I'm amazed by the effect of a few small drops. This process is similar to creating a practical and sustainable health practice: The jar and the water represent our inner nature, whereas the flower reflects its expression in life. The drops of coloring are new tools at our disposal. When we use tools that merge with the substance of our inner nature, they are absorbed in a way that feeds our life and changes its expression effortlessly. If we use tools that don't align with our inner nature, they will not enter into the solution of nourishment. In our example, this would be like dropping a rock into the jar of water. The rock would sink to the bottom and would have no influence on the expression of the flower. Throughout this book we'll offer exercises like the small drops of coloring added to the water nourishing the flower. We call these "Yoga Bits" and we encourage you to drop them into your daily life with intention and awareness. They're helpful in maintaining your chosen health practice and can be performed in as little time as taking a breath. Dr. Matt Mumber and Heather Reed are the authors of "Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit" published by New Page and due out September 22, 2012. EAN 978-1-60163-234-0, Canada $17.95. Dr. Matt is a 2002 graduate from Dr. Weil's Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.

Detoxifying and Cleansing

by Karen Benford Smith

Every day the body transforms the food and chemicals ingested in the body through a natural process of elimination or neutralizing.  The processes take class in the colon, kidneys, liver, lungs, lymph, and skin.  The internal and external organs automatically detoxify through normal bodily functions but in today’s world the process can be hampered.  Cleansing or detoxification program may enhance and provide protection from the outside forces that want to cause havoc in the body. The solution to safeguard the body an implementation of yet another way to defend the keep pollution and hazardous materials from contaminating the body is to cleanse and detoxify these materials that were not meant to be in the body.  Detoxifying and cleansing can help remove unwanted environmental harmful such as pollution, chemicals, and any other immune-compromising diseases that affect the whole body. Cleansing is one of the best ways to fight free radicals and triggers that may cause internal damage.

The body sends signals to the mind identifying reasons for a change to the compromised immune system.  Here are some of the warning signs that a cleanse or detoxification program may necessary. If you have frequent headaches, back and joint pains, or arthritis. Also a detox program may be prompted if you have chronic sinus, respiratory, or asthma problems. Another way to define if you need a cleansing is if you have abnormal bad breath, body odor, or a coated tongue.  When you become irritable, depressed, or have trouble sleeping would be three additional reasons to try a detoxification program. 

Some of the benefits that a detoxification program gives the body is a clean internal operating system that is able to handle its own flushing and eliminating.  A cleanse will provide the body with the ability to breath freely without obstruction caused by excess mucous and congestion.  Once the chemical overload has been removed, mental clarity and free thinking will be restored.  A big plus factor in cleansing is the reduction of stomach muscles which helps control weight and allocation of food sources.

There are three steps needed to put together a cleansing program, the actual cleans, rebuilding, and maintenance.  The amount of time you can devote to cleansing is also another important factor.  Always follow these three steps, elimination, rebuilding of the healthy tissues, and keeping the body toxin-free.

Recently, I did a detoxification to reduce stress.  My cleansing program was a three days program followed by a continued upkeep of the reduction of unhealthy chemicals in the body. 

Two good sources for a detox program can be found at http://www.doctoroz.com/media/print/10173 or for a longer formal detox program go to http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/Deepak-chopra/meditation-cleanse-detox-stress-21-days?

Another excellent source for different detoxification and healthy living programs is Healthy Living by Linda Page.

Namaste,

Karen

 

Posture

Posture

By Karen Benford Smith

Back pain is one of the primary complaints of individuals seeking medical attention and reasons for missing work.  The chief complaint is low back pain with symptoms that include muscle ache, shooting or stabbing pain, limited range of motion, and the inability to stand erect.  Back pain can be eliminated or reduced by following these simple steps.

First, posture is an important part of the back pain problem.  Posture may be the leading cause of lower and upper back pain.  The pressure that is added to the spinal nerves may cause a herniated disc. Overuse of certain muscles may cause Myofascial pain, which affects the connective tissue of the group of muscles in the lower back. If an individual corrects poor posture either during extended times of standing, walking, and sitting back pain may be reduced.  Exercise is another key component for strengthening back muscles.  The exercises usually target muscles in the back, shoulders, and abdomen.  Another way to control good posture is to practice deep breathing exercises.  Yoga participants use deep breathing exercises to strengthen core muscles.  These muscles in the core region of the body will help balance the spinal cord and surrounding muscles as well as keep the body in proper alignment.

Back muscles often become sore from strenuous exercise, poor posture, or overuse. Some back treatment remedies that may be managed at home are rest, heat and ice, over—the-counter pain medication, and analgesics for muscular pain.

Back pain is the number one reason for individuals seek medical consultation and absenteeism from work.  Practicing good posture while walking, standing, and sitting can eliminate or minimize back pain.