Natural Choices — Health Food, Organic Produce, Gluten Free, Vitamins, Supplements — Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana

Posts Tagged ‘aromatherapy’

Despite it being summer time and people being out and about and active in so many ways, there are nights when it is difficult to sleep. It could be stress, it could be lack of physical activity to wear you out, or it could be a myriad of other things. On those nights, it doesn’t matter to me what is causing me to stare wide-eyed into the darkness, all I know is that I want to go to sleep.

There are several herbs and plants that can provide some relief – and help you get some shut-eye, on a regular basis.

Chamomile has long been used for a relaxing tea.

Chamomile, besides being a great herb for digestive upset, is also widely known and used as a bedtime beverage in tea.

My grandma used to say a little chamomile tea is the best thing for most things that ail you. She would drink a cup of tea before bed and swear she slept like a rock.

It is the root of the valerian that is used in natural supplements.

Valerian is another plant known as an effective and reliable sedative and sleep aid.

According to the American Botanical Council, valerian is not like over-the-counter and prescription products in that it is not habit-forming nor does it leave you with that drowsy or hung-over feeling in the morning.

Another great way to ease into a good night’s sleep is to develop the habit of a relaxing bath before bed. Frontier National Products Co-op suggests a milk bath. Their easy instructions:

Infuse a handful of chamomile flowers and jasmine flowers in a small pot of warm milk for a few hours. Pour into your bath water.

Sounds like something you can start while preparing dinner and have ready just in time to take a nice, relaxing bath before going to bed.

Keeping dried lavender in a dish or bath has a relaxing effect in a home.

Getting sufficient recuperative sleep is critical to good health and long life.

Finding  ways to get a good night’s sleep naturally is not as difficult as you might think. Stop by Natural Choices and peruse the dietary supplements to find combinations specfically formulated to be sleep aids. Then check out the tea selections and herbs to find what you need or want to create your own tea and bath regimen.

You might also look at the essential oils to find those oils such as jasmine or lavender to use in aromatherapy and make your bedroom a scented haven for relaxing, restful sleep.

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

In one of my recent blogs I talked about mint and mentioned aromatherapy. Since then, I have gotten several inquiries about aromatherapy. So I thought I would provide some information to answer those questions.

Fennel is a popular essential oil.

Aromatherapy has been around a long, llooonnnggg time – centuries, in fact. Think Frankincense. There is a National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) where you can find information about the history and development of aromatherapy. I like their definition:

Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote health of body, mind and spirit.

Essential oil made from eucalyptus smells wonderful!

Now that even sounds pleasant to me. I have heard it said that people generally tend to favor one or two senses over others. For me, when anyone even talks about scents and odors, I instantly start “smelling” things. I just can’t seem to help it.

Another thing I have heard is that the sense of smell is one of the strongest senses for memories. Smelling something can instantly conjure up memories that are associated with that scent. This could be true. Because when I think of my Great Aunt, I smell her perfume, and memories of my mother-in-law make me “smell” baby powder – her favorite after-bath talc.

The NAHA goes on to further explain:

As a holistic medicine, Aromatherapy is both a preventative approach as well as an active treatment during acute and chronic stages of illness or ‘dis’-ease.

It is a natural, non-invasive treatment system designed to affect the whole person not just the sympton or disease and to assist the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate heal and maintain itself by the correct use of essential oils.

Essential oils are those derived from plants. The warning that always goes along with essential oils is that of quality. First and foremost, the oils should be natural, not synthetic.

Essential oils are very concentrated so caution is needed in their use. They are generally not ingested and many should be diluted before coming in contact with skin. It’s a good idea to learn what different oils are best used for and how they should be handled before jumping into purchasing a bunch willy nilly. That being said, learning about which ones would be best for you and your well-being is a great way to start.

If you drop by Natural Choices in Columbus, Indiana, you will find a great selection of natural, quality essential oils AND someone who will be able to guide you to the best one for you to try. There are so many essential oils available and they are recommended for so many things like improving mental accuity, reducing stress or improving anxiety. The best suggestion is to actually inquire as to what oil would be good to try for a condition or situation you have. There are even some that are recommended for “clearing the air” in your home just making it a healthier place to breath and live. (Not to mention smelling good, too!)

Maybe you’ll be creating your own ”signature scent” that your descendents will conjure up when they think of you years and years later!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

I like the drive from Indianapolis to Columbus and when I get there, I am rewarded with a visit to Natural Choices, the healthy living store. Without even trying, I always learn something new or find something to make my life healthier when I walk through the door of Natural Choices.

Essential oils come in small, potent quantities.

The last trip I learned about essential oils. I knew people who purchased essential oils, but I had no idea what they did with them. The first thing I learned is that, for the most part, essential oils are not for ingestion. That’s a big one for me because I thought they were used in cooking which is not usually true.

Essential oils are the “essence” of a plant, the scent and vitality of a plant distilled into a very potent, useful bit of oil. The oils are used in aromatherapy for one thing. But for novices like me, I have to learn a little bit at a time.

Pure and natural oils are the best. Consumers have to be aware that there are synthetic products out there. Pay attention to ingredients (you don’t want to see the word ‘fragrance’ as an ingredient) and buy oils from “people who know” rather than from the big box store manned by workers trained in emptying boxes onto shelves despite the contents.

Lavender oil smells wonderful and is healthful, too.

For summer, one of the big finds is that specific essential oils like citronella, peppermint and lavender can be used as a natural bug repellent. Simply sprinkle a few drops onto a cotton ball and place it near doorways and windows! Keep the bugs out and freshen the air at the same time! What a great idea.

Another important bit of information gleaned was that because the oils are so potent, care must be exercised in using them around pets and children. You know how they like to put things in their mouths – and ingested full-strength essential oil would not be a good thing.

What started this whole new adventure in essential oils was a huge display of them at Natural Choices. You can trust that they will be pure and healthful if they are on the shelves there and the staff can help you explore the scents and choose those that will benefit you.

Go on in, explore, learn and take home an essential oil to freshen your home and boost your health at the same time!

–Ellie of the Natural Choices Blog Team

Natural Choices is nearby no matter where you live. Call, place an order and it will be shipped directly to you.