Lavender Oil is Antiseptic and Fast Healing

The first time I used lavender oil for healing was many years ago when my daughter was about 5 years old and she had hit her bare foot on a sharp rock, while running around the garden on a summer afternoon!

On examination of the foot, it appeared that the skin under her big toe had been cut open and of course blood was rushing out!  The cut was about one centimetre in depth.

Without thinking about it too hard, I picked her up, rushed to the bathroom and ran a basin of warm water.  I dropped about 6 drops of aromatherapy lavender oil into the basin of water and sitting her on my lap, I immersed the foot in it. 

We sat there for about 10 minutes.

Now this simultaneously achieved five things: 

1.  Lavender is strongly antiseptic.

2.  There would be no need to use something which stings like TCP and which would have caused her to cry   out with more pain.

3.  By letting the foot soak in the water, the wound would not need to be cleaned because the antiseptic lavender water soaks right into it without hurting it further.

4.  Lavender will completely take away the pain.

5.  Lavender is well known for its soothing, calming qualities, which is ideal for someone who has just had a nasty accident, especially a small child! 

The great thing about this was the way the antiseptic lavender water soaked deeply into the wound, cleaning it without having to use anything that would cause more pain.

I put a loose aerated bandage around the toe, so that the air could get in to heal it and to my astonishment, the next day the wound was completely sealed up and healed!

Well, you can imagine how amazed I was at the healing power of lavender oil!!  That is the fastest healing I have ever seen!  Faster than anything else I’ve found!  There were no further problems with the toe.

Any doctors and nurses reading this might wonder why I didn’t take her straight to Accident & Emergency.  Well not if I can help immediately and if so, then why put the child through further trauma, which might be remembered for the rest of their life and end up being a worse experience than the accident?

Of course if stitches are needed in a bad accident, you would obviously go straight to the hospital.

For small wounds in other places, you can get a bowl of warm water, added a couple of drops of the oil and then gently bathe the wound with cotton wool. 

Another use for lavender oil is for coughs.  If you have a bad cough and can’t get to sleep buy a little aromatherapy oil burner.  Mine was made of brass and had a little round bit at the top that you put the oil in and underneath at the bottom was a place for a tea candle.  If you drop the lavender oil at the top and light the small candle, place it on a table by your bed, you will find that when you breathe in the smell of the lavender, your cough will disappear and you will sleep soundly.

Finally, overactive children before bedtime!  Drop about four drops of lavender oil in their bath and this will calm them down before they go to sleep.

There are probably lots of other wonderful uses for lavender and when I remember them, I shall update this article!

Himalayan Crystal Salt contains 84 Essential Minerals

 

I first started using Himalayan crystal salt about five years ago and have found it a delicious and really healthy alternative.  Before that I was using sea salt.  I discovered that the Himalayan crystal salt has far more flavour and a much nicer saltier taste.

This salt is 250 million years old and is mined deep inside the Himalayan mountain range, free from modern day pollution.

There is so much fuss about salt being dangerous and bad for you.  YES, table salt, which is pure sodium chloride with perhaps a little added iodine, IS bad for you.  Why?  This is because of the anti-caking agent in it.  That is dangerous!  There are many people who believe that table salt actually CAUSES heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease, so you want to stay away from it and pay the little extra to get real salt.

We NEED salt in our diet!  The Himalayan crystal salt contains 84 minerals essential to human life, with plenty of calcium, magnesium and potassium.

On the other hand, refined, industrial grade table salt, has all the minerals removed.  It is kiln-dried sodium chloride with added anti-caking agents. Minerals and trace minerals are taken out during the processing and kiln-drying means scorching the salt at high temperatures to remove moisture.  This creates a salt which is unnatural and bad for the body.

In this excellent article in the UK Independent newspaper http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/well-seasoned-how-salt-can-actually-be-good-for-you-771775.html

Patrick Holford, leading nutritionalist in the UK, says:

"Minerals work together and need to be balanced.  For example, potassium and magnesium work with sodium to regulate water balance, nerve and muscle impulses.  The more sodium you eat, the more potassium and magnesium you need.  Few of us eat enough of these, yet we eat high amounts of sodium in salt. This leads to potassium and magnesium deficiency, where muscles become tight, nerves become over-stimulated and you feel more anxious."

With its high nutritional value, Himalayan crystal salt is essential for maintaining the healthy functioning of cells, nerve conduction, digestion, absorption and elimination of waste products.  It has life generating power for both the body and the nervous system.  Himalayan crystal salt is a natural full-spectrum salt.  Its distinctive rose pink colour comes from an halophilic pink algae.

When I occasionally get cramps in my calves or feet on a cold night in bed, I go to the kitchen, put a little Himalayan crystal salt in a tiny cup, added a bit of warm water from the kettle to melt it quickly and drunk it down.  Hey presto!  The cramps ALWAYS disappear within about five minutes.  This is because cramps are a sign of mineral deficiency, which the salt quickly fixes.  Some people swear by eating bananas to prevent cramps in legs and feet.  Perhaps it is the potassium in the bananas that helps this.

All I can tell you is that if you go without any salt in your diet, you probably won’t feel too good because we NEED our minerals for the healthy functioning of the body.

I buy my Himalayan crystal salt from Best Care UK but if you are in the USA or another country, you will probably be able to find it in a health shop in your area or order it on the internet.  I get the fine crystal powder salt but have also used the larger crystals which go in the salt grinder.  I also use it for cooking.

Here are all the different types of Himalayan crystal salt at Best Care.  See also their lovely crystal salt lamps in various sizes.  I have one of them by the television set, which very effectively clears away the static electricity coming off it.

http://www.bestcare-uk.com/crystalsalt.htm

Coral Calcium to strengthen the bones

by Louise Mclean, LCCH.

I first started using coral calcium to protect my bones about three years ago and also as a wonderful source of minerals. 

As many people are now realising, these days our foods are rather low in minerals due to the depleted and low quality of soil that they are grown in.  Therefore it is essential to take a supplement which contains them. 

I have never been a believer in taking either a vitamin or a mineral separately, as very often one of them needs others before it can be properly activated to do its work in the human body. 

There are 73 minerals in coral calcium with high levels of calcium and magnesium and its composition is so close to the human bone that it is used by surgeons for bone transplants.  It is therefore an ideal supplement for those suffering from osteoporosis.

Medicinal use of coral calcium was first used by the Arabs in the sixteenth Century.  There is a museum in Spain which has a sample taken from the oldest Spanish pharmacy built in 1685 in Panaranda de Duero and labelled ‘coral stone to purify the blood’.  The label further states coral calcium’s benefits to the heart and for feelings of wellbeing. 

It is also known for restoring the alkaline PH balance of the blood and may be very helpful for some types of anaemia.  Ancient cultures knew that coral's 73 minerals and elements were key to remaining healthy and for the sick to regain their vitality.

From an ecological point of view it is better to buy the ‘Above-Sea’ fossilised coral calcium, rather than the below sea ‘Marine’ coral calcium.  This is because in ‘marine’ production, industrial sized machines dredge the coral from the ocean floor disrupting the coral reefs, whereas the ‘above sea’ type is more protective to the environment.

Marine coral calcium, is like sand containing a mixture of coral, sea shells, silica, rock and sea life.  It is gathered via a dredging ship which lowers a large pipe to the bottom of the ocean and vacuums up the coral.  In addition, there have been complaints from people who ingest it because it is not so easily digestible.

Above sea coral which is purer, is made up of 37% calcium and was pushed above sea level over the centuries.  Only the white coral heads are harvested by removing the protective layer of soil which has accumulated and then taken away for grinding.

I usually stir about quarter of a teaspoon of the powder into a drink every night before bedtime in order to maintain the strength of my bones and boost my overall mineral input.  You may need more if you have a bone disorder, so do check the label.  I prefer the powder rather than the capsules due to the fact that I don’t like ingesting the casings as you never know exactly what they are made of.

Minerals in Coral Calcium

http://www.coralcalciumuk.co.uk/mineral.html

http://www.healthleadsuk.com/supplements/mineral-supplements/coral-calcium-powder-100gms.html

I trust this brand.

NB. Coral calcium is a very good form of calcium to take, especially if you have had a calcium test and your levels are low. However, I would caution people not to take any calcium supplement for too long.  To find out why, please see my other article on Hypercalcemia!

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy Cream and its Astonishing Number of Uses!

 

I first heard about the Bach flower Essences as far back as the late 1980s.  There are 38 of them but the most well known is Rescue Remedy, the essence people take to calm their nerves after frights and shocks or to overcome anticipatory anxiety before interviews, driving tests, exams, etc.

However not everyone knows about the Rescue Remedy CREAM.  Like the essence, it contains the same five ingredients for mental, emotional or physical trauma, plus one more, the cleansing Crab Apple.

The first five essences are Star of Bethlehem (for the after effects of shock), Cherry Plum (for fear of losing control), Rock Rose (for terror), Impatiens (for impatience),  and Clematis (for dreaminess and lack of interest in the present). 

When you think about how people behave when they are frightened or after a shock, the choice of the essence mixture makes sense.  The first three are self-explanatory and the last two are common secondary reactions.  

Anyway, this piece is only about the Cream and it is a MUST HAVE for Mothers with small children and I would say just about everyone to have on hand for minor accidents and emergencies!

However, the number of uses for the cream never ceases to amaze me.  I am always finding it works for yet another unexpected incident.

Initially experimenting with it during the 1990s, I found it was great for my babies’ nappy rash and like Arnica, for bumps and bruises.  During the time my children were small it was definitely a Godsend, quickly removing the pain.

Another of its uses is for chickenpox.  In the 1990s we were advised to put calamine lotion on our children’s chickenpox spots.  I found Rescue Remedy cream to be much more effective because it complely eased the itchiness of the spots, so they disappeared without leaving a mark because when they’re scratched they leave a scar.

In addition, Rescue Remedy cream will also help the itchiness of eczema.  Unfortunately, it won’t cure eczema but at least it will stop your child scratching and help them sleep more peacefully through the night.

Since then I have found it extremely effective for a number of rather nasty accidents. 

There was the time that I strained some vegetables and poured boiling water down my arm!  I rubbed the cream over the place I had burned it and there was no pain, nor did the boiling water leave any mark whatsoever!

Another time I was sewing and stuck a sharp needle down the back of my nail!  After putting a liberal amount of the cream on it, two minutes later, I couldn’t have told you which finger had been injured!

My friend in Africa told me how her Mother was stung on the knee by an African bee, how it was Sunday and difficult to get hold of a doctor.  She grabbed the Rescue Remedy cream and much to their amazement, the enormous swelling went down immediately!

I have used it for mosquito bites in the UK but not tropical ones.

Recently, I had an astonishing instant cure concerning a slightly inflamed right knee and left wrist which had been bothering me for the last two months.  The knee was causing me problems because I couldn’t find a comfortable position to get off to sleep.  After rubbing the cream on it, the problem disappeared overnight!  The same was true of my sore wrist which I had possibly strained.

The reason I even thought of trying it was because a couple of years back I had a trapped nerve in my shoulder from carrying something heavy.  I woke in the night with the pain but was too sleepy to work out which homeopathic remedy to take which I would normally do.  On impulse I grabbed the Rescue Remedy cream and applied it, hoping for the best.  Next day the pain was completely gone and didn’t come back!

This is what made me think that it was worth a try to use it on my knee and wrist.  I honestly didn’t expect the pains to go because I had them for a few months and felt they may be developing into something chronic. 

I forgot to mention that in the recent freezing weather, I went outside for a minute and a gust of icy wind lifted my jersey and whipped over my lower back. This brought on a pain with stiffness.  A little of the cream on the lower back and the pain and stiffness magically disappeared!

I have always said this is a truly MIRACULOUS CREAM but I had no idea it worked for so many different things.  I have listed the circumstances in which I have personally used it but there are probably many others!

Isn’t it so true that as soon as a physical problem disappears, we simply forget all about it?  So it was only a couple of days later that I realised I didn’t have any of those pains any more! 

I hope that others will find uses for this extraordinary cream to help with minor accidents and ease their pains.

This is a very safe and non-toxic cream with only pure ingredients, being free of lanolin, parabens and any perfume. 

At the time of writing, Rescue Remedy Cream is available at Boots for £7.46, and at health shops.

http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com/en-gb/uk/our-brands/bachoriginalflowerremedies/

Avocado Dip

For a healthy 'pick you up' snack which is quick to make and great for parties:

2 large avocados mashed
finely chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic
1 squeezed lemon
few drops of tabasco
sea salt (or Himalayan crystal salt) and ground black peppercorns

Mash all these together in a bowl for a great dip!

Organic Avocado Oil for the Face

Avocado Persea americana

Pure avocado oil is the most wonderful oil for the human skin as it is full of nutrients that soak right in through the epidermis down to the deeper layers of the skin, feeding and nourishing it.  The one I use is made by Natural by Nature Oils.

This is especially good for dry and very dry skin.  This is the best thing I have found to prevent lines and wrinkles.  If you use it every night, it will prevent you getting more and it may well clear some of the ones you have already!

The nutrients in avocados are in the oil.  Avocado is one of the healthiest foods you can eat containing vitamins B, C, E, K, Potassium and Magnesium.

http://www.avocado.org/avocado-nutrients/

Leslie Kenton,

http://www.lesliekenton.com/recomends.html

who used to write for Vogue and Harpers & Queen, recommended people mash avocado and put it on their faces as a face mask, to directly feed the skin and create a healthy radiance.  So the next best thing is to use the oil.

All oils are different.  Some are heavy, such as olive oil and others are very light.  I would say this is a medium oil but you will find it won’t get on the pillow because it soaks into the skin well.

Rub this oil into your face, neck and hands before bedtime, so that it can work during the night.  It is important to rub it on your neck and hands because these give your age away.  It is no good doing lots of things to keep your face young and then spoiling the effect with wrinkled neck and hands!  You will find that the avocado oil will do just as much for your neck and hands as it does for your face.

This is pure food for your face.  Don't worry that the oil will smell of avocados, as it smells clean and pure.

The price is so good as well at around £5 for 100ml which will last you for months!  When you think of women spending a £100 on a cream which usually contains lots of nasty chemicals.  They are wasting their money.   

People think their skin is like a suit of armour, that you can rub anything on it and it is safe.  IT IS NOT SAFE.  The skin absorbs anything you rub on it which goes straight into the body and the blood stream.  The toxic chemicals then have to be excreted out which puts stress on your system.

This company also makes a smaller bottle which is especially for the face, though I use the larger bottle which is also used as a massage oil.  I intend to try the avocado face oil which I expect will be a little more concentrated.

Natural by Nature is a lovely company which also makes lots of aromatherapy and other oils.  http://www.naturalbynature.co.uk/

Update - September 2013

Men - you can also use this on your face, neck and hands before bed if you are in the 50, 60 age bracket.  It will naturally get rid of the lines.  There is no perfume in the product, so you don't have to worry about that.

I have found an even better pure organic avocado oil since I wrote this article, which I am now using, which is this one.  The more natural, the better, as all the nutrients are in there to thoroughly feed the skin and go right down through the epidermis to the dermis.
http://enaissance.co.uk/acatalog/Avocado--Virgin-2256.html

I can't think why women spend their money on expensive face creams packed with synthetic chemicals!  Using these is MUCH cheaper and far more effective for keeping the skin young and getting rid of lines!