Aromatherapy Cellulite Treatment

June 10, 2014

Maria Hansford is this week's feature blogger. Maria is a Certified Aromatherapy Health Professional who brings the benefits of aromatherapy treatments and essential oils to her business, Healing Aromas, in Guelph Ontario. For more information on Maria's services or Healing Aromas visit: www.healingaromas.ca

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Cellulite, a layer of subcutaneous fat, is the culprit behind that orange-peel texture we can get on our stomachs, butts and thights. Poor digestion and lack of sleep can cause it. Hormonal imbalances can play a part too, but the main reason why so many women today suffer from cellulite may be the abundance of hormone-mimicking chemicals in our environment. Estrogen-like food additives, fragrances, preservatives, and dyes trigger the formation of body fat in the waist and lower body areas. Excess estrogen is also linked to water retention, which could explain why drinking more water results in expelling more water and, as a result, less visible cellulite.

Essential oils for cellulite treatments have the following qualities :

diuretic to decrease water retention,

appetite suppressant to regulate one's cravings and 

detoxifier to eliminate the toxins by encouraging a better lymphatic circulation.

Juniper, also scientifically identified as Juniperus Communis, is an effective diuretic as it aids in decreasing fluid retention. This essential oil is also an excellent detoxifying agent, aiding the expulsion of toxins from the body system.

Rosemary, also scientifically identified as Rosmarinus Officinalis, is a perfect choice as a diuretic too. This essential oil is good for improving lymphatic circulation and is greatly beneficial in treating Cellulite.

Cypress, known as Cupressus sempervirens,  induces vasoconstriction and it is therefore very beneficial in treating varicose veins. It is  also a good diuretic.

Geranium, also know as Pelargonium graveolens, is an effective diuretic too. It promotes better circulation of lymphatic fluids and toxins' eradication. Geranium is also a good skin care ingredient for its balancing quality, helping to regulate the production of sebum.

Lemon, scientifically identified as Citrus Limon, is stimulating and uplifting. It also helps in treating varicose veins when combined with cypress.

Lavender, lavandula angustifolia, is a good agent in treating stretch marks.

Grapefruit essential oil,scientifically identified as Citrus Paradisi, is good for decongesting skin pores and also regulating the production of skin sebum. This essential oil is an excellent skin tonic . It is also beneficial in cellulite treatments.

When massaging the affected areas during a cellulite treatment, the pressure exerted is helpful in improving circulation for both blood and lymph. The essential oils used in the treatments penetrate into the dermal layer breaking the cellulite build up and aiding its expelling process.

Essential oils, due to their high concentration and potency, should be diluted in a carrier oil such as jojoba, almond or grapeseed. 

Change Your Ingredients, Change Your Life!

June 4, 2014

This week we are very excited to feature a blog post from the multi-talented Louise Camilleri. Louise is a Natural Health Practitioner, Holistic Skincare Formulator and Natural Perfumer . Her mission is to teach people how to live to their highest potential through holistic means, and she offers her clients her best in preventative healthcare practices. 

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You’ve heard it before.  It’s a simple phrase amongst all the catch phrases roaming around the health & wellness industry these days but it’s one that a lot of people might find hard to believe.

     As a Reflexologist, Aromatherapist, Holistic Skin Care Formulator and Natural Perfumer, I know for a fact that this old adage holds a great deal of truth.  On a daily basis I use a substance, during all of these activities, that has ingredients that are beneficial to my wellbeing inside and out.

     Enter one of nature’s best, 'The Essential Oil'.  Rosemary essential oil, for example,  a flowering herb from France, Italy and Spain.  After these flowering tops have been steam distilled you have a true miracle in a jar.

     For your health it is a #1 heart tonic.  It improves blood circulation, is an anti-inflammatory, aids with asthma and bronchitis, gets rid of fluid (edema), helps with sprains, and is a general stimulant.  For your mental wellness it acts as an anti-depressant, is uplifting, helps with mental fatigue, and clears the mind and memory.  For your natural beauty just dilute it with water and you have a natural skin astringent then use it on the scalp for hair loss.  To gain all of these affects from the inside out, use a sprig of this herb in your cooking.  You know an ingredient is great when you can eat it!

     An example of the power of lavender essential oil is a case study** in which women who received lavender aromatherapy* after undergoing cesarean surgery had less postoperative pain, decreased heart rate and greater satisfaction with their pain management as opposed to women who received a placebo form of aromatherapy.  It also makes a lovely and aromatic beauty tea when the dried buds are steeped.

     Changing your ingredients to change your life is all part of what I call 'The Conscious Living Lifestyle';  where we, as active participants in our healthcare regime, source all the information we can to make the right decisions in a conscious state of awareness about our quality of life.  Gone are the dark ages of blind taste tests, of not reading a label and knowing what was in a product that was going on your skin and into your body.  Today, there are regulations that require disclosure of ingredients on labels or at the very least there are companies that share the research they have on a commercial product.

     Just as we do with our cars on a regular maintenance schedule, or with our homes seasonally, it’s a good idea to take a mental and physical check of ourselves and do a little cleaning or shake things up with a change to our health, wellness and beauty regime.

     I challenge you to research an essential oil that you may have heard of, like the smell of, or might know well.  This could be coconut oil or oil of oregano, which both have fabulous properties.  Find out if it comes in a food grade and add it to your next recipe.  Find a lovely citrus oil like mandarin and blend it with patchouli on a handkerchief to replace the dryer sheet in your next load of laundry.  This tip is especially good for people who have allergic reactions or sensitivities to the chemicals or synthetic fragrance in dryer sheets.  You’ll find this to not only be economical but uplifting, calming, and soothing with a bit of the aphrodisiac effects thrown in, (laundry will never be the same!).  Finally, for those who are a bit more daring look for a natural, raw, shea butter and mix in some rose or lavender essential oil to make a lovely body butter that will soothe the skin and rejuvenate the cells.

     What a beautiful thing nature has supplied for us in these pure botanical oils that are chock full of natural compounds to aid our health, wellness and beauty.  They provide the most effective, safe and natural ingredients we can use to change our lives for the better.

**Department of Anesthesiology, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; and Barij Essence Research and Development Centre, Kashan, Iran. Originally published in 2013 in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, 3(1), 203-207.

*Aromatherapy for pain relief rests primarily on the topical application of high-quality, potent essential oils. Layering oils onto the back allows for increased access to spinal nerves connected with dermatomes and organs. Increasing the area of application allows for more global pain-and-inflammation reduction. Applying friction to the back stimulates the skin's nerves and dermatomes. (A client presenting with acute internal pain should be referred to a medical professional for diagnosis and treatment.)

For more information on The Conscious Living Lifestyle check out Louise’s website at www.lcnatural.com