Tag Archives: inspiration

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Aloe Vera, The “First Aid” Plant

All About Aloe Vera

 

Aloe Vera Properties

Aloe Vera Is:

·       Anti-inflammatory
·       Antibacterial
·       Antifungal
·       Antiviral
·       Antioxidant

Aloe Vera plants produce a variety of substances with antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antioxidant properties; Aloe Vera made the list of superfoods and super herbs!

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For thousands of years, people have used the gel from aloe vera leaves for healing and softening the skin. Aloe Vera is the “First Aid” plant.  The gel inside the Aloe Vera leaves is soothing & has incredible, natural, skin care properties!

Aloe Vera plants provide high amounts of vitamins and minerals; its leaf is filled with a gel containing at least 75 nutrients, 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, & 18 amino acids.

Aloe Vera produces at least six natural antiseptics, which are able to kill mold, bacteria, funguses, and viruses.  Learn about  ways to put your magical Aloe Vera plant to use after splitting the leaves lengthwise down the middle.

Aloe Vera Recipes

Exfoliate dry skin by mixing two tbsp. each Aloe Vera gel and organic brown sugar with two tsp. lemon juice

Mix equal parts of Aloe Vera gel with lemon juice to decrease dark spots and brighten skin. Aloe Vera can decrease pigmentation

Make a homemade burn healer by mixing 1/4 cup each Aloe vera gel and liquid Calendula with a few drops of vitamin E oil & Lavender Essential oil. Store in a little, airtight jar. Give Aloe Vera as gifts, share Aloe Vera with friends & family!

Soft feet! Get rid of Eczema!  Exfoliate feet, knees and elbows with a mixture of 1/2 c. each oatmeal, four tbsp. Aloe Vera gel, and 1/2 c. coconut oil

White flakes? Reduce hair dandruff by mixing Aloe Vera juice with coconut milk and wheat germ oil. Massage into scalp and rinse.

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Uses for Aloe Vera

Shaving – Replace shaving cream and use Aloe Vera gel; soothe razor burn and save money & your skin!

Dandruff – White flakes? Reduce hair dandruff by mixing aloe vera juice with coconut milk and wheat germ oil. Massage into scalp and rinse.

Exfoliator – coconut oil mixed with sugar or sea salt is a very nourishing and effective exfoliator and safe to use all over the body.

Athlete’s Foot – Relieve athlete’s foot by mixing Aloe Vera Gel with a drop or two of Tea Tree essential oil; it works!!

Frizz – helps smooth away those pesky static-frizzed hairs. Simply rub a bit of coconut oil in your hand and swipe over your hair

Burns, poison ivy, and blisters – Aloe Vera contains cooling properties similar to menthol. Combine with Lavender or Peppermint essential oils for a dual benefit!

Healing – apply to cuts, sores, and other skin infections;  Aloe Vera has excellent antibacterial properties

Make up remover – save your money while healing your skin!

Beauty – Apply straight Aloe vera gel to skin to reduce age lines, remove scars and stretch marks; Cleopatra did!

Shower – Rub the inner sides of a cut Aloe Vera leaf on skin to use as a shower scrub (slice the aloe leaves lengthwise and use the inner sides)

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Hair – Stimulate hair growth & say goodbye to frizzy hair by massaging aloe into the scalp and hair; leave on for as long as possible, at least half an hour.
Aloe Vera restores for silky smooth and promotes growth.  Aloe Vera keeps hair well moisturized, combating the heat from styling appliances.
Moisturizer – simply scoop some out and apply; Aloe Vera absorbs quickly

Allergies, rashes – Relieve itching due to allergies and rashes or take the sting & itch out of insect bites (fight back! grow Citronella & Lemongrass plants in pots where you gather outside to keep those bugs away!)

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Aloe Vera Sugar Lemon Scrub Recipe

Mixing Aloe Vera gel, lemon juice or essential oil and organic brown sugar makes for an energizing exfoliation experience! Want a healthy glow?

Stir Aloe Vera gel, organic brown sugar and Lemon Essential Oil or juice together and ta-da!

aloe brown scrub

Homemade Burn Healer Recipe

Make a homemade burn healer by mixing 1/4 cup each Aloe vera gel and liquid Calendula with a few drops of vitamin E oil & Lavender Essential oil. Store in an airtight jar.

DIY Homemade Burn Healer
Jar
1/4 cup Aloe Vera gel
1/4 cup Calendula liquid
Few drops of Vitamin E oil
Few drips of Lavender Essential Oil

Give as gifts, share with friends & family!

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Oatmeal Coconut Aloe Scrub

Soft feet! Get rid of Eczema!

Exfoliate feet, knees and elbows with a mixture of  1/2 c. Oatmeal
4 tbsp. Aloe Vera gel
1/2 c. Coconut Oil

Aloe Vera’s healing properties repair skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea, as well

Relieve athlete’s foot by mixing Aloe Vera Gel with a drop or two of Tea Tree essential oil; it works!!

I hope you enjoyed this post!!!  Have a sparkling day!
Vanessa
vmbsrm@mindbodysoulessentials.com
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Natural Ways to Help with Insomnia

Natural Ways to Help with Insomnia

Essential Oils for Insomnia

Lavender
Valerian
Mandarin
Petitgrain
Vetiver
Orange
Chamomile (Roman)
Sage
Neroli

What are some ways I can help with my Insomnia?

An open bottle of the Essential Oil can be waved under the nostrils, or a few drops are put on a cotton ball, placed near bedding, under a car seat, or under your pillow. The sweet aromas help us to relax during otherwise stressful experiences.

Put a little warm water on top of the ‘hot plate’ and then add a few drops of essential oil to the burners that use a candle or to an electric burner.  Sitting near a burner or vaporizer can be a useful way to benefit from the properties of the oil.

Two to three drops added to a carrier oil and massaged into the temples or neck.

Put very hot water into a bowl and add three to four drops of essential oil.  Then lean over the bowl, place a large towel over your head and bowl to create  a tent to contain the steam, and inhale the vapors.  Steam inhalations can be overpowering, so use with caution.

All natural herbal fragrance mists can be made with 100% pure essential oils and distilled water.  Instructions:
Mix 8 to 10 drops of your favorite Essential Oil or blend
(or try one of our scent ideas) to 1 cup distilled water in a spray bottle
Use ribbon, string, yarn, raffia, or pipe cleaner to tie your tag to the neck of the bottle.
To use, shake well, and mist into the air

Use essential oils in the washer, the dryer or in drawers and closets.  Chamomile or Marjoram essential oils dropped onto a piece of material and popped in with the clothes in the dryer or three to five drops of the essential oils put into the softener compartment of your washer will help aid in sleep while you clean your pjs and/or bed sheets.

Essential oils in the Dryer recipe:
Instead of using toxic and irritating softening sheets in the dryer, toss in a dampened washcloth with 10 drops of lavender, lemon, bergamot, or other oils.

Make a Beddy Bye Sugar Scrub:
2 cups of white granulated sugar
1/3 cup Almond Oil (Coconut Oil will work too)
Lavender, Valerian, Chamomile (Roman) Essential Oils
Jar
Mixing bowl

Add 1/4 cup sugar to bowl
Add 1/3 cup Almond Oil slowly to get a soft consistency that’s not too oily.
Then add a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil!
Scoop the mixture into a pretty jar.  And keep it all to yourself.  Or…share with others!

Candles made with essential oils are not over-powering like chemical fragrance candles.  Dual benefits of scent and healing effects!

Turn your fireplace into an aromatic event! One drop per log.

A few drops of essential oil in a bowl of boiling water (put out of the reach of children) will leave a lingering scent all over any room!

Air and Fabric Fresheners – Essential oils provide a better option all around versus commercial aerosol fresheners.  No more worrying about what those chemicals are doing to your family’s health or the earth’s ozone layer.

It’s been proven that with the effects of aromatherapy, just the way things smell can altar your mood.

Sleepy-Hour Relaxation 
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Chamomile Essential Oil

Add Essential Oils to your bath!  The warmth of the water encourages relaxation and also enables the essential oils to penetrate the skin.  Only the essential oils that are absolutely non-irritant should be added directly to the bath! Pre-dilute with a carrier oil or milk – four to six drops essential oils to one cup of milk or two teaspoons of carrier oil.

Essential oils enter the body in several different ways. They can be absorbed through the skin. They can also be inhaled, passing into the blood stream through the lungs or by causing signals to be transmitted through the nervous system directly into the limbic system of the brain. Smelling or diffusing the oils into the air is a basic way to transmit the oils. Massage is also a very popular method of working the oils into the body.

Amber Resin Incense is an emotion balancer and is used in healing and meditation.  Traditionally applied in treatment of amnesia, dreaminess, and insomnia.  Wonderful, aromatic fragrance.

Good Luck & sweet dreams!
Vanessa
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Calendula, Calendula, Calendula

They should make a song about Calendula.  Or maybe they already have.  It should be catchy and light and fancy free.  Simply put, Calendula ROCKS.

Calendula is is a beautiful flower, when looked upon brings a smile to your face.  An even bigger smile should appear when you find out that it is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial – among other things.

Look at this gorgeous creature

Calendula

Calendula Powder, Flowers, Oil can be fund to purchase at Mind Body Soul Essentials!

Calendula has been used medicinally for centuries to heal wounds, burns and rashes, internally and externally. Calendula flowers have also been used traditionally to support the immune system and lift the spirits.

Calendula flowers, are also known as Calendula officinalis, Gold-bloom, Marigold, Marybud and Pot Marigold.

The resin, which forms at the green base of the Calendula flower head, are an important part of calendula’s healing. If you are buying calendula, make sure it has a bright yellow or orange color, which is a good measure of its freshness and medicinal quality.

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Therapeutic Properties: Anti-inflammatory to skin and mucosa, Lymphagogue (moves lymph), promotes healing of damaged tissue, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, stimulates menstrual flow, warming, drying, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial

Topical Uses: poultice, compress, infused oil and salve. Dilute tincture with water (1 part tincture to 3 parts water) for topical use.

Common Uses: Rashes, stings, wounds, burns, sunburns, abrasions, swellings, eczema, acne, surgical wounds, scrapes, chicken pox, cold sores, genital herpes sores, and as a douche for bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection and cervical dysplasia.

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Calendula Inspiring Information

Calendula tea is commonly used to help heal peptic ulcers, esophageal irritation from GERD, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Calendula may be called upon for grief and sadness along with other cheering flowers: rose, mimosa and lavender.

Gargle for sore throat, canker sores, periodontal disease, thrush, sore and bleeding gums.

Calendula helps heal inflammation from infection or irritation through its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial actions.

Used for poor immunity, respiratory infection, to help prevent infection through stimulating the lymphatic system.

Helpful herbal companions, Lemon Balm and Lemon Verbena.

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How to Make Calendula Infused Oil Recipe

Put calendula flowers into a mason jar. Cover calendula to the top of the jar with olive oil, stir slowly to relase air bubbles and cover tightly. Let sit for two weeks to infuse. Remember, the long it sits, the stronger the infusion. Drain with a cheescloth and ta-da! You’ve made an herbal infusion! Now store the covered jar in a cool, dark place.
You can also put fresh petals in a jar of oil in the sun for two weeks to create a solar-infused oil.

Organic Calendula Flowers

How to Make Calendula Salve Recipe

To create a calendula salve, blend four parts infused oil and one part melted bees wax. Or combine four parts cocoa butter, shea butter, or a combination with one part beeswax and one part oil. Definately adjust the amount of oil and beeswax to create the consistency you want. According to renown herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, salves are made by adding ¼ cup of beeswax to one cup of infused oil. Heat until the beeswax has melted.
Pour into a wide jar and cover. This mixture will thicken into a salve that you can use for burns and abrasions. It is also useful for diaper rash and other skin ailments.

calendula salve

 

How to Make Calendula Tea Recipe
Calendula tea is so easy to make. Put a couple of teaspoons of calendula petals in an infuser ball and pour a cup of boiling water over it; steep for 7-10 minutes. Drink up for tummy aches or use the tea to make a hot or cold compress.

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Making your own herbal products gives you control over the ingredients you chose to put in or on your body. Experiment, experiment, experiment!!  Add other herbs to your salves and infusions.

 

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How you can use Flower Waters (Hydrosols)

Create a relaxed state of mind...

How you can use Flower Waters (Hydrosols)

 

Spritz yourself with Flower Waters to cool off, soothe a hot flash, relieve sunburn pain or itching, bolster concentration and wakefulness, or brighten a dull mood,

Add a few cups of Flower Waters to bathwater,

Spritz Flower Waters on face over makeup, on hair for set and scent, and fingernails to maintain health and growth,

Add a few drops of Flower Waters to your creams and lotions to benefit from the plant’s healing and soothing properties,

Many hydrosols are natural airborne disinfectants. Use Flower Waters to disinfect your hands, clean the air, or make homemade wet wipes,

Air Fresheners: Use Flower Waters to add both natural fragrance and healthy, botanical substances to your indoor air,

Flower Waters are free of the cancerous or toxic synthetic chemicals found in most air fresheners,

Spray Flower Waters in dryer before putting in clothes,

Spray Flower Waters on clothes during ironing,

Use Flower Waters as a linen sprays on sheets

Aromatherapy Flower Waters

Jasmine Flower Water

Lavender Flower Water

Orange Blossom Flower Water

Roman Chamomile Flower Water

Rose Flower Water

Ylang Ylang Flower Water

 

“Look in the perfume of flowers and of nature for peace of mind and joy of life.”
-Wang Wei

Create a relaxed state of mind…

Aromatherapy waters have been used as a natural healing alternative for centuries to harness the combined power hidden in essential oils extracted from flowers, herbs, fruits, plants and trees.

Aromatherapy Products and Aromatherapy Supplies

Flower Waters are lovely fragrances ~pleasantly aromatic and not overbearing~
Naturally made with 100% Pure Essential Oils and distilled water
Enjoyed for their wonderful aroma, flower waters also provide hydrating and refreshing benefits to the skin. Mist your body, pour into a bath, or use as a natural room freshener. The most popular flower waters, Sweet Rose and fragrant Orange Blossom, are also suitable for food use as delightful additions to desserts, beverages and candies. The other flower waters include relaxing Lavender, calming Chamomile, sensual Jasmine, and alluring Ylang Ylang, each one packaged in a blue cobalt bottle with accompanying mist sprayer.

Ingredients: Distilled water and 100% pure essential oils.

Come check them out! 🙂

Flower Waters Here!

 

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Easy, Fun and Healthy Green Tips for Around Your Home!

Going Green with Mind Body Soul Essentials

Today’s Going Green tips and recipes are all about the inside of your home

We can control what goes into the air we breathe inside our home.  Let’s get started!

Do you enjoy the smell of Bleach or Synthetic Air Fresheners?  I don’t!  And it’s not FUN to clean and deodorize with that stuff!  You spray it into the air and POOF!…it’s gone in a flash.  Just the opposite, that bleach smell has eyes watering, noses burning and that smell lingers forever! Eww!

So what are we doing?!  We don’t sit there and say “Hey! I’ve got an idea! Let’s spray some toxic chemicals into the air today!”

No.  We are busy.  There is not enough time in the day.  We are always on the move.  We are multitasking machines!!  We have to go grocery shopping or no one eats and while we are at the store, cruising around, we grab & go; taking a bottle of air freshener for our fabric couches and rugs and air for $5.  We throw it in the cart and off we go to the milk section!

Do you love yourself?  Do you love your children? Your pets? Your family?

Of course you do.  I do, too.  Ever wonder why we are tired of being tired and sick of being sick?

Take the time to read that label before you put those cleansers, disinfectants, air fresheners into your cart.  There’s a LOT of really bad ingredients in what you are buying for $5.  Cheap toxic items…come and get it!  Sale on bad for you cleaners and 50% off chemical filled products for your family!

Essential Oils.  Maybe you don’t know what they are.  That’s ok!  Think about it this way…you know what plants are.  What trees, leaves and flowers are.

Essential oils are distilled from the leaves, bark, roots and other aromatic portions of a botanical plant.

Nature at it’s best!

It is the essential oils within plants that gives each oil their characteristic smell and flavor. When we smell the delightful fragrance of roses, open a cedarwood box and inhale its woody smell, or add the zest of orange or lemon to a drink, it is the essential oil that we are enjoying!

Essential Oils are medicines from the earth! A whole world of possibility is awaiting you!  Nature – in one of its most powerful forms – aromatic liquid extracted from certain flowers, grasses, fruits, trees, leaves, roots and herbs.

Any part of a plant may contain its essential oil! Each single oil is used for many purposes. They are indispensable to medicine, food and cosmetic industries. In food and drink, they are used to give natural flavor and aroma, and as preservatives.

Want to learn more? Read What Are Essential Oils? or How Do Essential Oils Work? or come to my website and search for the answers to what you are looking to learn. If it’s not on there, send me an email and I’ll answer you!  I’m a real person, not a commercial giant!

Why should you be Going Green in your Home?  Better question: why haven’t you?

Cleaning!

We make messes.  We do! We’re human! Then we clean it up (usually the same day)…

Essential oils, vinegar and baking soda can be used to create many effective non-toxic (and wonderfully fragrant) cleansers and disinfectants.  Clean, disinfect and shine for pennies!  A straight 5% solution of vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of viruses.  Clean the dishwasher, coffeepot, windows,  Deodorize your sink drains.  Remove pet urine stains, grease from kitchen walls and mineral deposits around faucets.

You can easily click Natural Cleaning With Essential Oils for more ideas and recipes 🙂

Oils excellent for cleaning:

· Cinnamon Essential Oil
· Clove Essential Oil
· Eucalyptus Essential Oil
· Thyme Essential Oil
· Spruce Essential Oil
· Lemon Essential Oil
· Lemongrass Essential Oil
· Grapefruit Essential Oil
· Orange Essential Oil

Orange and Lemon are my personal favorites.  The smell, the antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic and astringent power these oils have!

When I clean, I put Orange and/or Lemon Essential oil to work!  Put on some music, smell those delicious smells and get my clean on!

Ever wonder why there are so many orange cleaners today? Make your own orange cleaner to DISINFECT, SAVE MONEY and ENERGIZE.

These oils are UPLIFTING to the spirit but CALMING to your body!

Essential Oils are disinfectants!  Add to a spray bottle of water and spray into the air to deodorize, neutralize, and sterilize the air.

The majority of Essential Oils are inexpensive.  There are a handful that are not, simply because of the large number of flowers required to produce a small amount of it.

Floor Cleaner:
Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water. Add 10 drops of lemon oil and 4 drops of oregano essential oil. Oregano oil has powerful antiseptic properties!

Carpet freshener:
Add 16-20 drops of essential oils to a cup of baking soda. Mix well and place in a covered container overnight so that the oil can be absorbed. Sprinkle over your carpet the next day and then vacuum the powder up!

Painting:
Adding essential oil to paint will counteract the unpleasant smell. And because essential oils are not fatty oils, they will leave no oil spots on the walls. Add a 5 ml. bottle of your favorite essential oil, such as White Angelica, Abundance, or Sacred Mountain, to 1 gallon of paint. Mix well.

Recipes for you below and so many more at Mind Body Soul Essentials – click here for more recipes or here for a ton of ways to use essential oils and go green the easy way!

Aromatherapy Air Fresheners

ROOM AIR FRESHENING RECIPES
It’s been proven that with the effects of aromatherapy, just the way things smell can altar your mood.

Ingredients
1 cup distilled water
8 -10 drops Essential Oils, of your choice

Antiseptic, Antibacterial and Antiviral
3 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Deodorizing
6 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
1 drop Eucalyptus Essential Oil
2 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Pet Deodorizing
6 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
3 drops tea Tree Essential Oil

Apple Pie Spice
6 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil
3 drops Clove Essential Oil

Orange Spice
5 drops Orange Essential Oil
2 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil

Mood Lifter
4 drops Chamomile Essential Oil
3 drops Orange Essential Oil
2 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Stress Reliever
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Rose Essential Oil
2 drops Clary Sage Essential Oil (optional)

Sleepy-Hour Relaxation
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Chamomile Essential Oil

Uplifting
8 drops Orange Essential Oil

Vitality & Freshness
3 drops Lemon Essential Oil
1 drop Grapefruit Essential Oil

Amazing Dryer Sheets

Aromatherapy Candle Magic

or easily buy a candle made with Essential Oils!  Come see all of the beautiful, affordable candles here!

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I need to do this more often…as I consume FAR too much coffee… 🙂

microwave

So many more recipes & tips – click Natural Cleaning With Essential Oils for more free ideas!

Love, love, love that you are here reading this!  Spread the knowledge! Share with your loved ones!

I am now on Pinterest!
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Best Tips and Recipes for Going Green Series

jBr1tv1355309168  It’s simple! Just follow this blog! 🙂 From now until the end of December, daily tips for going green in our life! Going green is cost effective, easy and fun! Why should you be Going Green in your Home? Do you enjoy the smell of Bleach or Synthetic Air Fresheners? Are you cleaning your body on one end (detoxing) by eating right and then bombarding it with toxins on another end by using toxic products in our home? About 98% of store bought products are made with synthetically made chemicals. And we wonder why we are tired of being tired and sick of being sick! Commercial products you are using in your home are not good for our planet and the environment The home products you are using are toxic to your our dogs, cats and…children! Who is Really Winning? The companies who manufacture drugs, cleaning products, paints, insecticides are slowing killing us with toxicity. They care about their bottom line; not our health. I hope you become committed to going green in your home. Do it as a gift to yourself, your children, your animals and your planet! I wish you the best in your life and your home! —

I am now on Pinterest!
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Herbal Baths

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Do yourself a favor…
Take some time off, just an hour will do!
Go into the bathroom, turn on some music…
Light some candles – herb candles are great!
…and sink into a hot herbal bath.
Rest your head and neck on a towel.
Your body will feel light in the water – go with it.
Let your arms float.
The rising steam will lift the fragrance of the Lavender and Chamomile around you…Ahhhhh…just what you needed!

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BATHING BLISSShowers seem more practical when there is not enough time in the day to do everything you are supposed to do.
Quite the opposite is true, though.  Because of the hectic, high pressured speed of our fast paced world, a hot herbal bath can be practical.
Its soothing, healing and refreshing qualities offer vital relief!
It’s okay to say no.  It’s okay to take time for yourself.
For every three things you do for someone else, do something for yourself.
Start small.  Baby steps.

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BURNOUTYou can make a bath to perk you up for a fun evening out or in…
My fun evenings tend to be grocery shopping or working inside the house.  So I decided that I was going to do something for myself, to decompress, to feel better and to take some time for me.  Speaking for myself, I don’t take any time for me.  I’m a mom, so their needs come first.  But what happens when mom’s body shuts down and she gets sick from burn out?

Water alone heals and soothes, but add herbs to the bath and the benefits increase!

Preparing Your Bath

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Just toss the herbs into the water and get in? Nope. Imagine stepping out of the tub and having to pick the leaves and flowers off of your body! One of the easiest ways to prepare an herbal bath is to wrap some herbs in some cheesecloth and hang the bundle from the spout while running your water.

Herbal Infusion

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Another method for preparing an herbal bath is to make a strong herbal infusion from your herbs, then add it to the bath water.Pour boiling water over 1/2 c. of dried herbs; let the mixture steep for 15-20 minutes.  Strain the liquid and add it to the bath.

Temperature

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Pay close attention to the temperature of the water.  Warm baths relax muscles, while cool baths stimulate your body.  Higher temps will make you feel sleepy; warmer temps will feel relaxing but also refreshing.Be careful of hot baths.  They can dehydrate your skin, dry your skin and can be exhausting.  It can also lower your blood pressure and cause fainting. Yikes!

Remember, we are taking care of ourselves!

Decoctions

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Add a decoction to your bath!  Simmering herbs in water is one of the most effective methods for drawing the healing elements from the parts of the plant, such as barks, roots, stems and leaves.To make a decoction, use one ounce dried herb to one pint of water.  Add the dried herbs to water that has just been brought to a boil in a medium sized pot.  Keep water just below boiling for about 30 minutes and let the herbs gently simmer.

You can also use a saucepan (ceramic, enamel, or stainless steel) and a nylon or plastic sieve. Place the herb/herbs in a saucepan and then pour cold water over. Next, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes until the total volume has reached 1/3 of its original size. The decoction should be taken off of the heat and strained. Lastly, add the decoction to your bath!Experiment and see which way works best for you!

Herbal Bath Recipes

Stress, especially internal tension, can increase the risk of heart problems.
An herbal bath can heal the mind and body.
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SOOTHING HERBS
catnip
chamomile flowers
comfrey
Elder (whole plant)
evening primrose flowers
hyssop
jasmine flowers
juniper berries
lemon balm
linden flowers
marsh mallow roots
melilot
mullein
passionflower flowers
rose flowers
slippery elm inner bark
tansy flowers
valerian roots
vervain (whole plant)
violet
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TONIC HERBS
blackberry leaves
comfrey
dandelion
ginseng root
jasmine flowers
nettle
orange
patchouli
raspberry leaves
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HERBS FOR ACHING MUSCLES & JOINTS
agrimony
bay
juniper berries
mugwort
oregano
poplar buds and bark
sage
strawberry leaves
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HERBS FOR  SKIN INFLAMMATIONS
alder
burdock root
dandelion leaves
hyssop
lecampane
lady’s mantle
marigold leaves
mint
plantain
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HERBS FOR FOOT BATHS
agrimony
alder bark
burdock
goat’s true
lavender flowers
mustard seed
sage
witch hazel
(bark & leaves)
wormwood
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STIMULATING HERBS
basil
bay
calendula flowers
citronella
fennel
horseradish roots
lavender flowers
lemon verbena
lovage roots
marjoram
mint
nettle
pine needles
queen of the meadow
rosemary
sage
savory
thyme
vetiver roots
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ASTRINGENT HERBS
agrimony
alum root
bay
bayberry bark
clary
comfrey leaves & root
dock
frankincense resin
lady’s mantle
lemongrass
mullein
myrrh resin
nasturium flowers
periwinkle
potenilla root
queen of the meadow
respberry leaves
rose flowers
rosemary
strawberry
white willow bark
wintergreen
with hazel
(bark and leaves)
yarrow flowers
Thank you for reading!  Come visit my website & learn some more!
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Candy Cane Bath Salt Gift Recipe

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CANDY CANE BATH SALT RECIPEIngredients:
4-5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1/2 cup Sea Salt
2 cups Epson Salt
2-3 drops red food coloring
2 mixing bowls or gallon sized ziploc bags
large glass jar (see picture)

Mixing Bowl/Bag One: 
1 cup of Epsom salt and 1/4 cup of sea salt
Add 2-3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil and mix.

Mixing Bowl/Bag Two: 
1 cup of Epsom salt and 1/4 cup of sea salt
Add 2-3 drops food coloring and mix until the color is even.
Add 2-3 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil and stir.

Create stripes in the jar by layering the white salts and the colored salts, like a candy cane! For gift giving, top off the jar with red ribbon, a bow and a few real candy canes.
Have fun!

Click here to purchase Peppermint Essential Oil
Click here to purchase Therapeutic Mineral Bath Celtic Sea Salt 

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Homemade Moisturizing Lotion Recipe

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Homemade Moisturizing Lotion
Learn how simple it is to make your own rich, deeply moisturizing lotion at home. Why pay money to buy expensive lotions and creams to only wreck your skin with chemicals and still have dry skin, leaving you feeling dissatisfied? Some you might already have on hand at home! Customize your lotion with different Essential Oils such as Lavender for relaxation or Peppermint to energize. When it comes to packaging, a jar of homemade lotion tied with a piece of raffia or ribbon makes an inexpensive, yet really cool gift.
What are you waiting for? 
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A great base is Shea Butter and for those of you with really dry skin, the relief Shea Butter provides cannot be beat. Shea Butter is excellent and is used in so many lotions. It has a creamy, moisturizing property that is great for skin and makes a wonderful base for a lotion. Try combining both cocoa and Shea Butters in your lotion for an extra moisturizing cream.  Many different oils can be added to your lotion as well, such as almond oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, even olive and sesame oils. The bonus is that all of these can be easily purchased here, at Mind Body Soul Essentials! There is still plenty of time to purchase your ingredients and make your lotions for holiday gift giving!
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Make your own double boiler to melt your ingredients.  Use a medium-size bowl that can handle high temperatures (glass) and a cooking pot that is a little larger than your bowl. Fill the pot with a few inches of water. Add your ingredients to the bowl and slowly heat them over low heat. Low heat is the more gentle way to melt your ingredients to get the right fusion. When heating ingredients, the best way is slow and low. Stir the ingredients with a spoon or other utensil, if you need to.

Once your lotion has melted, add a drop or two of your favorite Essential Oil. If you don’t know which Essential Oil you want, go here for Essential Oils and to learn what properties they have and what they smell like.  

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Homemade hand creams with light scents are perfect holiday gifts for friends and family! You can whip up a basic hand cream recipe and then customize each container with its own scent, or use a neutral fragrance on the whole batch. Mix together 1/4 cup beeswax, 1/3 cup avocado butter, 2/3 cup shea butter and 3/4 cup coconut oil in your double broiler over low heat. Mix frequently until completely melted. Remove mixture from heat and let cool for three minutes, stirring frequently. Add 6 drops Rosemary, 4 drops vanilla, 2 drops Lemongrass and 2 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil. Mix well, stirring for at least one full minute. Pour mixture into containers and let cool.

You can buy all of the ingredients here, at Mind Body Soul Essentials (click below)
Coconut Oil
Jojoba Oil
Cocoa Butter
Avocado Oil
Shea Butter

Spearmint Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Rosemary Essential Oil
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Sandalwood Essential Oil
or learn about and purchase other Essential Oils here

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To create a healing hand cream with a refreshing aroma, use Spearmint and Eucalyptus Essential Oils. Add 3 tbsp. beeswax, 3 tbsp. coconut oil, 1/3 cup cocoa butter and 1/3 cup jojoba oil to a double-boiler over low heat. Stir frequently until everything has melted completely. Remove mixture from heat and keep stirring slowly for two minutes. Add 7 drops Spearmint and 6 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Mix well, stirring for another full minute. Pour mixture into a clean container and let cool. Makes about 1 cup of hand cream.
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Thank you for reading this!  I hope you make some really terrific lotion!!  And also hope you come to my site, learn about herbs and Essential Oils and feed your need to learn!  Share with your friends!  Or come check us out and like us on Facebook!  You’d be helping me out so much!  Thank you again 🙂
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Company’s Coming Over! Argh, my house stinks!

Company’s coming over.  Quick, clean up and spray the house and especially the entrance way with Febreeze or Glade!

NO!

Those commercial sprays are unhealthy and the scent is gone quickly.  They don’t do anything but smell good for a quick second and contain chemicals that we breathe in. Do you like inhaling chemicals?

It’s just as easy to light a candle in a candle burner that holds water & a few drops of essential oil in lieu of a candle tart. No chemicals.

Seriously, if you can just light a candle and make your entire home smell just as wonderful, but have the scent last!!! And have the healthy benefits of antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, congestion busting Essential Oil properties spread throughout the house at the same time – why not?

Oh yeah, and it costs LESS!!!

Why isn’t everyone doing it?

Put some water in the bowl on top of the candle holder.  Then add a few drops of Essential Oil to the water.  Light the candle and you’re DONE!

Choose your Essential Oil for the properties you want or need.  Need energy? Stressed out? Want to clear your sinuses and feel better?

I personally love diffusing Lavender, Lemongrass or Orange.  Lavender relaxes me and the kids and helps me get to sleep, Lemongrass helps with nervous exhaustion and is a mild antidepressant and Orange puts some pep in my step.

Check out our 100% Pure Essential Oil selection at Mind Body Soul Essentials.  It’s one click and you’ll discover all the benefits of using essential oils.

Do yourself and your family a favor and clean up the air you breathe inside our home.  You’re worth it.  Click below to explore & learn!

Mind Body Soul Essentials