Dec 3, 2014 | Uncategorized
Incorporating essential oils into your daily routine will help keep your immune system stronger, shorten your recovery time from illness and uplift your spirits when the winter weather keeps you inside a bit more than you would like. Pure therapeutic essential oils have the ability to work with the body on a spiritual, mental and physical plane to bring the body to a place of balance and harmony. Take care of your health and get the best essential oils to boost your immune system for winter.Two or three drops of rosemary oil or eucalyptus oil shower spray on the bottom of the shower before you turn the water on will disperse into the air and as you breathe it in you are supporting your immune system. Diffusing lemon, lime or grapefruit essential oil into the air of your home or office not only uplifts the spirits, it inhibits the growth of bacteria, making indoor air safer to inhale. (For best results, diffuse essential oils diluted in water.)
At the first sign of a cold or sinus infection try a facial steam with lavender or tea tree oil. Place two drops of the pure oil in a glass bowl then fill with hot water. Place a towel over your head, close your eyes and breathe the steam deeply in through your nose. You are breathing in these pure antibacterial and antiviral essential oils. Do this two or three times during the day as the infection is beginning and it will often shorten the length of sickness or even stop you from becoming sick altogether. If you can’t do a steam, try dropping a few drops of the essential oils on a tissue and breathe it in throughout the day. You will still be getting the therapeutic effects of the oils.
Salt or sugar body scrubs that have been blended with pure essential oils are a winter skin must-have. When you stimulate the surface of the skin with a scrub it brings blood to the surface and helps rid the body of toxins through the pores. Doing a body scrub with peppermint or rosemary oil in the shower boosts the immune system while leaving your skin clean, soft and moisturized.
Here are my top must haves for winter immune boosting:
Lavender: for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as its ability to help us relax and rest. Mix with a carrier oil and pat it gently on to your face with the palms of your hands.
Tea Tree: is antiviral and is an excellent immune stimulant. Mix into the above oil blend for increased immune benefits.
Eucalyptus: is anti-infectious and antiviral, fighting off infections. Use the eucalyptus oil shower spray in your shower steam to really open up your bronchial passages for respiratory health.
Rosemary: is antiseptic and astringent and helps fight bacteria.
Lemon: is an immune stimulant as well as an antiseptic, which makes it an excellent choice to diffuse into winter air. Get a therapeutic grade lemon oil and put a couple drops in your tea or cold water bottle to boost your system while cleansing it at the same time. Take caution and never ingest food grade (or lesser grade oils); only ingest certified pure therapeutic grade lemon oil.
Peppermint: for its analgesic, anti-infectious properties. Pat a small amount on your temples and at the base of your neck to relieve tension and pressure. Inhale the scent to give your energy a boost in the morning and throughout the day as well!
Whichever method you choose to incorporate essential oils into your life this winter, I encourage you to buy pure, high quality oils from a company you trust and use them wisely, as these oils are medicines. Be safe and handle them with respect.
Eurospa is dedicated to your health and well being. Please let us know how we can further support your healthy lifestyle!
Sep 2, 2014 | Uncategorized
It’s back-to-school time and for most parents, that means germs, colds and sick days! It doesn’t have to
be that way though. In addition to time tested habits like hand washing and covering your coughs and sneezes, we have some simple tricks to share with you on how to fight back-to-school germs with this easy home remedy list. We know you are too busy to be dragged down by sickness, so be sure to heed these helpful tips!
Vitamin D. If your child isn’t getting enough of this vitamin through food sources, you can consider any number of vitamin D3 supplements which contribute to bone health by creating optimum conditions for bone formation, in addition to supporting proper function of the immune and nervous systems.* For younger children, liquid D is a great option as it can be dropped right on the tongue or mixed in with foods or beverages.
Aloe Vera
The aloe vera plant contains over 200 biologically active components, and has been used for centuries in folk natural medicine and as a product ingredient. Its constituents are used in many forms, including it’s juice which enhances healthy immune function, digestion and gums. It’s incredibly detoxifying but the flavor can be strong to some. If adding it to food, you may want to try an already strong flavor combination like apple, mango and banana.
In topical form, it’s often used for soothing skin and is even a common ingredient in hand sanitizers. Having it on hand means that, in addition to using it on its own, you can make your own customized version.
Lavender oil
Essential oils not only scent your hand sanitizers, but also add increased amounts of antibacterial properties! One of the most versatile plant essential oils, lavender’s name is derived from the Latin word “lavera,” which means to wash. It’s both gentle and effective in balancing the skin, and has a soothing and calming effect. You need only add a tiny amount to your recipe.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is also a great option. Steam distilled from the leaves of the Eucalyptus plant, this oil is known for its cooling, soothing effects. As well, it’s anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, not only killing germs but can be used symptomatically as well. Use this
shower mist both to clean surfaces of germs and bacteria and in the shower to open bronchial passages and clear the sinuses!
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint, like Eucalyptus, contains menthol and menthone, as well as rosmarinic acid and flavonoids such as hesperidin and luteolin. Again, a little essential oil goes a long way. Steam distill this or make a tea. The effects are cooling, soothing and will help those stuffy noses feel much lighter and clearer!
Your health is our priority at Eurospa. We hope you find these tips helpful and would love to hear from you. Let us know how we can make your life even better!
Aug 27, 2014 | Uncategorized
The summer sun has been strong this year with it’s most intense rays happening at the
end! It’s important not to get lazy and make sure we are continuing to take care of our skin to ensure we are protected from harmful melanoma and also the fine lines, spots and premature aging that happen as well! I don’t think I need to spend too much time on sunscreen, because by now, we all know that we need to properly defend our skin from the strong rays of the sun. But I do want to remind you to sunscreen your face even when you won’t be in the sun. The skin on the face is like a sun magnet and shows the most damage. Protect.
In the case that you still end up with a burn, here are some ways to not only heal that sunburn fast and naturally at home, but also soothe, heal and hydrate the skin on deeper levels, leaving more protection for the future.
Natural Anti-Aging Sun Burn Relief You Can Do From Home!
KEEP COOL
Cool your sunburned skin immediately. Dip into a very cool bath, shower or even splash cool water on affected skin, right after you come in out of the sun. Cooling the burn minimizes damage to skin layers.
TREAT IT WELL
Spray the burn with diluted lavender oil. Or, grab our own Eucalyptus Oil Shower Mist .If you choose to go with the lavender, just mix a few drops to a cup of water and pour into a clean spray bottle. Shake well before using. Both lavender and eucalyptus are good for mild (first-degree) burns of any kind.
HANG LOOSE
Your skin is particularly sensitive right now and the nicest thing you can do for it is to wear loose fitting natural fabrics. Just say NO to poly blends! Cotton and hemp fabrics are breathable and soft on the healing skin. If you want to heal fast, you’ve got to baby the skin and treat it as gently as possible.
RINSE AND REPEAT
Repeat the above steps. Before you go to bed and once you get up in the morning, shower again. It will not only feel soothing, but it will steal the heat from the skin, speeding the healing along. Make sure you do another spray down session with your Lavender or Eucalyptus Spray before you go to bed, to really make sure those oils can use the night to penetrate into your skin.
HYDRATE OFTEN
Try to moisturize as often as possible each day after you get that blessed sunburn and drink plenty of water. I’m not kidding. DRINK A LOT OF WATER. I can’t stress that enough. Sunburns dry out the skin immensely. Staying hydrated on the inside and out will keep your many skin layers from dying and peeling. And we don’t want peely skin! We want supple, moist and glowing skin!!
BE SHADY
As long as you have that burn, stay in the shade. You will only prolong and aggravate the healing process by exposing your skin to more sun. So stay cool, covered and moisturized!
I hope those tips were helpful. For further aiding in healing, feel free to add some vitamin E to your daily regimen and foods like apricots and cucumbers, which are high in E and silica – great for skin! To keep your youthful glow, keep up the hydrate, moisturize and essential oil routine. These daily practices will keep nourishing your skin and will continue to protected from normal environmental harm.
We love your health and want you to feel good. That’s why we at Eurospa do what we do. So let us know what we can do for you!
Get out there and enjoy the sun! That’s what it’s there for!!
Aug 13, 2014 | Uncategorized
If you are working out, you probably want to look and feel good. In order to get the most out of your workout, it’s important to act in ways that help your muscles to recover
quickly and healthily. We need to be careful not to neglect the most important aspects of our routines as a result of our busy lives. Yes, let’s find ways to be fast and efficient, but it’s also smart to have a few tips on hand to make recovery both faster and smoother! So – keep up your (healthy) routine and enjoy some of these all natural, post workout recovery tips!
STRETCH
Gentle stretching before AND after a workout is a key component not to be dismissed. Trust me, I’ve been there and sometimes you just don’t want to ‘waste your time’ stretching. I want to emphasize the gentle part for a minute as well. Especially before a workout, your muscles are not warmed up. This will cause them to be more tight and stiff – like a dry rubber band. Over stretching or stretching to forcefully will actually weaken the muscle, making injury more likely. Once your workout is complete – consider stretching in a sauna (still gently) and really make use of the extra heat. More about saunas below…
WATER
Water is so easily lost during exercise and you’ve to to replace it during and after the workout to not only hydrate those cells, but also to speed up recovery time! Water aids your metabolic function and supports the transfer of nutrients in the body. So staying properly hydrated will improve each and every body function. This is even more vital for endurance athletes who sweat more during periods of strenuous and peak activity.
GROOVE
Music is a great tool that can help us through a tough workout, at least by distracting us from the burning feeling in your legs. But on a more serious note, listening relaxing tunes can surprisingly aid in your workout recovery. So my recommendation is to listen to the faster heavier beats during the workout and switch it up to the slower tempo songs while you stretch and cool down, as the slower music can reduce blood pressure and pulse rate, which is especially useful after an intense workout!
FEED
Are you feeding your body with the right fuel? Machines require fuel and so do our bodies. You’ve got to make sure you eat within 60 minutes of a hard workout. Your energy stores have just been depleted pretty badly, so you’ve to restore them if you want your body to recover, repair, gain strength and be prepared for the next challenge! So great go-to and simple snack ideas that will speed your recovery along are protein shakes, bananas, nut butters, hummus and red peppers, yogurt with berries, fish and all green plants. Let’s not forget the obvious- green plants are the foods to eat pre and post anything, really!
HOT & COLD THERAPY
Take alternating hot and cold to an even better level. The traditional advice of alternating applied ice and heat have great purpose but are better for targeting specific areas. Instead, try taking a really hot shower and then switching to the coldest setting for about 30 seconds (or whatever you can handle) and then switching back to hot again. You could even include the sauna with this one. Sit/stretch in the sauna for 5-10 minutes, go out and take a cold shower (or ice bath if that’s available) and then return to the sauna. Repeat this process 2-3 times for best results.
SWEAT IT OUT
Sauna is the word on the street these days for health and fitness advocates all over the world. For good reason too. The health benefits that saunas deliver cause me to wonder why homes all over the world don’t invest in installing one in their own homes. If you’re already going to be stretching in all that heat, enhance that experience further and add Eucalyptus Oil Spray to the heat and even steam. Simply spritz the spray into the steam or heat. The oil in the air will then be activated by the heat, enter your lungs and be carried off to nurture those needy parts and well-worked muscles!
Congratulations. You are working out more regularly and committing to bettering your health. You will soon be looking and feeling better and that’s something to be proud of. Please take care of yourself with proper diet, rest and recovery as you life your life to it’s absolute fullest!
From all of us at Eurospa, we toast to your health!
Feb 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
Many people already know that Eucalyptus is a powerfully medicinal tree found in Australia and is widely known to go hand in hand with the adorable koala bear. However, it’s value reaches far deeper than that. We love to educate people on it’s anti-microbial properties, antiseptic nature, deodorant, decongestant, anti-inflammatory and even respiratory aid when the eucalyptus oil is added to the healing steam of a sauna or shower.
Maybe you already know all of this.
Maybe you are ready to move on to a new topic. How CAN Eucalyptus help your hair??
Everyone, whether man or woman, likes to have a head full of clean, healthy and shining hair. In our modern world full of air conditioning, heating, drastic climates, environmental change, products, straightening and curling, chlorine and even daily washing, we’ve learned that our hair isn’t bullet proof and these factors do affect the quality and sheen of the hair.
About the hair…
Each strand has at the base of it’s shaft, a follicle, which is comprised of a produced protein substance called keratin and a little moisture. The strands of hair are moisturized by an oil gland in the follicle that also protects the hair.
So now that we understand the hair itself and the abuse we put it through.. let’s look at some ways to repair the damage done.
About the solution…
First let’s start with massage. Feel free to directly apply the oil to your scalp and gently massage with your fingers in a circular motion, encouraging hair growth. Alternatively, you can also mix a few drops of the concentrated oil with a base such as olive or Castor oil. Warm the mixture at a low temperature and then do the same gentle circular massage with your finger tips. This not only improves your blood circulation, stimulating hair growth, but also makes your hair shine with a healthy glow!
Eucalyptus oil can also help in getting rid of dandruff, which is not only unsightly but also clogs the pores, making it difficult for the hair to grow. Remember, when aiding our hair in it’s growth, we want to make sure we are getting the stimulation needed and the roadblocks out of the way! When using eucalyptus oil for dandruff, you simply have to mix 8 to10 drops of the oil into your shampoo and gently massage your scalp for a few minutes (preferably allowing the oil to activate in the steam of the shower so you get the other health benefits as well! Breathe in that steam!). This method is also beneficial in getting rid of head lice and their eggs, so parents are wise to keep this oil handy and keep the little one’s heads safe against that invasion!
Another benefit of eucalyptus oil is that in can increase the elasticity of your hair. So many of us know how frustrating it can be when you are trying to grow out your hair in to luxurious locks only to loose your progress to breakage and more split ends. When doing both of the above treatments, you will happily enjoy stronger hair – more resistant to further breakage and split ends.
All in all, it’s an incredible oil from a miraculous plant.
What have YOU got to say? Do you have a great way that Eucalyptus Oil has done wonders for your hair or simply your life? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!
by: Navae Fiona
