How the inhalation of Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) helps reduce feelings and symptoms of burnout Background In my studies and application of aromatherapy, I have been interested in the relationship between the olfactory system and stress management. Many clients come to...
Category:
Aromatherapy Education
Safety and Essential Oils
With so much emphasis these days on safety and essential oils, it seems that the challenge isn’t really about “more safety” but rather how shall we relate to it? How shall we interpret it so that it makes sense in our practice or general use of essential oils? And how...
Article Review: Essential oil therapy & Dementia
My grandmother had dementia. In the decade before she passed away she didn’t know what day it was, where she was in the world, and, after I cut my hair, who I was. She’d circle her way through the same handful of conversational loops, and I’d play a game where I tried...
Raynaud’s Syndrome: The Vagus Nerve Connection – Part II
Raynaud’s Syndrome is a condition where blood vessels in a person’s extremities shut down when exposed to cold. It is caused by peripheral blood vessels overreacting to colder temperatures and can result in painful and discolored extremities. The Vagus Nerve New...
Raynaud’s Phenomenon: An Aromatic Exploration – Part I
Raynaud’s Syndrome is a condition where blood vessels in a person’s extremities shut down when exposed to cold. It is caused by peripheral blood vessels overreacting to colder temperatures and can result in painful and discolored extremities. Raynaud’s syndrome was...
Adrenal Fatigue PART III: Promoting Resilience — Essential Oils for HPA Axis Support
HPA axis dysregulation is fundamentally caused by stress, which can take many forms: Psychosocial stress (relationships, finances, housing insecurity, discrimination, etc.) Inflammation (diet, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, infection, insulin resistance) High...
Adrenal Fatigue PART II: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis – A Dip Into Physiology
“Adrenal fatigue” proponents are right about one thing: the stress of life can definitely be too much for the body to handle. It’s just not the adrenals that are the problem. Changes in cortisol production aren’t caused by a deficiency in the adrenal glands, but by...
Aromatherapy for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Chances are, if you are reading this, you are either pregnant or know someone who is or will be. Congratulations! Pregnancy is a particularly beautiful time for a family, but it is not always the most comfortable time for the pregnant parent. Plant extracts, in the...
Adrenal Fatigue: Mythology, Physiology, and Resilience PART 1
Adrenal fatigue is seriously relatable. You’re overworked and wiped out, craving sweets and salty fats, stressed, depressed, sex drive on the fritz. Sound familiar? “Adrenal fatigue” is the notion that the adrenal glands get “overworked” from chronic stress and fail...
You Go to My Head: Essential Oils and the Blood-Brain Barrier
Life blood, it’s no joke. Blood delivers nutrients to all the tissues and organs of the body, eliminates carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes, transmits hormonal signals throughout tissues, and mediates peripheral immune activity. The vascular tree is made up of many...
Re-Connecting: Working with Essential Oils within the Autism Spectrum Disorder
Statistically seen, about 1 in 54 children in the USA has been in recent years identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), something that occurs in every region, in all ethnic, racial and every socioeconomic groups. To care for autism, you need to understand,...
Essential Oils Enhance Sleep
“A Good Laugh and a Long Sleep Are the Two Best Cures for Anything”. -Irish Proverb Have you ever had a hard time starting a conversation with someone? Ask them about last night’s sleep and you should get an earful! Just ask me. So, last night’s sleep was good for me,...