The entire world is tilted at a 23.5 degree angle. Because of this, the north and south poles each spend time pointed towards and away from the sun. When the Earth is tilted away from the sun, the rays strike the northern hemisphere at an angle, which means the heat energy is not as direct.  Therefore, the northern and southern hemispheres experience changes of season, with the north experiencing winter and the south experiencing summer.

The changes of season are an example of nature’s law of conservation at work.  The cycle of birth, life, decay and death helps to keep the planet in proper balance, rather than force animals and plants to maintain a constant and exhausting pace of life. 

Spring is the season of new birth and growth. Summer is the season where plants grow fast; everything is at it’s peak in life –  people have more energy and are generally very active. Fall is the season where things begin to drop and mature; once the vigorous Summer is over, everything needs to turn inwards so as to prepare for the harsh winter. The season upon us – Winter, is the time to slow down and save energy - a time to reflect and rest in order to renew and energize our body, mind and spirit in preparation for Spring; living things slow down to save energy while some animals hibernate.

If we pay close attention to nature, we can see and feel many clues that are naturally there to guide us through it’s processes. For example, there is a harmony between food and the weather.  Foods eaten during the four seasons have different impacts on the human body. Chinese philosophy suggests that you embrace your native foods, in addition to eating locally grown foods and those in season.  Natural, home-grown and chemical-free products are the most nutritious foods.

Winter is also a good time to boost the natural constitution of the body and improve symptoms associated with chronic conditions.   A person’s appetite tends to increase over winter when they have a lower metabolic rate.  During this time, absorbed nutrients from foods can be stored more easily and  energizing herbs can give the body a good boost. 

In reflecting on the past year, the new year is a good time to renew our focus on maintaining our ideals and holding close those persons that energize and positively impact our lives. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall – embrace the seasonal changes  and enjoy nature and all her bountiful offerings.

Happy New Year!

Native of India, China and Java and also grown in the Philippines and Tahiti, ginger has been one of the most highly esteemed spices since ancient times.  The part of Ginger used is the root itself and the essence from the roots obtained by steam distillation. Many people smelling Ginger pure essential oil for the first time are surprised, and even disappointed because it doesn’t smell like the dried or preserved ginger that they’re familiar with in cakes, etc. In fact, it smells almost identical to the ‘green’ or fresh root ginger.

Ginger has been used as a digestive stimulant for thousands of years. It normalizes function in the digestive tract, relieving both constipation and diarrhea. It helps friendly bacteria, such as lactobacillus, to grow - it actually multiplies five times faster in the presence of ginger.  At the same time, ginger kills some of the bacteria that are sometimes responsible for food poisoning, including E coli and salmonella.

Ginger has long been an herbal remedy for coughs and asthma, related to allergy or inflammation.  Externally, ginger is a rubefacient (warming to the skin), and has been credited in this connection with relieving headache and toothache.

For colds, flu, stomach cramps and diarrhea, the most effective use of ginger is an infusion (or tea) made from the fresh root.  Cut very thin slivers from the ginger root, and simmer them for about ten minutes, using about six thin slices from a root of average thickness, to each cup of water.  With a little honey this makes a very pleasant winter drink, which is used in traditional chinese medicine as a preventative against winter ailments.  It quells nausea, and can be a great help with both travel sickness and the ‘morning sickness’ of pregnancy.  The infusion, without honey, can be used as a gargle for sore throats.  In massage blends, Ginger can be used for arthritis, rheumatism, muscular pain and fatigue.

Here’s a bit of world trivia - it’s been recorded that women in Senegal weave belts of pounded Ginger root to revive their husbands’ flagging sexual prowess.  Ginger is also rumored to be used in powdered form in local rectal applications to persuade horses to keep their tails raised, a sign of strength and good breeding appreciated by the ‘discerning members of the equestrian fraternity.’ (more a sign of pain and suffering for those poor horses.)

Personally, I’ve been a huge fan of Ginger for a very long time and use it frequently. My family has since learned to also love and appreciate this wonder root.  The creation of the soft drink Ginger ale sprang from a common folkloric usage of Ginger. There is also Ginger beer, Ginger brandy and candied Ginger. Being such a pleasant herb, with so many different applications, it is encouraging to have the added knowledge that in using Ginger, we’re enjoying some of the goodness of nature as a health aid.

I’m sure we can all agree that there is a huge problem with prescription and illicit drug abuse in America.  Doctors have helped the prescription drug problem along, as has been reported on countless occasions, with the latest situation resulting in the death of a major celebrity a few years back. But, by no means can we place all the blame on the medical profession.  We have free will to choose for ourselves and our loved ones. 

With such easy access to all sorts of medicines , you don’t necessarily even have to see a doctor, but can self-medicate based on symptoms perceived and promises made by drug manufacturers. And let’s face it, everywhere on the worldwide web, and most places we visit, there is advertising for, and someone looking to sell, medications to cover anything, big or small that we may think is wrong with us.  I get emails on a daily basis from all sorts of  online ‘pharmacies’, offering prescription drugs for any of the conditions I mentioned earlier and more.

There are natural solutions  to relieve many of the conditions mentioned above that are worth exploring. I’m no medical professional, but I know what I know, and what I have learned is that maintaining a healthy mind is half the battle towards keeping a healthy body. If you start with facing your own realities, you  can then take the right steps towards mind, body and spirit bliss.

Take stress, for example. A little stress is good for the soul, but too much stress, resulting from not dealing with the cause, is not good and can manifest in the form of countless physical and mental symptoms.  With the common cold, your immune system is compromised and your body is telling you to rest, so it knocks you down with coughs, fever, sore throat and more - to make you feel miserable enough to slow down.  We all know that obesity is a huge epidemic - eating too much of the wrong foods. In some cases, doctors believe the obesity problem is much deeper and less physical than perceived hunger. What all these conditions have in common is that they can wreak havoc on the body, mind and spirit.

You can go for the quick fix in the form of prescription medicine or mind-altering substances for temporary relief and convince yourself that all is well. Or you can start by dealing with what’s wrong inside to bring it out and cast it away once and for all.  In a nutshell, take charge of your spiritual well-being in order to help your physical self.

Oprah talks a lot about the little voice in our heads that guides us along on our life’s path. We all have it but have to learn to listen to it. And you don’t need to go it alone.  Another person’s perspective can, in many ways be the catalyst for your taking action as opposed to doing nothing at all. So, take charge and share your pain!

Home is officially defined as: residence: the place where a person, family or household lives; family group.  The vast majority of us have an address and reside there, but can you say that you really and truly live in your home?  There are some folks who don’t enjoy being at home and don’t even realize it, they just avoid it. Whatever you call it - your residence, dwelling, abode, habitat, quarters, domicile, address, house, crib, flat……how much do you enjoy being at home?

Remember the neighborhood where you grew up, and the house where all the kids seemed to  hang out? It wasn’t always the most beautiful, well-furnished or largest house.  Sometimes, it wasn’t even the cleanest house.  A good spirit was what that neighborhood house had. It was the place where neighborhood kids felt most welcome, happiest, nurtured, where they got the warmest feeling, had the most fun. We can set the mood to affect how our homes make us feel as individuals and how ’at home’ it makes others feel.

Generally speaking, we don’t think about setting a particular mood in our home unless there is a special occasion, or if we are out to impress a someone. Imagine the very common Valentine’s day movie scenario where the guy or girl wants to surprise their loved one and celebrate the occasion.  Lights, camera, action! …….the door opens to an entryway, revealing a path of rose petals leading to an open doorway……scented candles chart the dimly lit path, while romantic music plays softly in the background…..pan through the open doorway to a bedroom, where a bottle of bubbly and two glasses is visible on the night stand next to the bed, where rose petals gently dot the surface around the outline of a scantily clad figure lying there, as seen by the moonlight sifting through an open window, where a gentle breeze blows through the curtains….you get the picture, right? You can almost smell those roses, can’t you? That’s the smell of romance.

We all set the mood in our homes, whether we’re conscious of it, or not.  You’ve surely been told or heard someone say that baking smells are good smells to have in a home during open houses, when you’re trying to sell it. Those smells are meant to convey warm and welcoming feelings, to make people want to spend more time looking around, imagining themselves living in your home (ka-ching!!)

Home really is a state of mind. Have you ever walked into a home, any home and gotten a cold feeling, or a feeling you couldn’t quite explain, that left you feeling a bit off-kilter? Or have you ever gone into a home and gotten a feeling that lifted your spirits, made you feel good, like you just wanted to hang out there? Sometimes it’s a smell, sometimes just a feeling. Setting the mood in your home is good, but for sure, you also want to be in happy, healthy relationships with the people who live in your home with you. That certainly will help determine how much time you spend at home.

There are different ways of enlivening the mood of your house.  Keeping houseplants is a very good way to perk up the spirit of your home. Not those very fake plants that look surprisingly real, but living, breathing plants that require water and light.  Not only do real plants keep the air in your home clean, but they also have a life-force all their own, and they just make you feel good. Change those artificial plants for real ones and I guarantee you will immediately feel the difference.

Colorful, fresh flowers are also mood lifters, not to mention that the fragrant ones are so naturally pleasant to smell. Think about all those rare occasions when you had fresh flowers in your home. You probably bought them for guests you invited over for that special occasion event. Why did you get them? Because you wanted to impress your guests, to create a happy mood, make the house look festive and set a welcoming and lively atmosphere. 

Scented candles are also very effective. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, pure essential oil fragrances affect you physically, spiritually and mentally. For an uplifting mood, real citrus and spicy fragrances are good.  During the winter months - the cold and flu season, there are fragrant essential oil blends to disinfect all your spaces.  There are fragrant essential oil blends to help relieve stress and affect sleep and relaxation.  Need to study for that exam or finish that important presentation for the boss? There are fragrant essential oil blends to naturally help keep you alert and keep your creative juices flowing. Think back to the olden days. Many passages, both biblical and poetic, talk about highly fragrant oils that helped in achieving meditation and reflection. There are modern-day fragrant blends serving the same purpose, interestingly enough using some of the same essential oils, like Myrrh, Cypress and Frankincense.  

People will determine how they feel about a house by the way it makes them feel while they’re there. It not only has to do with the spirit of the home as determined by the people living there, but also by the smells. ‘Home is where the heart is,’ is a very old and familiar saying. Don’t wait for a special day to set the mood, liven the spirit in your home. Live it daily, make it the norm.

The time in a woman’s life when she ceases to have a menstrual period is the start of menopause. It’s the official end of child-bearing years. During this time, estrogen levels drop and the body starts to play tricks on you. Due to some symptoms, many women even  start to question their sanity.  Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause - we hear about it, many times as a joke from someone going through it or from someone who remembers.  Other symptoms can be irritability, mood swings, vaginal dryness (my gyne said that your va-jay-jay actually starts to atrophy – yikes!), osteoporosis, weight gain, bloating, loss of memory, dementia and the list goes on. Take right now, for instance. I feel a warming sensation on my back, slowly winding its way ’round my torso, working its way up my neck, around my ears and straight up to the top of my head - voila’- my own private summer!

Why is no one talking about menopause? I figure, if it were a male issue (manopause), it would be THE main topic on all the talk shows and there would be billions of dollars in scientific studies done, with solutions swiftly delivered so that no man would ever suffer manopausal symptoms again…..you think??

Back in the olden days (the 1970′s actually), when HRT (hormone replacement therapy) was queen, women were being encouraged to use it to treat many symptoms of menopause. During the latter part of that same decade, the WHI (Women’s health initiative) conducted a study of HRT using post-menopausal women as test subjects. Results of this tightly controlled study showed that HRT caused breast and ovarian cancers and increased the risk of heart disease in all women taking HRT. These findings were published with no input from scientists and women’s health care professionals. All women who were taking HRT, no matter their age or history of success in using HRT, were advised to steer clear of it. Needless to say, this caused mass panic and almost total rejection of HRT. Women were scared sh—less! The message was, “Take HRT and die”!!  There were a few brave souls who refused to give up their HRT, but for the most part, women went back to suffering menopause in silence and wondering if they weren’t going crazy.

I’m here to say, Ladies educate yourselves. Menopause will affect you eventually and if you’re well-informed, you will know that you are not losing your mind and be able to make  educated decisions that will be right for you. There are young women who, unfortunately go through early menopause due to health issues or family history, so it is not necessarily an old woman’s concern.  Then there are the women who go through it at the expected time of life. Whatever your age, just know that it’s a natural phase in life that you don’t need to hide nor be ashamed to talk about.

 I recently saw the documentary ‘Hot Flash Havoc’, which explored the whole concept of menopause. Afterward, I had the chance to listen to and ask questions of a panel of menopausal experts.  After this experience, I was gobsmacked about the fact that I had known so little about all that my body would be going through. I decided to do more research into menopause and HRT. I have come to the conclusion that what we women need is information and more information.  I made decisions for myself based on information I learned and deciphered, and I urge you to do the same. There is no cookie-cutter solution for everyone, but we don’t have to suffer in silence.

Most of us have lit a scented candle, added something to a bath or used a grooming product professed to be  an ‘Aromatherapy’ product. Well, I’m here to dish it straight. I’ve been doing what I do for over 16 years, so take it to the bank that I know what I know.

The term ‘Aromatherapy’ is, unfortunately used very loosely these days to sell all form of products. True Aromatherapy products are scented with pure essential oils only, and can affect you deeper than the superficial smell, so be aware of the fragrance oils in products that you purchase. The next time someone offers you a ’caramel apple’ or ‘rain forest’ or ‘blueberry cobbler’ – scented Aromatherapy product, forget the Aromatherapy part and like it for what you think it smells like.

An official definition of Aromatherapy is: “An ancient, aesthetic healing art which uses the essential oils extracted from various parts of aromatic plants and trees to promote health of body and serenity of mind.” Treatment with essential oils is an holistic treatment which does not use toxic or violent remedies, so there are no unpleasant side effects. 

Essential oils are the basic raw materials of Aromatherapy. They’ve been poetically described as ‘ethereal’ or as the ‘soul’ of the plant. In fact, essential oils are the fragrant, volatile (they readily evaporate) liquid parts of aromatic plants.

In the plant, essential oils are found in the blossoms, leaves, seeds, resin, gum, bark and sometimes in more than one part of the plant. (Ever gone out to the garden and smelled a blossoming blueberry cobbler??)  Each essential oil has a number of different properties and uses. Lavender oil, for instance, is a gentle sedative and may be used to relieve nervous tension, but it is also used to treat burns, headaches and many other conditions. Rosemary oil is a stimulant, and is used to aid concentration, but is also helpful in the treatment of muscular aches and flu. 

The area of the brain associated with smell is very closely connected with the limbic area of the brain which is concerned with our most subtle responses such as emotion, memory, sex-drive and intuition. For example, the aroma of hot food, especially when flavored with herbs and spices, will stimulate your appetite by making your mouth water and causing your digestive juices to flow. 

Smell can sometimes evoke memories.  Some people only have to take the faintest whiff of the entryway to a hospital to be sharply transported back in time to re-live a traumatic hospital experience - they may feel shaky or even nauseous. Other aromas conjure up pleasant memories of first love, perhaps, or possibly a visit to a well-loved grandmother who always smelled of lavender water.

Critics of Aromatherapy have pointed out that the sense of smell becomes quickly exhausted as the olfactory cells in the nose soon become saturated and cease to detect the aroma, so the effects of Aromatherapy can only be short-lived.  But, as Jean Valnet,  Marguerite Maury and many other eminent people in the field of Aromatherapy have discovered, the effects can last for some time afterward, whether the aroma is still perceptible or not. 

Although scientists have tried to duplicate essential oils in the lab, they don’t have the same beneficial effect.  They lack the vital enzymes and a multitude of other substances in plants not yet discovered. Above all, they lack the essential ‘life-force’ found only in nature.

In Aromatherapy, the axiom is: always be guided by your own aroma preference.  We are instinctively drawn to the fragrance of an essential oil that is right for our physical and emotional needs at the time. In all schools of natural healing, which includes Aromatherapy, the most important underlying principle is that the body will heal itself if given the chance.

Until next time…..

Yes, it’s finally happened! Nature’s Nest Aromatherapy has joined the ranks of the worldwide web! This has been a dream of mine long in the making, and I’m so excited to launch my new and fabulous website (if I may say so - Nancy at Pegleg Web Designs rocks!)  and to talk and share my passion for all things natural and life in general. You’ll hear from me at least once a week, but if my head gets too full, I’ll empty it here. I’ll try not to rant and rave (too much), and I’m very opinionated, (as many of you know so well) so try to roll with it. lol

You wanna hang out with me this weekend? Come to the Northshore Greekfest at 1085 Lake Cook Rd in Deerfield, Illinois. I’ll be there from 4pm until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, spreading my love of Aromatherapy and sampling Nature’s Nest Pure Premium Products for Mind, Body and Spirit.

By the way, Happy Birthday to me! I’ll be doing what I love on the day, and if you stop by the Northshore Greekfest on Saturday and wish me a Happy birthday, I’ll give YOU a pressie! So how’s THAT for a celebration?

Anyhoo, We’ve got still lots of work to do, so as Bobby Brown says in his popular song from the 80′s, “We ‘outta here!”

Bye for now……