October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
As the seasons change and another series of holidays is upon us, let's give props to a month of awareness. Each year the National Breast Cancer Foundation embarks on its annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Take some time this month to see how you can help.
If you like Pina Coladas & getting caught in the rain...
Ever wonder what makes us reminisce about sweeter things? What puts us in an immediate state of comfort and security? Often it's a smell or fragrance...an o' so sweet scent that delivers us to a peaceful time or wistful place. One of the most widely known soothing scents is that of the perfectly pretty Lavender.
Lavender is the "Swiss Army Knife" of essential oils because it has so many useful properties and can be used in so many situations. Lavender is known for its soothing and relaxing influence on the human psyche, Lavender also has profound tissue regeneration and wound healing properties that are very evident in burns. This oil is also an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to have analgesic properties, meaning it deadens or relieves physical pain without reducing mental alertness.
I had a knee replacement a couple of years ago and the surgeon used stainless steel staples to sew me up. I used Lavender on my incision every day and needless to say, my surgeon was in awe of how good the incision looked.
"Italian researchers in 1999 found lavender essential oil dramatically reduced contractions of rat nerve tissue and also had significant anesthetic action on the nerve reflexes of living rabbits". *
"Studies at Osaka Kyoiku University in Japan found that lavender increased alertness, even as it reduced mental stress". **
"Reduction of mental stress with lavender odorant." ***
The fact is, Lavender stands with a rich range of healing and soothing oils like peppermint, melissa, clary sage, and many other herbs. I've recently taken a deep interest in Young Living Essential Oils, a world leader in essential oils and wellness solutions. Check out this Essential Oils Guide for an array of beautifully scented oils. Primarily extracted through careful steam distillation, but also through cold pressing, the purest essential oils are far more powerful and effective than dry herbs, delivering quick and effective results. Any time you hold a bottle of Young Living’s powerful essential oils, you are holding the pure essence of health-promoting botanicals that can be diffused, inhaled, applied topically, incorporated into massage, or taken internally.
Additionally, don't forget that October is Breast Cancer Month! Help someone feel wonderful with Lavender based gifts like essential oils, aroma therapeutic pillows, and soaps, to name a few.
If you would like more information and essential oils, please contact me and if you haven't had a mammogram this year, PLEASE get one as the life you save may be YOURS!
Be sure to visit my YouTube
* (Ghelardini, C., et al, "Local anesthetic activity of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia," 1999, Planta Med 65(8):700-3).
** (Motomura N, Sakurai A, Yotsuya Y.
*** Percept Mot Skills. 2001 Dec 93(3):713-8).