Wax and Bubbles

Lavender is one of the most popular essentail oils to use when you are sleep deprives or stressed, so why not use it for other aliments as well. Your eyes are the windows to your soul, so you must take care of them in everyway possible. When your body and mind are stressed your eyes show the prove of this. With a simple craft of making an lavender eye pillow you can help relieve your stress and help you eyes in the long run as well. Here’s how it’s done.

• For the pillow: You will need 1/2 yrd. of fabric. Be sure and wash it, dry it and iron it before starting.

• For the filling:
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup buckwheat
1/2 cup dried lavender
1/2 cup dried chamomile *if you are allergice to any of the above, please consider using a different dried herb*

• To make the pillow: Mark two 4 1/2 by 10-inch recatangles on the side of the favbric. Cut along your marks and create two panels. Place the two panels rigth sides together and stitch a 1/2-inch sesm along the edge. Backstitch over each end. Leave one of the 4-inch sides open, so you can add your filling. Be sure and stitch another stictch reinforcement seam around the edge to guarantee the filling won’t fall out. Turn the panels right side out and spoon in the filling to fill the pillow completely. Fold the opening where the filling was put inside over and stitch by hand the opening sot hat is completely closed. If you want you can reenforce this stitch as well.

You can heat this pillow in the microwave for about 20 seconds and apply it to your eyes. Lie back after a hard day and enjoy the lavender and chamomile benfits it brings.

• C

1. Cataracts: Taking bilberry supplements two to three times a day can help guard against radical damage to the eyes. Also wearing sunglass with UV protection and a hat during the times you are outside in the sun can help dramatically.

2. Chronic Fatigue: Inhaling tea tree oil helps to build up the immune system and inhaling geranium and bergamot oils help to combat the depression symptoms associated with chronic fatigue as well. Raising the body temperature a couple of degrees for a few minutes every day helps to multiply your white blood cell count.

3. Colds: Defeat the cold virus quicker with acupressure by pressing down on the hollow points on either side of the collarbone. Raven Sara oil is an antiviral scent and adding lemon and eucalyptus or pine oils to it give the mixture a medicinal benefit. Lavender oil added to a warm bath helps to boost the immune system. Working up a sweat can also help; it helps to rid the body of toxins as well.

4. Constipation: Massage some olive oil mixed with chamomile, rosemary and thyme onto your stomach clockwise to relax the intestinal muscles. Always eat fiber rich foods to help soften your bowel movements.

• D

1. Depression: Try inhaling rose, lavender, chamomile, ylang-ylang, clary sage and cypress. Cutting out sugary foods, caffeine and even alcohol from your diet as well. Taken St. John’s Wort supplements can also help.

2. Diarrhea: Sip on pomegranate juice instead of high calorie sports drinks or sugar laden fruit juices. Mixing together lemon oil, honey and salt helps as well.

• E

1. Earache: Hold your nose and eat a clove of garlic a day till the ear ache is gone. Pulling on your ear lobes about 10 times a day can help increase circulation as well.

2. Eczema: Calendula ointment will give instant relief. Add a few drops of lavender, chamomile and olive oil to your non scented body lotion can also help calm irritated skin as well. Add some baking soda and warm oatmeal to your bath to help with the itching. Detox your liver with dandelion root tea to get to the heart of the problem as well.

Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) also known as the herbal tea of choice. It is lightly sweet with a milk, apple like flavor. It is widely used for relaxation and promotion of sleep or drowsiness. It is also been said to help relieve anxiety and believed by herbalist of slow the aging process.

Chamomile tea is made from the flowers and is considered very safe to ingest internally. In medieval times, chamomile was scattered over floors o release its scent when it was stepped on. Now-a-days chamomile is used commercially in ice cream, candy , baked goods and a variety of beverages. The scent is great as an addition to potpourri an a hair rinse made from chamomile flowers themselves to bring out blonde highlights in the hair.

Most of the household uses for chamomile is German chamomile variety to make a warm tea before bedtime. But chamomile can also be used in body products. Here is a recipe to try today, to be able to take advantage of chamomiles health benefits.

• Relaxation Balm

4 ounces mango or shea butter
4 ounces beeswax, yellow or white
5 ounces liquid oil (jojoba or grape seed are both excellent)
2 teaspoons of chamomile essential oil

Melt the beeswax in a separate container and the butter/oil in another container. Add together, mix well, stir in chamomile essential oil and pour into containers. Mixture will harden in approximately 1-2 hours. The cooler the mixture is upon pouring it, the less ‘air and divots will develop in the mixture.

• Chamomile: Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile

There are many different plants that have been called chamomile, also spelled “camomile”, but the most common are German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). Chamomiles will grow in almost any soil but typically prefer dry, sandy soil. Full sun is needed to produce abundant flowers, the part of the plant that is used medicinally. While German chamomile grows to be 2-3 feet tall, Roman chamomile is low growing, and often used as a ground cover. The leaves are fine and featherlike.

Chamomile is commonly used in teas and potpourri. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, sedative, aromatic and soothing qualities that make it ideal for use on the skin. Chamomile is generally considered to be a very safe herb to use, even for children, although some people do experience allergic reactions from chamomile.

Because it is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, it is useful in treating skin inflammations including eczema, psoriasis and even diaper rash. Extracts of chamomile can also speed the healing of wounds on the skin. Chamomile is mild and gentle enough to use routinely on the skin to prevent infection and inflammation. Chamomile is found in many over-the-counter skin ointments, or you can make your own chamomile balm.

Steam Facial

The simplest way to use herbs for your skin is in the form of a facial steam. Facial steams are useful for opening the pores, cleansing the skin, removing toxins and improving the circulation. It is good to do a facial steam once a week, but first remove all makeup by cleansing the skin.

1 tablespoon chamomile
1 tablespoon fennel
1 tablespoon rose petals
1 tablespoon calendula (for dry skin – substitute lemon balm for oily skin)
Place herbs in a bowl and pour one quart of boiling water over them. Tie back your hair, put you face 10-12 inches over the bowl, then make a tent over your head with a towel to keep in the steam. Close your eyes and remain this way for 10 minutes or so letting the herbal steam penetrate you skin. Afterward, rinse your face with cool water. You can finish off using sage tea or sage vinegar to tighten the pores. In the winter, inhale steam from marjoram and sage to relieve cold symptoms. (Source: Mushroom eBooks)

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