Month: March 2020

Aromatherapy – an overview

Today’s post is about Aromatherapy.

I recently read an interesting article in a journal from the Natural Therapists Association about this topic. I thought I would share an overview.

What is Aromatherapy?

Essential oils have been used for therapeutic purposes for approximately 6,000 years. Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and the science of utilising these essential oils to balance, harmonise and promote wellbeing and health.
It is a well-documented, natural therapy that has been practiced throughout the world for centuries. The first methods of essential oil distillations were found in historical Egyptian texts.
The term ‘Aromatherapy’ was first used in the early 1930’s by a French chemist – Rene` Maurice Gattefosse to describe the therapeutic action of the oils.

Aromatherapy is the term applied to the external application of essential oils such as inhalations, baths or massage. Aromatic Medicine is related to the practice of ingestible essential oils.
Today there is a revival of scientific research into the art of aromatherapy and its medical applications.

So what are ‘essential oils’?

Essential oils are one of the purest forms of plant chemistry. These oils are very different to the ones used for cooking or skin care. They are concentrated essences, much lighter than water and highly flammable. They evaporate quickly, so are usually mixed with other ingredients to trap their effectiveness.
Essential oils contain many known and unknown phytochemical elements. It is estimated that an individual essential oil can contain 300 to 400 active constituents. Because they are so concentrated, essential oils are measured in drops.

How does it work?

Considering that the oils are highly concentrated, they need to be treated with care. They should never be applied undiluted, directly to the skin. 

However here are many other ways to benefit from the active constituents of the oils. Most methods do not require specialised equipment.
Essential oils are composed of tiny molecules that are easily dissolved in alcohol and emulsifiers such as beeswax or mixed with other oils. This allows them to penetrate the skin easily.
As the essences evaporate, they are also inhaled. In this way they are absorbed via the cells that line the nasal passages.

Common uses for essential oils are
– Steam inhalation or inhalation using humidifiers or diffusers
– Massage
– Room sprays
– Oil burners/evaporators
– Compress
– Body oils and perfumes

A few of the more common oils and their uses or benefits are
Eucalyptus – an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory
Lavender – calming and also antiseptic
Peppermint – a decongestant and good for digestion
Frankincense – aids concentration

Each individual oil has a distinct chemical composition. This determines its fragrance, colour, volatility and beneficial properties.There are so many essential oils used with aromatherapy that this post would be extremely long. I will instead, occasionally focus on a particular oil to write about in future posts.

Hopefully you also have found this information interesting and you are inspired to consider how aromatherapy can assist you.

Till the next post,
Live clean n Prosper

(Sources – Australian Natural Therapists Assoc., The Encyclopaedia of Aromatherapy)

Raw Raspberry & Chocolate Slice

Today I’m sharing a recipe for a Raw Raspberry & Chocolate Slice.

I was looking through my recipes this week and came across this recipe that I had saved from one of those free magazines you can get from the supermarket.
It is an easy recipe to make and tastes very nice, sort of a spin on ‘cherry ripe’.

Having the raw chocolate topping helps to keep this slice healthier.

Raw Raspberry & Chocolate Slice

Makes approx. 12 pieces

Ingredients

Base
3/4 cup almond meal
10 pitted dates
1 ½ tbsp. cacao powder
2 ½ tbsp. almond butter
1 tbsp honey

Filling
1 cup raw, natural cashews
250g fresh raspberries
½ cup desiccated coconut
2/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla paste
1/3 cup honey

Chocolate topping
40g cacao butter
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao powder
2 tbsp. maple syrup

Method
Prepare a 20 x 20 cm tin by lining with baking paper
* For the Base – Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and mix until combined.
* Spread the mixture over the base of the tin, pressing it out evenly and refrigerate.

* For the filling – process the cashews until they are fine crumbs.
* Add the remaining ingredients and process for 2 minutes until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. Pour the mix over the base spreading it evenly. Return the tin to the fridge for 20 minutes.

* To make the chocolate topping, melt the cacao butter and coconut oil and mix in the cacao powder and maple syrup. Once well combined, pour the chocolate over the raspberry filling. You will need to work quickly as the chocolate may start to set if the filling is really cold.

Refrigerate till the chocolate is hard, then lift from the tin and slice into squares.
The slice will need to be kept refrigerated till served.

I think this recipe could be made using different berries if raspberries are not to your taste.

I hope you enjoy this slice as much as we did.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Eyes, Bags and Dark Circles

Todays post is about under eye bags and dark circles.

This is a topic that has been discussed quite a bit lately with some of my friends and colleagues.
I decided to conduct some research into this topic to learn more about it. As usual I am sharing my newfound knowledge with you.

First, a bit about the eye area.

Our eyes sit in the eye socket and are supported there by many small muscles. There are also very small pads of fat that provide support to the tissue and skin around our eyes.
There are also a number of glands in the eyelids that provide the liquids that become our tears. The larger of the glands, located under the outside edge of the eyebrows, produces the watery part of the tears. There are series of small glands along the edge of the lower lids that makes the oil that becomes another part of the tear film.
The lower eyelid is composed of very thin skin, a small plate of dense connective tissue and muscles that close and open the lid. The shape of the lower eyelid is determined by the attachment of the supporting tendons as well as the tone and contraction of the muscles.

How do under eye bags develop?

Sometimes, the shape of the lower eyelids, including ‘bags’ can be a hereditary trait.
The most common cause of bags under the eyes is ageing.
As we age, the skin surrounding the eyes becomes thinner and loses elasticity. The muscles around the eyes also lose strength and density. Over time the fat pads that provide the support to the structure around the eye area, increase in size.
The combinations of these conditions can create drooping of the upper eyelids and the ‘bags’ under the eyes.
Excess fluid in the body can also pool there, making the lower lids more swollen, however this is usually a temporary issue.

So what causes dark circles?

The dark circles that can develop under the eyes as we age are often caused by the same conditions. As we have less tissue between the boney eye socket and the surface of the skin. This creates a slight hollow under the eyes, which is known as a tear trough, and can cause the area to appear darker.
Dark circles under the eyes can also be caused by other factors.
These include: pigmentation, allergies, anemia, dehydration, poor sleep and smoking.
Some medicated eye drops also cause discolouration of the skin around the eyes.

Sources – www.sciencedirect.com, www.emedicine.medscape.com, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, www.aao.org, www.researchgate.net,

How do we reduce eye bags and dark circles?

This is the million-dollar question.
There are many cosmetic companies, pharmaceutical companies, beauty clinics and plastic surgeons all vying for our business in this area.
The Internet is filled with home remedies and weird solutions for reducing eye bags and dark circles.

As each person’s skin is different and the causes for the appearance of dark circles are different, the solutions will be different.
For some, the only solution may be surgery, for others it may be a cream or make-up.

If you have either one, or both of these conditions, I hope that this information has helped you understand more about it.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper