By Holly Dunbar, LMT, RH (AHG), Certified Aromatherapist Aromatherapy has an obvious connection to the olfactory system, our sense of smell, whose nerves extend directly into the brain. The olfactory bulb sends an odorant signal to the limbic system of the brain in the space of 1-3 seconds. Smell is the only sense humans possess […]
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RSS feed for this sectionExploring the Energetics of Essential Oils
By Holly Dunbar, LMT, RH (AHG), Certified Aromatherapist (A version of this article was published in Plant Healer Quarterly, #47, June 2022) Two trains of thought tend to emerge when one broaches the subject of the energetics of essential oils – one branches to the vibrational energy, and the other to the classification of the […]
Essential Oils for Anxiety Relief
Anxiety is a prevalent emotion currently, as in a matter of weeks, we have found our normal routines dramatically altered, businesses shuttered, finances strained, and even the way we shop for groceries a different experience. Self-care becomes vital in times like these, as stress is not only detrimental to our feeling of well-being, but suppresses […]
Products to Support Immunity and General Wellness
Some products that we make may be of particular use during this viral pandemic, due to the content of anti-viral oils. Or, perhaps your hands are feeling the effects of so much hand washing! Our hand soap and balms may be the perfect solution for dry skin relief. Below are a few products that are […]
Essential Oils to Ease Holiday Stress
Essential oils can be remarkably effective stress relievers. These concentrated plant extracts promote deeper breathing, stimulate the limbic system of the brain, and calm the nervous system. Essential oils can be utilized in a number of ways to ease stress: Added to a warm bath, mixed with carrier oil and massaged into the skin, applied […]
Are Your Skin Care Products Truly Natural?
Discerning product labels of skin care products can be confusing, leaving consumers to rely on intuition, and a blind trust that one is buying a product that seems as benign and derived from nature as the advertising implies. After all, when the product derives its name from botanicals, such as “green apple shampoo,” or “oat […]
Aromatherapy for Anti-Stress Support
What are essential oils? What exactly is aromatherapy? We are bombarded with the phrase plastered on everything from air fresheners to scented candles, yet most products advertised as such have nothing to do with this legitimate healing art. Aromatherapy is the application of pure plant oils, called essential oils, to positively affect the health of […]
Amazing & Versatile Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil is one product I routinely recommend as a staple in one’s medicine chest. This small vial of essential oil, (as opposed to perfume oil), can provide relief to many common complaints, and can even be relied on as first aid in certain situations. Lavender essential oil is distilled most often from Lavendula […]
Easing Winter Blues with Essential Oils
Spring is just around the corner, but the month of March has a way of stretching itself out like a lazy cat that doesn’t want to relinquish its cozy spot. The first day of spring is official on the 20th of March, with the Spring Equinox, but the warmth and growth we associate with spring […]
Essential Oils to Ease Pain
Essential oils extracted from plants have been utilized since antiquity for beauty, skin care, medicine, first aid, and to ease pain. Many consumers have utilized essential oils unwittingly in balms and liniments intended to relieve pain and soreness. Most pre-packaged balms intended for a mass market have a relatively low essential oil content, however, and […]