Posts tagged: wellness essentials

How To Make Natural Ginger Ale

How To Make Natural Ginger Ale
How To Make Natural Ginger Ale. Image – WellnessMama.com (with permission)

We just found an awesome tutorial for how to make your own natural ginger ale! The link follows after our introduction to the topic.

If you’re sick of the modern generation of unhealthy junk sodas then this could be a perfect beverage for you! We all want beverages that have great taste, but wouldn’t it be great if we could get that without short-changing ourselves when it comes to our health and nutrition? Ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup or aspartame are deal-breakers for me. If those things are in there, I won’t touch it. End of story. 😉

What’s great about this recipe we have found is not only that it contains real ginger (see this page for our full tutorial on the health benefits of ginger) – well known for its numerous health benefits – but it is naturally fermented, which makes it naturally fizzy! The drink contains natural probiotics and enzymes that are widely regarded to have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

Fermented drinks and foods have been utilized since ancient times on account of their health benefits. This formula uses a short-brew method so that it does not become alcoholic.

One note – you have to be careful to follow the instructions properly. As with making other fermented drinks such as Jun (an old Tibetan Fermented Tea drink), you can create too much pressure, enough to burst the bottles if you do it wrong!

Another note that caught my eye from the comments on the original page – although the recipe calls for some sugar, note that the fermentation process will transform much of this. One person advised not to substitute with honey (it is a commonly held position that due to being antimicrobial it interferes with the fermentation) or stevia.

Ok here’s the link to the full tutorial: https://wellnessmama.com/8945/natural-ginger-ale/

Top 6 Essential Oil Diffuser Blends For Well Being

Top 6 Essential Oil Diffuser Blends For Well Being
Top 6 Essential Oil Diffuser Blends For Well Being. Graphic: © herbshealthhappiness.com. Oil / flowers photo – Pixabay (PD).

When it comes to essential oils, the possible aromatherapy combinations are nearly endless. But the wide range of options can also leave you confused. To ease your troubles, here are 6 of the best essential oil diffuser blends for different scenarios.

1. Calming

Ingredients:
⦁ Lavender – 3 drops
⦁ Geranium – 3 drops
⦁ Roman chamomile – 2 drops
⦁ Clary sage – 2 drops
⦁ Ylang-ylang – 2 drops

Try this to calm down after a long stressful day. Some of the essentials oils have been shown to improve sleep, remedy pain & inflammation, and balance the heart rate. [1][2][3]

2. Bliss

Ingredients:
⦁ Wild orange – 3 drops
⦁ Grapefruit – 3 drops
⦁ Lemon – 2 drops
⦁ Bergamot – 1 drop

This essential oil blend is perfect for relaxing your mind and uplifting your mood. Consider using the blend when you have visitors over for a fun experience.

3. Stress be Gone

Ingredients:
⦁ Lavender – 4 drops
⦁ Clary Sage – 3 drops
⦁ Ylang-ylang – 2 drops
⦁ Marjoram – 1 drop

Feeling drained? Research shows that some of the ingredients in this essential oil diffuser blend help relieve emotional stress, nervous tension, depression, headaches, and anxiety. [4]

4. Joyful

Ingredients:
⦁ Joyful blend – 4 drops
⦁ Invigorating blend – 4 drops

Looking to boost your energy, optimism, and feeling of well-being? The joyful essential oil diffuser blend might be what you need. It contains euphoric and refreshing scents that elevate your mood and vitality.

5. Energy

Ingredients:
⦁ Peppermint – 4 drops
⦁ Wild orange – 4 drops

Use this peppermint and wild orange blend to reduce fatigue and improve energy levels. [5]

6. Focus

Ingredients:
⦁ Frankincense – 2 drops
⦁ Vetiver – 2 drops
⦁ Grounding blend – 4 drops

This blend of ingredients is designed to improve brain function and help you focus on a task. For example, a study in the Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, suggests that inhaling vetiver oil may help you focus and improve brain alertness. [6]

Please note that this content should never be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians.

References:

[1] Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality and anxiety of patients https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nicc.12198.

[2] Patented antiinflammatory plant drug development from traditional medicine https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.1475.

[3] Salamati A. et al. 2017. Effect of Inhalation of Lavender Essential Oil on Vital Signs in Open Heart Surgery ICU https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5423266/.

[4] Malcolm BJ. 2018. Essential oil of lavender in anxiety disorders: Ready for prime time? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29955514.

[5] Kennedy D. et al. 2018. Volatile Terpenes and Brain Function: Investigation of the Cognitive and Mood Effects of Mentha × Piperita L. Essential Oil with In Vitro Properties Relevant to Central Nervous System Function. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30087294.

[6] Modification of sleep-waking and electroencephalogram induced by vetiver essential oil inhalation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4805151/.

Oregano Oil Is One Of The Most Effective Natural Antibiotics

Oregano Oil Is One Of The Most Effective Natural Antibiotics
Graphic: © herbshealthhappiness.com. Photo: Pixabay (PD).

At an age when antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading at an unprecedented pace, could it be the time to go back to the basics of mother nature? Some plants, such as oregano, have been shown to possess potent antibiotic properties with none on the side effects associated with their pharmaceutical counterparts. Read on as we discuss the antibiotic properties of oregano oil, and why it’s worth your attention.

Health Benefits of Oregano Oil

When concentrated into an essential oil, oregano is loaded with powerful compounds that have science-supported health benefits. The therapeutic uses are attributed to its composition of thymol and carvacrol, which are potent antifungal and antibacterial compounds. Below are some studies on the antibacterial properties of oregano oil:

⦁ According to an animal study appearing in the Journal of Toxicological Mechanisms and Methods, oregano oil significantly improved the survival rate of mice infected with the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. [1] These bacteria are associated with several ailments, including skin infections and food poisoning.

⦁ Another 2012 study by Polish researchers showed that oregano oil may be effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [2]

How to Use Oregano Oil as a Natural Antibiotic

1) Remember to consult your doctor regarding possible interaction with other medications or other health concerns
2) Obtain 100% pure organic oregano oil.
3) Take 1-2 drops, highly diluted in a glass of water
4) Alternate method – Oregano tincture can be obtained, for example Herb Pharm Oregano Spirits. Instructions for use are on the bottle. It’s very intense and you will want to wash it down immediately with a glass of water so have this already prepared!

Please note that this content should never be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians.

References:

[1] Preuss, H. G. et al. 2005. Effects of Essential Oils and Monolaurin on Staphylococcus aureus: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20021093.

[2] Sienkiewicz, M. et al. 2012. [The antibacterial activity of oregano essential oil (Origanum heracleoticum L.) against clinical strains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23484421.