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Newsletter - August, 2002 Issue http://itsmynature.net *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Welcome to It's My Nature's online email newsletter. Our goal is to provide you with interesting, useful information about herbs and aromatherapy. We will share ways to relieve the stress of daily life and bring a little natural comfort into your life and the lives of those you love. Summer is in full swing and the days are long and hot. We hope you are having a great season complete with lots of fun. This month our featured herb and essential oil is Patchouli and we also have a great article about easing the stress at work that you will want to be sure and check out. Our website is continually being updated so please remember to BOOKMARK it and visit often. http://itsmynature.net This musky herb called Patchouli has been used in aromatherapy for centuries in many cultures. It was introduced in the early 1800's to the British Culture. It was used for its antiviral properties in medicinal cleansing and to stop the spread of disease. Here Patchouli became widespread in the 1960's. Its earthy aroma masked scents and lingered in the air for days. The emotional benefits are pleasant as it relieves stress, awakens tranquility and is a natural aphrodisiac. Patchouli is very recognizable and you either love the scent or hate it. This erect annual herb grows to a height of 2 or 3 ft. It has purplish colored stems that is covered with minute hairs. It produces white flowers on spikes. The parts used are the leaves and the roots. It takes about 6 months to reach maturity and it can be harvested every 3 or 4 months. Preferably during the drier months when the oil content is at its highest. Patchouli is native in tropical Asia but is cultivated heavily in the East and West Indies and in Paraguay. It is mainly harvested for its oil. Fresh leaves yield the highest amount of oil and should be grown close to a distillery. You can use the fragrant leaves dried. They are a great insect repellent. Place them between blankets and in closets. Grow this plant as a helper for other plants. It is great for keeping the insect population down. Also fresh bruised leaves are good to apply for burns to aid in healing. A poultice of leaves can be applied for a headache or an infusion of leaves is good added to the bath water when suffering from a cold without fever, vomiting or nausea. The orangish-amber oil has high quality anti-viral properties and is a fixative. So while the scent gets better with age it also helps keep the scent of what ever its blended with. For this reason, Patchouli is very popular in the perfuming industry but it is often adulterated by exporters. Today in aromatherapy, Patchouli is used for its medical and emotional attributes. The emotional benefits make Patchouli relaxing and great to use in stressful situations. It improves concentration and lets you keep control of your emotions and is useful in controlling depression and anxiety. It has been used in many spiritual rituals to ward off negativity and evil and burned as incense to aid divination and clairvoyance. Patchouli's Medicinal Properties include: aphrodisiac, astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antitoxic, carminative, deodorant, decongestant, digestive, diuretic, fungicidial, insecticide, antidepressant, sedative, stimulant (nervous), stomachic, tonic. It blends well with: Lavender, Jasmine, Eucalyptus, Basil, Rosemary, Frankincense, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and is often used with Peppermint. Dry Skin Relief Earthy Rose Peace and Love Massage Oil Most people work a 40 hour week so we can estimate that we typically spend about 2,000 hours at work each year. And many people work even more than this. Yet we often don't take the time to ensure that our job setting is a pleasant place to be. Our jobs are often very stressful and stress is a known trigger for many common ailments and diseases. Many studies have been done on the relationship between job stress and a variety of ailments. Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach, headaches and disturbed relationships with family and friends are examples of stress related problems that are quick to develop. Before you think about stress reduction, start by identifying the particular stresses in your work and the effect they have on you. What, specifically, is it about your work situation that makes you feel anxious, angry, frustrated, burned out, depressed, etc? Do you have a difficult boss or co-worker? Do you have too much work and not enough time to do it? When you come up with your list of stressors, address them one at a time. Managing stress is a slow and measured process that should take place over time and not all at once. Take stock of the situation and make a note of the things that are causing you the most concern. Look at things that you can do, or ask for support that will ease the situation, no matter how small. Set some achievable goals towards removing the problem. Think back to some similar situations you have overcome and apply these lessons. A common reaction to a stressful situation is to try to escape, at least temporarily, by taking a coffee break or a quick smoke. But this only adds to the toxins in your body and does not attempt to deal with the underlying causes. A more effective response is to confront the tasks that cause you stress. Develop healthy habits one day at a time. Take a short walk in the morning, eat regularly, take time over your meals, and keep in touch with your mind and body. It can be very beneficial to change your own outlook and actions rather than trying to change others who you believe are the cause of your stress. No matter what the causes of your tension and stress are, there are many strategies you can use to help protect you against the ill effects of stress. We elaborate on a different strategy to relieve stress each month in this newsletter. Implementing aromatherapy into your life can go a long way in easing your stress as well as the stress levels of others around you. One of the main attributes of pure essential oils is their ability to relieve stress with immediate positive benefits. Because of the emotional elements which are at play in stress-related conditions, the choice of essential oils depends largely on the causes of the problem and the temperment of each individual and how they respond under pressure. Only use oils that appeal to you. If you do not like the scent, it will not have the desired effect. If you can't use a diffuser at work, simply put a drop of essential oil on a tissue and keep with you to sniff whenever you need to. Put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the cardboard tube inside a roll of toilet paper to fragrance the bathroom at work. Let scent be your calling card. Simply add your favorite essential oils to cotton balls and place your business cards and the cotton balls in a box with a lid. Keep tightly closed for at least 1 week. Mix 5 drops of Lavender essential oil (or your favorite oil) into about a There is help for your stress! Aromatherapy has been proven to be excellent for stress relief as well as increasing productivity and efficiency levels. The possibilities are only limited to your imagination. For more ideas and information, check out our website that is over 100 pages large and growing. You are receiving this newsletter because you have: Thank you for your interest in Aromatherapy and It's My Nature's Comfort Products. Feel free to pass this Newsletter on to a friend, so they can sign up and receive it free each month too! |
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