A heavenly retreat!

Moisturizing and Relaxing Oat Bath
I ran across some wonderful recipes by by Kimberly Gallagher that they were posted on a very fun website. www.learningherbs.com

While checking it out I discovered the luxurious, soothing wonderfulness of an oat bath. In case you haven’t experienced one, I’m going to give you directions to prepare one for yourself. I highly recommend spending an evening pampering yourself this way!

Cooked oats create a moisturizing milky liquid. In her book, Herbal Rituals, Judith Berger says “oat baths send moisture deep into the skin...soak away emotional stress, [and] physical pain in the joints, uterus, bladder and bones.” This is a recipe from her book for an oat bath:

To create an oat bath for yourself you will need:
a large soup pot
enough rolled oats to fill the pot about 1/2 inch deep - (several cups) I put them in a nylon sock and tied it. I didn't have to strain the water that way.
water to fill the pot.

Put the oats in the pot and fill the pot almost to the top with hot water.
Bring the water to a boil. Watch it carefully as it likes to boil over quite dramatically.

Simmer over low heat for several hours.
Remove the thin film that forms on top. It is very emollient and can be placed on an especially dry or itchy part of your body for extra soothing and moisturizing.
Strain the oats out of the milky water if you didn't use the nylon.
Add 8 drops of Relaxation essential oil to this milky water.
Relaxation oil is a combination of lavendar and tangerine. ON SALE This Week

Fill your bath with water, pour the slick, milky aromatherapy water into your bath.
Sink into your delicious oat bath and soak for at least twenty minutes. Maybe even light a candle.

I hated to waste that oatmeal left in the nylon so I made a face scrub out of it.
I added
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 C. of brown sugar,
1/2 C of salt
3 drops of tea tree essential oil ON SALE THIS WEEK
3 drops of peppermint oil. ON SALE THIS WEEK
I mixed it all together and applied it onto my face. (Stay well away from your eyes) Let it set for a couple of minutes and rinsed it off with cool water.
I tried adding some other ingredients to it, but it wasn't too successful, felt quite slimy.
Grind the almonds and seaweed together first since they take more grinding then add the other ingredients and grind until the oats are well ground.
You can simply take some in your hands, wet your face and rub it on, but then little bit of oats and rose petals must go down your drain. I found it nice to put the mixture in a small nylon sock or mesh bag, wet the bag and rub my face with that. Then I could easily compost the mixture when I was finished.
Enjoy washing away all your winter dryness and refreshing yourself for a beautiful spring!

PS: if you ever get essential oils in your eye, do not use water to remove it... it will make spread it and make it worse. Use cloth moistened with olive or canola oil and wipe from the corner out.

Another sale item I have is grapefruit oil, the most refreshing scent for your diffuser or candle warmer.

Sale Prices

Relaxation (lavender & Tangerine) 1/3 oz $7.80 3.3 oz 33.97

Grapefruit 1 oz $8.00

Peppermint... great for travel sickness too 1 oz $14.00

Tea Tree 1 oz $9.00

Orange peel 1 oz $8.00

(New supplier on all of the oils but the Relaxation) Great prices!

barb@solutionsteam.biz to order ORDERS OVER $60 FREE shipping

Where did aromatherapy come from?

I realized that perhaps some of you following this blog or email might need a little background on aromatherapy, so that is what we are going to do today!

In the 1920's, French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse accidentally lit his arm on fire in his laboratory. The nearest cold liquid was a vat of lavender oil, into which he thrust his arm in an act of desperation. To his surprise, the pain subsided within a few minutes and the burn healed quickly without a scar. Gattefosse spent the rest of his life researching the healing properties of essential oils, and the science of aromatherapy was born.

In France, where it was discovered, aromatherapy has been incorporated into conventional medicine to treat infections and disease. In the U.S., it is widely used for its ability to affect a person's emotional state.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils from plants and aromatic plant compounds to affect someone's mood or health. Besides affecting the limbic system, or the emotion centers of the brain, essential oils also have antiseptic and immune-system-enhancing properties, and can be a complement to conventional medicine.

There are many methods of using aromatherapy to enhance health and wellness, including massage, baths, steam inhalation, and room diffusion. Although aromatherapy was discovered with an act of direct skin application, in most cases, essential oils are too strong to be applied directly to the skin without first being diluted in a carrier oil, such as canola, olive oil or other carrier oil.
Here are some ways you can use aromatherapy to create a healthier home.

For a Tooth ache Put a drop of clove oil on your finger and rub on and around the effected tooth. This will not get rid of a decayed tooth, but will get you a reprieve from the pain until you can get to a dentist to get the problem resolved.
In the Bath Try this bath before bed to help you or your kids sleep more soundly. Put five drops of lavender oil in a little shampoo and then swirl it in the bath water. Lavender helps promote relaxation and sleep.

In the Car Sprinkle a few drops of peppermint or Basil on a cotton ball, and stash it under the driver's seat. You can also rub a couple of drops on the palm of your hand. Basil and Peppermint helps increase alertness.
Inhalation Into a basin of steaming water, add a few drops of an essential oil, like marjoram or Eucalyptus. Lean your head over the bowl and cover with a towel, and inhale the steam for 10 minutes. Marjoram and Eucalyptus can help to clear congestion.
Around the House Help to disinfect the air in your home by adding a few drops of tea tree oil or lemon oil to an aromatherapy diffuser or put in melted candle wax.

For your Pets Calm rambunctious or nervous pets by sprinkling a drop or two of lavender oil on their bedding.

This week I will be running a special on Clove Oil, 15% discount! There is also a discount on the anti viral blend. These are both excellent oils to have in your storage and first aid kit. Imagine having someone you love with a toothache and not being able to get to a dentist. Clove is a must. 1/3 oz clove is regular $5.83 NOW only 4.95. 3.3 oz is 41.83 Now only $35.55

Anti viral is 1/3 oz 12.48 NOW only 10.60 3.3 oz $62.50 Now only $53.12

All synergies for your diffuser are also 15% off. any size.

One of my favorites are After the storm... a blend of lemon, cedarwood, bergamot and citronella. Fresh and very peaceful.

Although aromatherapy can complement traditional medicine, it should never be used instead of competitant medical advice. Always check with your doctor or pediatrician before using any home remedies on yourself or your children.