Aromatherapy Archives - Blue Bottle Passion

September 19, 2019 by Sue 4 Comments

Essential Oils for Skin – Guest Post

Guest Post from ConsumersAdvocate.org

You’ve probably had friends rave to you about the benefits of essential oils lately, like how it can help you achieve healthy glowing skin at an affordable cost. Plus, it’s a natural home-remedy for almost anything. Well, they’re not wrong!

Studies show that due to their natural composition essential oils can help soothe a number of skin-related conditions when used accordingly.

As extracts from plants, essential oils possess a number of biological activities that are beneficial for all skin types. Their properties include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial components that can provide incredible results for your complexion and overall health.

For instance, lavender oil is known for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits. Used topically and diluted with a carrier oil or coconut oil, lavender oil can support healthy skin by reducing inflammation. Its rich antioxidants protect your skin from wrinkles and can even help reduce small scars when used in combination with witch hazel.

Combined with tea tree oil’s antibacterial and natural painkiller properties, both can be used as an effective wound aid for small scrapes or burns. A 2015 study revealed that lavender’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects helped soothe painful rashes caused by poison ivy or mosquito bites.

Additionally, tea tree oil has been famously used as an anti-fungal treatment. Its antiseptic properties, like that of lavender oil, also helps manage dry or oily skin when used as a home-remedy toner.

However, if used in high concentrations tea tree and lavender oil could irritate skin and be poisonous. Experts say it should never be swallowed.

Since lavender and tea tree oil aren’t highly acidic, they’re considered safe for sensitive skin types when diluted. Although, consider talking to a dermatologist or family physician to determine if essential oils are right for you.

Essential oils are mainly used through three forms of application: topical, diffused (aromatherapy), and internal. However, the use and dose are very important. The American College of Healthcare Services identified the top three common mistakes when using essential oils we recommend you take a look at.

Because they are highly concentrated chemical plant-based substances, many people make the mistake of thinking they aren’t harmful. However, misuse could be poisonous.

When choosing an essential oil, whether it’s from a large brand or farmer’s market, you should go with a company that’s transparent and clear about the safety of their oils. Your safety and that of your family and pets could depend on it.

For example, eucalyptus is used for soothing effects when inhaled and can relieve chest congestion. If swallowed it can cause seizures, according to the National Capital Poison Center.

Essential oils are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Instead, the FDA considers essential oils as cosmetics. The problem is that this may give some companies room for error when advertising their products. Since they aren’t regulated, it’s difficult to determine what species of plant, concentration, contaminants or active ingredient may be in the bottle.

The best thing you can do is discuss use with a medical professional or use the essential oil according to label instructions if found in cosmetics, or medicine. Also, keep essential oils out of reach of children or pets as they may confuse them for food. If using for the first time, try a small spot treatment before full use to see if you could have an allergic reaction.

ConsumersAdvocate.org provides a thorough study on essential oils with insight on quality and testing of certain products within the industry from the basics of adulteration, to a company’s sustainability, and how to evaluate the purity of a product.

From promoting relaxation in a comforting environment to its overall healing properties, anyone can benefit from essential oils on a daily basis when used correctly.

Thank you to ConsumersAdvocate.org for this guest post!

Neal’s Yard Remedies is committed to providing quality essential oils that are sustainably sourced, and to advocating for safety and education when using oils. Read about how Neal’s Yard Remedies are Pioneers of Essential Oils

February 23, 2019 by Sue 2 Comments

Simple Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

It’s been a long winter this year. Here in Minnesota, winter can arrive in October and hang around until early May. And I’m so tired of February with its record setting snowfall. Seriously the shortest month? 28 days feels like about 4 months, and I was gone for one week of it!

No wonder we get the winter blues. In fact the further north of the equator, the more likely you are to feel the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder. Women are four times more likely to have the winter blues than men.

Turn Up the Lights

One way to combat the winter blues is to increase your light. Open the curtains and sit by a bright window. Turn on more lights in your home. Consider a light box for 15-60 minutes a day. You can get a light box without a prescription, but it’s a good idea to consult a health practitioner before using one.

Check Your Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiencies are linked to depression and other health issues. Most of us simply aren’t getting enough Vitamin D. Getting out in the sun isn’t easy in the winter, so choosing a quality supplement may be the best option.

Get Moving

Getting outside to shovel snow is one way to get some exercise and sunlight all in one. I know it can really be a challenge when it’s 50 below zero windchills, and the streets are coated with ice. Even a short walk outside is beneficial. Yoga may be helpful.

Try Some Essential Oils

The chemicals in essential oils can trigger physiological responses enhancing mood. There are many essential oils to choose from that can be helpful with the winter blues. Fragrance an entire room by using a cool mist diffuser, or simply open a bottle and breathe in the fragrance for several inhalations.

Jasmine: The warm floral aroma of jasmine is powerfully uplifting and relaxing.
Bergamot: Bergamot is relaxing, uplifting and invigorating.
Frankincense: Frankincense calms and uplifts the mood while increasing energy.
Patchouli: Patchouli is stimulating and strengthening.
Ylang-ylang: Ylang-ylang has a relaxing, sedating and calming effect on the nervous system, creating a sense of wellbeing and relaxation.

Consider Your Diet

When I’m feeling down, I could eat half a loaf of toast. Processed carbs and sugars may give a temporary lift, but the let down feeling quickly follows as your blood sugar takes a nose dive, so it’s best to avoid them as much as possible. Try working cold-water fish like salmon and tuna into your menu a couple of times a week. If you don’t like fish, a high-quality fish oil supplement may help. Increasing your veggie intake is always a good idea. A healthy diet most definitely improves mental health.

See a mental health professional if you are feeling seriously depressed or have suicidal feelings.

Have you tried essential oils for the winter blues? Which essential oils have helped you the most? Comment below or continue the discussion on Facebook.

January 28, 2019 by Sue Leave a Comment

Meditation Aromatherapy Blend from Neal’s Yard Remedies

Can a meditation aromatherapy blend of essential oils help with focusing on the present and encourage mindfulness? We live such chaotic lives filled with multi-tasking. We all operate on auto-pilot way too often. When we finally have a moment to ourselves, we tend to reach for our phones, iPads or the television to relax.

Benefits of Meditation

There is evidence that meditation has been around since pre-historic times. Archeologists believe meditation practice began 5000 years ago in India. Researchers have found many benefits to meditation.

happiness; increases in feelings of positivity
stress and cortisol reduction, which is linked to cellular aging
emotional balance improvements, ability to put life in perspective
productivity; increases in focus, creativity and multitasking
reductions in pain perception
improved relaxation and a more peaceful mind
improved immune health

Tips for Beginning Meditation

An easy way to begin to meditate is through mindful breathing. Start your diffuser in a quiet place with a few drops of Meditation Aromatherapy Blend Set a timer for 5 minutes. Sit in a chair, on a bench or on a cushion. Relax, close your eyes or not, and focus on your breathing. If your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to breathing in and out. Meditation music can be helpful, whether you are a beginner or not. The Space Between is piano meditation music. Gradually increase your meditation time.

Meditation Aromatherapy Blend

Certain essential oils are known to aid a harmonious link between mind, body and spirit that is key to meditation. The Meditation Aromatherapy Blend helps you to relax when you’re busy, which encourages slower, deeper breathing. It creates a wonderfully restful yet uplifting aroma, that can be diffused to help promote a sense of calm and focus for meditation.

Key Ingredients in Meditation Aromatherapy Blend

Frankincense: promotes deep breathing, sustainably sourced from Oman and certified organic
Vetiver: promotes relaxation, from Madagascar, Sri Lanka or Haiti
Sandalwood: promotes feelings of wellbeing, sustainably sourced from Australia
Balsam Fir: balancing and uplifting from Canada
Black Pepper: tones and stimulates from Sri Lanka
Balsam Copaiba: calming, balancing, grounding, certified organic from Brazil
Mandarin: calming, soothing, certified organic, from Brazil
Orange: uplifting, certified organic and sourced from Italy
Palmarosa: eases restlessness, balancing, certified organic from Uganda
Cedarwood: reduces stress and tension, certified organic from France

Now is the time to begin a regular meditation practice. It’s exciting to think something so simple can deliver so many benefits. With practice, you can meditate while on the go, while walking, or in a bath. Just focus on your breathing or a phrase, or a repetitive prayer. Find what works best for you, and enjoy a moment of zen each day.

Meditation Aromatherapy Blend | Neal's Yard Remedies | NYR Organic | Meditation | Essential Oils | Mindfulness | NYR Organic US

Finally, check out all of Neal’s Yard Remedies AROMATHERAPY PRODUCTS. Continue the discussion, and keep up with the latest Neal’s Yard Remedies new, specials and more on Facebook.

February 1, 2018 by Sue Leave a Comment

Neal’s Yard Remedies Introduces 6 Essential Oils to the US Market

Neal’s Yard Remedies began selling essential oils back in 1981 in Neal’s Yard, London, long before MLM and network marketing companies started selling essential oils. They sold pure essential oils to aromatherapists, as well as herbs, and homoeopathic remedies. Neal’s Yard Remedies is the first main street retailer in the UK to sell certified organic essential oils. Over 30 years of experience in essential oils and relationships with suppliers is unsurpassed. You can always count on the fact Neal’s Yard Remedies Essential Oils are sustainably sourced with minimal impact on the environment. Read more about Neal’s Yard Remedies essential oil experience in this POST.

Feb. 1 Neal’s Yard Remedies is introducing 6 additional essential oils to the US market.

Sandalwood

After years of searching for a sustainable source of Sandalwood Essential Oil (Santalum Album) Neal’s Yard Remedies has secured a sustainable supply of Sandalwood in Australia. In the past, Sandalwood has been harvested nearly to extinction due to it’s high value and demand. Sandalwood is extracted from trees grown in sustainably managed plantations. The evocative woody aroma promotes calm and relaxation and a profound feeling of wellbeing. It combines well with bergamot, jasmine, palmarosa and ylang-ylang.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood Essential Oil (Cedrus Atlantica) is sourced mainly from Morocco and France. It’s uplifting woody aroma makes it a perfect pick-me-up. Cedarwood blends well with bergamot, frankincense, juniper and rosemary.

Jasmine Absolute

Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum officinale) is another uplifting oil. Too fragile to be steam distilled, Jasmine is solvent extracted. Sourced from India, the night-flowering Jasmine is hand-picked at dawn, before it releases it’s sweet, heady aroma. Jasmine blends well with orange, rose and ylang-ylang.

Juniper

Juniper Essential Oil (Juniperus communis) is steam distilled from the dried, crushed fruit of the twig and berries of the juniper plant. The warm, woody, herbacious fragrance provides a cleansing action. Organic Juniper is sourced from France. Combine it with lavender, ginger, rosemary and the citrus oils.

Petitgrain

Petitgrain Essential Oil (Citrus aurantium amara) is another beneficial oil from the bitter orange tree, the other being neroli. It has a relaxing and uplifting fresh floral aroma. Petitgrain blends well with neroli, clary sage and rosemary. It is sourced from Paraguay.

Thyme Linalol

Thyme Linalol Essential Oil (Thymus vulgaris ct linalol) is a more gentle form of Thyme and is sourced from France. It has a stimulating, cleansing action with a wonderful herby fragrance. Thyme has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years. It combines well with antiseptic oils like clove, eucalyptus and lavender.

Find these essential oils and more HERE. Earn your essential oils free and half-price by hosting a fun and informative Facebook Party! Contact me to schedule yours today!

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November 21, 2017 by Sue 2 Comments

A Neal’s Yard Remedies Holiday Survival Guide

The holidays can be a stressful time. They are supposed to be filled with fun, family and feasting, but it doesn’t always happen that way, and that makes it even more stressful. Too many commitments, family dynamics, a budget stretched to the max and I could go on.

Take a deep breath, and make some time to prioritize. Exercise, sleep and diet are more important than ever at this time of year. Utilize some shortcuts. You can get a pumpkin pie from Costco instead of baking one from scratch. Maybe you don’t need to make dozens of Christmas cookies this year. If a picture is worth a thousand words, why not send photo holiday cards and forget about writing notes in each one?

The ABCs of holiday survival can help you not only survive the holidays, but thrive during the holidays!

A is for Aromatherapy

Remedies to Roll are your new BFFs during the holidays. Energy for finishing up the tree decorating and Relaxation for winding down. Study will come in handy for addressing those Christmas cards.

B is for Beauty Sleep

With all the shopping, work parties, kid’s Christmas programs, and decorating, you need the best night’s sleep possible, and what could be better than waking up to more beautiful skin with Beauty Sleep Concentrate? The restful aroma will ease you to sleep, while the serum supports your skin’s night time rejuvenation. Spritz a little Goodnight Pillow Mist on you pillow, and you are bound to sleep better.

C is for Cocoa & Cleanse

Caring for your inner health with superfood that are nutritionally dense with super-nutrients makes sense at this time of year, when meals can be on the run, and not always the healthiest. Fix yourself an Organic Cocoa Blend Rebalance instead of stopping at Starbucks for a sugar laden mocha. This comforting blend of mood enhancing cocoa and blueberry contains B vitamins and adaptogens – rhodiola, shiitake mushrooms, mama and ashwagandha to help you cope with stress and strain.

Organic Fiber Blend Cleanse contains psyllium husk and Bacillus coagulans to help maintain healthy gut function.

Remember, by taking care of yourself, you are taking care of your family and loved ones. And done is better than perfect, any day!

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August 25, 2017 by Sue Leave a Comment

4 New Essential Oils from Neal’s Yard Remedies

Neal’s Yard Remedies introduces 4 new essential oils. Organic Immortelle, Organic Lime, Organic Niaouli, and Rose Absolute are now available in the USA.

Neal’s Yard Remedies 100% pure essential oils are extracted from natural, wild-harvested and organically grown flowers, leaves, bark, and berries. They have over 35 years experience in building supplier relationships, and they oversee every aspect, from the soil they grow in, through how they are harvested, processed and bottled.

For inhalation or a steam facial, add 4-6 drops of essential oils to a bowl of steaming, warm water. Place a towel over your head and inhale the vapor for a few moments. Enjoy the room fragrancing and mood benefits of vaporization through the use of a diffuser. For a bath or shower, add a few drops to a carrier oil, milk or shower gel and swirl in your bath. Add essential oils to a base massage oil to ease tired muscles, and to relax and energize.

Immortelle

Organic Immortelle is also known as helichrysum, and comes from Bosnia. The smell is heady, honey-like with a warm and spicy undertone. The key action is balancing, cooling, soothing, and regenerative. It works well in blends and can be combined with geranium, lavender, chamomile, citrus and rose. It works well in massage oils, skin lotions and bath oils. Add 3-4 drops to a diffuser for a calming ambience.

Lime

Organic Lime essential oil comes from Sri Lanka and the key action is energizing, toning and astringent. The aroma is fruity and fresh. Used in a diffuser, the fresh scent is uplifing. It blends well with orange and peppermint. Avoid use on skin 12 hours before sun exposure. Lime is used in Neal’s Yard Remedies Peppermint and Lime Roll On Deodorant and the Deliciously Ella Rose, Lime & Cucumber Moisturizer and Facial Wash.

Niaouli

Organic Niaouli comes from Madagascar and has a clarifying and fresh aroma. The key action is cleansing. Think of it as a gentler version of tea tree oil. It can be used in an all over massage oil or in specific areas to fight infection, relieve pain or improve circulation. Excellent in a diffuser with lemon or pine. Niaouli is found in Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Organic Defence Hand Spray and Aromatherapy Blend.

Rose Absolute

Rose Absolute comes from Turkey, where the delicate flowers are picked early in the morning. Rose is another balancing oil, with an exquisite, sweet, floral fragrance. You may be surprised by the fragrance if you have primarily been exposed to synthetic rose. It is frequently used in skin care, massage, bath and room fragrancing.

Rose enhances overall well-being. Try blending it with bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, or patchouli. Add it to a base oil with geranium, and orange essential oils for an uplifting body massage. You will find Rose Absolute in Neal’s Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose collection and Rose Body Cream.

Find these and other essential oils HERE. Read more about Neal’s Yard Remedies essential oils HERE.

Join me as an Independent Consultant with Neal’s Yard Remedies HERE.

For the latest Neal’s Yard Remedies specials and news, join me on FACEBOOK

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author-an independent consultant and distributor of Neal’s Yard Remedies-and do not necessarily state or reflect Neal’s Yard Remedies’ views, opinions, clinical trial findings and recommendations. This blog is not meant as medical advice. Please seek the advice of a qualified medical practitioner for any medical condition.

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August 2, 2017 by Sue 2 Comments

3 Ways Essential Oils Can Help Sell Your Home

Several weeks of air-conditioning a closed up home and two nights in a row of BLTs made me super happy to open the windows today on this cool, summer morning. For anyone trying to sell a home, potential stale smells can cause a bit of panic when someone schedules a showing. Essential oils can come to the rescue and leave your home buyer ready.

Many years ago I had a brief career in real estate. Back then no one had any idea what an essential oil was, let alone a diffuser. The only option was smothering odors with synthetic room fragrances, or placing a waxy freshener out in the open; a red flag something nasty was being covered up. It was usually a case of the cure being as bad as or worse than the pet odors, smoke, mildew, vacant or just musty old smell.

Scent connects with the brain where emotion, decision making and learning take place. I’m not saying the right fragrance will have home buyers lining up to sign on the dotted line, but a bad-smelling home is major turn-off and will send buyers running. Who hasn’t read that baking a pan of cookies or a loaf of bread before a showing is a good idea?

Of course if you are selling your home it needs to be clean. Strong smelling all purpose cleaners can be just as big a turnoff. Clean with naturally fragranced products. Add a couple of drops of lemon or a citrus essential oil to wipe down counters.

For carpets and fabric, you can add some essential oils to baking soda and sprinkle it around, then vacuum. To make a room spray combine 20-30 drops of essential oils to 2 tablespoons each vodka and mineral water and transfer to a sterilized atomizer. A blend of lime, lemon, bergamot and mandarin creates a zesty, uplifing and deodorizing fragrance for everyday use.

Run a diffuser to cleanse and fragrance the air before a showing. Avoid the overpowering, heavier floral scents like ylang ylang, and stick with citrus blends. For a persistent odor try a cleansing fragrance like pine or lemongrass.

Check out all the great essential oils and diffusers Neal’s Yard Remedies has to offer. Let me know which essential oils help sell your home, or just make it a more pleasant place to live!

Join me on Facebook for the latest specials and Neal’s Yard Remedies news!

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July 7, 2017 by Sue Leave a Comment

Three Simple Holistic Remedies for Reducing Stress

Many people are exploring natural and holistic remedies for their health before turning to prescription and over the counter drugs and traditional medicine. Today’s life-style has created stress at an all time high. Here are three holistic approaches to stress and common conditions.

Reiki

The healing art of Reiki is an energy-based, non-invasive treatment that restores and balances the human energy field. Reiki can reduce stress, decrease pain and promote healing. If you do an internet search of Reiki, you will find many anecdotal stories of healing, some of them miraculous sounding.

Yesterday I had my first Reiki treatment. My goal was stress-reduction. As my treatment began, I attempted to relax by saying a prayer and closing my eyes. I kind of lost my sense of time, and continued with my eyes closed, feeling calm, however after a bit I felt self-conscious as my stomach began making noises. I opened my eyes and kind of giggled nervously, but was re-assured that often happens as the body releases negative energy. My Reiki practitioner then went on to tell me the Blessed Virgin was present, which was unusual in her experience, as well as my father, who passed away over 4 years ago. I immediately felt extremely emotional, and explained I had said several Hail Marys as we began. It was not a sad emotion, but a surprisingly strong emotional reaction and my tears were flowing. The treatment continued, and my mind wandered a bit. I continued feeling quite emotional, and felt the presence of another loved one that had passed away nearly 40 years ago.

The treatment lasted about 30 minutes, leaving me feeling both lighter and a bit drained. Most often the outcome is a lighter feeling, or a balancing, but each person’s experience is unique. Learn more about Reiki in A Modern Reiki Method for Healing.

Aromatherapy

I saw a T-shirt with a bloody bullet hole picture and the phrase “Don’t worry, my wife has an oil for this.” Essential oils probably won’t work for bullet wounds, but they are definitely worth trying for other conditions. Essential oils can provide support for clearing nasal passages, relaxation, skin conditions, aches and pains. This summer I’ve been using a blend for allergy support, and so far haven’t felt the need for over the counter pills.

For stress reduction and relaxation both diffusing and massage are beneficial. 2-4 drops of NEROLI in a diffuser is a great essential oil to start with. Read more about neroli and some great relaxing blends you can make with essential oils in Neal’s Yard Remedies Essential Oils Book.

Essential oils are powerful, and even though they come from nature, they need to be used with caution, especially around children, pregnant women and pets. Consult with a certified aromatherapist for more information.

Tapping

Tapping is relatively new, compared to some of the other remedies, but the concepts it’s based on are thousands of years old. The action calms the nervous system and restores the balance of energy in the body, and in turn rewires the brain to respond in a healthier manner. It can be beneficial for emotional trauma, chronic physical pain, compulsions and addictions. It lowers cortisol levels and changes beliefs, enabling our brain to change how it handles stress. Learn more about tapping in The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living.

Finally, none of these holistic remedies is meant to be a substitute for health care from a licensed practitioner, however using natural methods to reduce stress can be of benefit to your overall health and wellbeing.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What natural and holistic remedies have you tried, or are thinking of trying? Comment below, or continue the conversation on FACEBOOK.

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May 9, 2017 by Sue Leave a Comment

10 Reasons To Sell Neal’s Yard Remedies Essential Oils

I wasn’t exactly sure what an essential oil was, back in November of 2014 when I first signed up with Neal’s Yard Remedies. Since then I have become fascinated with the healing and nurturing powers of essential oils, and I am using them in my essential oil diffuser all the time. This month Neal’s Yard Remedies is offering an aromatherapy business kit as well as the traditional business kit. If you have been considering sharing essential oils as a business, or offering organic products as an additional income stream for your holistic practice, you may want to look at Neal’s Yard Remedies.

essential oils, Neal's Yard Remedied essential oils, NYR Organic essential oils, Neal's Yard Remedies joining kit

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Neal’s Yard Remedies for Essential Oils

Neal’s Yard Remedies has been selling pure essential oils since the company began in 1981.
Many Neal’s Yard Remedies essential oils are certified organic by the UK Soil Association or noted as FairWild, ensuring that ingredients are harvested sustainably and everyone in the supply chain is supported with a fair price. All of their essential oils are 100% pure and unadulterated.
Over 35 years experience in building supplier relationships. Oversight of all aspects of essential oils, from the soil they’re growing in, through how they are harvested, processed and bottled.
Essential oils have always been at the heart of Neal’s Yard Remedies products, benefitting emotions as well as skin.
Low start up cost. In April of 2018 the aromatherapy business kit is a $50 add-on to the $149 Neal’s Yard Remedies business kit. Together they include well over $500 of retail full-sized products, an essential oil diffuser, and the business tools needed to get your business on it’s way.
No monthly minimum orders.
Free website.
Free training and support.
Currently 26 essential oils, 9 blends, and 5 Remedies to Roll blends, with more to come. World’s largest range of UK certified organic health and beauty products.
Discount on personal purchases.

Grow Your Essential Oil Business, Your Way

There is no one size fits all when you choose to become an Independent Neal’s Yard Remedies Consultant. You can choose to be a full-time, part-time, family & friends, organic activist or short-term consultant. You decide the best way to work your business, and training is provided. It may include sharing Neal’s Yard Remedies in multiple ways

Home Pampering Events and Aroma Balancing
Facebook and online events
One-to-One Sharing
Your FREE 24/7 NYR Organic Website
Fair/Expo Booths
Fundraisers
Therapy Practice

You can feel confident offering Neal’s Yard Remedies products, whether you choose to become an Independent Consultant, or you are a holistic practitioner with clients looking for organic products. Neal’s Yard Remedies is the first health and beauty company to be awarded 100/100 for ethics (in an independent audit by the Ethical Company Organisation) and the first in the UK to achieve Fair for Life certification.

Neal’s Yard Remedies’ mission is “To encourage a more natural, holistic way of health, beauty and well being – through our stores, holistic practitioners and NYR Organic (Neal’s Yard Remedies) consultants.” If your beliefs are similar, you owe it to yourself to see if representing Neal’s Yard Remedies is a good fit for you. I would love to partner with you, changing the world one blue bottle at a time! Check out the current joining details HERE. Read more about Neal’s Yard Remedies and how they are pioneers in essential oils HERE.

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April 14, 2017 by Sue 2 Comments

HOW PRESCRIPTIONS COULD BE MAKING US SICK

Prescription drugs are not the subject I planned to write about when I started my blog. Wellness is, however, and this is my blog, so that is our subject for today.

My mom is in the hospital. She got sick over a month ago while visiting my sister in California. After several days in the hospital they decided she had gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder. Ordinarily removing the gallbladder is a fairly minor procedure, but Mom has atrial fibrillation and leaky heart valves and they were reluctant. As a temporary fix they inserted tubing and she was released to transition care with a liver catheter. After a few days she went back to my sister’s home to get her strength back. Later it was decided surgery could be better handled with her own team of doctors in Minnesota. Wednesday she flew home and went in the hospital to get the catheter and gallbladder removed.

Yesterday we were told surgery would not be an option. I decided to contact an aromatherapist friend and see if she had any thoughts about what might be helpful for gallstones and her gallbladder. My friend asked about what medications my mom was on, because she didn’t want to use any essential oils that could interfere with something she was already taking.

Mom is 88 and has several significant health issues, and therefore she’s on a regular smorgasbord of prescription medications. Blood thinners for the heart, high blood pressure, heart burn, kidney disease, all kinds of things to counter act the high blood pressure medication, and cholesterol lowering statins. Every time they prescribe something new, it seems another issue pops up, causing even more prescriptions with even more side effects. I didn’t have a list, so we were just chatting about her various conditions, and I remembered she had trouble with gout in the past. My friend’s husband did as well, so we discussed the fact that allopurinol has many side effects, and because Mom isn’t having gout trouble at the moment, she shouldn’t need to be on it.

I decided to call the hospital and speak to her nurse about getting her off the gout medication. I did not expect the response I got. The nurse said the hospital never takes patients off their medications. They need to go back to their primary physician after they are released, and ask them about taking them off. Really? I asked if someone comes in with a condition, and they are on a medication that is known to make it worse, they will leave the patient on it until they are released and see their regular physician? The nurse sounded a little apologetic and said well, if it was really life-threatening, they might consider taking them off of it. We left it that she would make a note of my request for the doctor, but she didn’t think they would make the change.

So here we are, 2017, and with all the technology we have for so many wonderful things, wouldn’t you think someone could come up with a computer program to input all the prescription drugs a patient is on to see if they could be causing a serious condition? Why isn’t this one of the first things they look at?

I find this so frustrating. My dad was given a drug that basically fried his lungs, and caused him to be on oxygen at the end of his life. Several times I took him in to the ER for breathing problems, and each time they pumped him full of steroids and sent him home, when all along a prescription was causing making him sicker. After the hospital told us what happened and about the rare side effect that caused his problem, I researched what I could and found that if a patient had been a smoker, this was more likely to happen.

I’ve also read about all the side effects from long term cholesterol-lowering statins, and have tried to get Mom off of that one. It appears once you are on a drug, you will stay on it. Whatever happened to do no harm and risk vs. benefits?

I share this in case you have a loved one in a similar situation. Why isn’t the medical field doing more to get people off of drugs that could be making them sicker. Should pharmacists be playing a bigger role in patients that are hospitalized? When your gut tells you something isn’t right, demand answers. Ask when you are put on a prescription drug when you can stop taking it.

Essential Oils for Skin – Guest Post

Simple Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Turn Up the Lights

Check Your Vitamin D

Get Moving

Try Some Essential Oils

Consider Your Diet

Meditation Aromatherapy Blend from Neal’s Yard Remedies

Benefits of Meditation

Tips for Beginning Meditation

Meditation Aromatherapy Blend

Key Ingredients in Meditation Aromatherapy Blend

Neal’s Yard Remedies Introduces 6 Essential Oils to the US Market

Sandalwood

Cedarwood

Jasmine Absolute

Juniper

Petitgrain

Thyme Linalol

A Neal’s Yard Remedies Holiday Survival Guide

A is for Aromatherapy

B is for Beauty Sleep

C is for Cocoa & Cleanse

4 New Essential Oils from Neal’s Yard Remedies

Immortelle

Lime

Niaouli

Rose Absolute

3 Ways Essential Oils Can Help Sell Your Home

Three Simple Holistic Remedies for Reducing Stress

Reiki

Aromatherapy

Tapping

10 Reasons To Sell Neal’s Yard Remedies Essential Oils

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Neal’s Yard Remedies for Essential Oils

Grow Your Essential Oil Business, Your Way

HOW PRESCRIPTIONS COULD BE MAKING US SICK

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