Skin 101

I just downloaded an iPod application about different toxins or pollutants found in my neighborhood. Curious as I was, I was shocked to see that there are 63 pollutant sources, ranging from Air to Water to Ground and Radio Waves in my neighborhood! All of these affect us one way or another. We either eat or drink pollutants, breathe them in, or absorb them through our skin. This leads me to the topic of this post - Skin 101.

With so many different pollutants and especially with the recent natural disasters and the radioactive scare in Japan, it is easy to understand why we are leaning more and more toward purchasing organic products. However, do we apply the same wisdom to our skin care products? Not so much. Commercially available skin care includes many ingredients that are borderline harmful. While some of the ingredients listed may not be harmful in a single application, using the product over a longer period of time may then be a different story. In order to understand why it is so important to use organic products not only for the foods we eat but also for our skin care, it is important to know how our skin works and functions.

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Change is in the Air

Do you want the GOOD or the BAD news first?

I start with the good! I was taught to always say something positive first so here it goes: I am in the process of combining both of my blogs (this one) as well as a blog that I started for Hypnosis. The new blog is called "Mind and Body Works" and is about a holistic approach to wellness. The new blog includes everything that was posted under Naturally by Lavenora as well as covers topics about hypnosis, kinesiology, meditation, yoga and many more interesting and captivating topics that pertain to wellness.

So please check out the new and improved blog: Mind and Body Works

The sad news is that I will discontinue blogging here under Naturally by Lavenora :( Since Mind and Body work together, I thought it best to also have the two blogs integrated.

I thank you for visiting this blog and hope that you find the new and improved Mind and Body Works just as interesting.

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Shea Butter Treatment Stick

Just a week ago, a friend of mine and I participated in an 18-mile walk to support "Out of the Darkness - Overnight" in order to raise awareness about depression and suicide. In hindsight, I guess I was not as well prepared for the walk as I should have been. Walking 18 miles was more straining on my feet and body than I had thought it would. Therefore, I must have over extended either the ligaments or tendons in my foot and leg because ever since then I was in slight pain.

Then yesterday, while walking around a craft fair, I got the idea to make my own Shea Butter Treatment Stick. Not only is this treatment stick a great moisturizer, it is also wonderful for On-the-Go and is "airplane friendly" due to its solid texture. That means, you can carry it in your purse and not in a zip-lock bag :)

I used very few yet powerful ingredients for the base:

Beeswax is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and heals wounds
Shea Butter is moisture spending; it is also anti-inflammatory and great for sprains, and
Jojoba Oil penetrates quickly into the skin and rejuvenates the skin.

To the base, I added the following essential oils that soothes muscle pains and sprains:

Peppermint (YL) is great for tired muscles and legs and a wonderful pain reliever.
Roman Chamomile (YL) is antispasmodic and soothes the nerves.
Rosemary (YL) stimulates the circulation and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Verbena is also an anti-inflammatory oil and is good for the neuromuscular system.

I've applied the Shea Butter Treatment Stick only twice and my foot feels so much better!

What a wonderful gift from Nature!!!

Many Blessings!!!

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Earth Day

Planet Earth is our home and just as we take care of our immediate living environment, we need to take care of Mother Earth. We spend a lot of time taking care of our cars, our homes, and our self in order to feel good. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good, it is equally important to spend some time and reflect on our planet. Sadly, we tend to neglect the planet we live on. It is time that we shift our focus and start caring and nurturing the ground we walk on. We need to take care of our home so that we will have one for years to come. Respect Planet Earth ♥

Earth Day is a day to reflect, reuse, & recycle as well as to use organic and natural products whether that is in your food, home, or cosmetic products. 

picture taken from http://sacramentoscoop.com/2009/04/20/

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"Achew" ...

When people hear "achew" followed by another sneeze and another, they usually stay away and think "don't come too close to me. I don't want to catch what you are having." However, it does not always need to be a cold; it could also be allergies, especially in the spring. For the first time this year, the pollen found in my neighborhood are tickling my nose ... badly! My "achew's" are due to hay fever.

What is Hay Fever?
Hay Fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. The body's immune system is reacting to pollen as if it were threatening the body thus is trying to get rid of the "invasion" (the pollen). The body reacts with sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes... all symptoms of hay fever and all are meant to cleanse the body from the unwanted pollen and mistaken threat. My immune system receives wrong information from my brain that signals and sends messages to all the T helper cells "Invasion! We are under attack! We must fight back!" And they do...

Natural Treatment for Hay Fever
I found that inhaling essential oils is calming my sneeze attacks as well as the watery eyes, itching and tickling of my nose. I've made my own Hay Fever Blend with Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon, and Rosemary. This blend works wonders and in order to be able to carry it around with me wherever I go, I put it in an inhaler as well as made a salve.

Hay Fever Blend
3 drops Roman Chamomile
3 drops Lavender
2 drops Lemon
2 drops Rosemary (or Eucalyptus)

Inhaler
The inhaler consists of 4 parts. Add the hay fever blend to the white cotton stick, then hold the tube upside down and drop the cotton stick (hold it with tweezers) into it. Attach the bottom plug to the tube (push it in) and voila, the inhaler is ready to use. The remaining part is the protection tube.

Salve
1/8 teaspoon Beeswax
1/8 teaspoon Coconut Oil
2/8 teaspoon Shea Butter
Hay Fever Blend


Melt the beeswax and the oils in a double boiler, let cool down a little bit then add the hay fever blend. Fill into a small container and use it on your nostrils and sinus area. It leaves your skin soft and silky-smooth while allowing the essential oils to penetrate into your skin and calm the attacks.

Be well and feel well!

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Gratitude

Thank you for the opportunity to share information & experience about health (body, mind & spirit). You're providing space for us to educate and inform ourselves & others on massage, essential oils, hypnotherapy and many other topics.
I'm Lorenzo (blisspapi), New York State Licensed Massage Therapist with an Associates Degree in Occupational Studies from the Swedish Institute In New York City. I am a regular yoga practitioner, enjoy meditation and continuing education in the fields of Health & Wellness. I've had the pleasure of working and studying with Heike in various settings. I've totally enjoyed our session where Heike has provided Hypnosis and I provided Reflexology using Young Living Essential Oils, we refer to the session as Hypno-Reflexology. I know that this work offers many benefits to the clients as well as the therapists. We have the opportunity to connect to our breath (life force) on a level that we may not be aware of in our daily routines. We not only connect to our breath, we connect with each others energy on a level that is a gift. When "we" as the therapist stay in our intention to provide client centered work we are connecting on a level that includes trust and life affirmation. The gift is mindfulness to the connection.
I look forward to reading other posts on this blog and contributing future posts about benefits of massage, reflexology and breath work.

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Lip Balm

It's winter time, the air is dry and cold, and my lips are always chapped. I am buying so many different chapsticks, some work while some are not so great. I carry them around with me every where I go and have one in each pocket, in my living room, bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen... I always have to have my chapstick like I'm addicted to it. So I thought that it should be fairly easy to make your own and sure enough, it is!

After taking an online class at the Aromahead Institute, I made my own lip balm today. It is so wonderful! It leaves my lips feeling moisturized, nurtured, and soft. I made two different "flavors" - one with Orange Essential Oil and another one with Honey Ginger Essential Oil. The ingredient list is very short and includes only beeswax, jojoba oil, shea butter, and coconut oil. Last I added the essential oils.

Go to my website to check out the recipe.

Have a smoochy winter

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