A Beginner's Guide To Using Aromatherapy With Children

Trust your instinct - a beginner's guide to using aromatherapy with children: Essential oils are pure aromatic plant essences - they are distilled from flowers, fruit, leaves, resins, roots, seeds, and wood. The are used for their healing properties the world over - in , for example, they are only available through licensed, qualified parishioners. In the United States, we have free access to essential oils - but with this comes with some important cautions: Only some of the essential oils available are suitable for children; others are not suitable for children and some are even dangerous to children (children with epilepsy should not come in contact with stimulating essential oils). When used correctly however, essential oils can be of great benefit, and will not conflict with your child's medically prescribed drugs. Always research the oil of choice thoroughly before using with your infant or child - ask advice from a qualified practitioner, or see the references at the end of this article. That said, essential oils can be a wonderful way of supporting your child's health, happiness and well-being. Essential oils can be very therapeutic and nurturing to both your child and you, the caregiver. Essential oils are used externally (on the outside of the body) in your child's bath, body lotions, oils, creams, gels, compresses, foot baths, or in a oil warmer. The effects of aromatherapy will generally fall into one of three main categories: 1) Assisting in healing from minor illnesses and accidents, 2) Supporting your child's overall sense of well-being, and 3) Assisting your child in getting quality rest. When using essential oils with your child, it is imperative that you find a reputable supplier of therapeutic-grade essential oils, using organic or wildcrafted varieties when possible. Synthetic copies of oils commonly used in perfumery are not appropriate, and may even be harmful to your child's health. To maintain efficacy, essential oils should be kept in dark amber or cobalt glass containers, in a dark and cool location, away from the child's access. Wooden storage boxes from craft or 'Pier One' type stores can make a nice container for the bottles. Methods of Using Essential Oils There are two methods of using essential oils with your child - INHALATION: through a diffuser, nebulizer, or adding to a humidifier reservoir, and TOPICAL APPLICATION: diluting the essential oil in a carrier oil and applying topically. Adding essential oils to a bath combines the two methods, though we will cover it under topical application. For topical application, essential oils are diluted in varying strengths depending on the use and age of your child. The concentration can vary from one drop of essential oil per tablespoon of carrier oil, to a couple of drops per teaspoon of carrier added to a drawn bath, to an equal ratio of carrier and essential oil applied directly to your child's feet (as in the case of gentle Lavender). In other words, there is a huge variation in dilution levels depending on the circumstances. Mamas, do your research and then trust your instinct. Only you and your child baby know exactly what is right for your situation. General dilution rate guidelines of essential oils in one ounce of carrier oil: Age of Child and amount of Essential Oil per One Ounce Carrier Oil for Topical/Massage Application: Newborn (Consult primary care physician before use) 1-3 drops essential oil / ounce 2-6 months 1-3 drops essential oil / ounce 6-12 months 1-4 drops essential oil / ounce 1-4 years (unless very small) 5-8 drops essential oil / ounce 6-7 years 5-10 drops essential oil / ounce 9-12 years 5-12 drops essential oil / ounce 12 years to young adult 10-15 drops essential oil / ounce DO NOT USE AN ESSENTIAL OIL NEAT (undiluted ) on children's skin, unless indicated to do so for a specific condition. If your child has very sensitive skin, it is important to test a small area before using a new single oil or blend. Keep essential oils away form the eyes. When using citrus oils - orange, bergamot, lemon, tangerine, mandarin, and lime - do not use where the skin will be exposed to sunlight for the next 12 hours. These oils are considered 'phototoxic', and can react from the sun's rays. They may be used in a bath, however, where they will be washed off the skin when the bath is done. Essential oils are not to be taken orally (by mouth). When your child is taking medications, reduce the amount of essential oil by half the amount recommended for their age group. Carrier oils for children Sweet Almond oil is generally regarded as the safest and best overall carrier oil for use with babies and children. Apricot kernel oil is also considered extremely safe with children over 6. Jojoba oil can be added at about 10% concentration for any blend - it has a soothing effect on the skin and is good for hair. Topical Application - Nurturing Touch Massage Recipes There is nothing better for any child than the loving, nurturing touch of a parent. A gentle hug, a smile, a kiss on the cheek all reassure the child and help the parent and child to bond. These everyday forms of connection are instinctual and children thrive from it. Research shows that massage can help children's growth both physically and emotionally. In hospitals, studies done with premature baby's show that touch is an essential aspect of the children's ability to thrive. Using aromatherapeutic nurturing touch massage can be therapeutic to both the child and the parent. Using a light, conscientious tough you can massage your child's feet, arms, hands, back, abdomen, and even legs. The massage should always be done with loving intention and the work is done in the direction that the blood flows-from ankles to leg; from wrist to shoulder, etc. Here are a few suggested blends for this wonderful method - each is in one (1) ounce of Sweet Almond oil: Restful Sleep - 4 drops lavender, 2 drops Roman Chamomile Happy Child - 3 drops Rose, 1 drop Neroli Calm and Relaxed - 3 drops Petitgrain, 3 drops Neroli Emotional Nurturing - 1 drop Rose, 1 drop Vanilla, 2 drops Lavender For a Baby oil blend, to be used as a moisturizer OR massage oil (note: the frequent washing of a baby's skin actually makes it difficult for them to retain vitamin C; application of a quality skin oil will help them keep adequate supplies of this important nutrient). 1 ounce of organic sweet almond oil or hazelnut oil 1 drop of pure Lavender essential oil 1 drop of Vanilla essential oil OR 1 ounce of organic sweet almond oil 2 drops of pure Lavender essential oil 1 drop of pure Chamomile (German) essential oil The above blends can also be added to the bath. One teaspoon with the following amount of essential oils added can be added AFTER the bath is filled, per the age of the child: 3-5 years, 2 drops; 6-8 years, 3 drops; 8-11 years, 5 drops. Perhaps the easiest way to do this would be to make a full strength blend (without carrier oil) of your choice, then dilute as needed for the application. Inhalation of essential oils For inhalation, one can apply one or two drops to a handkerchief and inhale, or add oils to a water misting bottle or humidifier. Calming essential oils that may be used are Lavender (recommended for sleep - one to four drops can be placed under the pillow), Mandarin, Roman Chamomile, Ho Wood (an ecologically friendly replacement for Rosewood), Tangerine, Petitgrain, Vanilla, and Neroli. Use these oils singly, create your own blend, or use one of the body oil blends above without the carrier oil. A few drops per quart of water in a mister sprayed throughout a room or added humidifier resevoir will do. For an anti-anxiety blend: Try 5 drops bergamot, 1 drop lavender and 3 drops geranium - dilute to 10 drops per ½ pint of water for a room spray or use in a humidifier, or dilute to the appropriate level for your child's age if using topically. For alertness, try lemon, bergamot, grapefruit or pine, either singly or in a blend that pleases your senses (usually the best way to blend is to trust your nose!) Essential oils can also be used in a candle lamp or warmer - with the oil gently evaporated from the surface of a small bowl of water by the heat of a candle. An electric nebulizing diffuser is generally not recommended for use with children, as the concentration of oils in the air can be too high. Last but not least, essential oils are wonderful antiseptics. Cuts and scrapes are simply a way of life for the little ones! A great blend for minor wounds is a 1:1 mix of Lavender and Tea Tree oil. The lavender is soothing, anti-inflammatory, and has regenerative 'ketones', while the tea tree is a strong antiseptic used for many generations by native Australians. Use this blend in the water used for cleaning wounds, and apply a few drops to the gauze of a bandage - do not apply directly to the skin as it will be unnecessarily irritating. On the bandage, however, it will be soothing and accelerate the healing process. So this is a very brief overview of using essential oils with children. There are many, many diverse applications for essential oils for almost every conceivable minor ailment seen in childhood. The key is knowledge - finding a good practitioner, or reputable resource for your needs. For further reading, books by Valerie Ann Woorwood are excellent: "Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child" and "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy"; for safety data, see "Essential Oil Safety" by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs. The essential oils mentioned within this article are recognized as safe for most individuals - if you or your child are recognized as having a specific illness, and/or are under a doctor's regular care, please consult an appropriate practitioner before proceeding. That said, aromatherpy can be a very fun and rewarding endevor for both you and your child. Essential oils have benefited the lives of many the world over, and have a little bit of plant magic available to everyone.

How To Stop Hair Loss with Natural Remedies

Hair loss has been a problem for many people for many years and as an effect of that, there is a huge industry of medical companies that are targeting that market with all kinds of products. As it has always been with medicine it is commonly produced in laboratories and often it is therefore a recipe put together by a variety of chemicals. To avoid all those chemicals that our world is full of people are turning to natural hair loss remedies.
Believe it or not but one of the natural remedies that is said to have an effect on the loss of hair is to rub onion juice into the head. This procedure should stimulate the growth of the hair and might have some positive affects on the loss of hair as well. Rubbing onion juice is not a solution for everyone as onion juice will make your eyes water and has a terrible smell – so don’t leave your house with onion juice in your hair. Secondly it doesn’t work for everyone and there has currently not been any real proof to show that this kind of treatment will actually produce any significant results. On the other hand it is a safer and much cheaper solution than the products already on the market, but to compare the two are maybe not fair to neither of the hair loss treatments.
Using onion juice is not the only natural treatment to be used against hair loss as many other herbs are believe to have a positive affect on hair loss and retention of hair, but as with the onion juice the scientific proofs are still missing. One of the reasons for the lack of proof is that these scientific tests are extremely expensive and there are currently no major companies in the market with a sufficient economical strength to carry through these tests and until that happens the only proofs of bettering hair loss comes from the products offered my the companies behind Rogaine and Propecia.
The key ingredient in brand names such as Rogaine is Minoxidil. Rogaine is one of the only over-the-counter products approved by the Food and Drug Administration for men and women and because of that it has gained extreme popularity. You can find lots of other hair loss products on the market making claims similar to those of Rogaine, but other than Finasterade which is marketed under the brand name Propecia, no other product has been approved as a treatment for hair loss by the FDA.
Using a formula with 5 milligrams of Finasterade it has been marketed with the name Proscar and has also been used to treat prostate problems in men. It works by inhibiting the development of Dihydrotestosterone in the body and the drug does show results when using it as one of the hair loss remedies made available. While the product Rogaine is used as a scalp lotion the Propecia product is only available in the form of pills. As a final remark the use of Finasterade is not recommended for women as it is known to cause birth defects, so if your are a woman and are pregnant – stay off the Propecia product.
Hair loss treatments have been around for a long time, but finding hair loss solutions that work can be a hassle. Visit the authors StopHairLossSite.com website for better hair loss results.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mikael_Rieck

Hair Loss - Cause And Effect

Hair loss reaches its final state when reaching baldness. I am sure you have seen many bald people on the street or in different places near you. The question now rising is: what causes baldness?
Baldness is also known, in medical terms, as Alopecia. For males, the manifestation of alopecia is characterized by hair falling from the sides of the forehead. In addition to this, many subjects can also present a bald patch on the top of their heads. The responsible party for this type of baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is no other than DHT. This is a hormone that controls hair growth; it can affect the hair and also the prostate. Scientists don’t understand yet why is this hormone affecting the scalp this way. Signs of its manifestations can appear for the first time during puberty or in the late twenties in most of the cases.
This hormonal problem is in most of the cases genetic. The genetic factor is the one indicating if you will be hairy or bald. So all you have to do now is look at your family, and if your father or grandfather is bald, you will probably be too.
This type of hair loss is conditioned and permanent and there are few chances to prevent it. The market offers many solutions for this problem but none have yet shown 100% efficient. A study made in the US showed that five subjects out of twenty using Propecia obtained considerable results after one year of using the product.
Another permanent manifestation is Alopecia Areata. This causes hair to fall on different areas of your entire body, including the head. Other types of hair loss are temporary or provoked.
Traction Alopecia is present on people who wear their hair in a ponytail or harm the hair brushing it intensely. You can imagine yourself that pulling hard on your hair everyday is not a good choice.
Infections, especially mycotic infections can cause hair to fall intensely. Medical advice is welcome in this case. Any mistreatment of the scalp can lead to devastating effects. On areas of your body where you find sebaceous cysts, you are most likely to experience hair loss. This will span over 2-3 weeks depending on case. Other factors causing temporary hair falling are stress and dehydration. If you have a busy job and you do not have time to take care of your health you will experience hair loss so the best way to keep your beauty is protecting it.
Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://www.about-hair-loss-information.info/ A website that specializes in providing information on hair loss that you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://www.about-hair-loss-information.info/ now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Londrie