Aromatherapy can create a clean, comfortable, relaxing environment for you and your family in your home.
Creating a clean place for you and your family to live is very important. First of all, there are germs everywhere and second nobody wants to live in a dirty house. That’s what cleansers at the store are for, right? Yes they are, but they’re also very toxic in more ways than one. If a child or animal accidentally ingests those chemical products, they could be poisoned. Also just breathing in those harsh chemicals, while using them to clean, is damaging to anyone around.
So how exactly would you use aromatherapy to clean your house? That’s easy. There are a couple essential oils that are commonly used for cleaning purposes. These include lavender oil, tea tree oil, lemon oil, frankincense oil, pine oil, and grapefruit oil.
Tea tree oil is wonderful to use on its own as a disinfectant. You can use it to clean just about anything around the house: floors, counters, sinks, toilets, and showers.. It also works well if you mix it with lavender oil. Just get a water bottle and fill it with water and a little borax or baking soda. Then add just a few drops of tea tree and lavender oil and you’ve made your own pleasant smelling disinfectant.
Pine and frankincense both have similar cleaning properties to those of lavender and tea tree oil. You can do the same thing as stated above for a different aroma. This mixture would be good for tackling mold that’s growing around the house. You can also heat some frankincense oil and just let the vapors fill your house. Germs will be dissolved and the air will be fresh and clean.
Lemon essential oil is great for cleaning carpets. Instead of other cleaners, add some lemon oil to the water and go for it. Remember to use more essential oil for this task than you would for say putting together a small water bottle or using an essential oil diffuser. It’s a tough job so bring in the muscles.
Grapefruit, pine or tea tree oil are all effective to use as a room deodorizer. If someone smokes at your house or you have pets you’ll appreciate what these oils can do. You can use any of these mixed in with some water, pour it into a spray bottle and spray away. These essential oils will not just mask the odors you’re trying to get rid of. They’ll actually take them away. You can even use this mixture as a bathroom or car freshener if you’d like.
Okay, so now that your house is clean it’s one step closer to being comfortable and relaxed. What a difference a clean house can make. So your house probably already smells wonderful from the natural cleaning supplies you used, but if you want something different or more relaxing there’s an oil for you.
Lavender oil is known for the ability to alleviate headaches, lift depression and promote relaxation. It has a light floral scent that you’ll love.
Frankincense is an essential oil that will help to slow and deepen your breathing. Use some of this in your house and everyone will calm down. You might want to blend the frankincense with another scent to lighten it up a little.
Rose oil is another popular essential oil that will put you and your family in a good mood. It also has a light floral scent that will help keep you focused while you clean.
To create that comfortable relaxed environment in your home, you can use a diffuser or oil lamp to warm the essential oils. Or, if all else fails you can always mix another bottle of water with your favorite aroma and spray it anywhere you like.
So now you can safely and effectively clean your house without using harsh chemicals. You and your family will feel good and be protected from breathing anything that could be harmful to you. When people come into your house they’ll enjoy the natural aromatherapy in your house.
Aug 20, 2007
Aromatherapy in the Home
Aromatherapy in Easier Pregnancy
Pregnancy is both a wonderful time and an also a time for stress and apprehension. Aromas have a powerful effect on our bodies and can influence our emotional state. Aromatherapy roughly translates as "treatment with scents." It is the practice of using essential oils as a therapy to go with the program your doctor has you on. It heals and uplifts the mind, body, and spirit. Aromatherapy can be a great benefit throughout pregnancy and during birth.
Can aromatherapy help you to have an easier pregnancy and birth? It can be safe if used in moderation and only after the first trimester. During pregnancy, our sense of smell is heightened so what would normally smell good to us, may be excessively strong during pregnancy.
Aromatherapy uses many different methods to get the essential oils into the body. A massage with essential oils in carrier oil is one of the most popular but other methods are baths, vaporizers, inhalations, and scented compresses.
A massage from a knowledgeable therapist can be done after first consulting with the client’s doctor. Gentle massaging or stroking the back and the legs can help ease them through this emotionally and physically demanding time. It is important that you use only half the essential oils as for a normal person. The therapist should be sure the client is comfortable, never making her lie on her front. She can lie on her side with her legs drawn up and a pillow under her knees that will make her comfortable. On the other hand, she can use pillows and lean forward on the therapist couch or table.
All essential oils should be diluted in carrier oils, creams, or lotions for massages. It is important to remember that during pregnancy you should use half of what a normal adult would use, whether it's in a bath or a massage, or even in the air.
Some essential oils should not be used during pregnancy at all and are considered a health risk. These oils should not be used during pregnancy: thyme, rosemary, rose, peppermint, origanum, parsley, myrrh, lemongrass, marjoram, basil, cedarwood, fennel, juniper, clary sage, cypress, and jasmine. During the first trimester if you are using aromatherapy at all, it's important you avoid chamomile and lavender. After the first trimester, they may be used and are helpful.
Citrus oils such as orange, lemon, and grapefruit are considered safe to use during pregnancy and have an uplifting affect on the body. Don't use them before being exposed to direct sunlight because it could cause skin discoloration.
A therapist can be helpful while giving a gentle massage for poor circulation problems, backache, apprehension, and water retention, all which are common during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.
Another word of caution is that aromatherapy and massages should not be given during pregnancy if the patient has had prior miscarriages or other complications during pregnancy. If she has experienced any bleeding, she should not be treated with massage or aromatherapy. Varicose veins, high blood pressure may suggest different complications and should be treated by the client’s doctor or midwife. A well-known medical saying used by nurses and doctors alike is “First, do no harm.”
Essential oils and aromatherapy can also be used safely during labor. Jasmine is warm, fragrant and has antispasmodic and analgesic properties. Lavender is an antiseptic and is great for aching back and limbs. Geranium helps breathing and is good for circulation. Ylang Ylang is calming and lowers blood pressure during a stressful time.
Aromatherapy can be an important part of having an easier pregnancy. It should not be used during the first trimester. Stay away from the oils that are listed above as harmful to pregnancy. The same calming scents you use during your time of labor can also be helpful to your birth partner. Remember, use essential oils with caution during pregnancy, and consult someone who is a professional in this area.
Aromatherapy and therapeutic massage can be good for pregnancy, especially as a means of relaxation. Relieving stress and being able to enjoy this special time in your life is one area that aromatherapy will help. So relax, enjoy this period of your life, and get all the rest you can. You may not be able to get much rest after the baby is born.
Aromatherapy Bath Basics
Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from natural plants and the term means “treatment using scents.” Using botanical oils such as rose, lemon, lemon, and peppermint can change your mood, ease fatigue, promote relaxation, and relieve stress. Aromatherapy has been used for over 6000 years, but the term was not used until 1930 when the word was coined for the therapeutic use of essential oils. A French chemist was fascinated after using lavender oil in healing his burned hands. The healed hand didn’t have any scars. He started experimenting the use of other essential oils for healing and for the psychological benefits.
During World War II, the essential oils were found to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and pain relieving abilities. They work on the brain by stimulating the olfactory nerves. These oils can be extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruits, bark seeds, and grasses. In total, there are about 150 different essential oils. They can be used to stimulate your body, help with digestion, used as an antidepressant and expectorant. The maximum benefit is from using oils extracted from pure raw materials. Synthetically made oils are not effective as their all-natural counterparts.
Aromatherapy is one of the fastest growing alternative medicine fields. It is used in homes, clinics, and hospitals and even in some shopping malls and waiting rooms. The scent of lavender and rosemary can calm waiting customers and patients.
How can you reap the benefits of these scent treatments in your home? One of the easiest ways can be in your bath. Aromatherapy works best when working on the body and mind at the same time. Adding essential oils to your bath can do just that. The oils in your bath can stimulate your sense of smell. Odors have a known impact on how we feel. Some scents can remind us of happy events in our childhood, such as the smell of vanilla from a fresh baked batch of sugar cookies. The smell of a campfire can bring back unpleasant memories of a camp you didn’t enjoy as a child. We can distinguish 10,000 different smells. By placing essential oils in our bath, we are reaping the benefits from both the scent of the oils and the soothing quality of the oils being absorbed into the skin.
A hot and relaxing bath using essential oils can calm stressed bodies, ease tired muscles, and allow you to meditate and think about the many blessings in your life. A few essential oils in a hot, steamy bath can bring you a new enjoyment into an otherwise boring bath time. Meditation, thinking, calming your body, clearing your mind, and concentrating on yourself makes a bath a treat for body, mind, and spirit.
When you use essential oils in your bath can soothe and refresh you and help you sleep better. Essential oils can be useful in treating acne and other skin ailments. Soothing the skin and allowing the natural oils to slowly penetrate and soften your skin, you can relieve itching and soreness on your skin.
Another advantage to a hot soothing bath with natural oils is what it can do for your mind. It relieves stress and other nerve disorders by naturally calming our bodies, and opening our minds. You can create a more stable mental state by allowing the oils to feel calmer and stronger. Some of the oils are considered help in furthering romance. A few drops can help you and your spouse to relax enough to enjoy a healthy, passionate time of intimacy. This is another known stress reliever.
Fragrant bath salts or bubble baths are not the same as using essential oils. They may form bubbles and make you feel good, but the therapeutic benefits are not included in this experience. Essential oils can help you enjoy your bath, by feeling the warm water, smelling the wonderful scents and knowing the oil is seeping into your body.
Your skin gets a layer of pure essential oils; vapors rising from the hot water enter your olfactory system as well as your lungs. It calms the mind, and help put problems into perspective. If you haven’t tried this wonderful at home treatment, why not buy some essential oils and enjoy a new experience while taking a bath.
Aug 16, 2007
Green Tea Diet Pills
Too many diet pills and products are available in the market today that it is hard to determine which one really works. Several manufacturing companies specializing in diet pills and other weight loss products are quick to claim the effectiveness of their diet pills even without proper scientific backing. Some diet pills even contain substances that have harmful effects to the body.
Diet pill ingredients like ephedra have been to known to cause complications from cardiovascular palpitations to hypertension and diarrhea. Several cases have been reported by the FDA of the harmful effects of diet pills and other weight loss products. But even then, people continue to buy and use diet pills.
Good Diet Pills
Though some diet pills contain harmful elements, not all diet pills are bad. Diet pills made from herbs can have several benefits aside from weight loss. Some of these herbal diet pills come from plants such as nettle, green tea, and dandelion.
Green tea is an herb popularly used in making diet pills. Green tea is derived from the plant Carmellia sinensis, the same plant made in concocting black and oolong tea. The process of making green tea makes it different from the other Carmellia sinensis teas. Because green tea is only mildly steamed and then dried, a majority of the beneficial antioxidants present in green tea remain intact.
Green tea has been known to have several health benefits. Certain substances in green tea can effectively stop cancer cells from going. Green tea’s catechin polyphenols also acts as effective antioxidants that can kill harmful free radicals that cause aging. Green tea has also been known to boost the immune system.
At the University of Geneva, American and Swiss scientists were able to find that green tea has several weight loss benefits like increasing metabolism, thermogenesis, and suppressing fat intake. The results of their study became the basis for using green tea as a diet pill ingredient.
Diet Pills from Green Tea
Dieticians say that weight loss is achieved in two ways: reduce the intake of calories and increase energy expenditure. Green tea can perform both these functions quite well.
Green tea diet pills contain a small amount of caffeine in them. This makes green tea diet pills the perfect candidate for an appetite-suppressant. Aside from suppressing the appetite, green tea diet pills also have diuretic properties that help reduce excess water in the body. Extra water contributes to extra weight and by ridding the body of these, green tea diet pills contributes much to weight loss.
Green tea diet pills contain a high amount of antioxidants that helps burn fat faster. This claim of green tea diet pills is back by several scientific studies, including the one conducted in Geneva, Switzerland. Green tea diet pills can effectively increase metabolic rate and energy expenditure, helping the body purge out any excess calories.
The herb green tea is also compatible with other herb extracts. In fact, it is said that the weight loss benefits of green tea are enhanced when used in combination with other herbal remedies. This is what makes green tea an ideal component of diet pills.
Green Tea Diet Patch
Easy to apply and with no harmful side-effects, green tea diet patches have quite become latest fad in nutritional supplements.
Green tea diet patches contain a high amount of green tea extract, a beverage made from the steaming the leaves of the plant called Carmellia sinensis. Green tea diet patches are said to have several health benefits. Recent studies on green tea diet patches revealed that aside from promoting weight loss, green tea diet patches can also be an effective cure for cancer and other diseases.
Clinical Studies on Green Tea Diet Patches
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed the weight loss benefits of green tea diet patches. Polyphenols are substances present in green tea diet patches that can augment metabolism. The study showed that green tea diet patches can actually increase the total energy expenditure of the body in twenty-four hours by four percent.
In addition to that, green tea diet patches seems to accelerate metabolic rates without increasing blood pressure or heart rate. Green tea diet patches promote the process of thermogenesis, a process by which the body releases heat by burning fats. This makes green tea diet patches excellent fat-burners without proving dangerous. Unlike other diet supplements, green tea diet patches do not cause heart palpitations, hypertension, or cardiovascular complications.
Green Tea Diet Patches vs. Green Tea Diet Pills
Green tea diet patches use transdermal method of delivery. This means that green tea diet patches allows the skin to directly absorb the beneficial substances, thereby, eliminating or diminishing several setbacks commonly experienced by pill users.
The transdermal property of green tea diet patches delivers consistent and even levels of substances over a period of several hours. Unlike pills which requires several applications in a day, green tea diet patches is only applied once in one day.
Ingredients of Green Tea Diet Patches
Aside from green tea extract, green tea diet patches also contain other helpful substances. Fucus vesiculosus in green tea diet patches has been used to aid in weight loss as early as the 17th Century. According to a recent research by Dr. Marvin Koplick of the U.S., the Fucus substance in green tea diet patches can help the body shed extra weight up to twenty pounds in two months. Fucus vesiculoscus in green tea diet patches burns fat in the safest, most effective way possible since it exhibits no side-effects.
Other ingredients found in green tea diet patches are Garcinia cambogia, an exotic fruit grown in South India. Garcinia cambogia in green tea diet patches has an active ingredient called hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which is an antioxidant much like Vitamin C.
Guarana in green tea diet patches act as a natural appetite-suppressant. Guarana in green tea diet patches stimulates metabolism while at the same time, suppresses your appetite for a balanced weight loss.
Green tea diet patches also contain Chromium picolinate. This compound in green tea diet patches is essential in maintaining insulin levels in the body. With Chromium picolinate in green tea diet patches, maximum energy production, fat burning, and lean muscle maintenance is ensured.
How to apply Green Tea Diet Patches
Green tea diet patches are applied to clean, dry skin. The recommended parts to apply green tea diet patches are the shoulders, thigh, back, and belly portions of the body. Although some green tea diet patches reputedly contain green tea worth 48 hours, most green tea diet patches have a 24-hour limit.
Green Tea Diet
A safer alternative for people wanting to lose weight are green tea diets. Obesity has become one of the major health issues in our society today. More than half of the American population is overweight or obese. As a result, diet and weight loss plans have become increasingly popular. But not all diet plans work. And not all of them are necessarily risk-free.
About Green Tea
For thousands of years, green tea diet has been highly valued by the Chinese as an herbal and medicinal drink. It was believed that green tea diet was first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung who was boiling water when the leaves of a nearby tree fell into his pot. The result was the first ever pot of green tea.
Like all three of the major Asian teas in the market, green tea comes from the plant called Carmellia sinensis. Much of the health benefits of green tea diets owe to the steaming method of making it. As opposed to black and oolong tea which undergoes full oxidization, green tea diet is only gently steamed, preserving the natural antioxidants in its original form.
The Health Benefits of Green Tea Diet
There are many health benefits associated with having a green tea diet. One of these green tea diet benefits is preventing cancer. Certain substances present in green tea diets are said to help in destroying cancer cells without harming any neighboring tissues. This substance in green tea diets is called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.
EGCG in green tea diets is also helpful in increasing the 24-hour energy expenditure of the body. A study on green tea diets conducted by American and Swiss scientists in the University of Geneva showed an additional increase of four percent in the body’s natural energy expenditure. People who were on a green tea diet were more likely to use up more fats than those not on a green tea diet.
Also, green tea diets are said to greatly help in lowering down cholesterol levels in humans. The study on green tea diets was conducted in China using 240 people with high cholesterol levels as subjects. These people were placed on a green tea diet of one capsule (equivalent to seven cups of green tea) or were given one placebo every day. After twelve weeks, those who were on a green tea diet dropped sixteen percent in their cholesterol levels.
Green tea diets can also be a potential cure to obesity. The catechin polyphenols present in green tea diets can delay the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the body. These enzymes are responsible for converting calories in the body into fats. By delaying these enzymes, green tea diets can therefore stop fat from being stored and prevent obesity in people.
Green tea diets contain substantial amount of caffeine that make it a mild appetite-suppressant. However, caffeine content in green tea diets is not as high as those found in other caffeine-based beverages, like coffee. Caffeine may be harmful for the body since an excess of it can cause heart palpitations, hypertension, and insomnia. Because green tea diets contain only very low levels of caffeine, there is no danger of experiencing these side-effects.
Aug 10, 2007
Disability Insurance
Disability insurance is very important for many people and even for the people who don’t need it. One never knows what can happen, so to have this available is extremely important. A non-cancelable disability contract guarantees that your policy cannot be canceled or have the rates change as long as you continue to pay on time. Another type, a guaranteed renewable contract, ensures that the terms of your policy stay the same, but the cost can change over time. The last kind of disability contract is an optionally renewable policy. This policy can be canceled by the company at renewal time and require exams. These types of policies help those with disabilities obtain and keep medical coverage. There can be a grace or waiting period but usually you will be reimbursed for anything accrued at that time.
The waiting period is the time from your first claim to the day you get your first disability check. Your insurance premium will be based on your benefit amount, the more you get each month the higher your premium will be. The longer you collect disability the higher your premium will be as time goes on. A doctor to determine eligibility will obtain your current health status and medical history. If you have any pre-existing conditions or injuries, it doesn’t mean you are not going to get it. You need for it now relies on what happened to make you disabled.
You are defined as disabled when the condition that is keeping you from being able to work is defined and in your employee manual. This definition will also tell you what you qualify for and how to obtain it. It will also inform you of whether or not you are entitled to a new job till you are better or have to be out of work completely. Some companies offer easier jobs that pay the same instead of losing an employee and having to pay. Everyone should have some disability coverage. If you get hurt on the job and can’t continue your current position you need to have protection that will keep you from not being able to live. You want to make sure you know what your business’s policy is in case you need it at some point. Many companies have group policies that cover all employees that are working there. One would need to find out if the policy covers injury and illness or just injury. Also what the time frame is and will you possibly require more. Most of these will only cover you if you are injured at work and for a minimal time period. Some companies don’t even have this type of insurance and you would be out of luck if injured. While others have several types of disability, including long and short term.
If you do get injured on the job the first step is to be seen by your employer’s doctor. This is whom you will be seeing for as long as you are disabled and collecting disability. You will be examined and told what is wrong as will your employer. A determination will be made as to what needs to happen and who is responsible. If you are declared injured and cannot return to your normal job, another position must be found for you or you will be paid while on leave, if this is in the company’s guidelines. Not all employers will pay so make sure you are working for a company that has extensive disability insurance that covers both short and long-term issues. Also see if they cover illness and injury that is not work related. Many people lose their jobs because they cannot go back to work for a long time after an injury and the injury didn’t happen at work.
Your coverage will begin after you have been examined and given a diagnosis. Once all the necessary documents have been filed and what you are required to do has been set, a new position or payment will be assigned at that time. You must make sure that if you are going to be out of work for a long term disability you must pay the agreed premium to keep the benefits coming and make all appointments and requirements set by your employer. To breech any of this could terminate your claim. Make sure you know what is in store at your job in case of illness and injury you may need it someday.
Discount Plans vs. Health Insurance
A woman thought she was buying health insurance. It looked and sounded like health insurance. The woman is not 65 yet, which means she can't get Medicare. So, she went online looking for health insurance. She ended up finding something called Healthcare Advantage, and signed up after paying $100. Come to find out, this was not medical insurance at all and the sales representative never told this poor lady. She found that out when her cards arrived in the mail. In tiny writing at the bottom, it read, “not an HMO, PPO insurance or managed care company”. This was a discount plan. These plans do not have the same coverage as a full medical health insurance policy. Make sure you know what you are getting and if it fits your needs.
So what is a discount plan? The plans claims to save people money by offering discounts on physician visits, prescription drugs, dental work, eye care and other treatments for a monthly fee. Unlike normal health insurance, which is very costly and very selective about who it covers, a discount health plan accepts everyone, no matter what health conditions they may have. You will use a list of doctors that are willing to charge discounted rates to the subscriber. Discount is not the same as coverage, and so you will pay more for visits and other services that you wouldn’t with a regular medical plan. The average savings is only 25% that could be very expensive if you have to see a specialist or require surgery. These networks claim to have as many as 400,000 doctors and 50,000 hospitals available to choose from, but what if none of them are near you? You can get a savings of up to 30% on both generic and brand name drugs, which can also be costly if you have multiple prescriptions or they are costly ones. So if you have a health plan already but have a high deductible, this extra plan may help save you some money. But to use as a complete health plan, it really isn’t designed for that and will cost you more than a great HMO.
HMOs and other medical plans can offer full medical coverage at great rates. Managed care plans are the way to go for those who are limited on funds. They offer the best policies for the least amount of money. Most of these plans are available to anyone and can save you a ton of cash. You can make the plan even more affordable by asking for a deductible, which will lower your monthly expense. Most HMO’s do not have one at all but, you can request one, and most basic PPOs and POS only have a small one, usually $200 to $500 per year, which you can also asked to raised. The co-pays are also very reasonable with these types of plans. If you choose to purchase an HMO, expect to pay about $5-$10 per office visit and per prescription. With PPOs and POSs you will have a 20% co-pay with both visits and medications. The differences are how strict they are and you pay more of a co-pay to have extra flexibility. Usually a PPO or POS plan is less expensive and you have more freedom to see whom you want so the insurer makes you more responsible for payment. HMOs tend to be the least expensive and best policies for people with fixed incomes.
Make sure you know what your needs are and double-check what you are getting. If you need full medical coverage with low co-pay then a discount plan will not work for you. If you are already covered by a medical group but have a large deductible then you might benefit from the extra savings a discount plan can offer. Also, ask whether the plan is insurance that covers your treatment, or is a discount plan that still requires you to pay all medical bills yourself. Beware of slippery sales pitches. Make sure you know what's being offered. Discount health plans may only sell you access to a large mailing list of medical providers that it purchased commercially. Don't assume you're getting access to a large provider network just because your discount card displays the network's name and logo. If you plan to use a specific listed doctor, hospital, pharmacy or other provider, ask a few questions before you sign up.
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