Lemon grass is native to India. It is widely used as a herb in Asian cuisine. It has a citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. Lemon grass is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for poultry, fish and seafood.

Lemon grass not only popular for culinary purpose, in tea and as a flavoring, they are used for the production of citronella oil, which is used in soaps, as a insect repellent in insect sprays and candles, and also in aromatherapy. There are research shows that lemon grass oil has anti-fungal and Anti-cancer properties too.

Botanical name: Cymbopogon Citratus

Plant origin: Grass

Extraction method: Distillation

Aroma: Fresh, lemon-like

Odor Intensity: Medium

Evaporation: Top note

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What are Carrier Oils? Carrier oils are the oils that derived from the fatty portion of a plant, usually from the seeds, kernels or the nuts. Carrier oils do not evaporate and they can go rancid over time. Some carrier oils are odorless, but generally speaking, most have a faintly sweet, nutty aroma. If you come across a carrier oil that has a strong, bitter aroma, the carrier oil may have gone rancid.

Most essential oils are thought to be too concentrated to apply directly to the skin. If applied to the skin undiluted, essential oils may cause severe irritation or reactions in some individuals. In aromatherapy, carrier oils are used as a base to dilute essential oils before they are applied to the skin. That’s why carrier oils also know as base oils.

Carrier oils are named so because they carry the scent of the essential oil to the skin where it can be absorbed.  Most aromatherapists prefer to use carrier oils that are labeled “cold-pressed,” which means they are processed without heat. Vegetable oils used in aromatherapy are completely different from those used for cooking and the two should never be substituted for each other.

Same like essential oils, different carrier oils offer a different combination of therapeutic properties and characteristics. The choice of carrier oil can depend on the therapeutic benefit being sought.From a simple essential oil/carrier oil blend to a more complex one, your choice of carrier oil can make a difference in the therapeutic properties, color, overall aroma and shelf life of your final product.

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Many of us acknowledge about the physical and psychological Benefits of Aromatherapy Essential Oils for us, human being, but do you know that Aromatherapy are beneficial to our pets too?

Just as aromatherapy can benefit human beings both physically and psychologically, it can also do the same thing for pets. However, safety precautions is still the most important issue in Aromatherapy, the fact that human beings and animals are different and that the essential oils blends and aromatherapy that human beings can handle and enjoy, might not produce the same reaction in ones’ pets. In fact, some oils can be quite dangerous. Therefore, it is vitally important that one does their own research and performs due diligence to ensure that their beloved pets are not harmed.

Different animals can only tolerate certain essential oils, your pet can’t “tell” you if it is uncomfortable with the essential oils, so you must be very careful and dedicated to finding out exactly what your pet can handle, benefit and also what might be dangerous to it. It is very important for you to find trusted resources to give you guidance in this area. You may even want to ask your veterinarian their advice about using aromatherapy on your pets.

It is important for you to experiment a bit and perform a patch test so that you can see how your pets reacts before you give them a heavy dose or introduce a strong blend. If you see your pet sneezing, their eyes tearing up, them rubbing their head on the ground or excessively licking themselves, you may want to cut down on the oils or stop using them.

Some general rules regarding aromatherapy and pets includes
1. Never spray or use essential oils in your pet’s eyes.
2. Always remember to dilute essential oils. It is very easy to dilute essential oils before you mist them on your pet or on your pet’s belongings.

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Do you suffer from poor circulation too? Poor circulation problems are quite common in middle-aged and elderly folk, it is when the circulatory system cannot properly do its jobs and there are inadequate blood flow to entire parts of the body.

Immediate treatment should be taken, because poor circulation could be the roots of many serious diseases including high blood pressure, heart attack, infection to abnormal blood clotting, hypertension, stroke, varicose veins, kidney damage and many more.

Aromatherapy is one of the various natural remedies for improving circulatory system. Here are the Aromatherapy recipes for poor circulation.

Diffuser for Poor Circulation

3 parts Cypress essential oil

3 parts Lemon essential oil

2 parts Bergamot essential oil

1 part Ginger essential oil

1 part Geranium essential oil

Mix all the essential oils in an amber glass bottle. Electric diffuser often come with a bottle that fit onto the machine, use one if you have. You may put several drops of the blend in aroma lamp, potpourri burner or humidifier. You may prepare larger amount using teaspoon measurements.

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What is Poor Circulation? Circulatory system problems arise when there is limited blood flow to the legs, hands, heart and rest of the body. Ideally, our blood vessels should be clean and in good working condition. But, due to the unhealthy life style and dietary, our blood vessels become blocked as a fatty substance called plaque builds up and hardens and constricts the walls of the arteries and veins. This interrupts the normal flow of blood through the vessels and results in poor circulation.

The common symptoms and signs of poor circulation include:

• Cold hands and feet

• Pins and needles feeling

• Cramp in legs, buttocks or feet

• Swollen feet or legs

• Deteriorating vision

• Blueness, purple or dark skin (cyanosis – an indication of inadequate oxygen delivery)

• Blood clots

• Numb or loss of sensation in the hands and feet

• Dizziness when standing quickly

Seek immediate treatment if you have the above symptoms. Poor circulation can be extremely harmful to the body and it is vital that the right amount of blood flows to the heart and the brain. A variety of conditions can be brought on by poor circulation such as high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke, varicose veins, peripheral artery disease, heart disease, kidney damage, aneurysms, arteriosclerosis, Raynaud’s disease and phlebitis.

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