Heading into the second trimester gleefully, the first one has been quite an adventure. I haven’t been pregnant in over 10 years and when I was morning sickness was never an issue. They say each pregnancy is different and they certainly are right about that. This time around is completely different from before. I have already learned that morning sickness is not limited to just the mornings. Ha! Who knew!
I didn’t want to have my OB prescribe anything, especially when I am so well aware of the benefits of holistic therapies. So I turned to my essential oil cabinet and here’s what I dug out:
Ginger: I think most people have heard ginger ale is top of the list for soothing morning sickness, but did you ever wonder why. It’s not the gentle fix of the soda, it’s the ginger. Ginger gently soothes upset stomachs and is safe for baby.
Patchouli: While patchouli is notorious for it’s aphrodisiac qualities, it also helps prevent dry skin as well as aids with preventing morning sickness.
Sandalwood: Already an oil that promotes mental and emotional relaxation, sandalwood is a full pregnancy beneficially oil. From relief from morning sickness to helping to prevent stretch marks, sandalwood is an important oil to keep from and center during pregnancy.
It’s of the utmost importance to use caution with any essential oils during pregnancy; not all are safe for use during such a delicate time. These three that I’ve chosen to work synergistically are being used at half their normal dilution in coconut oil. This make it easy to use any time of day: in the morning before getting out of bed, I rub it into my upper shoulders and a bit on my belly so the scent will waft up to my nose. In the evenings when needed, it’s safe to use in the bath.
Have you used or heard of any other holistic remedies that work wonders with morning sickness? We’d Love to hear about them!
Jasmine is such a sexy scent. This fragrance has been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac, with ancient princesses bathing with the blooms in order to entice their lovers. However it is also quite healing in the aromatherapy world, relieving depression and calming nerves among other things.
1. Sedating effect on the nervous system - If you are looking for a peaceful night’s rest, use this essential oil right before bed in order to calm the nerves and ease you into sleep. You can add a few drops directly into your bath for a calming soak before bed.
2. Calms muscle tension – Achy and tense from a long day? It blends incredibly well with sandalwood and rose oil, and then can be massaged into the skin for ultimate relaxation with your favorite carrier oil. You can also add a few drops into your favorite body lotion to enhance it’s scent.
3. Mood altering – If you battle with depression, this is a great scent to keep handy. It alleviates your depressive thoughts and brings you into a center of optimism. Just a few deep inhales of the oil will lift your spirits.
4. Antiseptic – Battling a nasty skin infection? Jasmine has antiseptic properties that heal wounds when applied directly to your skin. See the tea recipe below for an example of how you can put jasmine to work for you .
5. Treats PMS – To me, this is the greatest thing about jasmine. It helps keep your cycle regular, painless, and shorter, while decreasing symptoms of PMS. Drinking the tea mentioned below regularly will allow you to experience these benefits. I frequently have very painful cycles and nothing seems to help my symptoms. I can’t wait to try this!
Here’s a great recipe to keep on hand at home for ailments that may come arise:
Jasmine Tea
Add 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf jasmine tea to 3-5 cups boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes. Any longer and the tea can become bitter. You can purchase loose leaf jasmine tea from a health food store or Asian grocer. It’s best to stick with loose-leaf as it tends to be fresher than the tea bags. If ingested, the tea helps with infections and fevers, and will calm nerves and anxiety. Externally, you can make a compress from the liquid to treat cuts, scrapes, and even headaches.
I like the vanilla mint blend in the late winter into spring time because the warmer weather enhances the experience of the scent. The warm air gives you occasion whiff of the scent and it’s just an amazingly refreshing, uplifting scent. It’s hard to not be happy when you’re smelling peppermint.
Using the blend in my spray bottle allows me to still get the benefit of the scent and keep my hair moisturized on days I don’t do a co wash with the vanilla mint conditioner in the shower. The aloe and glycerin are staples in the water bottle because my hair Loves love loves aloe, and really likes glycerin as a moisturizing agent but only if its diluted.
What’s in your spray bottle and why? I’d Love to learn from what your ladies are using in your bottle.
Bergamot is another one of the extremely versatile essential oils we’ve been talking about off and on. Bergamot has a spicy floral/fruity fragrance. It has been in use for centuries and can serve many purposes around the home. In Love tradition, here are 5:
Skin Care – Bergamot is a natural antiseptic and antifungal, making it useful for people with acne, athete’s foot, eczema and fungal skin infections. A good recipe is one part bergamot to 5 parts aloe vera gel. If this solution is at all irritating, add more aloe vera. You could also try a couple of drops in your homeade sugar scrub
For muscles – Try adding bergamot to lotions and massage oil to relieve the inflammation of tense muscles. Add the drops one or two at a time and test the solution to make sure it isn’t irritating to your skin.
Aromatherapy – Bergamot is very uplifting and useful in relieving stress, depression and anxiety. It is even useful in increasing appetite. A few drops can be added to a diffuser, or you can get a candle or incense with bergamot in them.
Perfume – The fragrance of bergamot mixes well with other fragrances including, lavender, mint, veviter, sandalwood and frankincense, making it ideal for perfumes.
In the bath – this is my favorite, by adding bergamot to a bath oil, you can enjoy ALL the benefits of it. Smell lovely, ease tension and help your skin all at the same time doing it this way.
Cautions
There are a couple of cautions to keep in mind while using this essential oil. First, as mentioned above, is to not use too much of it, because it can irritate the skin. Always make sure it is dilluted. Also, those who are pregnant or nursing should not use it. Don’t use bergamot internally without the consent of a doctor.
Bergamot is essential to any well stocked aromatherapy cupboard. Between it’s beautiful fragrance and therapeutic properties it is any “aromatherapist’s” dream. Bergamot can be purchased through just about any quality aromatherapy shop. Add it to your arsenal, I sure did
As almost all of you know, our very gracious and beautiful Tyrika is now a married woman. I have been reflecting on this over the weekend and am beyond ecstatic for her, her husband and their families.
Tyrika, you are genuinely beautiful and full of love, so it makes absolute sense that your life would follow suit. I wish nothing but all the best blessings for you and your family at this incredibly special time!
I thought it only fitting, under the circumstances and for Valentine’s day, to give everyone some uses for aromatherapy to encourage a loving mood The essential oils most commonly used for romance are:
Rose
Jasmine
Neroli
Clary Sage
Cypress
Sandalwood
Cedarwood
Ylang Ylang
Clove
Black Pepper
Veviter
As usual, there are plenty of ways to utilize these essential oils. Incense, diffusers, bath oil and in lotions are always great. To increase desire, candles and a massage oil would be ideal…
Mainelement:Love fragrances that would be great to rub on before a date would be; Strawberries and Champagne, Wedded Bliss, and Blue Rose for the ladies, and Insatiable and Seductive for the gentlemen. Most of these fragrances come in le’amour body butter, body wash AND body oil. They are truly fabulous and made with the utmost care.
You could also try the skin care recipes Tyrika has posted, to make sure your significant other finds your skin inviting and touchable.
Now that you have your Valentine’s day aromatherapy arsenal stocked and your skin will be silky-smooth, you are ready to celebrate in style…
Tyrika, we love you and await your return! Congratulations, lady!
