shadow

Articles from September 2014

Antiviral Essential Oils

Posted on: by:

Protecting our children & ourselves

essential oils cloves banner

Way back in the last century (1999) my 9 year old son and I were living in a home where I did childcare for two pre-school aged children. Three times that winter their whole family was diagnosed with strep throat, and took antibiotics for it. (They continued to eat cold yogurt, cheese, and other ayurvedically contraindicated things.) Even before their culture for strep was confirmed, I put one drop of a well researched antibacterial and antiviral blend of essential oils (Young Living’s Thieves) on my son’s throat, and 2 on my own throat (diluted with 1-2 drops of sesame oil), and applied a few more drops directly to our feet. I did this 3 times a day, and adjusted our diet away from cold, dairy and wheat for those few days. We did not get sick, though sharing a kitchen with this family. The third time it came up for them, I started to feel the tell-tale scratchy throat. My son and I each added one more drop of Thieves in the back of our throats 3-4 X a day. It stung, briefly. And WOW – immediately, the signs went away and stayed away! Now I may put a drop in ⅙ cup water and gargle instead – either way it stings but works fast.

Although streptococcus causes a bacterial infection, only about 5-10% of sore throats are actually bacterial — the rest are viral. I’ve worked with antiviral essential oils with amazing results, and often am asked by clients what they can do to most safely and gently protect their families when immune system is weak — like after childbirth, or during flu season. There are Ayurvedic insights on the use of essential oils, and diet, herbs and lifestyle changes which help refine our therapeutic choices when we are vulnerable (like choosing heating and drying substances for mucus problems and cooling substances for fevers, etc.) This wisdom also includes protecting our “head” or psychic space from fatigue, weakness and emotional impurity, since viruses can so easily enter our field if we are not feeling strong inside.

Fall and Spring are times of seasonal change when, as both public health stats and ancient Ayurveda explain, everyone is more vulnerable, and an illness can be easier to acquire and harder to kick. Right now children are returning to school, and bringing home colds and flus. And national news is reporting severe respiratory viral infections hospitalizing unusual numbers of children in this country, not to mention other scary virus trends around the world! Please get your essential oils first aid kit ready!

Here are my top choices for antiviral and respiratory supports, “distilled” from about 40 antiviral essential oils that I’ve come to know and love. First, the single oils:

Cassia and Cinnamon (two varieties of cinnamon): Jean Claude Lapraz, MD, found that viruses could not even live in the presence of cinnamon oil, so many of the best blends have this oil in them. Balance this for its hot, dry qualities.

Citrus peel oils: Inexpensive oils and good diffusers. More gentle antiviral and good for children (and inner children).

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus radiata): Diffuses well, with benefits that cool and penetrate quickly. It is both antiviral and respiratory clearing.

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii): Specially valuable when the psychic space is fragile and compromised, this is an immunostimulant, mild antiviral and powerful anti-inflammatory.

Hyssop: Powerful antiviral used in biblical times during the plague. Balance for its hot, sharp, and drying qualities.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca sp.): Well known for its broad spectrum uses, tea tree is valuable and not too intense antiviral and antibacterial. 

Myrtle & Lemon Myrtle: Gently pitta and vata pacifying, this good antiviral also supports endocrine and clears respiratory systems. Myrtle is very kind and diffuses well.

Oregano: Strongly heating and drying. When prepared using low temperature distillation it offers antiviral as well as antibacterial and antifungal benefits. 

Thyme: Strongly heating and drying. When prepared using low temperature distillation it offers antiviral as well as the antibacterial and antifungal benefits.

I’m a Young Living EO fan because I have absolute faith in the purity and integrity of their oils. They have some amazing blended oils, and naturally I have some favorite antiviral blends. Well-combined blends are often better value than singles and have proven track records for broad spectrum effectiveness in one bottle.

** If you choose to take any essential oils internally, please be certain of the EO producer and the quality of their oils, and that they provide suitable instructions. Otherwise please do not use in this way.

Thieves — Blend with clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary: Number 1 for winter time and cold weather illness with excess kapha, and for boosting agni in Ayurvedic terms, it has strong antioxidant properties too. This blend was used in the 16th century plague time with unusual success — first by the body robbers of the dead and dying who were grounded from their shipping trade as oil and spice importers. Research shows over 95% kill rate on over 5 different groups of viruses plus highly antibacterial, antifungal effects.

RC — Blend with 3 eucalyptuses, myrtle, pine, cypress, lavender, oregano, peppermint and tsuga: Number 1 for inhalation for most respiratory issues, this has many antivirals in it also. Its sharp penetrating qualities are balanced by endocrine boosters, grounding evergreens and liver help. Balanced for multi-season use, valuable for diffuser method.

Raven — Blend with ravensara, eucalyptus radiata, peppermint, wintergreen and lemon: Also cooling and potent, it’s broad spectrum effects soothe inflammation, lungs, help kick phlegm, plus combat herpes and shingles.

Purification — Blend with citronella, lemongrass, lavendin, rosemary, melaleuca and myrtle: Good diffuser for kids coming and going from school and fragile postpartum families. This is useful in hot and cold weather illnesses and against environmental radiation.

Exodus II — Blend with cassia, myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, hyssop, galbanum, frankincense (Boswellia carteri), and spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi): Biblical combo gives extra oomph on viral infections and kicking phlegm, and powerfully helps protect and clear the mind of high vata and kapha. Balance for hot, dry and penetrating qualities.

This list is offered for safe and powerful first aid for MANY uses besides antiviral and respiratory help. Over 5,000 research studies on essential oils are showing that they have significant therapeutic effects. Knowledge of Ayurveda enhances their use with guidelines for preventing vulnerability to disease.

With over 90% of the medicinal properties of many herbs evaporated when they are dried, essential oils are more potent for many uses. They offer highly respectable self and client care support, but need safe use and well balanced application. I’ve worked with essential oils for over 15 years, with respect and love for their blessings. I also know how overboard people get with them, forgetting the rest of their self-care homework, and Ayurvedic concerns for misuse.

Young Living oils test with 300-800 bio-constituents each, distilled to access each plant’s arsenal of integrated intelligence and protection like no drug can. It’s super important to know the quality of the essential oils you choose before using them for therapeutic purposes. A lot of extra care goes into creating a true therapeutic quality essential oil, and if your source distills many oils at the same temperature, they are likely missing key medicinal properties. The following guidelines are key for the kind of value I refer to:

  • Organic seed, soils untainted by pollutants, and proper plant variety for desired effects
  • Sustainably grown in their best climate and region around the world
  • Sustainably teaming with local growers for the grower, planetary and plant best interests
  • Grown without chemical pesticides, herbicides
  • Harvested and distilled with precise timing to ensure peak properties
  • First extractions only, according to the plant’s best/low temp and pressure to preserve bioconstituents
  • No synthetic essential oils added
  • Third-party plus in house cross-testing of every barrel
  • Stand behind any recommended internal use of their oils

Obligatory and honest disclaimer: Of course there is so much more than even my long winded articles can say about making the best use of these oils. This discussion cannot be misconstrued as sufficient information to handle a disease on your own, and the severity of some of the issues facing the world today requires in our opinion, a combination of careful medical care from your doctor, and careful preventive and supportive self care for best results. This is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or train you to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

Balancing Hormones and Cortisol

Posted on: by:

pp Stressed or Rest?The stress hormone, cortisol, is Ma Nature’s way of taking care of Baby, no matter what, and research shows it runs high for about 10 days after birth. Natural? Yes. So let it be? Please, no! Once good support is in place, cortisol levels naturally come down before 10 days, and mothers do most of their mothering best with low stress. In fact, stress hormones generally work opposite of the love and nurturing hormones.

What’s best for rest?

Recently, a client had trouble sitting down when I first arrived for her postpartum care; in fact she wanted to help me or serve me something.  I told her I would need a few minutes to set up, to please enjoy her few minutes – just sit and relax with her visiting mom, and then I’d come sit and talk for a few minutes with them. Baby was sleeping nearby.  This dear mama could not get herself to sit.  I knew then we had some unwinding to do.  I often remind mothers they are in training — to take rest in the betweens and be nurtured when they can! 

It took several days actually, before she fell asleep during her nap.  This woman was high risk for postpartum depression (PPD), having been on antidepressants until a few months before conceiving.  Yet as many of you have witnessed, even on the first day of cooking and massage the stress started to melt from her face and emotions. The willpower she so barely could hold together at first – even her speech was broken – turned into trust and surrender into her own nature, layer by layer over those few days of care.  At first it was unconscious, and gradually she came to understand.  

** When our clients have been through a rough surgery or baby has been in the hospital for extra needs, we can really see cortisol in action. It will both support them, and create problems. You will see mothers not realizing where this energy is coming from, and assuming they have more to draw on than they can sustain, making choices to do too much too soon.  Cortisol is why Mama seems so strong – able to go without sleep, walk down the hall after a birth which damaged her tush, go back and forth to the hospital if baby is in NICU instead of napping, and generally have unbelieveable resources. It is also a big reason why she gets hot flashes, why everyone thinks she doesn’t need much help, and why a few days later, there is such a crash. Multiple physical and emotional challenges tend to come up as a result … do I have stories to tell you!  

Where do those resources come from? Cortisol mobilizes blood sugar and adrenal strength, and puts rest and digest on the back burner. That means ability to regenerate is not the priority, nor is milk production, or even the love hormones like oxytocin, so important for bonding. Depletion of resources means mama needs rejuvenation therapies. High stress as a hormonal experience can often be avoided or mitigated in a ‘normal’ birth. When stress is unavoidable due to crisis, there are many stress reducing choices she can make to help recovery. What makes it not so plain and simple is limited understanding of the impact of choices. 

What are those choices? Food, rest and touch play a big role here. Be ready to support them with extra attention to rest and therapies which gently, repetitively remind the body-mind what rest feels like! That’s different from saying, go nap while baby naps. Sometimes that reminder is enough, but too often, it is not. Vata/pitta or pitta/vata moms may not actually know what true rest is by nature. So, they’ll often need to be reminded. In fact, repeatedly, in various ways is the truth of it and the nature of the vata component.

So, just in case you don’t know (or have forgotten), rest has these qualities: it’s warm, cozy, protected, simple, and quiet. Foods that feed and support rest are oily and nourishing especially with sweet taste and easily digested carbs and proteins. Repetitive, oily, simple, loving touch which is matter of fact and steady, and not talkative is best for rest.  

Ayurvedic medicine advises 42 days of specialized massage for mama along with specific dietary measures to strengthen and rejuvenate mom and babe. And yes, we Ayurvedic types have a sanskrit word for this: it’s called “vata” reduction and “brimhana chikitsa.” Because exercise is contraindicated, ayurvedic massage also does some of the work of moving lymph and toning the tissues — and hormones. Warm oil massage increases body chemicals we like called neurotransmitters.. And the classic postpartum diet, which stabilizes, grounds, gives ready energy and long lasting fuel for easy rebuilding and emotional comforting all bring down cortisol too. It is a big reason Ayurvedic therapies work so well — they bring down cortisol — even though there’s no Sanskrit word for that.

12 Factors for Baby’s Development

Posted on: by:

Ayurveda defines 12 factors contributing to the quality of baby’s development. Visualize if you can, how nutrition can influence all these 12 factors:

1) Paternal influence

2) Maternal influence

3) Soul/ past life karmas (aatmaja)

4) Agni – Tejas (physical and mental digestive strength)

5) Soma – Ojas quality (immunity strength)

6) Vayu – Prana (vitality — life force strength)

7) The 3 mental Gunas – Sattva, Rajas & Tamas and their influence on mood and character

8) The 5 senses (strength of vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste)

9) The Mind – (stability and strength of focus)

10) The Buddhi (intellect or intelligence)

11) Smruti (memory and ability to retain and recall)

12) the 5 elements (the quantity of earth, water, fire, air and ether in a person’s constitution)

In a nutshell, shukra (sperm) and artava (egg) contain the maternal & paternal elements of heredity. These include components of the: 5 elements, 20 qualities of nature, 3 mental gunas (SRT), three doshas (VPK), 7 dhatus (tissues), and refined essence of the three doshas (ojas, tejas and prana–OTP), all of which shape the embryo  and are known as “basic units of hereditary.”

Within the first 2 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta is working, giving oxygen and life force to the baby. The prana taken in by the mother must be refined and delicate, not intense or jarring. Rasa dhatu (plasma) should be sattvic for this intricate process which means it needs to be clear of ama (toxins) or anything that may obstruct the tiny but critical developments. Pitta toxins and kapha phlegm both morning sickness which blocks the flow of prana. The invisible work of mothers in pregnancy is to provide a supportive harmonious energy field and nourishment for her developing baby’s body and blueprint. Proper nutrition of mind and body (the 12 factors) are what create this environment.

To learn more about the 12 factors for Baby’s development check out the following class:  Enhancing Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth with Ayurveda

 

4 Key Foods Throughout Pregnancy

Posted on: by:

rice and dairy

According to Ayurveda, there are 4 key sattvic foods used in varied ways throughout pregnancy for most mamas: new basmati rice, pure ghee, butter and milk. These foods are naturally sattvic (harmonious and pure), building, easy on the digestion when properly used, and do not create mental and emotional negativity in their nature.

For vegan mamas, the list of 4 becomes 1 – just new basmati rice (not aged, and not brown due to the heating quality of brown rices), and these mothers often crave the three dairy options during pregnancy. Whatever foods are actually used, much care must be taken to substitute for these foods with sattvic, pitta and vata pacifying, ojas building qualities of other foods. For example, some common substitutes for dairy include:

Old, processed or life-force weakened foods undermine nutrition, as does slow maternal elimination. The stress of our prevalent Type A/rajasic overdrive in modern cultures will deplete the life-energy and nutrients for mama and baby. Poor digestion or poor food choice can create ama, which can lead to morning sickness and other problems.

Many other foods are important too, of course, but these take a special grounding, pitta and vata balancing, and ojas enhancing role.

 

Panchakarma — Ayurvedic Cleansing for Conception

Posted on: by:

hands on back

To prepare for receiving the highest vibration soul and providing the healthiest new body for their baby, the mother and father both to need to calm and balance their doshas, eliminate ama and reduce rajas and tamas in their minds. This manifests as a need to purify body and emotions in some way.

Ayurveda spells out how we can prepare the body and mind for healthy sperm and ova and optimal conception. It’s called Panchakarma and post Panchakarma Rasayana (rejuvenation therapies). This is a fascinating education for practitioners, but you’ll want to attend the Dhatu and Panchakarma advanced classes with Vaidya Bharat (ayurvedsadhana.com) to unfold this juicy understanding.

Although each mother has brilliant natural maps for growing a baby, she and her partner can make choices in preparation for supporting baby’s plan for incarnation, to cleanse and then strengthen the intricate communications between Baby’s DNA and unfolding her subtle body blueprint. Conception calls on mother and father’s reproductive essence in the sperm and ovum, on their consciousness and on their desires, to match baby’s desire and life purposes. The blueprint structures are built to the soul’s purpose and style, and everyone wants this to be in greatest bliss and success for life.

Panchakarma has been proven to significantly, safely and gently remove significant amounts of petrochemical pollutants in a short time. The body stores these in fat, reproductive, brain and endocrine tissues and these are not easily removed by western cleansing methods. The unique methods of cleansing employed by Ayurveda are safe and gentle, but it is very important that it is done properly to prevent side effects; many practitioners are only partially trained.

Rasayana therapies are rebuilding and rejuvenative, perfect for preparing to concieve and the body receives the benefits of rasayana much more effectively after the Panchakarma sequences are complete. Cleansing without rejuvenation afterwards is not a good idea for those wishing to conceive!

Ojas: The Essence of Baby’s Development

Posted on: by:

cute white baby

Ancient Ayurvedic texts by Vagbhat describe–in detail–embryonic nourishment at conception and for gestation by the 5 elements. They describe the seat of the soul as a sixth tissue (the nervous system), which is the next to last tissue in the sequence of tissue nutrition in the body. The quality of mind and connectedness to this life are dependent upon the quality of the nervous tissue. Vagbhat explains that ojas – the finest product of maternal and paternal digestion and contained in the reproductive seed material — is the essence of the embryo and fetus, and the first component for baby’s tissue formation, and Ayurvedic teachers explain that stem cells are nourished by ojas.

Nourishing mama’s ojas throughout pregnancy (and postpartum) is a central topic in Ayurveda. The many refinements on healthy digestion and transformation of food that is spelled out in Ayurveda are about creating good quality ojas — because ojas is the finest product of digestion. It is the foundation of good health.

When a mother enters pregnancy with a healthy diet and lifestyle, making the necessary changes to enhance ojas is straight-forward — and she can easily make proactive choices that will help build the best quality body for baby. But when she has pitta or kapha ama (accumulated wastes from incomplete digestion or toxicities in the body), or excessive rajas or tamas in the mind (anger, depression, and so on) these conditions can tend to vibrate at odds with gestational priorities, and undermine the baby’s development.