Every time I went to the convenience store, I would see an entire aisle of beauty products including colorful bath salts. Fascinating as they were to me, I would simply look but not buy. Who actually uses bath salts at home? I hadn't a clue on what they really were, and what they were for. Just no plain idea on what help they would do me.
Little did I know about the world of aromatherapy and how mother nature's elements would enrich me in all facets of life. And these bath salts are the closest thing to taking a natural mineral bath in a hot spring, for they are made up of epsom salt and dead sea salt. I can take a hand full of these salts and massage them into my skin to get the dead ones off. And while I'm getting the dead skin off, I'm putting some moisture back in! What do you know? Nice natural remedy to soothe my mind, body, and soul, eh? So, naturally it would be neat to make a jar full of these at home.
Why is exfoliating the skin so important? Well, when you do you are opening the pores and encouraging the sweat and bacteria to purge itself and attach to the bath salts in the bath water. When your pores are so fresh and so clean of all that gunk, you are taking away the ammo to create pimples! The thought of that should make you feel all the more happy and content.
But, what's this? There's even more benefits dealing with bug bites and skin rashes? Fantastic! I can use epson bath salts on areas of the skin that have been affected with minor rashes and infections, Athlete's Foot and psoriasis, eczema and whatnot. So nice to treat all of that in one fell swoop. (Though I hope I don't get hit with everything all at once!)
And, if you are feeling that your muscles are tense from such a tiresome day, or if you exercised a bit too hard, you can be assured that epson bath salts can be massaged into the joints and tendons so the muscles inside can calm down and feel at ease.
If you have ever thought about how smelling something really nice has oftentimes changed your mood, then you will enjoy the fact that this is what aromatherapy is all about. When you smell essence oils like rose hips and peppermint you can relieve stress and anxiety, and ultimately ease your mind.
If you stay in the bath long enough, be careful as your fingers will lose water and look like raisins. There's only so much that the Epsom bath salts can do, as they do adjust the composition of the bath water and create a protective layer on the skin so that water does not enter or leave too much.
You can only imagine how much fantastic you will feel knowing that you made these bath salts right at home, where you got to choose what scents, what colors, and what beautiful jar you put the salts into. All those health and beauty benefits in one small jar.
Sydney Garrett makes homemade bath salts and probably has a lifetime supply of bath soaps ingredients for life.
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January 30 2010 | Skin Care | No Comments »
Historical and Current Uses
Sandalwood is one of the oldest aromatic materials, being acknowledged in ancient biblical and in Indian text as well as used in religious ceremonies throughout the ages. Botanically known as a small evergreen in the genus Santalum and family Santalaceae, this modest-sized tree (up to 10 meters) provides a great deal of commerce for India and to some extent Australia and is now being examined by the medical industry for its medicinal properties. There are several species of Santalum, but only a few are used commercially, most notably Santalum album (India) and Santalum spicatum (Australia). Other tress from such places as Polynesia and Fuji are in small numbers and in great decline. Oddly, other plants such as the Bead Tree or Candlewood are known as sandalwood but are not botanically parallel. Sometimes, non-related plants such as Red Sandalwood are used as fillers for the more expensive, genuine sandalwood.
True sandalwood contains aromatic heartwood (middle) and roots which when harvested are used for furniture items as well as distilled for its highly prized essential oil. Plantations have been set aside in both India and Australia to meet growing demand for Santalum essential oil. Sandalwood harvesting and manufacturing of incense sticks, furniture and essential oil provides great employment for many in India, especially in southern India. The value of sandalwood in India cannot be overstated. Besides its ceremonial significance, sandalwood is used extensively in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. The harvest and processing of sandalwood is strictly regulated and private ownership of the trees is not permitted. Since 1792 trees have been considered of Indian royalty and thus well guarded and protected. These valued trees take decades to develop their rich aromatic wood and are not considered commercially viable until at least forty years of age, but trees have been harvested at thirty to meet rising requests for its processed products.
Much of the valuable wood is found in the roots of sandalwood and thus harvested by uprooting the entire tree versus cutting it at the trunk. In the last few years alone, the price of sandalwood has skyrocketed, mainly due to rising demand and limited supply. Increased demand has mainly come from the perfume and aromatherapy industry. Sandalwood essential oil and paste is used in Indian and Chinese medicine and of course aromatherapy botanical medicine. The perfume industry covets this oil for its ability to blend well with other perfume oils; hence, it is used extensively in hundreds of cosmetic products.
Over the centuries, the use of sandalwood and its products have been an integral part of several religious cultures. It scent, either as an essential oil or ground as incense, is thought to bring one closer to the Divine. Hindus burn incense made from sandalwood oil in burial pyres and at funerals. It's also used in temples to remind people of the heavenly realms. Yogis in India use the oil to anoint each other during ceremonies and before meditation as well deity statues often made of sandalwood itself.
Sandalwood May Help with Antibiotic Resistance
Opposition to antibiotic use in food agriculture has been gaining momentum. In years past, it was known that severe illness-causing microbes such as Salmonella and E. coli could be contracted through eating contaminated meat. Now, it is proposed that contraction of bacteria, in this case antibiotic resistant bacteria, can possibly be transferred through ingestion, handling of industrial animal manure, as well as through drinking manure-contaminated ground water. With these scenarios coming to the surface, scientists and government officials alike are in alarm and strongly suggesting the decrease if not absolute elimination of non-therapeutic uses of antibiotics in the meat industry. Recent media has brought attention to the proposed link between the steep increase of antibiotic-resistant microbes with use and perhaps misuse of antibiotics in agriculture. Modern industrial agriculture raises animals in tight often inhumane quarters which results in animals being much more susceptible to sickness and disease, thus the administration of antibiotics is very common. Because bacteria and other microbes can easily mutate (in as little as 20 minutes), it is no wonder that great concern is now mounting.
Concern for antibiotic-resistant microbes is worldwide. A need to find alternatives to conventional antibiotic treatment is rising. Essential oils have been gaining attention by research scientists for their antimicrobial properties. A collaborative study of researchers in Austria and Germany (Flavor and Fragrance Journal 2006 May/Jun; 21(3): 465-468) found that santalols of sandalwood (the main chemical components of sandalwood) in medium and/or high concentrations showed significant antimicrobial potential against the yeast Candida albicans, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Other Promising Uses
The Australian and Indian Santalum species, found to be similar in chemical composition, are known by aromatherapists to have such therapeutic properties as anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic (reduces fever), antiseptic (as mentioned above), antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms), astringent, carminative (relieves flatulence), demulcent (reduces irritation), diuretic (soft and soothing to skin), emollient, expectorant, as a sedative and general tonic. Their principle chemical constituents are alpha-santalol and beta-santalol. According to a study conducted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and South Dakota University (Anticancer Research 2007 Jul-Aug; 27(4B): 2185-8) application of the chemical compound alpha-santalol prevents UVB-induced skin tumor development in mice. Sandalwood is also thought to help alleviate the symptoms of depression as reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center (www.umm.edu).
Summing It Up
It is rather evident that the value of sandalwood extends across centuries and continents. It is revered by various religions, scientists, aromatherapists and perfume enthusiasts alike. What is remarkable is that uses of plants and their essential oils are bringing such world-wide engagement as their promising applications are uncovered in scientific research. A need for alternatives to conventional antibiotics as well as insecticides is clear. As less-than amiable agriculture practices surface and resistance to current antimicrobials increase, it is apparent that humankind will revert back to solutions found in nature and perhaps make a more diligent effort to conserve the very earth that sustains us.
Essential oils have a very broad range of uses, from just making a room smell nice, to combating the most challenging bacterial infections. The term 'aromatherapy' includes all these uses. To learn more, visit The Ananda Apothecary online.
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January 11 2010 | Skin Care | No Comments »