Tea Tree is native to Australia and its oil has been used and known among the original inhabitants of that continent as a cure-all medicine since ancient times. Since it’s made its way to us people are now starting to realize just how important it really is. The main substances in Tea Tree essential oil are Alpha Pinene, Beta Pinene, Sabinene, Myrcene, Alpha Phellandrene, Alpha Terpinene, Limonene, Cineole, Gamma Terpinene, Para Cymene, Terpinolene, Linalool, Terpinenol and Alpha Terpineol.

Tea Tree oil is an excellent expectorant. People who are suffering from cough and cold, congestion, bronchitis and other troubles associated with colds, can often get relief using Tea Tree essential oil. It can be rubbed on the chest and inhaled while sleeping, or a drop can be placed on the pillow so it can do its work at night also, and you can wake up feeling much better in the morning. I myself have used Tea Tree oil in this way and have come to realize that it really does work to help alleviate the symptoms of the common cold.

Lastly, this essential oil has a stimulating effect on hormone secretions, blood circulation, and most importantly, on the immune system. It boosts your immunity and acts as a shield against different types of infections. It is also quite popular in aromatherapy, because it blends well with many other oils and can also provide you with internal benefits that would otherwise be impossible, since you are not allowed to ingest Tea Tree essential oil.

Tea Tree oil is not entirely benign. You have to be careful with it. Be sure to read and follow all the warnings.

Not everybody has a taste for water, but we all need it to ensure that our bodies continue functioning at their best. A lot of people struggle with getting the appropriate amount that they need. If you want to drink more water, but aren’t crazy about the taste, here are some tips that can make it more enjoyable:

1. Add fresh fruit. Citrus fruits-lemons, limes, and oranges—are the classic enhancers. Put fresh raspberries or watermelon into your water or add strawberry slices. Cucumber and fresh mint are refreshing flavors as well, especially in summer.
2. Use juice. Any fruit juice can be a good base flavor for water, but tart juices—cranberry, pomegranate, grape, and apple—are especially delicious and will have you craving more. Go for juices that are all natural with no added sugar. And remember that fruits and their juices don’t just taste good, they contain vitamins and antioxidants that can also benefit your health.
3. Make it bubbly. Many people prefer sparkling to still water. If plain old water isn’t inspiring to you, try a mineral water or try bubbly seltzer, a carbonated water. You can add fresh fruit or natural juice flavors to your seltzer or look for naturally flavored seltzers at your grocery store.
4. Get icy. Some say that ice water tastes better than water served at room temperature. If that’s so, flavored ice cubes may make an even better drink. Use some of the flavoring suggestions above and start experimenting with fresh fruit, mint, or cucumber ice. Add flavors to your ice cube tray along with the water, then freeze. You may also consider juice, tea, or coffee cubes. If you want to be more creative, use ice cube trays that come in fun shapes like stars, circles, or fish.
5. Drink tea. Herbal, fruit, green, white, and red teas are generally considered to be better for you than black teas because they contain little to no caffeine. And there are countless flavors of these teas to choose from.
6. Try bouillons and broths. If you lean toward the savory, you may pass on tea and start sipping one of these hot and savory liquids instead. Choose low-fat and low-sodium versions. Since soup is water-based, a cup of hot soup will count toward your daily fluid intake.
7. Add fast flavor. If you’re looking for a quick-and-easy flavor booster, you might also consider sugar-free drink mixes like Crystal Light.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that finds myself feeling overwhelmed and stressed at the end of a busy week of work and school. I’ve explored different ways to unwind and let go of the stress I’ve managed to bottled up through the week.

While I’ve always known how stress affects my mood, through my classes at the 91³ÉÈË, I’ve learned of the physical effects of stress on our bodies. Stress can make us feel drained and helpless, lower the activity of our immune system, cause skin breakouts, and, in time, potentially lead to serious illness and disease.

Learning how to dissipate stress should become a priority. Personally, my favorite way to relax and de-stress is by enjoying an Epsom salt bath with aromatherapy. The combination of the Epsom salts and the aromatherapy oils is magical.

Epsom salts are not actually salt but rather a natural mineral combination of magnesium and sulfate. Both of these minerals are easily absorbed through the skin, making it easy for us to enjoy the large variety of benefits provided by Epsom salts: they reduce inflammation and help ease muscle pain or cramps, they relax the nervous system, and they help to produce serotonin by adding magnesium back into your body. When your adrenal system is overworked from stress, you are depleted of magnesium. Soaking in Epsom salts is a good way to replenish the magnesium in your body and create a feeling of calm. It even helps to heal cuts and detox the body.

Aromatherapy is a great tool to use in your life for transforming your state of mind and mood. Some of my favorite oils for a bath are lavender, bergamot, and peppermint.

A lavender bath is soothing and relaxing. It cleans the mind and body. Lavender also has wonderful benefits for the skin and can help with reducing discoloration. It’s also an antimicrobial.

Bergamot is great for an uplifting bath. It is known to work as a mild anti-depressant, is energizing yet also calming, and is also an antimicrobial.

Peppermint creates an energizing bath. It stimulates your mind and body. It helps to clear congestion, ease headaches, and perk you up after an exhausting day.

Aveda also carries single note essential oils that are wonderfully pure and effective. Pick yours up today and try a few drops in your next Epsom salt bath. I promise it will provide magical relaxation!

For centuries, sandalwood has been highly respected and even worshiped, especially in the Hindu religion, where it is considered to be holy. In every step of life, it is considered indispensable, from birth to death. It is used to anoint babies on their birthdays, to decorate brides and grooms, and, mixed with flowers, it is used to embalm bodies. It is also used on the funeral pyre when cremating the dead.

Beyond its cultural uses, it is also a great antiseptic. The essential oil of sandalwood is safe for both internal and external applications. When ingested, it is said to help protect internal wounds and ulcers from infections. When applied to the skin, it protects wounds, sores, boils, and pimples from developing infections or from becoming septic.

Sandalwood paste and its essential oil is also an effective anti-inflammatory agent. It has a nice cooling effect and provides relief from all types of inflammations in the brain, and in the digestive, nervous, circulatory, and excretory systems. It can be used for infections, fevers, the side effects of antibiotics, poisoning, insect bites, or wounds. Sandalwood essential oil is also particularly beneficial in cases of nervous and circulatory inflammations.

I’d have to say that Sandalwood is my favorite oil because it has so much to offer.

Flaxseed warms the human body. The seeds need to be eaten as a ground meal. If eaten whole, flaxseed is not digested by the body. But if ground and taken daily with water, flaxseed provides the appropriate amounts of fiber to keep your digestive system working, as long as you keep your fluid intake high.

Flax is well known for its cholesterol-reducing properties. A couple of spoonfuls of ground flaxseed provides the short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally present in fish oil. If you rarely eat omega-3’s you’ll be missing out on the benefits of lower cholesterol and beautiful skin.

Flaxseed is another way to get nutrition for pescatarians. Eaten in combination with nuts and fish, flaxseed can be a great help. The alpha-Linolenic acid—an omega-3 fatty acid—helps reduce the inflammations that can contribute to chronic heart ailments, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes. It can even help guard your body against colon cancer.

The high amount of fiber in ground flaxseed is responsible for its cholesterol-lowering effects. High fiber diets help you feel full, so you tend to eat a little less. In turn, this can stabilize your blood sugar and help your intestines function well.

To me, antioxidants and phytochemicals spell an advertisement for an anti-aging cream. Flaxseed contains lignans—a type of phytoestrogen—which work in our intestines and convert to become substances that balance out hormones in women. These have been proven to promote fertility, reduce the risk of breast cancer, and reduce the symptoms of menopause.

Initially, the early Egyptians were the first to recognize avocado’s benefits for skin and hair, and now these benefits are well known. The Egyptians used this fruit to promote hair growth, prevent hair loss, add shine and luster to the hair.

Avocado is not only beneficial for skin and health, but this amazing fruit also has many benefits for hair that will surprise you. The oil of avocado is easily absorbed in the hair, therefore, it goes well with dry hair.

You can use raw fruit or avocado oil to get its rich vitamins and minerals. There are many natural avocado hair treatments to remedy different hair conditions. It works wonders when it is used as a hair mask. It nourishes as well as strengthens the hair.

Natural Beauty Tips

• While making an avocado or any fruit mask, blend or mash it thoroughly into a lump-free paste. If you have small fruit bits in your mask, it would be difficult to wash them out entirely. If you face such a situation, simply use a comb to remove the bits. It’s a tiresome process, but you will get the job done.
• If you have oily roots then don’t put the avocado mask onto the first inch or so of your hair. On the other hand, if your hair is dry or frizzy, spread the mask all over your hair and scalp. Pay special attention to the hair ends, as that is where your hair is mostly damaged.
• If your hair is thin or limp, skip the deep conditioning masks, as they tend to weigh your hair down.
• Always try to dry your hair naturally, without using a hairdryer, to avert damaged, frizzy hair.

Avocado Mask Recipes

When life is getting too hectic and you need to wind down, there are few things more relaxing than a warm bath. The warmth of the water with your body submerged in it makes a bath relaxing. But what makes a bath good for your skin are the ingredients you add to it.

You can easily create your own bath soak recipe from pantry ingredients. Aim to add ingredients that appeal to your senses, are good for your skin, and have the proper consistency for bathwater.

All the ingredients to this bath soak have a purpose. Milk works to both hydrate and soften skin. Baking soda is a great detoxifier and also helps to alkalize the body. The combination of jasmine and ylang-ylang, provide soothing and relaxing aromas.

Here’s a DIY bath recipe that will leave your skin baby soft!

Benefits of this Bath

• Relieves Stress
• Rejuvenates tired skin
• Detoxifies body
• Helps sooth tired or aching muscles
• Helps soften dry or dehydrated skin

Studies have shown that Generation Y is more prone to stress and anxiety. The scent of essential oil of lavender has strong calming abilities which make it perfect for the nerves and anxiety issues. It can also be helpful in treating migraines, headaches, depression, nervous tension, and emotional stress. It helps eliminate nervous exhaustion and restlessness while also increasing mental activity. One study showed when lavender oil was inhaled before taking a test or exam, more people were focused, and relaxed. Pass rates improved!

Lavender oil also helps induce sleep—a healthy alternative for insomnia. It has such a relaxing impact on people that it can often replace modern medicine for sleep issues. Studies on elderly patients have shown an increase in their sleep patterns when they replaced their normal sleep medication with lavender oil.

Surprisingly, lavender oil is also a great bug repellent. The scent of lavender essential oil is anathema for many types of bugs like mosquitoes, midges, and moths. Apply some lavender oil on exposed skin when outdoors. And if you do get bitten, lavender oil is an effective anti-inflammatory for irritated insect bites.

The uses of honey in Ayurvedic medicines dates back almost 4,000 years. Honey, when blended together in preparation with other ingredients, enhances their medicinal value. It has been shown to improve eyesight, speed up weight loss, and cure impotence. Honey also helps in treating urinary tract disorders, diarrhea, asthma, and nausea. It is also said to treat disorders such as bacterial gastroenteritis and ulcers.

In ancient times, athletes used to consume honey to enhance their endurance level, reduce muscle fatigue, and instantly boost their performance. Honey is also known to help in recovery and maintaining glycogen levels. Before swim meets, when I was younger, we would eat a honey stick before our races to give us an extra instant energy boost.

It is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants which help reduce the risk of heart disease and even cure some cancers. The mix of fructose and glucose in honey helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. And because of the presence of an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide, honey contains antibacterial and anti-fungal properties allowing it to be a good toner and even cleanser.

Honey can do wonders for your skin. That’s why you will find it in many skin-care products today. Honey acts as a great anti-aging agent and moisturizer. Here are some easy recipes to make honey-based face masks and exfoliators that you can try at home.

Every morning, first thing, drink half a fresh squeezed (never bottled) lemon in a warm glass of water. The water doesn’t need to be boiling. For an extra boost, add ginger and cayenne.

• Aids Digestion: Lemon juice flushes out unwanted materials and toxins from the body. It encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid that is required for digestion. Lemons are also high in vitamins and minerals and help loosen toxins in the digestive tract. The digestive properties of lemon juice help to relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn, belching, and bloating.
• Cleanses Your System: Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials partially because lemons increase the rate of urination. Therefore toxins are released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy. The citric acid in lemons helps enzyme function, which stimulates the liver and aids in detoxification.
• Boosts Your Immune System: Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is really good for fighting colds. They’re high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve functions. Potassium also helps control blood pressure. Vitamin C, found in lemons, shows anti-inflammatory effects, plus it enhances iron absorption in the body. Iron has an important role in immune function. Lemons also contain saponins, which contains antimicrobial properties that may help keep cold and flu at bay.
• Clears Skin: The vitamin C in lemons, along with other antioxidants, helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. It also helps combat free radical damage which comes from sun exposure and damages molecules in our skin. Vitamin C is vital for healthy skin, while its alkaline nature kills some types of bacteria known to cause acne. It can actually be applied directly to scars or age spots to help reduce their appearance. Since lemon water purges toxins from your blood, it would also be helping to keep your skin clear of blemishes from the inside out.