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Transform Winter Blues into Winter Bliss with Aromatherapy Inspired by the wisdom of nature, "wintering" is the practice of slowing down, nurturing oneself, and finding beauty in the quiet moments. I find this time particularly beneficial post-holidays. With fewer social demands and societal pressures, January can be one of the most beneficial months for mental health- if you give yourself permission to rest and rejuvenate. Bold statement , I know! Especially with darker, shorter days that most people associate with gloom and grief... But I believe the cold months offer coziness, a time of personal reflection; and of course, self-care. January invites us to embrace the art of “wintering." For assistance along our wintering journey, aromatherapy is here to support our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Let’s dive a little deeper into our aromatherapy allies… 6 Essential Oils for "Wintering" and Why They Work Frankincense Known as the "King of Oils," Frankincense is grounding and calming. It supports meditation, introspection, and emotional balance, making it perfect for moments of stillness and reflection.  This soothing oil encourages emotional healing on all levels. In addition, Frankincense offers strong immune support. Perfect to use for mental and physical well-being.  Sweet Orange This uplifting citrus oil brightens and uplifts the mood and energizes the spirit. Use it to combat the winter blues and create a warm, sunny ambiance indoors. Its familiar sweet aroma is calming and helps relieve anxiety. This is a perfect oil to use to unblock and circulate stagnant energy. Cedarwood With its warm, woody aroma, Cedarwood is soothing and grounding. It promotes relaxation and a sense of security. This essential oil is particularly helpful if you are experiencing a rough patch. Cedarwood is well-known to increase endurance during difficult times and can support confidence in challenging situations.  Lavender Lavender is a classic for calming the mind and body. It’s perfect for creating a tranquil space to unwind and restore. A familiar favorite to comfort and soothe stress, tension, and an overwhelmed mind.  Peppermint This invigorating oil helps clear the mind and refresh the senses. The refreshing, minty aroma awakens and stimulates the mind and body to reduce fatigue and help combat seasonal sluggishness. Peppermint clears energy, supports self-confidence, and helps boost creativity. Perfect to use for dreary winter days to increase alertness, support the immune system, and reduce congestion. This is a great oil to use while journaling or setting your intentions for the New Year.  Ginger Warm and spicy, Ginger is comforting, uplifting, and invigorating. This oil is fiery, strong, and dynamic. Ginger is excellent for stimulating willpower and restoring motivation. It encourages energy, while its warming aroma invites a soothing sensation to the mind and body. Ginger stimulates circulation to the areas of application, resulting in feelings of warmth, relaxation, and pain relief. A “wintering” self-care essential.  How to Use Essential Oils for Wintering Diffuse for Ambiance : Add 5-7 drops of your favorite wintering oil to a diffuser. Try this blend for balance: 3 drops Frankincense 2 drops Sweet Orange 2 drops Cedarwood Self-Massage with Oils : Blend up to 12 drops of essential oil into 1 oz of a carrier oil, like jojoba oil. Massage onto hands, feet, or temples for a grounding ritual. Ginger is a great essential oil to use for warming cold hands and feet! Aromatic Bath : Mix 5 drops of essential oil with 1 tablespoon of carrier oil of your choice, then add to your bathwater. Breathe deeply and relax. Sweet Orange, Frankincense, Lavender, and Cedarwood all make lovely, nurturing bath oils for peace and relaxation.  Create a Cozy Spray : Combine 20 drops of essential oil with 2 oz of distilled water in a spray bottle. Mist onto pillows and blankets, or in the air for a comforting scent. Deep Breaths: Taking deep inhalations directly out of the bottle of your favorite wintering essential oil will help bring your mind to the present moment, soothe tension, and quiet the mind. Try this breathing technique for stress relief: Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds (inhaling your choice of essential oil). Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Breathe out slowly through the nose for 4 seconds. Repeat. Self-Care Practices to Pair with Aromatherapy Journal your reflections and intentions for the year ahead. Meditation and daydreaming about your goals, priorities, and emotions. Curl up with a good book or podcast that inspires you. Practice gentle movements like yoga or stretching. Indulge in your creative pursuits that bring you joy and allow you to express yourself without words. Make nourishing, home-cooked meals with lots of root veggies and drink warm teas with spices like ginger and cinnamon. Wintering is not just about surviving the season; it’s about thriving in its embrace. With essential oils and simple self-care, you can turn January into a time of restoration and renewal. If you need quality, 100% pure essential oils for self-love, and aromatherapy blends to support the art of wintering; check out our wide range of self-care blends here! Pure Essential Oils for Self-Love If you have any questions about how to use aromatherapy or what essential oils would be best for you, please contact me through the contact box at any time below. I always love to hear from you! Stay cozy, stay comfy, stay well. Your personal aromatherapist, Rachel London Resources and Citations: References for Essential Oils and Their Benefits Frankincense: Ali, N. A., et al. (2008). "Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of essential oils of Frankincense." Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Buckle, J. (2015). Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Healthcare. 3rd Edition. Churchill Livingstone. Sweet Orange: Goes, T. C., et al. (2012). "Effect of sweet orange aroma on experimental anxiety in humans." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Lis-Balchin, M. (2006). Aromatherapy Science: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. Cedarwood: Fang, H., et al. (2011). "Aromatic compounds from Cedarwood as sedatives." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Schnaubelt, K. (1999). Advanced Aromatherapy: The Science of Essential Oil Therapy. Lavender: Koulivand, P. H., et al. (2013). "Lavender and the nervous system." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Holmes, P. (2016). Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics. Principles and Profiles. Peppermint: Gobel, H., et al. (1996). "Essential oils of peppermint in the treatment of tension-type headache." Cephalalgia. Tisserand, R., & Young, R. (2014). Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. 2nd Edition. Ginger: Tisserand, R., & Young, R. (2014). Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. 2nd Edition. General Aromatherapy Resources National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA): www.naha.org International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA): www.ifaroma.org WebMD: Essential Oils Guide

How essential oils support healthy digestion With the holidays around the corner come the delicious meals, drinks, then the desserts…and then the cycle repeats. It's all gravy, until the gravy fights back. My absolute favorite digestion support is the  Tranquil Tummy Digestion Aid Roll-On. Tranquil Tummy  is a blend of digestion supportive essential oils that are acclaimed for soothing inflammation, muscle relaxation, reducing gas and bloating, reducing nausea, soothing a queasy belly, and also supporting stress relief. With a warming blend of Nutmeg, Cardamom, Fennel, Ginger, Peppermint and Sweet Orange,  this topical roll on   is so handy to have through the holiday season. “How does applying essential oils topically help my digestion?” I'm SO glad you asked. : )  Topically applying certain digestive supportive essential oils , like Nutmeg or Ginger, allows for a targeted, localized effect. The skin is permeable and essential oils are absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream. Once absorbed, the therapeutic compounds in the essential oils can exert their effects on the body. Certain digestive-supportive essential oils like Peppermint encourage a healthy flow of energy throughout your body. This can help everything move smoothly through your belly and create a refreshing detox effect if you overindulge in rich food. In addition, there are numerous studies which confirm Peppermint oil’s anti-inflammatory actions, specifically of use in the gastrointestinal system to help with irritable bowel syndrome and colitis. (1) It has been proven to relieve gastrointestinal spasms, abdominal pain, and acts as a smooth muscle relaxant in the colon. (2)  Many people find that Peppermint and Sweet Orange essential oils can relieve constipation, cramps. Nausea and vomiting.(3)  Essential oils like Cardamom can help aid digestion by promoting the secretion of digestion juices and enzymes, easing digestive upset and bloating, and improving overall digestive system health. For the best digestion support, here is a visual how to apply the Tranquil Tummy roll-on: For additional benefits, as you are applying the topical solution to your stomach area, you are also inhaling the aroma which can help promote relaxation and stress release. A blend of these essential oils diluted properly and applied topically like the   Tranquil Tummy   for digestion is much more safe to you and your gut lining than internally consuming essential oils, and it works like a charm for those times when we eat just a little bit too much…  Tranquil Tummy is perfect for ages 6 & up! Grab yours here: Questions? Comments? I always love to hear from you! Reach out using the contact box below. Happy Holidays, Your neighborhood aromatherapist, Rachel Citations: (1)  In a review,(1)  Zhao  et al.  (2022) cite numerous studies which confirm peppermint oil’s anti-inflammatory actions, of notable use in the gastrointestinal system, (it is gastroprotective and can alleviate irritable bowel syndrome and colitis),  2) Peppermint essential oil has antispasmodic actions on the gastrointestinal tract (Heinrich  et al . 2004). It relieves gastrointestinal spasms and abdominal pain (Zhao  et al . 2022). Chumpitazi  et al . (2018) suggested that peppermint oil affects the enteric nervous system, acting as a smooth muscle relaxant in the colon. (3) Sweet Orange for soothing constipation, cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, and vomiting.Hirota, R., Roger, N.N., (4) Nakamura, H., Song, H.-S., Sawamura, M., and Suganuma, N. (2010) Anti-inflammatory effects of limonene from yuzu ( Citrus junos  Tanaka) essential oil on eosinophils.  Journal of Food Science  75, 87-92.

Back-to-School season and the arrival of autumn have me hunkering back down to the comforts of the cozy indoors. With gloomy weather inevitably on its way, we might need some extra help staying alert, concentrating, or completing a project.  Whether you need help staying focused on the road, at work, or helping your kiddos with their homework, here are 5 essential oils that help keep you focused and why:  1. Peppermint Oil Benefits : Peppermint oil is known for its invigorating and energizing properties. It can help improve alertness, concentration, and cognitive performance. Why It Works : The menthol in peppermint oil stimulates the hippocampus area of the brain, which controls mental clarity and memory. 2. Rosemary Oil Benefits : Rosemary oil has been shown to enhance memory and cognitive function. It can also reduce mental fatigue and improve focus. Why It Works : Rosemary contains compounds like 1,8-cineole that boost acetylcholine levels, a neurotransmitter important for memory and learning. 3. Lemon Oil Benefits : Lemon oil is uplifting and can help increase mental alertness and concentration. It also reduces anxiety and stress, which can hinder focus. Why It Works : The limonene in lemon oil stimulates the release of serotonin and dopamine, which enhance mood and cognitive functions. 4. Frankincense Oil Benefits : Frankincense oil can help improve focus and concentration by reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Why It Works : The sesquiterpenes in frankincense oil can increase oxygenation of the brain, promoting a sense of calm and mental clarity. 5. Vetiver Oil Benefits : Vetiver oil is grounding and calming, which can help with focus and attention, especially for individuals with ADHD. Why It Works : Vetiver oil contains nootkatone, which has sedative properties that can help calm the mind and improve concentration. These essential oils can be a great addition to your back-to-school routine, helping students and adults alike stay focused and productive. There you have it! But, please don’t take my word for it. Experience using these essential oils for yourself! I’m confident these essential oils will help keep you refreshed, alert, and can help you tackle the to-dos of the day.  PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The Time to Focus Aromatherapy Inhaler is an incredibly helpful blend to have handy on a desk or in backpack when your attention starts drifting elsewhere.  Blended with Peppermint, Vetiver, Rosemary, and Lemon (4 of the 5 best essential oils for concentration!) Particularly helpful for those who experience ADHD or difficulty staying focused. You can also check out the full line of quality therapeutic essential oils below! Questions? Comments? I always love to hear from you! Reach out anytime using the contact box below. Your personal aromatherapist, Rachel Study Citations: Raudenbush, B., et al. (2008). Effects of peppermint scent on appetite control and caloric intake. Appetite , 51(3), 393-396. Moss, M., et al. (2003). Rosemary aroma and cognitive performance. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology , 1(5), 105-113. Diego, M. A., et al. (1998). Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience , 96(3-4), 217-224. Diego, M. A., et al. (1998). Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience , 96(3-4), 217-224. Friedmann, T. (2001). Vetiver essential oil improves ADHD symptoms in children. American Medical Association Conference .