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| Fall Newsletter
Green Valley Aromatherapy
Oct/Nov 2008 |
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President's Letter
Dear Aroma Friends,
Welcome to our double issue! As you know, we are busy this month moving locations so we thought it best to be proactive; we are sending out a larger issue of our newsletter this month in order to better manage our time with stress levels during the transition. Practicing self-care is a long term investment in your health and well being so finding ways to preserve your energy is important. We hope you enjoy this issue where we will be featuring hydrosols, cinnamon essential oil, clove essential oil, 3 Wise Men blend and Jolly Holiday blend.
Speaking of our move, our staff has been doing a great job of organizing everything, but when its suddenly time to do the actual moving you realize how much is still left to be done! This is a great time for us to practice what we preach - using essential oils. Here are just some of the ways essential oils are a practical benefit: they can help us with mental clarity (so that we can remember what we packed and where it is) restore our inner balance as we make decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of; and help to keep our stress levels down and our alertness up. Although it is a little crazy around here at the moment, we are all looking forward to the move and the positive changes it will bring.
To keep things sane and running smoothly, and to put into practice our sermons on self-care, we will closed on October 16th and reopening October 23rd. We will not be processing orders or shipping during that time period unless we are able to get organized faster ahead of our expected schedule. Please practice self care: note these dates, check your stock, and order what you think you will need - we'd hate for you to run out of supplies.
After our move we will be changing our hours to Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm. Over the Christmas holidays we will be closed from December 24, 2008 to January 5, 2009. If you wish to receive your orders before Christmas, please make sure you place your order in lots of time for it to arrive! We will be posting the deadline shipping dates for pre-Christmas delivery on our website as soon as we are made aware of them, so be sure to check the website.
Well friends, I'd best keep the momentum. Thank you all for your support and understanding while these changes are taking place. We truly appreciate you. Please see the bottom of this newsletter for important dates regarding ordering and shipments as well as a special offer.
Barb Greenwood
President/CEO
Green Valley Aromatherapy
1 877 572-7662
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 Featured Products
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| Jolly Holiday Blend ON SALE! |
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A fragrant blend of Mandarin, Sandalwood, Cinnamon and Cedarwood. Diffuse this blend in your home to create a warm and festive winter holiday atmosphere. This blend can also be used to scent your homemade Christmas ornaments or your own potpourri. The general mood of this oil is uplifting, relaxing, spicy and fun. Cinnamon is also thought to be a natural antiviral and antiseptic, so while it's smelling so great it may also be busy destroying airborne viruses and bacteria, keeping your home healthier through the holidays!
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Clove bud (Eugenia caryophyllata) Well known by dentists and those who have sought relief from the agony of an aching tooth, Clove bud essential oil has a number of other uses. In addition to having pain relieving qualities, did you know that clove is a natural antiseptic and may help with nausea and flatulence as well as arthritis and rheumatism? Be warned though, a little goes a long way. Too much of this oil can cause skin irritation. NEVER apply it directly to the skin; always blend it with a carrier oil of some kind (1% dilution for massage). It can be used in a diffuser, compress or portable inhaler.
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| Cinnamon Essential Oil - ON SALE! |
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 (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) Did you know that Cinnamon is a tropical evergreen tree that can reach up to 18 metres (60 feet) tall? It is a native of Sri Lanka, India and Madagascar. The oil is usually a light amber colour and is a scent that is recognized by nearly everyone. There is an oil that is distilled from the bark chips, but this oil can be very irritating and is not suggested for use in aromatherapy. The essential oil distilled from the leaves and twigs of the tree is the one that we use in aromatherapy, but it still must be used with great caution, as it too has the potential for being a skin and mucous membrane irritant presumably from the high eugenol content. Cinnamon essential oil is very versatile; it can be diffused as an antidepressant room spray or as a fumigant during an outbreak of any infectious illnesses. It is also stimulating though, and has been reported as an aphrodisiac as well! Talk about a well-rounded oil! Spiritually, Cinnamon is said to help encourage invigoration, strength and energy, confidence, motivation and generosity. It is best not to use this oil in any aromatherapy methods that involve application to the skin or steam inhalation, erring on the side of caution and safety. This oil is very well utilized through diffusion.
CAUTION: Cinnamon oil (and most especially the bark oil) is highly irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. Skin application should be avoided, as should steam inhalation. High doses may cause convulsions. Avoid during pregnancy. Properties: Anti-microbial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, digestive, insecticidal, stimulant, febrifugal.
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| 3 Wise Men Blend - ON SALE! |
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3 Wise Men Blend - Only one child in the world was greeted with gifts as valuable as Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. While we couldn't blend gold into this synergy, we instead chose oils with golden tones, like Orange and Benzoin. To gently sweeten the scent we added a touch of Ylang Ylang, creating a blend to help calm and uplift, as we realize the need to forgive, let go of old spiritual wounds and then move forward.
Frankincense is, among many other things, thought to be anti-inflammatory and sedative; as such it is wonderful oil that may help to heal wounds and inflammatory conditions. Myrrh is well known as an anti-viral, antifungal oil and may be used to help fight viral and yeast infections. Orange is well known for its natural antidepressant capabilities and may be used as a lymph stimulator. Benzoin is gently vanilla-like in its scent and can be used as an inhalation for coughs and loss of voice or added to creams to help heal chapped and cracked skin.
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| Christmas Recipes
Holiday Room Spray:
Pine 3 drops
Mandarin 3 drops
Cinnamon 1 drop
Dilute in 300 mls water in spray bottle, shake well before use.
Add a drop of your favourite oil to your logs before starting your wood burning stove.
Keep a pot simmering on your wood stove with water and some anti viral oils. (I use a copper kettle)
Try adding essential oil to the corner of your Christmas cards or gift tags on presents.
If you're steaming veggies try 1 drop of lemon or mandarin in the water.
Perhaps the children would like to make bookmarks as Christmas gifts and make them special with a couple of drops of essential oils on them.
Padded lavender coat hangers are another favourite.
Anti-bacterial kitchen cleaner:
Cinnamon 20 drops
Lemon 20 drops
Pine 20 drops
Clove 20 drops
Thyme 10 drops
Blend oils to one tablespoon of vodka. Add 10 drops of blend to 100 mls of water, either in a spray bottle or just used as a wipe.
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Strange Phenomenon
Over the years that Green Valley has been in business, we have occasionally noticed odd trends in supply and demand. While we do try to anticipate the needs of our regular customers, and the seasonal uses of particular oils, sometimes, out of the blue, there will be an increased demand for a particular oil. We have usually attributed the seemingly strange phenomenon as the unpredictable workings of the universe. We have recently had an increased amount of requests for large amounts of Lemon essential oil and upon further investigation we have learned that it is not the universe at play but the soft drink companies. They are buying up large volumes of Lemon essential oil for use in sodas and leaving the essential oil industry a little short.
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 Profile on Hydrosols
The word hydrosol is derived from the Latin hydro, meaning "water", and sol, meaning "solution". According to Suzanne Catty,a definition of hydrosols would be "the condensate water co-produced during the steam or hydro-distillation of plant material for aroma therapeutic purposes." Hydrosols contain the water-soluble components of the plant material making them a gentler version of the essential oil. Suzanne Catty also states that "every litre of hydrosol contains between 0.05 and .2 millimetres of dissolved essential oil, depending on the water solubility of the plant's components and the distillation parameters." Hydrosols are on the acidic end of the pH scale, ranging from 2.9 to about 6.5 (compared to water at 7.0)
Some hydrosols smell nothing like the essential oil, while others smell very similar. It is important to note, however, that hydrosols never smell exactly like their essential oil counterpart. This is due to the fact that hydrosols do not contain the same molecular structure as the pure essential oil. Also there are the water-soluble components that are not in the essential oil, and are only in the hydrosol which also affects the scent.
Hydrosols are wonderful for skin care, great for use with children and those with delicate or depressed immune systems. They do not replace essential oils but work synergistically with them. Hydrosols do not need to be mixed with anything, and can be sprayed directly onto the skin.
Hydrosols are a natural product that can enhance health and beauty. They are excellent cosmetic agents for treating things such as over-active sebum production and for subduing the inflammation of acne and similar conditions. Try chamomile hydrosol as an anti-itch for infant eczema or tea tree hydrosol for diaper rash. Keep the bottles in the fridge for a more cooling effect.
If you are trying to quit smoking or break your caffeine addiction, try drinking peppermint hydrosol with lots of ice or make ice cubes out of your hydrosol and drop them in drinks to spice them up. The peppermint flavour will help to reduce your cravings.
Ingesting hydrosols is becoming more popular these days. Barb has attended a few workshops presented by aromatic consultant John Steel who encouraged participant to drink them. Adventurous folks add them to drinks, deserts and sauces. For a different flavour, try sprinkling peppermint hydrosol over your salad - not only does it add flavour but it's fat free!
Barb also uses hydrosols as a make-up remover, as a hot flash spray, for diaper changes and for situations where a freshen up is needed. Green Valley has customers who use them as a final rinse for their hair, to soothe sore, tired eyes and for bathing cuts and scratches. Below is a brief summary of some hydrosols and their properties:
Lavender Hydrosol is well known for its regenerative effects on damaged or fragile skin. This hydrosol is also great for helping to reduce inflammation, is calming for sunburn (radiation). It is also calming and soothing to the body, mind and spirit.
Rose Hydrosol is a natural humectant, this hydrosol is wonderful when used in skincare on normal to dry, mature and sensitive skins. On a spiritual level, it has been said that rose essential oil has the highest vibration of any essential oil. Rose hydrosol can help to aid emotional processing and may be of assistance to you when trying to make a difficult decision. Use of this hydrosol may be helpful if you are working on emotional healing, as it can help to open the heart and bring the concept of self love more into focus.
Chamomile Hydrosol has a tremendous effect on the nervous system, thus making it helpful when working on reducing stress, depression, or insomnia. Some even say it helps to instill a sense of well-being. On the skin it can help to calm rashes, sensitivities, and burns.
Neroli Hydrosol Is a wonderful anti-stress and calming hydrosol. Neroli is reported to be mildly sedative to the central nervous system without making the user feel sleepy. Great when used as a treatment for sudden shock.
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