Nessa's 2 Minute Tips

You've heard of them - lets face it - essential oils are in everything from skin care products and shampoo to laundry detergents and 'natural air fresheners' these days.  You may have even cottoned on that they are trendy for a reason. If you are science and data focused, there are literally 14000+ scientific studies that you can search online about essential oils and what they can do to different types of bacteria, germs, moods, hormones and more.  I'm not going to explain those - I'm not a scientist even though I find them fascinating too.  All that being said, you might be wondering - what exactly is an essential oil?

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that contain naturally occurring chemical compounds that assist the plant to protect themselves from predators and pests and attract pollinating insects such as bees or flies.  They are often referred to as part of the immune system of the plant.  Not all plants contain essential oils, and not all essential oils can be used safely by humans.  

Plants have been used by humans for thousands of years for therapeutic and medicinal purposes, so it is no surprise that essential oils have been the focus of many scientific studies into the efficacy of oils to treat specific conditions.  As essential oils are distilled from large quantities of plant material, properly distilled oils tend to be highly concentrated and potent – but only oils that are classed as GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) are available commercially. They can range in price depending on how easy it is to grow and extract the oil and sadly, based on how many fillers, solvents, or synthetic additives have been used.  

Essential oils can be extracted from different parts of the plant, such as cold pressed citrus rinds, resins from trees, leaves, bark, the wood itself, petals, stalks, roots and seeds, and as you can imagine, they smell like that part of the plant. Coriander oil and Cilantro oil smell very different (even though they come from the same plant) as they contain different chemical constituents unique to that part of the plant - Cilantro oil is distilled from the leaves, while Coriander oil is distilled from the seeds.  

The oils are extracted from the plant material through different means depending on what is needed for that particular plant.  The most common form is steam distillation, where the plant material is placed into a large stainless steel still, and steam is injected into it.  The steam releases the volatile plant oils into the vapour, which is then collected in a condenser attached to the still.  The water and oil are then separated.  Solvent extraction uses chemicals such as ethanol and hexane to extract the oil - and ultimately those chemicals stay in the oil (these oils are often used in perfume, which is one reason why I don't wear perfume).  Enfleurage is a process where the flowers of a plant (such as jasmine) are placed in vegetable or animal fat for the scent to infuse the fat over a number of days.  There are a number of other processes that can be used as well, such as cold pressing and CO2 extraction.  

The important distinction to draw here is that the term 'essential oils' can be as broad as the term 'orange juice' - it can describe anything from the fake, orange-flavoured concentrate (in the case of oils, this is equivalent to the fragrance oils that have no health benefits whatsoever) to the freshly-squeezed, organic orange juice (or organically produced, therapeutic grade essential oils in this case) and everything in between.  Even 'therapeutic grade' only refers to the fact that the plant material has been distilled at a low temperature over a long period of time - so even amongst this category there are huge variations in quality.  When you are buying essential oils, there are a number of things you want to look out for to make sure you get the best quality oils available. You can download my free ebook The 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Essential Oils here to learn more about why this is important and what questions to ask suppliers.  

There are many essential oil producers around the world, ranging from small farms that produce one or two varieties of oil, to large corporations that grow and distill many.  There are also many 'essential oil companies' that don't actually grow or produce their own oils at all - they just buy them in through brokers and put their label on them. This isn't of itself a bad thing - but it does make it more difficult to understand and appreciate the quality and safety standards that ensure that the oils are of the best quality.  I always recommend finding a supplier that takes pride in their safety, testing, farms, distillation and people, and who are committed to organic, sustainable and Fair Trade practice.  If you can visit their farms to see this for yourself, then that's just icing on the cake.  

Here is to living your best life

Anger is something that we all experience from time to time, but for some of us it is a regular occurrence.  When it gets to a point where our families, friends and workmates are suffering for it, then something needs to give.  If you are struggling not to wear your cranky pants, here are a few tips to manage those more explosive emotions.

Buttons - When someone really pushes our buttons, it’s a giant clue that we have buttons to push.  What does that mean? Well, chances are you have some old programming running your show, and that comment your co-worker made just reminded you that you aren’t good enough or that you are a giant failure.  If that’s the case – remember you are human, and that’s all quite normal – BUT, it’s not very helpful.  Find someone who can work with you around that old programming so it’s harder to push those buttons.  NLP and Eutaptics are two modalities I find helpful, but there are heaps of others.

Don’t take it personally – when someone has accused you of something or been really rude, and you KNOW you didn’t do anything wrong, then remember – it’s not about you.  They aren’t coping well with something, but it’s not your fault. Maybe they could do with some support.  Or maybe you need to just walk away and say to yourself – Not my circus, not my monkeys. 

Breathe – go lock yourself in a cupboard or go for a walk, and just focus on your breathing.  In, and out.  When we are in an emotional state we tend to hyperventilate or not breathe much at all, and that does NOT help us to make logical decisions.  Learn some breathing techniques to help you manage stress and emotions.  The Wim Hoff method is quite popular at the moment, or learn some yogic breathing.

Exercise – get the blood and endorphins flowing!  Go for a run, walk or find a punching bag and go nuts.   Safely.

Aromatherapy – breathe in your coffee, find some roses in the garden, or grab your favourite essential oil.  The sense of smell works directly on the amygdala, which is the emotional part of your brain, so can calm you down fast, as long as the smell doesn’t have any bad memories associated with it!  When we are highly charged and triggered by something, we tend to 'flip our lid' - which basically means that our logical brain stops working and our emotional brain takes over.  Ever noticed how when you get REALLY cranky you can't seem to string a decent sentence together?  That's why.  By utilising the power of the sense of smell, we can get that logical brain functioning again a bit faster than otherwise.  Just remember to use high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils.  You can learn more about why that is important by downloading my free ebook here:  The 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Essential Oils.

Rip, stomp and tear - write it all down, then tear it up, burn it in a fire pit, or stomp on it. It’s surprisingly therapeutic.

And finally - if anger is a serious problem for you, it would be a good idea for you to see a professional psychologist to discuss what else is going on under the surface.  There is no shame in admitting you have a problem, but imagine what the impact might be if you let it take over your life.  No one wants that.  

Here is to living your best life – catch you next time!

Sleep can be elusive for many people, so here are a few nurturing ways to help you wind down at the end of the day.

Turn off the screens – watching TV, phone or computer screens before bed can be a little too energising to the brain sometimes, and make it hard to switch off.  You could try reading a book, listening to some soft music or doing some crossword puzzles before bed.

Take a bath – a warm bath with some bubbles or high quality calming essential oils can chill out the body and the mind.  If a bath isn’t your thing, you could try a hot shower with some oils on the floor (where you won’t slip of course).  Always make sure you use high quality therapeutic grade essential oils, and especially when the will be soaking into your skin.  If you aren't sure why this is important, you can download my free ebook here:  The 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Essential Oils.

Chamomile tea or moon milk – there are a number of hot beverages you can drink before bed that have a calming effect on the body.  Chamomile tea with some honey is always a classic, and Moon Milk is a combination of herbs that you mix with milk to help you nod off.  Have a look at the supermarket or in your local health food shop for different options and for advice.

White noise – some people find having some soft white noise like beach sounds playing can be helpful.  You could also try a sleep meditation to help you distract that racing mind of yours.  

Heat packs and weighted blankets – something heavy and warm might be just what you need, so you could try a weighted blanket, a warm heat pack on the tummy or knees, or even an eye pillow to keep those eyes closed.  

Massage – if you have a helpful partner, you might try a relaxing massage before bed.  Try a massage oil with lavender, chamomile or orange to help calm those tense muscles of yours. 

And finally – sometimes an inability to sleep is caused by your body trying to protect you from some non-existant threat. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined danger, so you might need to work with a counsellor, psychologist or other practitioner to get to the bottom of that anxiety.  Personally, I love the Eutaptics technique - you can check out how it works here:  https://eutaptics.org/ 

Here is to living your best life – catch you next time!

We all need to clean sometimes, but I know I HATE using cleaning chemicals that make me want to pass out, or that burn my nose or make it hard to breathe.  And lets face it – if they do that to us, chances are they are WAY too strong for our kids and pets.  Personally, if the warning label says POISON or lists nasty side effects, I AM NOT using it.   Try googling those ingredients by the way.  So, how do we get a good clean?  Here are a few easy tips.

Vinegar, Bicarb Soda and Lemon – these are three everyday ingredients that can clean all manner of things.  Windows, floors, sinks, clothes, toilets and more.  Google some ways to use these, and if you want the house to smell pretty too, add some Lemon or Eucalyptus oil – just check it won’t damage or stain surfaces first.

Epsom salts – did you know that Epsom salts have all sorts of uses around the house?  I use them in my washing machine as a fabric softener (about a tablespoon) with some essential oils to add a nice scent, and they are also great for scrubbing tiles and grout.  

Steam – if you can afford a steam cleaner, you can clean windows, grout and tiles, steam clothes and more.  The heat sanitises the surfaces as well as breaking down the gunge.

Microfibre cloths – there are all manner of microfibre cleaning cloths and mops on the market now.  Microfibre can grab hold of dust and particles in a way that normal cloths can’t, and many are made from recycled materials.  I like Norwex, but there are lots to choose from.

And finally - essential oils! Essential oils like lemon, orange, eucalyptus or tea tree can be great for getting sticky spots off walls, floors and shelves, and can be added to bicarb and vinegar to clean surfaces.  You can add them to the washing machine instead of fragranced washing liquids, and used for air freshening too.  So many uses!  Just check they won’t damage any surfaces before you use them somewhere conspicuous.   Make sure you use high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils to get the best results.  If you aren't sure why this is important, you can download my guide here:  Free Ebook - The 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Essential Oils.

Here is to living your best life – catch you next time!

Hi Lovely!

I don’t know about you, but for years I always thought that stress just meant being under a lot of pressure.  I didn’t realise that it was also a physical thing that causes all manner of health issues, and it can come from either outside of the body – like when we are under a lot of pressure at work or in our relationships – or inside the body, like when the foods we eat are creating stress within our body.  

So – here are a few ways to help manage stress in your lifestyle.   Even if you start with one, and add another one gradually, you will be doing yourself a favour.  Remember to check with your doctor if you have a medical condition or are on medication before trying any of these, and check out some other natural ways of dealing with stress too.  Everyone is different and there is no one-size-fits-all for this kind of thing.  

Mindfulness or meditation – find a few minutes a day to just focus on your breathing, focus on an action you are performing, or listen to one of the many guided meditations you can find online.  There are also some great apps like Headspace and Smiling Mind that can help you with this.

Microbiome health – your gut is one of the main systems in your body, and if there is a problem in there it may be causing lots of internal stress.   Poor gut health has been linked to autoimmune conditions, and a range of other illnesses.  So - get your microbiome checked – there are companies you can find online that will send you a simple test to do.  If you would like to learn more about the gut, I find Dr Peter Dingle is both entertaining and fascinating to listen to. 

Food sensitivities and deficiencies – if you are eating foods that your body doesn’t like, that can cause weird things too. You can get a simple hair analysis test done (no needles!) which will give you a list of foods to avoid for a period of time. Talk to a naturopath or functional medical practitioner about whether you need one of these, and while you are at it, see about having your vitamin and mineral levels checked too.  If you are deficient in certain minerals and vitamins that will deplete your well-being and add extra strain on the body.

Breathing – the way you breathe can have a big impact on your stress levels.  Talk to a breath work practitioner or do some research online.

Movement – exercise can be really beneficial in getting the blood pumping and the angst out.  Try some daily movement like a walk, hitting the bag, or dancing around the house to your favourite tunes.

Essential oils – this is one of my favourites!  Get yourself some high quality therapeutic grade essential oils (low quality ones won’t have the same effect) and get diffusing.  The sense of smell works directly on the emotional part of the brain, so a great, calming oil can really take the edge off after a long day at work.  Essential oils won't cure your life circumstances or problems, but they can certainly provide greater access to relaxation and ways to reduce the chemical load on your body.  Remember to check any advice on the label and talk to your doctor if you have a medical condition before using oils.   Always invest in high quality oils (if you aren't sure why this is important, you can download my free ebook The 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Essential Oils here) as low quality oils are less likely to have any beneficial impact.  

Finally - if stress is becoming overwhelming for you, PLEASE speak to a professional such as a psychologist or counselor. 

Here is to living your best life!  Catch you next time.