Therapeutic Grade Melissa essential oil comes from the melissa officinalis plant, in the mint family. It’s commonly called “lemon balm” and   it is steam distilled from the aerial parts before flowering.  Historically it has been used for nervous disorders, to promote fertility and in Munich, Dr. Dietrich Wabner, a professor at the Technical University in Munich found it effective against the Herpes Simplex virus.  It may be helpful for depression, viral infections, anxiety and insomnia.  Diffuse 1-2 hours up to 3 times a day, apply to the skin or Vita Flex points to support the immune system.

Melissa essential oil is found in the Young Living blends of Awaken, Brain Power, Forgiveness, Hope, White Angelica and in the supplement Multi-Greens.

Our family has personally received the benefits of  melissa essential oil in the Thieves mouthwash blend and Multi-greens.  Awaken is one of my favorite Young Living blends, a combination of 5 different blends including 27 different essential oils including melissa essential oil.   It’s an exquisite blend that  I wear  as a “healthy” perfume.    When you use the essential oil blends or personal care items with melissa in it, you are getting a powerful oil in an economical way.

Select Research:

Kucera LS, et al. Antiviral activities of extracts of the lemon balm plant. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1965 Jul 30;130(1):474-82.

Sadraei H, Ghannadi A, Malekshahi K. Relaxant effect of essential oil of Melissa officinalis.  Fitoterapia. 2003 Jul;74(5);445-52.

1. Eat & Drink For Energy.  It may seem silly to talk about this but how many of you have gone through a busy day realizing later you haven’t eaten a meal?  Your body needs food and water, and good quality fuel at that.  Make sure you are nourishing your physical body with the best food.  Search out your city and find healthy restaurants. Many organic markets now offer prepared, nutritious foods when you are hurried.  A good starting point is Organichighways.com if you haven’t looked for organic food before. Don’t compromise your health with processed, junk foods to get you through an hour or two.  You need high quality nutrients that will carry you through the day.   Staying hydrated is essential too.  Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, compounding any stressful situation you may be dealing with.  Add fresh citrus to your water or citrus oils like lemon, grapefruit & orange.  Citrus oils will boost your spirits and give you a spark of energy that won’t crash like energy drinks or caffeine.  You’ll also be helping detoxify your system in a gentle way, something all of us can use.
2. Rest & put your feet up – One of my favorite position in yoga  is lying on the floor with my legs up the wall.   Every class we take 5-10 minutes of quiet, nothing but rest.  Try this when you can really be alone and uninterrupted, (even by the dog).    Try your best to get 8 hours of sleep each night.  Make sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium to keep from waking through the night.  I use Young Living’s MegaCal powder which is mixed into water to enhance the absorption.
3. Pamper yourself over a weekend.  I’ve put together a weekend  detox that you could do by yourself or with some girlfriends. Save time and a lot of money from going to a spa – it’s easy to treat yourself to some mind & body soothing treatments right at home.
4. Read a book (or the comics)
5. Gather some Fall leaves or flowers.  Marveling at the wonders of creation and the beauty of things all around us can help us forget about the stresses of life.
6. Journal and take time to reflect.
7. Enjoy a hobby, preferably something that can be started and stopped at a moment’s notice.  This is not the time to take up something new and complex like Scherenschnitte that would only frustrate you and your family.   The alternative however, is if you participate in a specialty class scheduled away from home where you can focus on your chosen activity without interruptions.
8. Bring out the essential oils. Therapeutic grade oils can help alleviate stress just by smelling them.  Scented candles, and oils with additives or fillers should not be used as synthetic fragrance can disrupt your hormones, compounding the stress on your body.  Many essential oils like lavender, tangerine and rose can help you relax.  Tree oils like frankincense, cedarwood and sandalwood help you stay focused and to prioritize your duties.  The tree oils have also shown to lessen depression and anxiety in some research.

Surprisingly, many women suffer depression at one time or another.  Of course, depression has many suspected causes, hormones included.  Stress can play a huge role in this, especially if you are not taking care of your basic needs.  It is important for you to make time for yourself each day, even if for 15-20 minutes.  You are not being selfish by carving out this time, you will be more effective in all the roles you lead.  You need it and your family needs you to do it!

Health is not an endpoint, a one time goal to be achieved.  Rather, it is a lifestyle built upon choices made every day.  Being a healthy person is also not just about weight, but encompasses your entire being -  your physical, spiritual and emotional being including your attitudes toward others, your personal confidence and outlook on life.  Health is a full package deal, not just the wrappings on the outside.   Achieving health also means being real with yourself and setting realistic goals.

1. Healthy people practice moderation and self-control in all they do whether in the foods they eat or the activities they participate in.  Their perspectives are balanced, not living on either end of the spectrum: either oblivious to risk factors in their lives or fearful of exposure to anything questionable so they are paralyzed to really enjoy life.
2. Healthy people are aware of what they put into and on their body:  eating nutritious foods, making low-toxin choices in home, health & beauty products.  
3. They exercise regularly  3-5 times a week.  Ideally, a variety of exercises:  cardiovascular and mind/body (yoga, pilates, tai chi, qi gong)  to keep the heart healthy and to manage daily stress.
4. Healthy people have a positive outlook on life.  They think of the glass as half full.  Research continues to show stress can have a negative effect on our bodies, this includes self-induced stress from negative thinking.   Anything is possible if you just put your mind to it!
5. Healthy people have Common Sense . They are not quick to try trendy diets and gimmicky supplements.  Healthy people look before they leap and research some before they jump into a new program.   They don’t just participate in the latest trends because “everbody is doing it”.
6. Healthy people only do what is best for their bodies.  We have so much information in our culture to know what is harmful to us.  Healthy people do not smoke, drink excess alcohol or use drugs.  Healthy people get help when they need it and build support in their lives to overcome past addictions to harmful substances and behaviors.  This includes choosing friends who are healthy and limiting time spent with those who influence unhealthy behaviors.  Surround yourself with positive people if you want to be healthy physically and emotionally.  Healthy people listen to their bodies and respond when they are tired, hungry, stressed or injured.
7. Healthy people make no excuses.  They choose a course of action, then do it.  This may be related to exercise or just life in general.  Healthy people make goals and follow through on their plans with perseverance.  Are you living a life of excuses?  What are your goals?  What is holding you back from achieving the goals you desire?  If they are important to you, make them a priority.   Write down your goals and leave them where you can see them.  Look at every choice you have in a day.  If any of those choices are optional and they do not align with your goals,  don’t do it.

Your time is valuable.  Make choices that will help lead you to the life you’d like whether in business,  personal, emotional or physical.  Being healthy is not just about your physical body, it is also about our emotional health: discipline, self-control and balance.  Grace is involved because healthy people are not legalistic about how they live their lives.  They do not let the daily ebbs and flows of life throw them off course in their journey to wellness, purpose and abundance.  They don’t make excuses, they just make the best choices they can every minute of every day with whatever options they have.  This is an art, something acquired over time with practice and experience.  These are not skills you can just order through Amazon, but they can be learned.  The key to many of these is to be true to yourself.  If you have a herd mentality and go with the crowd on many things, you need to start listening to your own self.  Only then will you be truly healthy.  You can make reasonable goals and a plan to achieve those goals that are personal and meaningful to yourself.   Your health is your wealth, so spend it wisely.

Another way we manage headaches in our family is with some simple exercises. Try some of these the next time you start to feel a headache come on and maybe you can save the medications for more intense situations. Cold compresses and retreating to a quiet place when possible may also be helpful. Find what works for you and do it before the pain gets out of control.

Anxiety, depression and attention disorders are on the rise. I believe the causes are two-fold, first simply because we live in a culture saturated with unimportant things. We have thousands of choices we can make every day, from the foods we eat to products for our home and health. Marketing campaigns reach for our hearts, showing that we will be happy if we just purchase their goods and services. We can have instant gratification: on-demand movies, fast food and drugs to take away our symptoms in an hour. These are solutions targeted at making us content for the moment. It’s easy to fall into habits that can be harmful to us if we only have a short term fix in mind, leading to anxiety with so much information or depression from lack of contentment.

I believe a second cause of the increase in these health issues is the vast amount of chemicals we are exposed to every day. Some have even said today we are exposed to more chemicals in a day than people 100 years ago were exposed to in a lifetime. This does not even include chemicals we choose to subject ourselves to: over the counter & prescription drugs, plastics, untested cosmetic ingredients, perfumes and artificial fragrance. All of these chemicals can wreak havoc on our bodies and may cause hormonal imbalance which also may contribute to anxiety & depression.
I saw a mom with a newborn baby in the home fragrance aisle at the store the other day contemplating which “home scent” to purchase, I couldn’t help myself and I just told her to avoid using any of it around her kids, for their sake. Our children’s bodies and ours are being bombarded with chemicals, many of them we consciously are burning and “plugging in” to our homes, poisoning our air. We are chemical beings and all these fragranced products are causing chemical reactions in our bodies – the evidence is mounting that these chemicals are linked to anxiety, depression and attention disorders to name only a few. Over the counter and prescription drugs are even worse, with these and other health issues listed as potential side effects. I’m actually surprised at how many people ask if essential oils will interact with the drugs they are taking, yet don’t give a thought to using a home cleansing wipe labeled “harmful to humans and domestic animals” or consider how common household products and cosmetics are interfering with their prescriptions. Perfumes and artificial fragrance are known to disrupt hormones and the endocrine system making us more vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety, depression and attention disorders.

If you are truly looking for help with issues like anxiety, depression or attention disorders, you seriously have to consider cleaning up your environment, diet and personal care products. Essential oils may offer some promise for dealing with these but they cannot compensate for a lack of common sense and poor choices. I myself have used essential oils to deal with anxiety and depression but I have been careful to assess what might be triggering these symptoms in my body. 

Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs, with prescribed usage doubling in just one decade: 1996-2005.  Some studies have even shown that their effects may be questionable.  Dr. Mercola offers some insight into this research and alternatives to prescription drugs even suggesting that placebos have as great an impact on improving your mood .   Keeping this in mind, essential oils may be a great side-effect free option to try before going on medications.   These suggestions have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

Lavender essential oil helps balance the body, may help with insomnia and is calming. Simply smelling something pleasant can have a positive effect on our psyche. Make sure you are using only a pure, food grade lavender essential oil. I met someone the other day who had a bad experience with lavender. After applying a drop to her pillow, she developed a horrible headache. If an essential oils is altered or diluted with any chemical, one can never really know what side effects may occur from fillers. It is always best to use essential oils from a trusted source that verifiies the ingredients of their products. Mine is Young Living essential oils because I know they have the highest quality control standards in the industry.

Frankincense essential oil may be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression. I apply Frankincense to my face every day, it’s excellent and nourishing to the skin plus it gives a boost to my psyche. Frankincense can be diffused to improve concentration and mental clarity. Because of this quality, it would be a great choice for using when a student needs to get homework done. This is an excellent oil to use for anxiety – when you have a lot of things going on and you don’t know where to begin. This oil is clearly evidence of divine creation – one breath in and your mind is clear and focused for the most important task at hand.

Valor is a Young Living essential oil blend that has similar qualities to frankincense – simply because frankincense is one of it’s ingredients. It also contains spruce which is grounding and helps create positive memory. I used this in one of my yoga classes and afterwards one student commented that at the beginning of relaxation her mind was running in several directions. She said that the second she smelled Valor, her mind was completely cleared and she could just relax. This blend may also be a good choice for helping focus and dealing with attention disorders.

Peace & Calming is a Young Living blend of essential oils. It’s a blend that appeals to most people, it’s a sweeter smell with tangerine essential oil. Some think it evokes thoughts of childhood. Just applying a drop to your carotid artery as a natural perfume can be calming. When it is applied to the soles of the feet it can help move you into a peaceful nights rest. This would be a good choice for overactive children and pets, or adults who suffer from nervous tension.

Stress Away – Roll-On is a Young Living blend that contains vanilla & lime essential oils. This is another blend that works well as a natural perfume with positive side effects of calming you when you are experiencing anxiety.

Peppermint oil is the first choice for mental clarity for attention disorders. Simply applying the oil to the temples can improve concentration and focus. Diffusing peppermint oil when you are studying can help improve memory retention. Peppermint may also be useful in treating headaches brought on by anxiety or depression.

Essential oils have the potential to even out moods, balance our emotions and help improve our mental clarity. But first, it is important to clear your environment and personal exposure to man-made chemicals that may be contributing to these issues. If you are on a lot of medications, have intelligent conversations with your doctor or pharmicist about potential side effects. There are many natural, drug free solutions to anxiety, depression and attention disorders for those willing to do some research and tune into themselves to figure what might be triggering these symptoms in the first place.

Also known as “Ruta”, this essential oil comes from the plant Ruta-Gaveolens  found in Latin S. America.  It originally became well known as a food flavoring agent for cheese because it prevented mold growth.  It’s an anti-bacterial agent that prevents fungus growth.  It can also be helpful with insomnia, stress management and asthma type respiratory symptoms brought on by stress.  Ruta can also help with reducing pain levels and inflammation from digestive issues like leaky gut syndrome and candida.   Overall, it will help you sleep better which will affect many body systems.  Ruta contains these constituents:

Alpha Pinene – is anti-tumoral  like frankincense which has high Alpha Pinene.  The Alpha Pinene is lower in the Ruta but  has enough to strengthen the immune system.  If it is not distilled right then Alpha Pinene levels are very low.

Eucalyptol – reduces inflammation in the respiratory tract due to stressful lifestyle and Maladaptive Stress Syndrome.  It is a vascular dilator which may improve oxygen in the lungs and can be beneficial for chronic respiratory stress (asthma).

Alpha Eudesmol - repairs and regenerates tissue on the mylene nerves.  May be promising for use in autism, ADD, dyslexia, Aspergers, Tourette’s syndrome, Bi-polar, manic depression.  All of these may be  associated with destruction of neurites in the brain.

Ruta’s chemical structure helps reduce stress levels, Maladaptive Stress Syndrome in particular.  This situation occurs when someone is under chronic stress conditions with little control over the situation such as a divorce or the loss of a loved one.  This intense stress can manifest itself in many ways: hypoglycemia, diabetes, candida, insomnia, hormonal imbalance and depression.    A chronic state of stress increases acid and cortisol levels in the body, decreases digestive acids and can throw many body systems out of balance.   RutaVaLa helps reduce these stress factors especially when rubbed on the brain stem.  Gary has seen people suffering from  maladaptive stress lifted out of their depression and symptoms after using RutaVaLa .  One study found some women on  anti-depressents  like Prozak, Zoloft, etc.  go off them within 6 hours of using Ruta Vala.

Increased stress may lead to hormonal imbalance.   Women with low estrogen will have low testosterone which causes mood swings,insomnia,  depression, digestive issues causing IBS.  When you can sleep better you will have a better life and more energy.  Ruta Vala works on the Locus corelius (LC) in the brain which is a switchboard for the endocrine system and regulates the adrenals. When the LC shuts down it effects the hypothalamus which compromises the immune system.   Ruta Vala may be most effective when applied at bedtime.  It will help improve your quality of sleep which may lessen symptoms of chronic stress.  If you wake a little groggy, apply frankincense and peppermint or Clarity blend in the morning to your temples when you wake  for clearer thinking and improved concentration.  Do not use RutaVaLa in conjunction with a sleep aid.  If you are on prescription sleep medication, consult with your doctor before switching over to RutaVaLa to treat your sleep issues.

Gary added Lavender to the RutaVaLa blend because of it containing aldehydes and esters which are calming and sedating.  Chamomile also has esters and aldehydes and it lowers and reduces cortisol.  Adding  these two oils helps to make the fragrance of Ruta a  more pleasant and gives aromatic balance.

To use RutaVaLa:

Rub on the brain stem 3-4-5 times or on base of skull, rubbing clockwise 3 or 4 times, it will lower anxiety levels and cortisol levels. Ruta lowers the stress levels by reducing hypertension and lifting a person out of depression.   If you have a problem of sleeping or have restless leg syndrome, use Ruta Vala.  Have your loving spouse massage your shoulders and neck.  Applying to brain stem, under and around the ear down the jaw line and on each side of the esophagus.  Being applied along the esophagus you are very close to the jugular vein and it gets into the blood stream right away.   So if you sleep erratically, you will sleep 5-6 hours without waking up.  Most people don’t get into the 4th stage of sleep and have to sleep 8-10 hours or longer to get rested.   They can’t focus while on the job or can’t hold a job.   But when you get into that 4th  stage of sleep you can feel great with just 4-6 hours of sleep because you get the same benefit as those that sleep longer.  Applying RutaVaLa before bed can help you get a good night’s rest by helping you reach that 4th stage of sleep.

Children are under a lot of stress when they are in school:  competing in sports,  studying for good grades, some are bullied.  This is a great time to put Ruta Vala on the brain stem just before the going to bed or rub them down on the shoulders for a good night sleep and a great start  at school the next day.

RutaVaLa comes in a 15ml bottle and a convenient roll-on bottle.  You can order these at Wholesale (select independent distributor and add a $40 Start Living Kit, your wholesale membership is for a lifetime and does not require monthly orders) or Retail prices as a customer.   

RutaVaLa 15ml bottle      Wholesale – $29.75    Retail – $39.14

RutaVaLa  10ml Roll-On  Wholesale – $29.75    Retail – $39.14 

These statements are for educational purposes only and not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any diseases.

Over the counter products for digestive issues ranked high in consumer demand in an article on Drug Topics, a newsmagazine  for pharmacists.  They indicated that there are thousands of new products introduced to the market each year and that pharmacists do not have enough time to evaluate what products to stock on their shelves?  Just the other week, November 29, 2010,  the FDA ordered a recall of 12 MYLANTA liquid products and one AlteraGEL liquid product, Rolaids, Children’s Benadryl and Junior Motrin.   Could it be that the FDA is also having trouble keeping up with product safety?

If you’re like me, you’d like to try some home remedies first, then seek some over the counter meds if the natural way is not helping out.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I bought an antacid, anti-diarrhea/nausea product because there are several essential oils that are excellent for the digestive tract.

The first oil we use for digestive issues is peppermint essential oil. (not for children under 3).   According to the American Botanical Council,  peppermint oil is used in the United Kingdom to treat gastrointestinal issues including symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), nausea and diarrhea.   We apply the oil to the soles of the feet, the stomach or place a drop in a glass of water and sip slowly ( use only food grade peppermint essential oil like Young Living).

Ginger, tarragon  and fennel essential oils are soothing to the digestive tract as well.   Young Living offers a blend of oils targeted at digestive issues – Di-Gize (tarragon, ginger, peppermint, juniper, fennel, lemongrass, anise, patchouli essential oils).  Dilute 1 part essential oil to 4 parts olive oil or V-6 carrier oil and place in a capsule to ingest prior to a meal, or apply to the abdomen or soles of the feet on Vita-Flex points.  DiGize is one blend in the Golden Touch kit, a combination of Young Living oils targeted at keeping your family healthy this winter.

So go ahead, enjoy a cookie or two, enjoy your time with family & friends this season and keep a bottle of peppermint essential oil on hand.

With some careful planning and self-control, you may be able to lessen your chances of stomach upset this season.  Be reasonable in your intake of rich and high fat foods.  Manage stress in healthy ways and enjoy the season!

1.  Breathe!  Yes, we need to breathe to survive, but often in times of stress we tend to hold our breath.  This deprives our body of much needed oxygen and causes physical stress.  Breathing is one way our body eliminates toxins, especially as we exhale.  Practice regular breathing patterns when you realize you are getting tense.  Diffusing stress relieving essential oils like frankincense and sandalwood can  keep your thoughts focused and grounded.

2.  Laugh - a joyful heart is good medicine.  Research proves time and again that those with a positive outlook on life are healthier. Find what tickles your funny bone: watching a comedy, reading a joke book or watching kids or pets play can lighten your mood.

3.  Play with a baby or child.  If you don’t have your own children or are empty nesters, volunteer at a local day care or church.   Life is so simple for these little ones and when you bring yourself down to their level, the stress of adult life can be put into perspective.  Spending time with pets can help too.  Visit a local animal shelter and give some TLC to animals in need.

4.  Take a walk – simply getting a change of scenery can help diffuse stressful situations.

5.  Take a hot shower or bath - water is very therapeutic.  Add some lavender, breathe deeply and allow your physical body to relax.

6.  Listen to some music – just make sure it is soothing music that will calm your nerves and sooth your soul.  Classical, spa-type music or easy listening tunes can change your mood in an instant.  Choose music to suit your personal preference, check out iTunes samplings or visit your local library if you are looking for new sounds.

7.  Pray or Meditate – Read something inspirational, a devotional or scriptures from the book of Psalms.  Diffuse tree oils like frankincense or cedarwood to increase your spiritual awareness.

8.  Stretch – try some stress beating poses.  Apply Valor to the soles of your feet to improve muscle memory and keep muscles relaxed.  Applying oils like PanAway or Peace & Calming to your shoulders can help alleviate tension in the shoulders that might aggravate stress headaches.

9.  Find a hobby you like – arts & crafts, gardening, reading, playing an instrument to name a few.  Volunteering to help others can take the focus off your stressful situation.

10.  Count your blessings – even writing them down and journaling can be helpful at all times, but especially helpful to work out your feelings on paper.

Lastly, get help if you can’t cope – talk with a friend, pastor or counselor if needed.  It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or sad at times, but if these feelings continue over time or begin to cause physical symptoms that won’t go away it would be wise to seek professional help.  Hopefully with some foresight and taking time to restore your body and soul amidst the holiday bustle, you can avoid any stress related ailments and have a Merry Christmas!

This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. For medical treatment, see a doctor.