Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Oils for Hair Loss

 Alopecia-hair loss- can be patchy, or it can result in total baldness. It mainly affects men, but some women are also prone, especially after middle age. In men, the condition is generally inherited. Poor nutrition, hormonal upheaval, and stress are also contributing factors. In women, the most common cause of hair loss is the overuse of hair dyes, permanents, and bleaches. Illness, and the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause dramatic hair loss.
Dietary Factors: Cut down on tea, coffee and alcohol and eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B, C and F (essential fatty acids) are especially good for the hair, as is inositol, found in liver, wheat germ, oatmeal, molasses and yeast. Yeast tablets and lecithin supplements are recommended.
 Other measures: Avoid chemical treatments and wash the hair once a week only, using a mild PH-balanced shampoo.More @ http://rainontheland.com/Hair_Drops_For_Hair_Loss.html

Thursday, May 5, 2011

How to make herbal lonzenges

Home Remedy for Thicker Hair

Beneficial Oils for Your Health

If you listened to most doctors, you’d have to believe fish oils are fabulous. The problem with getting your essential fatty acids from fish oil is that you get more than you bargained for. Many fish oils, especially those derived from fish livers, are contaminated with dioxins, mercury, organo-chloro pesticides, and PCBs. These toxins can be removed by processing, but the processing results in damage to the essential fatty acids. Are the promises of fish just a false hope? Or is there a way to get the benefits of fish oil without fish? Let’s start by taking a look at what it is in fish oil, and other oils, that provides the essential nutrition your body needs.
Essential fatty acids are substances from fats the body cannot make but must have for health. Essential fatty acids are found in two chemical families, n-3 and n-6. The body uses these fatty acids to make various kinds of regulatory hormones. An n-3 fatty acid can’t be turned into an n-6 fatty acid, and an n-6 fatty acid never becomes n-3. Both kinds of fatty acids are necessary for normal function. The fatty acid expert Udo Erasmus says that the average of consumption of essential, n-3 fatty acids today is one-sixth what it was 150 years ago. From 95 to 99% of the population of North America and Europe simply don’t get the essential fatty acids they need. Are plant oils just as good as fish oils? Some important evidence is in. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition published in October 2002 answered these three key questions:
  • Can the human body convert a blend of plant oils into the DHA and EPA found in fish oil?
  • If it can, how much of the plant oils is converted into the essential fatty acids found in fish oil?
  • And is this enough for good health? In other words, can a vegan diet really provide essential fatty acids?

The answer seems to be yes to all three questions. A study of six female volunteers found that these women’s bodies converted about 36% of the ALA (the plant oil fatty acid) into the fatty acids found in fish oil. A second study of six male volunteers found that these men’s bodies converted an average of 16% of the ALA from plants oils into the same essential fatty acids found in fish oil.

You don’t have to have fish oil to get the essential fatty acids your body needs, but plant oils offer you more than just essential fatty acids.

Almond oil is probably better known for its use in aromatherapy than for its use in the kitchen. The June 2005 edition of the journal Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine even reports that just touching the oil balances the immune system. The result is that T cells fight infection without causing inflammation—an extremely important quality in treating any kind of long-term viral infection, HIV, herpes, and hepatitis among them. For uses in cooking, scientific evidence shows that almond oil increases satisfaction with fewer calories, especially in women.

Adding just a tiny amount of avocado oil to food helps the body absorb the carotenes and their chemical cousins: alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeoxanthin among them. Add a teaspoon of avocado oil to carrots, pumpkin, or sweet potato dishes. Avocado oil is not fattening (and neither are avocados). Recent clinical studies have even found that substituting avocado oil for other oils helps calorie restriction result in weight loss.

Black cumin seed oil protects the liver against environmental toxins, especially chemical compounds containing chlorine.

Borage seed oil is the richest source of the n-6 fatty acids. When there is advanced age, diabetes, high alcohol intake, eczema, cyclic mastitis, viral infections, excessive saturated fat intake, elevated cholesterol levels, and deficiencies of vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium, biotin, or calcium, supplementing the diet with borage seed oil helps balance the body’s pain relief and infection-fighting functions. Up to a tablespoon a day may be helpful in cyclic breast pain, eczema, diabetic nerve damage, and rheumatoid arthritis. It’s always best to consume borage seed oil with other food.

The immunostimulant properties of cold-pressed coconut oil are well known. Cold-pressed coconut oil is a great source of caprylic acid, an antifungal agent the body produces on its own but that is easily supplemented with the oil. If you must fry food, coconut oil is the most stable plant oil, the oil least likely to form harmful byproducts under high heat.

Evening primrose oil, also known as EPO, is perhaps the best-known supplement for fighting inflammation. One of the more interesting findings of recent research is preliminary evidence that EPO can help the repair of the enamel of the teeth. The essential fatty acids in EPO help the body make hormones that relieve inflammation and stop a process leading to hormones that cause inflammation, making EPO helpful for persons who have eczema or arthritis.

Grapeseed oil is a great carrier for the essences used in aromatherapy. Used in cooking, grapeseed oil is an excellent source of the n-6 fatty acids the body needs to balance the n-3’s. Just use in moderation.

Using hempseed oil carries a slight risk of a false positive drug test for THC, especially if you consume more than 4 tablespoons a day. The health benefits of hempseed oil, however, are numerous. Clinical studies from Finland published in April 2005 report that hempseed oil stops itchy skin (due to its content of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, not due to any marijuana-like effect). Dozens of Chinese studies find that hempseed oil relieves intestinal inflammation.

Who doesn’t know about cooking with olive oil? Like other healthy oils, using olive oil can help lower triglycerides and control cholesterol. Olive oil, however, has some special effects. It contains chemicals that keep the white blood cells known as macrophages from “burrowing” into the walls of the arteries to remove oxidized cholesterol. The “hardening” of the arteries is actually a process of calcifying the macrophages that get stuck in the linings of the arteries. The use of olive oil has been connected with relief (although not cure) of conditions as diverse as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Macadamia nut oil comes from Hawaii, and lowers cholesterol and triglycerides.  In women, it may even lower weight without increasing exercise or cutting calories.
Pumpkin seed oil is a terrific source of ALA. This oil is also is a source of some of cofactors of vitamin E that aren’t included in a vitamin E capsule.  The best-known use of pumpkin seed oil in alternative medicine is for the protection of the prostate, although it is useful in treating bladder problems and supporting sexual health in both men and women. Use pumpkin seed oil in your shakes, smoothies, or salad dressings. Two bits of advice, however: Keep your pumpkin seed oil in the refrigerator, and, of course, never heat it.
Safflower oil made through commercial refining, bleaching, and deodorizing processes has detrimental effect on red blood cells. As many as one million red blood cells are destroyed when you consume even one tablespoon of the common, commercial product. Cold-pressed safflower oil, on the other hand, is an excellent source of linoleic acid, and unlike many other oils, it produces particles that are very rapidly cleared from the bloodstream. Any effect of safflower oil on lipid levels is very brief.
Soybean oil is a source of beta-sitosterol. A well-documented treatment for prostate disease, beta-sitosterol also promotes recovery of the immune system after endurance exercise (such as a race, a “big game,” or over-training).
Consuming sesame seed oil provides the body with a chemical cousin of vitamin E known as gamma-tocopherol. According to a presenter sponsored by the American Heart Association, cooking with sesame oil in place of other edible oils appears to help reduce high blood pressure and lower the amount of medication needed to control hypertension. In a clinical study, using sesame oil as the sole cooking oil for 60 days along with drug treatment lowered patients’ blood pressure levels. By the end of the study, simply using sesame oil allowed doctors to reduce the dosage of high blood pressure medicine by 2/3
Sunflower oil is a source of vitamins A, D, and E, important for bone, liver, and skin. The July 2005 edition of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reports that a diet rich in sunflower oil lowers LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and the clotting factors that predispose to heart attack and stroke.
Wheat germ oil is rich in fat but also in phytosterols. The two components of the oil together, however, block the absorption of cholesterol from food. Wheat germ oil is also a terrific source of vitamins E and K. Be sure to protect your wheat germ oil from heat and keep its container tightly closed.
All content and articles Copyright © 2005 Mountain Rose Herbs
Written and composed for Mountain Rose Herbs by Robert Rister
robert@mountainroseherbs.com
www.mountainroseherbs.com/staff/robert-riser.php

Natural Hair Coloring With Henna

Hair Coloring to Die For
How high a price are you willing to pay for beauty? $100 for professional hair coloring? Cancer? Your life?
More than 75 million women color their hair regularly. This is ironic, since getting a man to notice your new 'do is about as likely as getting him to swear off watching football! OK, OK, we'll give you guys a break, since you're becoming more image-conscious, too: One in 12 men colors his hair regularly.
But hair coloring made it onto the Cancer Prevention Coalition's Dirty Dozen list of most harmful consumer products--Clairol's Nice and Easy permanent hair coloring, to be specific. Its stew of labeled carcinogenic (cancer-causing) ingredients include Quaternium-15, also a formaldehyde releaser; Diethanolamine; and Phenylene-Diamines.
Phenylenediamine in particular should be avoided. Using permanent and semi-permanent hair coloring regularly is strongly associated with increased risk of cancer, including Hodgkins, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma and perhaps leukemia and breast cancer. The dye para-phenylenediamine (PPED), present in nearly all hair coloring products, was shown to be carcinogenic to the breast in 1986 following oxidation with hydrogen peroxide--which is exactly how the products are applied.
As a matter of fact, information from the National Cancer Institute suggests that 20 percent of all cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in women is due to regularly using permanent hair coloring. It is noteworthy that the lovely Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who regularly dyed her hair black, died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Prolonged use of dark--especially black--hair coloring may increase the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Hair coloring products also contain Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE's), which are found in spermicides and pesticides. They are created from and break down into alkylphenols--two of which, nonylphenol and octylphenol, are suspected hormone disruptors. Studies have discovered altered reproduction, hermaphoditism and lower survival rates among salmon and other fish in waterways contaminated with nonylphenol.
As if that weren't enough, the Harvard School of Public Health's epidemiology department discovered that women who use hair coloring five times or more annually are twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who never use hair dye. Further, a study published in the International Cancer Journal found that women who use permanent hair coloring are also twice as likely to develop bladder cancer than those who do not.
And the icing on top of the toxic cake is that the risk of childhood cancer could be increased tenfold for children whose mothers use hair coloring shortly prior to conceiving or during pregnancy.
This is where organically grown Henna from Mountain Rose Herbs comes in.
http://mountainroseherbs.com/newsletter/henna_natural_hair_coloring_at_the_nice_price.php

ESSENTIAL OILS

Rain on the Land  uses these Guidelines 100%. You should too if you decide to make your own formulations using Essential Oils.

ESSENTIAL OILS:
Hazards, Warnings, and Guidelines
General Guidelines
  1. Read and follow all label cautions and warnings
  2. Keep out of reach of children and pets
  3. Do not use on babies, children or pets
  4. Keep away from flame, heat and ignition sources (essential oils are flammable)
  5. Do not apply undiluted (neat) essential oils directly onto skin; dilute with a carrier oil first
  6. Always conduct a patch test of diluted essential oil on the inner arm before using; do not use if redness or irritation occurs
  7. Do not ingest essential oils
  8. Keep essential oils out of eyes, ears, nose, mouth and any body opening
  9. Never assume an essential oil possesses the same properties as its plant
  10. If you have sensitive skin, epilepsy, heart or kidney problems, or any serious medical condition, do not use essential oils unless advised by a physician or medical professional that it is safe
Specific Precautions
  1. Do not use at all, or under the supervision of a qualified expert: (These are the most hazardous of essential oils, possessing very high oral and dermal toxicity): Bitter Almond, buchu, camphor, sassafras, calamus, horseradish, mugwort, mustard, pennyroyal, rue, savin, savory, southernwood, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, wormseed and wormwood.
  2. Do not use during pregnancy: aniseed, balsam peru, Bay (laurel), basil, benzoin, bergamot, bitter almond, basil, birch, cajeput, camphor, cedarwood, celery seed, chamomile (blue), cinnamon (bark and leaf), cistus, clary-sage, clove, cornmint, cypress, dill seed, douglas fir, eucalyptus, eucalyptus lemon, fennel, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender (spike), lemon, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon verbena, lime, lovage, marjoram, myrrh, myrtle, nutmeg, oakmoss, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine (scotch), rose, rosemary, sage, savory, spikenard, st. johns wort, sweet marjoram, tangerine, thuja, thyme, valerian, wintergreen, and yarrow
  3. Do not use on skin (ever): Ajowan, cinnamon bark, cassia, clove leaf-stem-bud, costus, elecampane, bitter fennel, oregano and pine
  4. Do not use if you have high blood pressure: Hyssop, rosemary, sage or thyme
  5. Do not use if you have epilepsy: Sweet fennel, hyssop, sage, rosemary and wormwood
  6. Skin irritants: Angelica root, bergamot mint, birch, bitter almond, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, costus, grapefruit, hyssop, lavender (spike), lemon, lemon verbena, lime, marjoram, orange peppermint, oregano, parsley seed, peppermint, pimento berry, pine, savory, spearmint, tagetes, tangerine, red and wile thyme and wintergreen
  7. Will make skin more sensitive to sunlight: most concentrated citrus oils, angelica, bergamot, and lemon verbena.
  8. Not to be exposed by mucous membranes or ingested: all absolutes, allspice, ajowan, amyris, benzoin, calendula, cinnamon (bark and leaf), Douglas Fir, Jasmine, Lemon Myrtle, manuka, myrrh, oregano, parsley seed, pennyroyal, pine (scotch), savory, st. johns wort, tarragon, tea tree, thuja, and thyme.
More on the link
http://mountainroseherbs.com/newsletter/essential_oils_handle_with_care.php

What makes an essential oil therapeutic grade?

http://mountainroseherbs.com/newsletter/therapeutic_grade_essential_oil.php

You know that essential oils are distilled from plants and that they have powerful healing properties.
You know that they are used by massage therapists, for aromatherapy, and even cooking!
But did you know that only 2 percent of essential oils sold in the United States are true Therapeutic Grade?
Standards have been developed by the Association French Normalization Organization Regulation and adopted by the International Standards Organization to distinguish true Therapeutic Grade essential oils from inferior oils merely used for fragrance. This is a growing concern as demand for essential oils increases due to health-conscious consumers desiring to ward off today's stressful lifestyles--thus diminishing the supply.
True Therapeutic essential oils are immune-system stimulating, anti-viral, anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-tumoral and even anti-fungal.
Gas Chromatography Purity Testing
         Gas chromatography is the scientific method employed to differentiate imposters from the real McCoys. It measures whether basic components of an essential oil occur in a precise percentage. If only two primary constituents do not meet precise percentages, the oil cannot be AFNOR or ISO certified--although the oil may qualify as Grade A. Gas chromatography can also identify oils that have been synthetically manipulated. At Mountain Rose Herbs, we go the extra mile and request the use of a 50-meter column during gas chromatography testing. Most U.S. labs utilize a 30-meter column, which is adequate for vitamins or minerals--but is certainly not adequate for the chemical complexity of essential oils. An oil's purity can be affected by myriad environmental factors: geographical region, altitude, climate, soil, growing conditions and harvest method and season. Even the time of day the plant is harvested can affect the oil's purity! Producing genuine Therapeutic Grade essential oils is indeed a fine art. We do painstaking research at Mountain Rose Herbs, insisting on knowing harvest location, methods utilized to extract the oils, and data reports assuring the oil's character.
 
Proper Steam Distillation
         The distillation method also affects an essential oil's purity--and Therapeutic Grade oils mandate preserving as many of the plant's compounds as possible. Therapeutic Grade essential oils must only be distilled in stainless steel cooking chambers at lowest possible pressure and lowest possible temperature. Extremely high temperature and high pressure, or contact with chemically reactive metals such as copper or aluminum can quickly destroy delicate compounds. At Mountain Rose Herbs, we even insist on knowing how the vats are cleaned!
Every essential oil offered by Mountain Rose Herbs is 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade. The essential oils we stock are obtained by steam distillation of the plant's volatile oils. And our oils are derived from the first distillation--never the second, third or fourth! The only exception to this rule is our Lavender 40/42, which is a blend of many different lavenders; and absolutes, which are extracted by alcohol. These oils may not suitable for therapeutic aromatherapy, however they are deliciously intoxicating as a fragrance or perfume.
 
No Additives
         The primary components of 98 percent of all essential oils in the market are synthetic. They should not be used for therapeutic applications, and they potentially carry risks. Only pure essential oils should be used for therapeutic purposes. At best, synthetic oils may not produce desired therapeutic results--at worst, they could possibly be toxic.
Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils are 100% pure, natural plant oils. They are free of added water, alcohol, carriers or other diluents. No chemical solvents are added during distillation, and nothing is added to the oil after distillation. A very large selection of oils offered through Mountain Rose Herbs are certified organic through Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. Although organic certification is an intensely painstaking process that a few of our suppliers are still striving to attain, any oils we stock that are not yet certified organic are guaranteed to be free of pesticide and chemical residues. Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils are wholly suitable for aromatherapy, cosmetics, cooking and body application.

Make Your Own Aroma Spray

With the recent popularity in aromatherapy and related products falling under the guis e of aromatherapy, we felt it was time to share some of the basics involved with preparing the easily crafted aroma spray.
Most aroma sprays typically cost around $9-12.00 for a small 1 to 4 ounce bottle. From experience we can tell you that most of those dollars were used for packaging, marketing, labor, advertising etc, and very little went into the raw goods. In fact, you can make your own that is ostensibly superior, more economical, and a creation that merits pride and fosters happiness. The sheer value of experimentation is priceless and some of the greatest blends of our time have been created by accident.
First, create a list of oils you think may combine well and be certain that you are aware of any potential hazards or precautions involved with those oils first….

  1. Mix your choice of oils (usually in equal proportions) in a separate glass container, bottle or vial.
  2. Get an 8 ounce plastic bottle or container, and fill it up with 7 ounces of spring water, and 1 ounce of Witch Hazel extract. (Alcohol Distilled)
  3. Pour 1 ml of your essential oil blend into the 8 ounce container and shake vigourously.
  4. The oils may separate a little bit, but if the Witch Hazel extract is doing its job, there should be very little separation. If this occurs, simply shake well before each use.
Of course this recipe is completely arbitrary and the amount of oil you choose to put in the water is completely up to you.
Blending the base foundation for a recipe is the most enjoyable part of creation!
PLEASE NOTE: Make sure the container you end up putting the final product in prevents the materials inside from being contaminated from light. An amber, cobalt blue or green glass container will work fine. And also be sure to attach an atomizer, mister or spray pump for easy dissipation of contents. You can get real creative by making blends for the kitchen (Basil, Oregano, or Fennel) or one for the bathroom (Geranium, Chamomile, or Spearmint) or one for your pets area (Bay, Peppermint or Eucalyptus). Always shake well before using, and store in the refrigerator.

All content and articles Copyright © 2004 Mountain Rose Herbs

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Rain On The Land New Online Store

 Rain On The Land New Online Store
25% off code when you Like Us on Facebook.
Plus free shipping on orders over $50
http://www.mcssl.com/store/f6c3065ef559416cabf30d4c16d88e