FIGHTING FATIGUE THE NATURAL WAY

Characterised by tiredness, lack of enthusiasm and difficulty concentrating, fatigue can have many causes but is a complaint with no single, simple treatment.  We all have days when it is difficult to get out of bed but chronic fatigue can be frustrating, leaving sufferers unable to cope.  There are however several herbal remedies which can help fight fatigue, as well as various complementary therapies to help bring the body and mind back into balance.

 

Identifying Causes of Fatigue

 

Identifying the cause of your fatigue can help you choose the correct remedy.  Common causes include:-

 

Stress - Physical, mental, money or work related worries can keep you awake at night.

Emotional upset - Marital issues, divorce or bereavement can leave you feeling emotionally drained.

Insomnia - This is a medical condition that can be debilitating if left untreated.

Illness or infection - An underactive thyroid or the effort of fighting off illness can leave you feeling drained.

Food intolerance - Often difficult to identify but fatigue can be a major symptom of some food intolerances.

Blood sugar - Imbalance in blood sugar levels can lead to a serious lack of energy.

Depression - This condition can alter sleep patterns or prevent sleep altogether.

 

Herbal Remedies

 

Some herbs, called tonic or adaptogenic, can increase vitality and promote wellbeing.  They balance the body’s hormonal, digestive, cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems.  Alfalfa, ginseng and cordyceps improve strength and stamina.  Liquorice, which balances the adrenal glands, can help fatigue caused by weakened immunity.  Other herbs you can try include:-

 

Oats:  Rich in minerals and B vitamins, a daily bowl of porridge or a tincture of oat seeds raises energy levels and promotes sleep.  Oats combat exhaustion caused by stress, alcohol or drugs and are effective for mental or physical fatigue.

 

Sage:  Stimulates the nervous and digestive systems and is also a good all-round restorative. Try sage tea or a simple infusion of fresh sage leaves, or try a massage with clary sage essential oil. Avoid sage if you are epileptic or pregnant.

 

Astragalus:  Excellent for treating chronic fatigue, it stimulates the immune system and endurance.

 

Schisandra:  Improves digestion of fatty food, regulates sugar levels and the functioning of the liver and kidneys.

 

Complementary Therapies

 

Therapies can help with both the physical and mental/emotional causes of fatigue.  A course of treatment is usually recommended.

 

Reiki healing is an excellent all-round therapy for stress. It restores balance in the physical body (helping to balance the adrenals and nervous system) as well as strengthening mental/emotional energy.  Reflexology, which stimulates the reflex points on the soles of the feet, aims to bring the whole body back into a state of balance.  An excellent remedy for mental/emotional stress and fatigue is Meditation: this wonderful practice boosts mental alertness and focus and eases depression.

 

Lifestyle Changes

 

Changing your lifestyle can often relieve fatigue, especially if your lifestyle is contributing towards it! Regular exercise actually increases energy levels, while a new mind-stretching interest can stimulate the mind, leaving less time for lethargy. Being out in nature or taking a walk in the countryside can also boost your energy and wellbeing.

 

Recipe – Oaty Fruit Muffins

Delicious, low fat, and ideal for maintaining blood sugar levels.

 

225g plain flour

60g rolled oats

5ml baking powder

5ml bicarbonate of soda

4 medium bananas, mashed

120g caster sugar

90ml skimmed milk

90ml vegetable oil

1 egg

 

1. Preheat oven to 190C/Gas mark 5.
2. Mix dry ingredients together (flour, raising agents, sugar and oats) in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and add milk and vegetable oil. Then add mashed bananas.
4. Add wet ingredients. Blend mixture with a metal spoon.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin cases, sprinkle with handful of oats and bake for 20 minutes until golden on top.

  

Notes:

 

1. Reiki, Reflexology and meditation workshops are available with Helen Shortland.
2. All herbal remedies are available from Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE. Tel 0115 9472854 or visit www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk.

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

HEALING WITH THE ANGELS

During my 12 years as a Reiki healer, and subsequent attunements in other healing modalities, I have noticed higher and higher vibration energies coming through and adding to the Reiki energy.  I have been guided by Archangel Raphael right from the beginning of my healing journey since he came to me in deep meditation after I called in the highest guide possible for me and my work.  Nowadays this angelic energy comes through whether I am giving a Reiki or an Angelic Reiki treatment and adds to both the Reiki and Angelic Reiki healing vibrations.  The clairvoyant readings I give often indicate which angelic energies a person needs but a healing treatment actually channels those energies into their energy field.

 

The Angelic Healing Energies

 

Each of these angelic colours relates to a particular archangel.  Archangels are the overseers of guardian angels and are extremely large, powerful and loving beings. Each archangel radiates a particular aura colour relating to their specific purpose.  Here is a list of the colours, their meanings and a note of which particular archangel they relate to:-

 

Creamy white (Azrael) – heals grief.

Pale green (Chamuel) – heals anxiety and brings peace.

Copper/orange (Gabriel) – heals issues around childbirth and fertility as well as creative projects.

Bluish white (Haniel) – heals female cycles.

Violet (Jeremiel) – heals emotions.

Dark pink (Jophiel) – heals negativity, trauma and chaos.

Green and pink stripes (Metatron) – heals childhood issues and learning disorders.

Purple (Michael) – heals fear and nervousness.

Royal blue (Michael) – brings courage and confidence.

Pale blue (Raguel) – heals personal and professional relationships.

Emerald green (Raphael) – heals physical problems.

Rainbow stripes (Raziel) – releases spiritual and psychic blocks, often connected to past lives.

Turquoise (Sandalphon) – heals aggressive tendencies.

Pale yellow (Uriel) – heals unforgiveness and resentment.

Dark blue (Zadkiel) – heals memory and mental functioning.

White (guardian angels) – raises vibration and lifts you above negativity.

Gold (Christ energy) – releases guilt and develops faith in self.

Pearlescent (Divine Feminine) – motherhood issues and issues with children/offspring.

 

Client Experiences

 

Many of my clients report seeing coloured light during their healing treatments. Many report seeing purple which helps them to release any fears they have been holding onto. Blue is another colour that is frequently seen during treatments: I often see it around a person’s shoulders bringing them courage to shoulder their responsibilities. A client with high cholesterol, who had suffered a minor stroke about a year previously, saw a bight emerald/lime green ball of light during his treatment.  He had suffered an on-going weakness in his right side following the stroke but during the treatment felt an incredible power and energy in his right arm as the healing energy focussed itself in that area.

 

Calling on the Archangels Yourself

 

Everyone is able to call upon the archangels and you can invoke them by your own intent. The easiest way is to just visualise the Archangel (with its coloured aura) with you or your loved one, saying or thinking their name silently or aloud and asking them to help you. You can also ask God to send the archangel to you or a loved one or pray to the archangel for their help. Archangels have unlimited energy, with no restrictions of space or time, so can be with many different people at once.  You can also visualise the archangel’s aura colour around a situation or person in need of healing. For example, for someone suffering with grief you would visualise creamy white light around that person, especially in the heart area. This calls forth the healing power of Archangel Azrael.

 

Once you start asking for help, the angels and archangels will be able to help you.  Practice this often and you will soon start to develop a stronger and closer relationship with these wonderful beings of love, light and healing.

 

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. She runs a range of spiritual themed workshops including Developing Intuition and Connecting to your Spirit Guide. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

Upcoming workshops:

Developing Intuition workshop  Sat 26^th April 2014, 2.30-5pm, £15.

Connecting to your Spirit Guide workshop  Sat 22^nd February 2014, 2.30pm-5pm, £15 (now fully booked).

Please email me at helenshortland@live.co.uk for further information/booking.

 

DETOX: HOW YOUR BODY DEALS WITH TOXINS

After over-indulgence at Christmas and New Year, January is often the month when we think about detoxing.  During the digestive process everything you consume is broken down to release products that are useful to the body, while the unwanted by-products and toxins are converted into waste and expelled in the form of urine, faeces, sweat and carbon dioxide. The vital organs, comprising kidneys, liver, lungs, lymphatic system and skin, work together to rid your body of potentially harmful toxins.

 

Normally the body is very efficient at processing waste. However, if it becomes over-burdened with toxins, ie. when we over-indulge over several days, the elimination process is compromised and the body begins to store toxins instead. As the level of harmful toxins builds up, the efficiency of the organs is reduced and the immune system is suppressed, impairing your overall state of health and wellbeing. By adjusting your diet and lifestyle, you can reduce your exposure to toxins and aid more efficient excretion.

 

Symptoms of Toxic Build-Up

 

Toxic overload manifests as a general feeling of being unwell with the following symptoms:-

 

• Regular headaches
• Constant fatigue
• Poor complexion and dull hair and eyes
• High levels of catarrh and congested sinuses
• Cellulite, water retention and a feeling of bloatedness
• Sluggish digestion and susceptibility to constipation and irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)
• Mood changes, depression and anxiety
• A weakened immune system.

 

Digestion

 

Your health is more or less governed by what you eat. Helpful bacteria in the gut play an important part in the digestive process. If these become depleted however due to poor diet, antibiotics or toxin overload, food can remain in the intestines in a semi-digested state and a number of digestive problems can arise, including constipation, painful wind and IBS. Supplements such as digestive aids and probiotics can help improve general gut health.

 

The Role of the Excretory Organs in the Digestive Process

 

Kidneys: The kidneys work together to filter your blood, removing toxins and expelling them in the form of urine. They also play a vital role in regulating the amount of fluid in the body and processing the by-products of digestion. Too much alcohol and persistent infections can damage your kidneys.

 

Liver: The liver processes everything that enters the body, including medication as well as food and drink. It has a number of functions including the removal of toxins from the bloodstream. Harmful substances are neutralised by the liver and passed into the intestines in the form of bile where they are eventually expelled as faeces. If the liver becomes overworked, it begins to store toxins rather than neutralise them. This can lead to problems such as diabetes, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.

 

Lymphatic System: This is a series of vessels carrying lymph fluid that runs alongside the blood vessels. Toxins and waste drain into the lymphatic system and are transported to the lymph nodes where they are filtered out. High levels of toxins slow down the lymphatic system, leading to a poor immune system and the build-up of cellulite.

 

Skin:  Every poor in the skin eliminates waste in the form of sweat and sebum (an oily substance that moisturises the skin). The state of your skin is a reflection of your health since stress, poor health and toxin build-up can all manifest as a poor complexion.

 

Lungs:  These organs filter out airborne pollutants such as carbon monoxide, allowing oxygen to enter the bloodstream and waste products to be removed in the form of carbon dioxide. However when levels of toxins in the body build up, this can lead to recurrent health problems such as excess catarrh.

 

 

Notes:

 

1. The Aqua Detox Foot Spa treatment is on offer for just £19 during January 2014. During this treatment toxins are released through the pores in the soles of the feet while the ionisation unit helps to restore the correct balance of positive and negative ions in the body to boost wellbeing.
    
2. Reflexology, which can promote detoxification; massage treatments to promote lymphatic drainage, and a range of facials to boost the appearance of the skin, are also available from Helen Shortland.

 3.     Digestive aids and probiotics are available from Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE. Please visit website at www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

SENSING AND SEEING AURAS

Your aura is the energy field that surrounds your physical body.  It is made up of electromagnetic energy generated by your physical body, including infrared radiation from your body heat, and electrical activity from your nerve and muscle cells.  It also comprises etheric or vibrational energy generated by your spiritual body.  Your aura is the ‘real you’ - the energy field that extends far beyond the physical body which can be called your spirit, soul, essence or etheric body.

Everything has an aura or energy field, including living things such as people, animals, plants and crystals, as well as buildings, places etc which have an energy of their own.  The human aura or energy field is comprised of our thoughts, feeling and emotions, as well as past experiences.  Proficient clairvoyants can also see past lives in the aura and the things we are attracting into our energy field in the near future. The aura is not usually seen with the naked eye but can become visible to those with clairvoyant ability or through practices such as meditation and visualisation. The aura can also be seen through a specific photographic technique called Kirlian photography.

 

A Mirror of your Health, Thoughts and Feelings

Your aura reveals a wealth of information about your mental, emotional and physical health and can also indicate how developed you are spiritually. The more relaxed and happy you are, the bigger your aura will be.  A bright, clear aura is a sign of good health while a blurred, dull, irregularly shaped aura indicates ill health or distress. Unhappiness can cause it to shrink, while a sudden shock can make your aura retract momentarily.

 

Learning to Read Auras

The first time you see an aura, you will see it as white or gold. This is not the true aura colour; just the first stage of clairvoyant sight.  When looking into the aura, try to remain emotionally detached, not excited, just remain as relaxed as possible.  When you are more practiced, you may start to see colours in the aura. You may only see white but flashes of a colour may come into your mind.  Ask to be shown a person’s aura colours. Ask your higher self what colour is in their aura. When trying to see the aura, look to the side of a person in soft focus rather than directly at their physical body.  It is always easier to see an aura against a plain dark background.  When working with smaller objects such as plants or crystals with a smaller life force, you need to look directly at the object and slightly unfocus your eyes.  Any time you want to relax more, try a sigh and drop your shoulders. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a moment, then as you sigh, breathe out and let all your muscles go.

 

How to see your own aura

When looking for your own aura, hold your hands either palms up or down on your lap, holding the fingers apart. Do not stare too hard, just soft gaze at your hands. You will soon start to see a white outline around your fingers.  It may be thicker on one side than the other. You may also see what looks like smoke moving between the fingers: this is just your own energy attaching itself to itself.  Practice bouncing energy between your hands.

 

How to see someone else’s aura

Ask a friend to stand in front of a plain coloured background such as a wall.  Let your eyes fall into soft gaze in the space a few inches to the side of their head and above their crown.  You may start to see what looks like a halo of light around the person’s head.  Alternatively choose one spot on which to focus, such as the centre of their forehead.  Focus on this spot for at least 60 seconds then attempt to ‘see’ the energy surrounding their head with your peripheral vision while still concentrating on the centre of their forehead.  Try not to look away or let your mind be distracted. You should start to notice that the energy around your friend is brighter and a different colour from the wall against which they are standing.

When sensing a person’s aura with your hands, you will feel a slight resistance when your two auras touch.  This is what happens when two energies meet, eg. two electrical currents coming together cause a spark. You can feel that resistance as warmth, tingling or even cold.

 

Interpreting the Colours of your Aura

Different colours reflect different characteristics and personality traits, a list of which is below.  Please note however that different colours also have different meanings in different layers of the aura (ie. the emotional, mental and physical body) as well as having a divinatory meaning.

Violet:  A spiritual person with psychic abilities.

Purple:  Sensitive and spiritual.

Pink:  Loving and compassionate.

White:  Keeps things to self, detached.

Dark blue/Indigo:  Intuitive, introverted, serious.

Blue:  Calm, loyal, dependable, fair.

Light blue:  People-person, a peacemaker.

Turquoise:  A multi-tasker, busy and organised.

Light green:  Open, honest person.

Green:  Practical, emotionally balanced person. Dark muddy green can indicate jealousy or possessiveness.

Brown:  Down to earth, well grounded person.

Yellow:  Lively mind, intelligent, independent person with lots of ideas.

Orange:  Warm, sociable, witty, happy, confident, creative.

Red:  Frustration, anger, worry. Ambitious, driven, concerned with material issues.

Gold:  Likes learning, gaining knowledge, wise.

Burgundy:  Full of passion and enthusiasm for life.

Lavender:  Intuitive.

Silver:  Persistence. Silver sparklies round head can indicate psychic potential.

Grey:  Fear.

Black:  Working through a lot of emotional pain. Can also indicate those who are victims of abuse or who are substance abusers.

  

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. She runs a range of spiritual themed workshops including Developing Intuition and Connecting to your Spirit Guide. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

Upcoming workshops:

Developing Intuition workshop  Sat 26^th April 2014, 2.30-5pm, £15.

Connecting to your Spirit Guide workshop  Sat 22^nd February 2014, 2.30pm-5pm, £15.

Please email me at helenshortland@live.co.uk for further information/booking.

 

MEDITATION USING VISUALISATION

Visualisation is a simple method to relax the mind and achieve an effective meditation state.  It is ideal for people who need more of a focus during meditation.  It is also an excellent way to strengthen your inner vision or clairvoyance.  Visualisation is the technique of creating imagery using your ‘inner eye’ and imbuing those images with a sense of reality.  It can be used for relaxation, for healing and to create a vision of how you would like your life to be.  Visualisation is not merely daydreaming: during daydreaming there is no sense of belief that the images could become real.  With visualisation your mind is fully focused; the pictures that are created are sharp and clear with every possible detail filled in and noted.

Guided visualisations to a beautiful secluded beach, a garden with flowers and bird song or a walk through a wooded area are all popular techniques to promote relaxation.  Visualisation helps us to enter another world where everything is possible and to return relaxed and motivated.

 

Getting Started

There are many pre-recorded guided visualisations available.  Alternatively you can devise your own and record yourself on a tape or an audio package on your computer if you have one.  You can also find one in a meditation book, read it several times and memorise it.

To use visualisation effectively, you need to be able to relax, be comfortable and free from distractions.  Choose a time and place when interruptions are less likely to occur.  Short periods of time, such as 10-15 minutes, are perfectly sufficient as a few minutes of relaxed concentration will benefit you more than longer periods of time when you are tempted to slip into a daydream instead.

 

A Simple Visualisation Exercise

 

1.    Sit quietly for a few moments.  Breathe deeply and slowly, in and out, until you feel your tension draining away.  You will start to feel more relaxed and peaceful with each exhalation.

2.    Now imagine that you are sitting on a warm, empty beach.  The sun is directly overhead, and the sea is lapping gently against the sand.  You can hear birds in the sky above you, and see the sails of yachts far out at sea being carried by the gentle, warm breeze.  Small beautiful shells are scattered on the sand all around you.

3.    You are alone and completely at peace.  You have left all the worries, stress and anxieties of your daily life behind you.  Imagine that you are on that dream holiday you have always wanted to take.  Let the feelings of calm and relaxation wash over you.  Know that you are safe and protected.

4.    If you have any particular worries that are affecting you at present, such as an upcoming meeting you are dreading, or a bill you are having trouble paying, imagine that you have packed this trouble away in a suitcase and put it onto one of the yachts that is far out at sea.  Imagine the yacht taking the worry away over the horizon and out of sight.  Even if it will have to return at some point, for now you are completely relaxed and free.

5.    Now take three deep breaths, exhaling fully, before starting to breathe normally again.  Wriggle your fingers and toes.  This will help your mind to return to your body.  Then, when you feel ready, slowly open your eyes.  Take a few moments to revel in your new-found feeling of relaxation as it lingers over you.

 

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

 

RECOGNISING YOUR PSYCHIC POTENTIAL

Whenever I run a Reiki or spiritual themed workshop, I am always amazed by how ‘sensitive’ or ‘intuitive’ people are.  One person may pick up something totally different to someone else but it is all very accurate and relevant.  I believe that many people have latent psychic abilities which can be reactivated with training, development and practice.  To discover your own potential, see if you recognise any of the experiences described below.  I guarantee that some of them will sound familiar ….
 

Gut Instinct

Many times we get a strong first impression about someone we have never met before.  You may feel you just don’t trust someone or need to be very wary about someone. This is often called ‘gut instinct’.  And how many times have those first impressions proved correct?  Usually the answer is most or all of the time!

 

Déjà Vu

This is an experience when you feel you have been somewhere before or met someone before.  This sense of familiarity can indicate ‘second sight’: you may have clairvoyantly ‘seen’ the place or person before on a subconscious level.  Sometimes we meet people who remind us strongly of someone else. If so, ask yourself whether this is a good or bad association: it may be a warning from your subconscious mind or higher self to take care around a certain person.

 

Sixth Sense

Some people are naturally more sensitive to areas of psychic disturbance or spirit activity than others. This occurs most especially in areas where there has been a traumatic incidence such as a murder scene or place of an attack, in prisons, dungeons, and in places where there has been illness and sadness.  Many people are able to sense a bad atmosphere in a room or building. Think of how many times you have walked into a room where there has just been a bad argument and you think to yourself “You could cut the atmosphere in here with a knife!”

 

Telepathy

Psychic bonds are stronger between people with a strong emotional link such as family members and close friends.  This may explain why twins can sometimes communicate without speaking.  Often we get an urge to contact someone we may not have heard from in a while and when you do, you find they are having a difficult time and really needed someone to talk to. Many people report knowing who is on the end of the phone before they answer it.  Strong telepathic bonds also exist between people and their pets and we have all heard stories of pets knowing instinctively when their owners are coming home.

 

Dreams

Dreams have always been linked to the paranormal and this is probably because psychic abilities tend to work best when the mind is open and relaxed.  Some psychics believe that the soul, or astral body, can leave the physical body during sleep and travel through space and possibly even time, and that dreams are actually the recorded experiences of your astral or ‘psychic’ body.  Other times dreams are explained as your daily emotional experiences that you may have suppressed at the time being processed by your subconscious mind at a time when the subconcious is in control rather than the conscious mind.  Many people have dreams that don’t seem to dreams at all but are more like visions: I believe that when our brain waves are operating at a certain frequency, we are able to pick up on major events happening elsewhere on the planet. I also believe that some of these visions and conversations we have in the dream state are communications from our spirit guides and loved ones in spirit.  If you are lucky enough to have one of these, they can be a huge source of comfort and guidance.

  

Coming up next month … Sensing and Seeing Auras

  

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. She runs a range of spiritual themed workshops including Developing Intuition and Connecting to your Spirit Guides. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.

HEALING WITH EUCALYPTUS ESSENTIAL OIL

The pungent oil of the eucalyptus tree has been exploited for centuries for its potent antiseptic and decongestant properties. Eucalyptus oil is distilled from the partially dried leaves and twigs of the blue gum eucalyptus tree. It has a pungent camphorous scent and blends well with other tree oils (such as cedarwood and pine) and other refreshing antiseptic oils, particularly lemon. It can be used in an oil burner to clear the air as, when burned, eucalyptus releases disinfectants. It can also be blended in a base oil (such as grapeseed or sweet almond oil) for use in massage of the face or body. It is often used in commercial cough sweets due to its soothing antiseptic and antiviral properties.

 

A Powerful Decongestant

Eucalyptus is well known for its ability to clear the head and sinuses and is especially effective as a steam inhalation. Its warming, drying properties are effective in treating respiratory disorders. It fights infections, reduces fevers and soothes inflammation of the respiratory tract. It also stimulates the nervous system, combatting tiredness and promoting concentration. Eucalyptus oil is excellent for use as a facial massage oil (when blended with a base oil) to clear sinus congestion but it is perhaps most widely used in a steam inhalation.

Steam Inhalation

A steam inhalation of eucalyptus oil is excellent for dispelling congestion.  Add 2-3 drops each of eucalyptus, lemon and pine essential oils to a bowl of hot water. Cover your head with a towel and breathe in deeply.

Other Uses of Eucalyptus Oil

Relieve Muscle Pain:  The antiseptic action of eucalyptus makes it a versatile medicinal oil. Its warming, anti-inflammatory properties make it an excellent pain reliever. Applied as a compress, eucalyptus soothes inflammation and can be used to relieve muscular aches and rheumatic pains. To treat sprains and strains, add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil and 5-6 drops of lavender oil to a cold compress and apply to the painful area.

Soothing Balm:  You can easily make your own soothing balm with eucalyptus at home. Melt a tablespoon of Vaseline by placing it in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Then add 6 drops of eucalyptus oil and 2 drops of peppermint oil. Leave to cool. You can rub a little of this balm under your nose to clear sinuses, especially at night. A little rubbed on your lips helps heal cold sores.

Ease Pain of Cystitis:  Due to its antiseptic properties, eucalyptus is very beneficial for treating infections, particularly of the urinary tract. Combat painful cystitis with a gentle daily massage over the lower back, abdomen and hips. To make your own soothing massage oil, measure out 25ml of sweet almond oil and add 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil and 4-5 drops of neroli oil.

 

Uses of Eucalyptus in Complementary Therapies

A short facial massage with eucalyptus essential oil is always included at the end of both my Indian Head Massage and Hopi Ear Candles treatments. Or, if you are looking for a longer facial massage, why not try my Vitality Lift Facial Massage with eucalyptus oil instead of the usual rosa mosqueta oil? This is sure to clear your sinuses and nasal passages and leave you breathing much more freely. With winter just around the corner and the change in atmospheric pressure, many people start to experience congestion at this time of year, so November is an excellent time to try this wonderful facial massage!

  

Notes:

1.    All complementary therapy treatments mentioned in this article are available with Helen Shortland. Indian Head Massage (40 mins) is £22 and the Hopi Ear Candles treatment is £27. During November the half hour Vitality Lift Facial Massage with eucalyptus essential oil is available for £15.

2.    Eucalyptus essential oil is available from Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE for £3.59. A wide range of base massage oils is also available. Or please visit website at www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk

 

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.com for further information.