Carrots have been around the Middle East and throughout Europe for centuries. The Greeks and the Romans were well aware of the medicinal properties of the oil from carrots. Vitamin A and carotene were identified by early alchemists who used a mixture of carrot seed oil, bergamot, and lemon oil to treat a variety of skin and stomach disorders. The oil is harvested from wild carrot seeds using steam distillation. The plant is also the source for carrot oil. The familiar edible root, which is unmistakably orange, was actually developed by the Dutch during the 17th century. The wild flower [...]
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The allspice tree is one of those finicky members of the plant family that only grows in certain areas of the world. Jamaica is well known for allspice tree growth, but some South American countries have also been successful in growing and harvesting allspice berries. Different types of allspice berry oil are made using not only the berries, but the stems and leaves as well. When allspice berries are steam distilled, very light and very heavy chemicals emerge. Those chemicals are combined to produce allspice berry oil. Leaves and stems are also used to produce allspice oil, but the berry [...]
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Many people suffer from headaches and migraines, and these conditions can be more than troublesome or aggravating. These conditions often become debilitating. Tension headaches and sinus headaches can be extremely painful and significantly diminish a person’s quality of life. Migraines, when severe, can completely put an individual’s life on hold. Migraine symptoms such as nausea, light sensitivity, and a relentless headache can seriously, negatively impact an individual’s professional and personal life. If you are a headache or migraine sufferer, you may want to consider a natural treatment remedy such as peppermint oil. If over-the-counter or prescription medications are currently being [...]
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The Romans called fennel the “herb of sight,” and recent studies show that fennel does have potential in treating glaucoma. In India and Pakistan fennel flavors spicy dishes, and as an after meal breathe freshener. China combines it with other spices, and the Lebanese use it in a special omelet recipe. The Germans and Italians mix it with avocado and chicory in salads, and it’s even an ingredient in toothpaste. Fennel oil contains anethole, which explains why the oil is an essential part of aromatherapy. The polymers in fennel act as phytoestrogens so the medicinal uses for fennel oil were [...]
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The phrase “what’s old is new again” certainly fits as a description for what the Greeks called “Gold of the Sun.” Helichrysum, from the flowers of the Helichrysum angustifolium, and the Helichrysum italicum plants, has been used for centuries to create an oil that has cicatrisant properties to reduce scar tissue, and the chemical constituents linalool, limonene, a-pinene, geraniol, camphene, nerol, 1, 8 cineole, terpinen-4-ol, neryl acetate, vitalidone, and eugenol, which have the ability to treat respiratory conditions as well as sinus infections, coughing, arthritis, as well as enhance tissue regeneration. Most people in the US aren’t familiar with this [...]
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The daily demands and pressures of life can be quite distressing and in particular those demands that are work-related. Work-related stress is a fact of life with which most individuals deal. Work-related stress not only negatively impacts work performance, but it can also adversely affect personal relationships as well. Stress from work can lead to fatigue, aching muscles, headaches, stomach problems, and emotional difficulties such as anxiety or depression. When you need to relieve work-related stress, you may want to consider using lavender oil. Using natural ingredients to combat the ill-effects of stress is both safe and effective. Treating stress [...]
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The Greeks called it “joy of the mountain,” and the Italians called it a natural “flavor enhancer,” which eventually became a signature ingredient in Italian recipes. Oregano has been used by tribal healers for over 5,000 years. Ancient medicine men believed oregano could cure fungi and bacteria as well as eliminate pain and inflammation. The Greek goddess Aphrodite reputedly created oregano as a symbol for happiness so bridal couples were crowned with garlands of oregano, and plants were placed on tombs so the departed could find peace in the next life. Modern researchers have discovered numerous benefits when oregano oil [...]
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Ginger has been used in Asian medicine for thousands of years. It was written about in Chinese as well as Sanskrit texts, and the Romans and the Greeks had a lot to say about this versatile herb as well. Europeans started to use it as a spice and condiment around the 10th century, and it was brought to America sometime during the 16th century. The Chinese used it to boost the heart muscle, and the Indians made tea from the leaves in order to settle the stomach. The name comes from the Gingi region of India where the plant was [...]
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Some experts say that the bergamot tree is native to Southeast Asia and it was introduced to Europe years later, but others say its ancestral home was Greece. Regardless of its origin, the strange cross between a lime and orange tree (although some say orange and grapefruit tree) has made the Calabria region of Italy famous. The Greeks say the name comes from a Turkish work that means “the lord’s pear,” but the Italians say the name comes from the town where the bergamot was first sold, which is Bergamo in Lombardy, Italy. Bergamot oil got its reputation from the [...]
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Ancient texts list cinnamon as an important ingredient in incense and in perfume making over 4,000 years ago. The Egyptians used it everyday thanks to its irresistible aroma and taste. The Hebrew Bible mentions cinnamon several times. Moses said the oil should be used in the holy anointing, and Proverbs mention it as a perfume for a lover’s bed. Cinnamon was also a component in Hebrew incense (Ketoret), and it was described in the Hebrew Talmud as Haketoret. Cinnamon bark oil has always been a highly prized gift; it was given to monarchs and even gods like Apollo to express [...]
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