Travel tips

I travel quite a lot, with and without the family, and am often asked for my travel tips – some of which are here…

For a ready-mixed spray, try my lavender spray, to which you can add additional oils to suit. Some alternative ideas are below:

1) Heat and Humidity (Japan was 98% humidity)
Mix 10ml of a cooling essential oil, like lavender or spearmint, with 30 ml grain alcohol (vodka) and 60ml of water in a spray container. Use the spray on the inside of wrists, back of neck and inside of ankles for relief from hot weather.

Try: Lavender Natural Spray

2) Puffy ankles/feet
If your ankles are prone to swelling when travelling, make up a spray with geranium and juniper essential oils.

Try: Aloe Vera and Lavender Relief Balm

3) Freshening
To refresh the skin, use baby wipes as a water-free wash, then pat dry with tissue and finish with a perfume.

Try Serenity

4) Anti fatigue
Citrus oils or a lively Spearmint

Try Fatigue Relief Balm

5) Travelling on the wild side
Need to freshen the rest room before you can use it?
Eucalyptus and tea tree, rosemary and mint work well, effectively covering smells

Try Rosemary and swiss mint or rosemary essential oil

6) Anxiety and fear
Ylang ylang and rose work well, with a touch of neroli to reduce anxiety and fear

Try relaxation balm

7) Unwinding
A mix of sandalwood, rose, and a touch of chamomile work well to promote relaxation

Try bath & shower gel

8) Putting yourself at ease in unfamiliar surroundings
Palma rosa neutralises negative energy, detoxes the mind and body and has a fabulous scent

Try Palma Rosa essential oil - a few drops on a tissue behind a radiator would work well.

9) Insomnia
Lavender is a perfect aid to sleep and rest

Try my …and to sleep balm

10) Insect Repellent
Geranium works well as an insect repellent (that’s why it has always been popular as a window box plant)

11) Infection control
Tea-tree is an excellent infection control – ideal for aeroplane travel, where you may be worried about re-circulating cabin air. The scent of tea tree is not to everyone’s taste, so I often use it in conjunction with sweetening geranium or palma rosa

On the subject of infection control – we have had a surge of sales in the moisture relief for hand cream. This moisturiser was originally designed it for people who were out with their horses or dogs, or who spend a lot of time in the garden, because it leaves a fine protective antiseptic barrier. Customers going on cruises or visiting people in hospital have been snapping it up.

I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Is aromatherapy worth a try?

Bergamot is one of the most suitable oils for treating irritable bowel syndrome, especially if the symptoms are in anyway stress related. It can be diluted in almond oil (two drops per tablespoonful) and massaged gently clockwise into the tummy.

If you are not happy massaging it in, then simply rub the mixture on and use a microwave heated Aromatherapy wheat bag over the area to add warm gentle pressure and speed the absorption. It is also helpful to introduce bergamot into the bloodstream and the quickest way to do that is to breath it in using 6-10 drops in a burner or adding it to the bath.

Bergamot is the most important element of this treatment. However, for my clients I will often add a touch of Lavender or Chamomile to soothe the griping pains and a couple of drops of Geranium or Clary Sage to further calm the mind. The more agitated the mind the worse the symptoms so it is important, as in all aromatherapy treatments, to treat the mind as well as the body.

Potions in the news!

The East Anglian Daily Times published an article about Potions & Possibilities and the challenges we are facing from overseas markets and how the business is responding. If you would like to read the article, just click here.

Which oils can I use in a hot tub?

Thank you for your enquiry. You can use any essential oils in your hot tub - up to 20 drops into the water in the tub; not directly onto the dry walls or base of the tub.

You can order essential oils from our online shop http://www.potions.co.uk/. Visit the Spa section to find our wonderful pre-mixed blends specifically designed for Joint & Muscle relief, Stress Ease plus a Sleep & Relax blend.

I am a primary school teacher. How can I minimise the spreading of germs throughout the class and also,

... how can I stop the children getting dozy after lunch?

All Essential Oils are anti-bacterial to a certain extent but tea-tree is the most effective. Unfortunately it has a herbal smell which is not attractive to everyone. This is easily masked by adding a second oil to the blend which has a pleasant pungent smell to mask the tea-tree. The oil I would add is geranium, which is calming but not a sedative.

In the afternoons I would add a third oil. My choice would be Lime as it has a stimulating effect as well as also being antiseptic. Other stimulating oils which are quite safe to use include Peppermint and Lemongrass.

In the school situation it is not appropriate to use a burner to disperse the oils. The simplest alternative is to drip the oils into a shallow dish of water somewhere warm, such as on a radiator, in a window bay or simply push tissues down the back of the radiator. A more expensive option is to purchase an electric vapouriser from Boots (Cost around £25.00). As long as you are using pure Essential Oils there is virtually no risk of a reaction to the children breathing it in. The oils are in fact considerably safer than the cleaning products used in the school environment – however to be on the safe side use a tiny amount at first and watch out for runny eyes etc.

My wife has arthritis and swears by a supplement called Devils Claw. I don’t like the sound of it how can I persuade her to stop?

I agree that devils claw does sound fearsome, however you have nothing to worry about.

Devils Claw is the name given to a plant with claw shaped tuberous roots. The roots are rich in a natural glycoside substance which has been shown to have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on some people. It is always wise to consult your GP before embarking on supplements but in most cases he or she would say to anyone taking it “it can’t do you any harm and if it makes you feel better then carry on”.

I often have an itchy scalp – is there anything I can do?

If it is serious the GP is likely to give you a prescription for this common problem, which is often related to athlete's foot and thrush. It tends to strike when the immune system is low due to stress or illness.

The Aromatherapy treatment is 4 – 10 drops of Tea-Tree Oil in the bath and 2 drops to 5ml of a quality fragrance free shampoo when washing your hair. If you are showering, add a few drops of the Oil to a mild shampoo. Also ensure that diet is healthy and take action to reduce stress.

My pot pourri goes off quickly, why?

There are a number of reasons. Inexpensive pot pourri is fragranced by spraying the dried plant material with an alcohol based perfume. The better quality pot pourris are fragranced with artificial oil that is injected into the material with pressure. Since most pot pourri has a loose make up with lots of air pockets in the scent evaporates very quickly. Other problems include it becoming damp and growing invisible fungal spores that sour the scent.

The solution is to use a few tablespoonfuls of table salt in the bottom of your dish and adding Essential Oil/s of your choice for fragrance. If the white salt spoils the visual appearance of your pot pourri then use food colouring for a colour match. Using this method of adding salt in the bottom has five advantages:-

1) you can chose an Essential Oil or make your own blend that is 100% natural and unique
2) the Oil/s you chose can help with clinical problems
3) the salt absorbs any dampness
4) the density of the salt prevents the fragrance evaporating quickly
5) the pot pourri can quickly be refreshed by simply turning over the surface of the salt

Suggested Essential Oils:

1) for a bedroom - Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Chamomile
2) for a bathroom - Clary-Sage, Palmarosa, Peppermint, Tea-Tree
3) for a lounge - Geranium, Lemongrass, Frankincense, Green Mandarin, Bergamot
4) for a kitchen - Lime, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Orange sweet

Moths!

I have a fine wool tapestry that I want to use as a wall hanging. Is there a way I can discourage moths getting to it?
L Kennedy, Winchester

What a fantastic question! I would pin strips of cotton tape down the back, which have been soaked in a concentrated blend of Tea-tree and Citronella with Geranium added to disguise the scent.

Once every two months use a soft toothbrush dipped in the mixture to run down the back of the tapes to reactivate it. You would probably be safe in simply spraying the back of the tapestry but as I suspect it may be valuable I would take the extra precaution of using tapes.

Menieres disease

I have just been diagnosed as having Menieres disease. Is there anything you could recommend? Margaret P, e-mail

Menieres disease causes an increase in pressure of the fluid in the labyrinth chamber in the inner ear. This fluid filled chamber is responsible for monitoring the movements of the head and relaying the info back to the brain.

Symptoms of this relatively rare disease can include dizziness, hearing impairment, tinnitus and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Attacks can be random or constant, close spaced or very rare.

There are no clinical trials relating to the use of essential oils to help with these symptoms. However I have treated a client for this condition along with severe work related stress and these are the oils that were of most help to him. Geranium and Juniper for their mild diuretic and relaxing properties. Bergamot and Frankincense to reduce the impact of the tinnutus (unwanted noises in the ear) and Rosemary as a general stimulant to improve her hearing.

During the day we used a blend of Bergamot and Spearmint which was primarily to help deal with stress and improve focus. However he did report that the more focused and mentally calm he felt the better his balance became.

Last thing at night he bathed with drops of Frankincense, Bergamot and Lavender that prevented the sleep disturbances that had been a particular problem for him.

Warts - how Tea Tree Essential Oil can help

A wart is a lump on the skin produced by a virus. The virus invades the skin cells and causes them to multiply rapidly. Wart viruses are spread by touch or by contact with the shed skin of a wart.

There are several different types of wart. A common wart (known as a verruca when it develops on the sole of the foot) is a small, hard, horny, whitish or flesh-coloured lump, often with a cauliflower-like surface. Inside are small clotted blood vessels that form black dots. The common wart can grow anywhere on your body but is most likely to develop on your hands. On the soles of the feet and palms of the hands, it tends to become pushed in so that its surface is level with the rest of the skin. Several warts may appear next to one another on your foot, forming a mosaic-like area that sometimes reaches 25mm (1inch) or more across.
Common warts are usually painless. However, a wart on the underside of your foot presses into your foot as you walk and may be quite painful.

Among the other, less common types of wart are: plane warts, small brown smooth lumps that occur most often in children; anal warts; genital warts; and vulvar warts. These last three types are known as anogenital warts and may be caused by different strains of wart virus to those that cause common warts. Anogenital warts are sometimes sexually transmitted. People who have had anogenital warts in the past have an increased risk of developing cancers of the structures affected – cancer of the cervix, of the penis and of the anus. These cancers are all easily treatable if detected at an early stage and anyone who has had anogenital warts should have regular screening for cancer.

Molluscum contagiosum is a wart-like infection that produces tiny white pearly lumps, each with a central depression. These lumps are also most common in children.

How common is the problem?

Warts are common in teenagers and children but less so in adults. Roughly 1 schoolchild in 20 has one or more warts at any one time.

What should be done?

Warts are harmless and disappear naturally with time. If you consider your warts unsightly, you can, in certain cases, remove them using the self-help measures described. However, you must consult your doctor if you have anogenital warts or if you think you or your child has molluscum contagiosum. You should also see the doctor if you develop any sort of wart and you are over the age of 45 years, since a seemingly harmless wart may be a more serious skin condition.

What is the treatment?

Self-help If the wart is not seriously established then use tea tree applied neat four times daily. If it is established then apply an over-the-counter wart paint, which may destroy the infected tissue. You will usually need to paint the wart daily for several weeks, avoiding the surrounding healthy skin. Between applications, carefully remove the loosened horny skin. Do not treat warts on your face or genitals with wart paint because these areas are very sensitive. If you have an unsightly wart that does not respond to wart paint, see your doctor.

Professional help

Your doctor may prescribe a different kind of wart paint or alternatively remove the wart by freezing it with liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide slush. A wart can also be burned off (diathermy) or scraped off (curettage) after the area is numbed with a local anaesthetic. Most warts eventually respond to treatment, and usually do not leave a scar.

What are my favourite oils?

I have a particular interest in the history of medicinal plants and I regard these four Oils as some of the most precious. They have wide-ranging applications in modern Aromatherapy and fascinating medicinal folklore history. They are Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Clary Sage and Sandalwood.

Frankincense is distilled from the gum that seeps from the bark of the frankincense tree and is particularly useful oil in treating anxiety and hyperactivity. It has a warm spicy scent and is known to be almost overwhelming in its ability to relax the mind as well as slow down and deepen breathing. Frankincense is a sedative as well as a relaxant so it can help with stress related insomnia and it is helpful in calming the digestive tract, reducing symptoms of indigestion, irritable bowel and bloated ness. It also has a balancing effect on the skin.

Chamomile is distilled from the herbal flowers and is one of the best oils available for treating anxiety and insomnia. It has a calming and anti-depressive effect. Chamomile has a profoundly balancing effect on the emotions, which makes it ideal for the hyperactive, workaholic types or the chronic worriers. Alongside this it is useful oil to use to help treat stress related skin conditions such as allergies and eczema. Chamomile is also generally believed to stimulate the immune system so it is useful for those people who tend to succumb to “bugs” when they are working very hard.

Clary Sage is recommended for physical and mental relaxation, particularly for individuals who are suffering from stress related insomnia. Although it has a sedative action it is also “uplifting” and can engender a euphoric state in some people. It is calming for the digestive system and can be helpful for indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. It also has a good reputation for relieving the pain associated with menstruation, back ache, muscle stiffness and stress related migraine.

Sandalwood is a soft, emotionally comforting oil to both men and women. Its properties mean that it can be very helpful for anxiety and depression and is recommended for individuals who overwork, need to calm nerves and find it difficult to “switch off”. It is also a well-known antidote to nausea and generally calms the digestive system. Sandalwood is also very kind to the skin and has a balancing and beneficial effect, being especially useful on dry skin for women and sensitive skin on men (hence its use in 80% of after shaves).

Exercise

My brother does a lot of sport and is looking for a rub that he can apply prior to exercising to loosen up the muscles to help prevent injury. Would an aromatherapist make up a special blend for him? And how much would it cost?
Sam R, Wolverhampton

When I was building this business and studying for my qualifications, I also qualified as a personal trainer so this is an area of interest to me.

Warming the muscles prior to exercise is vital and rubbing something in (the massage and friction) helps but is not an alternative to a physical warm up and stretch routine. Most aromatherapists would make up a blend for him but to be honest it would be cheaper and more effective if you (or he) did it yourselves.

I suggest a 100ml bottle of almond oil with 20 drops of Rosemary and 20 drops of Peppermint or Spearmint poured in and shaken up. Remember to spot test on a small area for sensitivity first.