tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77057511707658518872024-03-13T14:09:40.881-07:00Holistic Living AnnexThe aim of this channel is to help all align with the natural Universal forces and expand the awareness of the infinite Being within each and everyone, the determinant of all realities.
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http://www.facebook.com/SandhyaMaargaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger39913tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705751170765851887.post-11675674383734180442020-11-22T10:58:00.006-08:002021-04-11T12:04:21.188-07:00Breath of Life<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GT8liSYTUT0/YHNHx5ziQsI/AAAAAAAAKAU/Xzu_fSwJxsIh5dmuyikoCRGRngZmcpvjgCNcBGAsYHQ/s626/AC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="626" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GT8liSYTUT0/YHNHx5ziQsI/AAAAAAAAKAU/Xzu_fSwJxsIh5dmuyikoCRGRngZmcpvjgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/AC2.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br>There is no life without breath. Therefore, the quality of air that we breathe in is crucial in determining the state of our health and since health is wealth, there is nothing that can ever replace the priority of ensuring that the air we breathe in is safe for all. This is however challenging in recent years due to rapid development around the world. <p></p><p>While we seem to enjoy the perks of technological advancement and connectiveness with each other in our world today, all these came at a cost. Our climate and atmosphere are threatened through the consequences of Man’s many selfish actions. Dangerous pollutants are constantly emitted into the air, our forests are constantly cleared to make way for high rise buildings, and dangerous chemicals used in factories and households keep polluting our grounds and waters, which threaten the lives of animals and marine creatures. With such imbalances in the ecosystem, it would be strange if people’s health is not directly affected.</p><p><span></span></p><a href="http://www.holisticlivingannex.com/2020/11/breath-of-life.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705751170765851887.post-17240241488153257602020-11-01T02:11:00.008-08:002021-04-11T13:14:52.390-07:00Aromatherapy for Men <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><i> (hla) </i>I ALWAYS thought essential oils were for the ladies but little did I expect that I would become a hardcore fan after discovering first hand what they can do for the gents.<div><br /></div><div>As a young man who strives to be better, I am always on the lookout for alternatives that work for me. At the age of 22, I am happy to have explored the wonders of pure essential oils and how it has helped me along the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>It all started when I had terrible acne when I was growing up and albeit my parents spending a lot of money for me to consult the Dermatologists and Facialists, it did not address my issues and my confidence level was at stake too being a ‘pimply and chubby boy’. One day, I was at a gathering and I know of this aunt who had been using pure essential oils for a long time. She sympathised with my situation and asked if I would love to explore a natural alternative. </div><div><br /></div><div>That was when my mom and I inquired a little further and decided to invest some time and effort for me to explore a natural pathway to see what it can do for me. I started using a concoction that contains Clove, Cinnamon, Rosemary and Peppermint in a form of a paste to apply on my pimples and thereafter using pure Lavender Essential Oil alongside my moisturizer to finish off my skin care routine. Six months on, I started seeing results that were so remarkable that I could not believe my own eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bit by bit, I switched my range of skin care to the ones that were free from toxins and less harsh on my sensitive skin. It worked perfectly and along the way, I also started to discover different ways to be in touch with my total self by acknowledging my emotions and finding out how I can cope with it. I explored a range of pure essential oils and found that I could resonate with the scent of Idaho Blue Spruce, Northern Light Black Spruce and Cedarwood that sparked a very strong sense of masculinity in me. I always use it before I work out and it feels so uplifting that I could be at ease performing an intense workout without compromising my energy. The woody aroma in those scents helped me slowly boost my confidence level that was compromised over the years. All I can say is that it was an investment and experience that was, and continues to be, so worthwhile to reward myself with such care.</div><div><br /></div><div>I would also love to encourage all men to understand that it is totally acceptable to be more aware of our emotional and physical health to use a natural way to be more in touch with our whole self by exploring the wonderful options blessed upon us by Mother Nature. It is certainly powerful when we are able to not only be aware but also embrace the gift, and only then can we come together as a community to help bring changes and awareness for other men in our world.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<b><u>Authors:</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Terence Boudville</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"> <b>IG: </b><i>@terenceanselmboudville</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i> </i><b>FB: </b><i>Terence Anselm Boudvillé</i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Copyright © 2020 </b><b>Holistic Living Annex</b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7705751170765851887.post-80579614897779548522018-07-23T14:37:00.000-07:002018-07-23T14:41:17.960-07:00The Timeline of the Discovery and Progress of Aromatherapy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our earth is a beautiful and amazing place. It is rich with all forms of natural resources. One of its natural resources is herbs that benefited mankind for thousands of years in the field of natural healing. Herbs have been used in different parts of the world since ancient time.<br />
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According to Archaeologists, archaeological evidence suggests that the use of herbs dates back as far as 60,000 years ago. This is potentially the earliest evidence of human beings using herbs in our history.<br />
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In Mesopotamia, the written study of herbs dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who created clay tablets with lists of hundreds of medicinal plants (such as <i>myrrh </i>and <i>opium</i>).<br />
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In India, it is common in the practice of Ayurveda to use different types of herbs such as turmeric, triphala, trikatu etc. and such usage started possibly as early as 4,000 B.C.<br />
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In China, the "<i>Shennong Ben Cao Jing</i>" lists 365 herbs and their uses - including Ephedra (the shrub that introduced the drug ephedrine to modern medicine), hemp, and chaulmoogra (one of the first effective treatments for leprosy). Frankincense has been a staple ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine since at least 500 B.C.<br />
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In the Middle East and North Africa, both frankincense and myrrh have been traded for over 5,000 years. It is believed that the Babylonians and Assyrians burnt them during religious ceremonies. The ancient Egyptians purchased plenty of resins from the Phoenicians to use them in incense, insect repellent, perfume and salves for wounds and sores. These were also used as key ingredients in the embalming process. Myrrh oil is an ideal ingredient for rejuvenating facial treatments. Frankincense on the other hand was charred and ground into a powder to produce the kohl eyeliner that Egyptian women commonly put on.<br />
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The walls of the temple dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for around 2 decades until her death around 480 B.C., are also decorated with murals depicting sacks of frankincense and potted saplings of myrrh-producing trees.<br />
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According to the Hebrew Bible, Frankincense and Myrrh were components of the holy incense ritually burned in Jerusalem’s sacred temples during ancient times. The ancient Greeks and Romans also imported massive amounts of the resins, which they burned as incense, to use them during cremations and in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments.<br />
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By then, medical practitioners had already recognised and documented the properties of these substances as being antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and hence, prescribed them for a variety of health conditions and diseases. These ranged from indigestion and chronic coughs to haemorrhoids and halitosis.<br />
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According to Touwaide (a historian of medicine at the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions and the Smithsonian Institution), myrrh appears with more frequency than any other plant substance in the writings of the Greek physician Hippocrates, commonly called the "father of medicine" practised fumigation for both aromatic and medicinal benefit. He revolutionised the field of medicine in the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C.<br />
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The Roman Empire built upon the knowledge of the Egyptians and Greeks. Discorides wrote a book called '<i>De Materia Medica</i>' that described the properties of approximately 500 plants. 'De Materia Medica' was one of the most important botanical books ever published in history, and was taken as the cornerstone of botanical medicine throughout Europe for 1,500 years. Discorides also studied distillation, which at that time, only focused on extracting aromatic floral waters and not essential oils.<br />
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A huge turning point for the distillation of essentials came about with the invention of a coiled cooling pipe in the 11th century. Persian by birth, Ibn Sina, known throughout Europe as Avicenna (980-1037) invented a coiled pipe that allowed the plant vapour and steam to cool down more effectively than previous distillers that employed a straight cooling pipe. Avicenna's contribution led the way in the discovery of essential oils and their benefits. His contribution earned him the title, the "Prince of Physicians". Throughout his life, he had also written 20 books covering theology, metaphysics, astronomy, philology, philosophy and poetry, and most influentially, 20 books and 100 treatises on medicine.<br />
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In the 12th century, an Abbess of Germany named Hildegard grew and distilled Lavender for its medicinal properties. In the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born. This encouraged the major distillation of essential oils.<br />
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During the 14th century, the Black Death hit and killed millions of people. Herbal preparations were used extensively to help fight this terrible phenomenon that struck many. It is even believed that some perfumers successfully avoided the plague from their constant contact with natural aromatics.<br />
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More plants were distilled to create essential oils in the 15th century. This included Frankincense, Juniper, Rose, Sage and Rosemary. The world also saw an increase in the number of books written on herbs and their properties later in that century.<br />
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By the 16th century, it was possible for one to purchase oils at an "<i>apothecary</i>" (modern pharmacy), and many more essential oils were introduced. During the 16th and 17th centuries, perfumery became a form of art and it became more clearly defined as a distinctive field.<br />
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During the 19th century, perfumery remained a prosperous industry. Women would have their jeweller create a special bottle to hold their treasured perfume. The 19th century was also important scientifically as major constituents of essential oils became isolated.<br />
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The knowledge to separate the constituents of essential oils to create synthetic chemicals and drugs began in the 20th century. It is now widely believed that by separating the major constituents and then using the separate constituents alone or in a synthetic form will not only be therapeutically beneficial but also economical. These discoveries had contributed a lot to 'modern medicine' and resulted in the production of synthetic fragrances. Natural therapists however strongly believe that such separation actually weakens the properties of essential oils that are important in conferring one with the therapeutic benefits.<br />
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Famous French chemist and scholar René-Maurice Gattefossé had accidentally discovered in 1910 that Lavender essential oil can heal burns very quickly with very little scarring. What happened was Gattefossé was working in the laboratory when he burned his hand during his experiment. He immediately dipped his hand into the nearest tub of liquid, which happened to be the Lavender essential oil. Gattefossé was amazed at how quickly his burn was relieved with very little scarring. This incident led to his fascination of the healing properties of essential oils and inspired him to experiment them on soldiers during World War 1. He experimented with oils such as Lavender, Thyme, Lemon and Clove that had antiseptic properties. He noted an increase in the rate of healing for wounds treated with essential oils.<br />
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Gattefossé coined the term "<b>Aromatherapy</b>" in 1928 in an article where he supported the use of using essential oils without breaking them down into their primary constituents. In 1937, he wrote a book called '<i>Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales</i>' that was later translated into English and named 'Gattefossé's <b>Aromatherapy</b>'. This book is still in print and is widely read all around the world.<br />
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Other highly respected 20th century aromatherapists include (but not limited to) Jean Valnet, Madam Marguerite Maury, and Robert B. Tisserand.<br />
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Jean Valnet also used essential oils to treat injured soldiers during the war. He is also remembered for his book, '<i>The Practice of <b>Aromatherapy</b></i>', originally entitled '<i>Aromathérapie</i>' in French.<br />
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Austrian Madam Marguerite Maury was a biochemist who avidly studied, practised and taught the use of <b>Aromatherapy </b>for cosmetic benefit. She was also the one who incorporated the practice of massage in the art of <b>Aromatherapy </b>in the 1930s.<br />
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Robert B. Tisserand, who is still alive and well today, is an English aromatherapist who was responsible for being one of the first individuals to bring the knowledge and education of <b>Aromatherapy </b>to English-speaking nations. He has written books and articles including the highly respected 1977 publication '<i>The Art of <b>Aromatherapy</b></i>'. This was probably the first <b>Aromatherapy </b>book published in English.<br />
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Up to around 30 years ago, while <b>Aromatherapy </b>existed, it was not commonly heard of in our families. As people's search for alternative therapies increased, the availability of information on essential oils and <b>Aromatherapy </b>also grew. The rich resources of books and researches done throughout the centuries enlighten us and the field of <b>Aromatherapy </b>is definitely flourishing. This is evident with the emergence of many different types of essential oils brand, perfumery etc.<br />
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<b><u>Authors:</u></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.holisticlivingannex.com/2012/01/tay-sim-yee.html">Tay Sim Yee</a></b> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(<a href="http://www.sandhyamaargainstitute.org/">Sandhya Maarga Holistic Living Academy</a> student for the Diploma in Aromatherapy course)</i></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.holisticlivingannex.com/2012/02/genevieve-tan-shu-thung.html">Geneviève Tan Shu Thung</a></b><br />
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<b>Copyright © 2018 Sandhya Maarga Holistic Living Resources </b></div>
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<b>Holistic Living Annex (July 2018)</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><u>Bibliography</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Aroma Web (1997), https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/history.asp</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cohen, Jennie. June 27, 2011, "A Wise Man’s Cure: Frankincense and Myrrh", https://www.history.com/news/a-wise-mans-cure-frankincense-and-myrrh.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gattefossé, René-Maurice. Gattefossé's Aromatherapy. Saffron Walden, UK: The C.W. Daniel Company Limited, 1993.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hong, Francis (2004). "History of Medicine in China" (PDF). McGill Journal of Medicine. 8 (1): 7984. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20131201231218/http://www.medicine.mcgill.ca/MJM/issues/v08n01/crossroads/hong.pdf</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Lyth, Geoff Lyth (2003) “The History of Aromatherapy”, Copyright © Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Morgan, Leah. Clinical Aromatherapist, https://healingscents.net/blogs/learn/18685859-history-of-essential-oils</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Oils and Plants, https://oilsandplants.com/gattefosse.htm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Oils and Plants, https://www.oilsandplants.com/maury.htm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sumner, Judith (2000). The Natural History of Medicinal Plants. Timber Press. p. 16. ISBN 0-88192-483-0. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tisserand, Robert B. The Art of Aromatherapy. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1977.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wynn, Susan G.; Barbara Fougère (2007). Veterinary Herbal Medicine. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 60. ISBN 0323029981.</span><br />
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