Nutmeg and mace are plant products. Nutmeg is the shelled, dried seed of the plant Myristica fragrans, and mace is the dried net-like covering of the shell of the seed. Nutmeg and mace are used to make medicine.
Nutmeg and mace are used for diarrhea, nausea, stomach spasms and pain, and intestinal gas. They are also used for treating cancer, kidney disease, and trouble sleeping (insomnia); increasing menstrual flow; causing a miscarriage; as a hallucinogen; and as a general tonic. Nutmeg and mace are applied to the skin to kill pain, especially pain caused by achy joints (rheumatism), mouth sores, and toothache.
In manufacturing, nutmeg oil is used as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics. Nutmeg oil is distilled from worm-eaten nutmeg seeds. The worms remove much of the starch and fat, leaving the portions of the seed that are rich in oil.
Steam distilled Nutmeg Essential Oil is a warming oil that when used judiciously, it is a wonderful essential oil for use in helping to ease digestive complaints as well as muscular aches and pains. A little goes a long way for all essential oils, but this especially holds true for Nutmeg Essential Oil. It primarily contains monoterpenes, but also contains approximately 10% ethers including myristicine and safrole as well as the phenol methyeugenol.
Aromatically, Nutmeg Essential Oil is a warm, spicy essential oil that is sweet and somewhat woody. It blends beautifully with other essential oils in the spice family. It also blends well with floral, citrus and wood essential oils. It can add a beautiful, distinctive spicy characteristic to otherwise bland blends.
Major Constituents of East Indian Nutmeg Oil:
Sabinene
a-Pinene
B-Pinene
Myristicin
Terpinene-4-ol
Gamma-Terpinene
Linalool
(+)-Limonene
a-Phellandrene
a-Terpinene
Safrole
a-Thujene
Methyleugenol (reported for East Indian Nutmeg Oil)
Nutmeg Essential Oil Uses
Gastrointestinal Spasm
Nausea
Upset Stomach
Rheumatism
Arthritis
Muscular Aches and Pains
Muscular Injury
Menstrual Cramps
Nervousness
Tension
Source: Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, 25th Anniversary Edition (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2016, 609.
Benefits of Nutmeg
Antibacterial. Test-tube studies show that nutmeg has antibacterial effects against potentially harmful bacteria, including E. coli and Streptococcus mutans.
Antioxidants. Nutmeg is rich in antioxidants, including phenolic compounds, essential oils, and plant pigments, all of which help prevent cellular damage and may protect against chronic diseases.
Anti-inflammatory. Nutmeg may reduce inflammation by inhibiting certain inflammatory enzymes.
Increase Libido. Some animal research suggests that high doses of nutmeg may enhance libido and sexual performance.
May benefit heart health. Animal studies show that taking high-dose nutmeg supplements reduced heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels, though human research is lacking.
Could boost mood. Rodent studies have found that nutmeg extract induced significant antidepressant effects in both mice and rats. Studies are needed to determine if nutmeg extract has the same effect in humans.
May improve blood sugar control. A study in rats showed that treatment with high-dose nutmeg extract significantly reduced blood sugar levels and enhanced pancreatic function.
Nutmeg has a warm, sweet flavor that pairs well with many different sweet and savory foods.
Nutmeg Essential Oil Safety Information
Nutmeg may cause serious side effects, such as hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, and even death, when taken in large doses or combined with other recreational drugs.
Tisserand and Young warn that Nutmeg Essential Oil is potentially carcinogenic and can be psychotropic in high doses. They recommend a dermal maximum of 0.8% for East Indian and 5% for West Indian Nutmeg Oils. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 366-367.]
Body odor (or B.O., bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia) is a perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids – some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body, but it really is the result of bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids.
Body odor usually becomes evident if measures are not taken when a human reaches puberty – 14-16 years of age in females and 15-17 years of age in males. People who are obese, those who regularly eat spicy foods, as well as individuals with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, are more susceptible to having body odor.
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Water based sprays with 5% essential oils for personal Aromatherapy.
Sweat itself is virtually odorless to humans; it is the rapid multiplication of bacteria in the presence of sweat and what they do (break sweat down into acids) that eventually causes the unpleasant smell. The smell is perceived as unpleasant, many believe, because most of us have been brought up to dislike it. Body odor is most likely to occur in our feet, groin, armpits, genitals, pubic hair and other hair, belly button, anus, behind the ears, and to some (lesser) extent on the rest of our skin.
Body odor can have a nice and specific smell to the individual, and can be used – especially by dogs and other animals – to identify people. Each person’s unique body odor can be influenced by diet, gender, health, and medication.
Two types of acid are commonly present when there is body odor:
Propionic acid (propanoic acid) is commonly found in sweat – propionibacteria break amino acids down into propionic acid. Propionibacteria live in the ducts of the sebaceous glands of adult and adolescent humans. Some people may identify a vinegar-like smell with propionic acid, because it is similar to acetic acid, which gives vinegar its sour taste and pungent smell.
Isovaleric acid (3-methyl butanoic acid) is another source of body odor as a result of actions of the bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, which are also present in several strong cheese types.
What causes foot odor?
Most of us wear shoes and socks, making it much more difficult for the sweat to evaporate, giving the bacteria more sweat to break down into smelly substances. Moist feet also raise the risk of fungi developing, which can also give off unpleasant smells.
Diagnosing body odor
In the vast majority of cases of body odor it is not necessary to see your doctor. The individual himself/herself may be aware of it, or a good friend or a member of the household may tell them about their body odor. There are some self-care techniques that will usually successfully treat the problem.
When to see your doctor about body odor.
Some medical conditions may change how much a person sweats, while others can alter how we sweat, subsequently changing the way we smell. For example, hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid gland) or the menopause can make people sweat much more, while liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes can change the consistency of sweat so that the person smells differently. You should see your doctor if:
You start sweating at night
You start sweating much more than you normally do, without any logical reason
You have cold sweats
Sweating disrupts your daily routine.
You should also see your doctor if your body smells differently. A fruity smell could indicate diabetes due to high levels of ketones in the bloodstream. Liver or kidney disease can often make the individual have a bleach-like smell due to a build-up of toxins in the body.
Can you change your natural body odor?
While you might mask your natural scent with deodorant, perfume, or scented lotion, your natural chemical odor can still be detected by those around you. Still, you can change this scent if you find that your natural aroma is not exactly pleasing. Here’s a look at some of the controllable factors that influence how you smell.
How you bathe – Hygiene plays an important role in body odor, because odors are produced by bacteria naturally present on the skin. Sweat itself is odorless, but when it evaporates on the skin, there may be unpleasant odors caused by bacteria. While you won’t want to eliminate bacteria completely with antibacterial soap, you might switch to a more gentle cleanser and use products like tea tree oil to shrink the pores and minimize sweat.
What you eat – Have you ever noticed that eating too much garlic can actually make you smell garlicky the next day? That’s because your diet has a strong effect on your body odor—particularly when you eat foods high in sulfurous compounds like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Foods that tend to make you sweat more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods, might also contribute to body odor. Drinks with caffeine or alcohol may also cause you to sweat more.
How your body metabolizes food – Hard-to-digest foods like wheat, red meat, and dairy might also cause you to stink. If your body is unable to metabolize certain foods properly, toxins may build up in your digestive tract and seep through the skin.
Watch your stress levels – When you exercise or otherwise get overheated, your eccrine (sweat) glands produce a watery substance designed to regulate body temperature. But emotional stress triggers different glands—the apocrine glands, which are found mostly in the underarms and groin area—and they secrete a milky fluid. This fight-or-flight-related liquid is made up of water and lipids, so it’s a veritable feast for odor-causing bacteria, according to experts at the Mayo Clinic. Meditation, yoga, and other calming practices may help.
Wear breathable fabrics – Naturally derived fabrics like cotton, silks, and wools have more breathability than most man-made materials like rayon or spandex, according to research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology and other journals. But when it comes to workout clothes, look for moisture-wicking synthetic materials.
Natural Treatments for Body Odor
Apply apple cider vinegar – Acid, like the kind found in apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, inhibits the growth of bacteria—including the kind that makes your sweat smell gross. Just be cautious, and use it sparingly: “While apple cider vinegar and lemon juice may help reduce levels of odor-causing bacteria on the skin, they may cause skin irritation,” says Zeichner. So if you decide to dab a few drops on your underarms with a cotton ball or add a splash to your bathwater, make sure you have no minor cuts or scrapes. Witch hazel and tea tree oil are also believed to be antimicrobial.
Go herbal – Sage is a delicious addition to both savory and sweet foods, and it turns out that it may also help blast BO (when an extract of it is applied topically). Rosemary oil may work similarly, as it’s been shown to be antimicrobial and “refreshing.” Incorporate a few sprigs to spritz up your daily water intake, or add it to your bath for some wonderful scents. Other herbs like parsley and mint have also been known to up the refreshing note because the strong oils they contain.
Essential Oils – Essential oils are natural oils found in fragrant plants, such as jasmine or orange blossoms. These oils can be used in place of chemical-heavy manufactured perfumes. Mix 6 to 12 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil — such as grapeseed, sunflower or olive oil — and apply a small dab onto your wrists or behind your ears to leave you smelling heavenly throughout the day. As an added benefit, essential oils retain their scent for longer, because they’re more concentrated than perfumes, which are alcohol-based.
Perfumed Sachets – Perfumed sachets are small bags filled with fragrant herbs or blossoms. You can purchase them pre-made, or you can make your own, filling a small fabric or mesh bag with dried herbs or flowers. Common choices include lavender, rosemary and rose petals. For a more exotic combination, think of mixing together dried ginger and cinnamon. Keep the sachets in your closet, where they will gently perfume your clothes, helping you stay fresh smelling.
Baking Soda – Baking soda is a natural deodorizer. You can use it to absorb extra sweat and oils after a strenuous workout — it makes a natural underarm deodorant — or it can be used to deodorize clothes. A common use is to sprinkle some into shoes and let it sit overnight, as it will absorb foot odors, reducing your chances of having smelly feet. You can also sprinkle and rub some onto your hands to remove odors left from food preparation.
Drink More Water – While the standard guideline is to drink 8 glasses of water each day, people do differ from each other, be it in metabolism rates, and activities level. Instead, I would recommend drinking enough water means when your pee looks pale yellow, or clear. When we are dehydrated, our urine becomes acidic and makes us taste sour. Drinking enough water helps us to flush out toxins that makes us stink, and have the added benefits of making our complexions looking dewy. In addition, two published studies (1, 2) indicated that drinking 500 ml (17 oz) of water can temporarily boost metabolism by a 24-30%. It was estimated by the researchers that the sheer fact of drinking 2 liters (68 ounces) water in a day can actually increase your energy expenditure by 96 calories daily!
Chew On It – Indians have been known to chew on fennel seeds and cardamom seeds to get rid of bad breath post meals. The oils in the fennel and cardamom seeds have antibacterial properties, as well as help neutralize foul smelling odors and aid with digestions. Just pack a few seeds in a small bag in your purse for some immediate discreet deodorant action.
Probiotics – According to WebMD: “Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or ‘helpful’ bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.” Look for live probiotics in fermented goodies like yogurts, kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut. Try your hand at fermenting them at home if you feel up to it, because you get to have more control over what goes into them, and helps to ensure that the probiotics are alive.
Eat Less Processed Foods – Almost all processed foods can be high in sugar, salts, fats and unpronounceable compounds (in any variation). Bacteria that lead to infections love sugar. Having a diet high in sugar and processed foods is almost like giving the green light to infections galore and reducing your body’s ability to regenerate itself. A diet high in sodium increases your risk of dehydration, which is a big no no when it comes to making you smell good. And if you find yourself being unable to pronounce whatever that is in the box, are you sure you really want to put in inside your body? When our bodies do not get a chance to repair itself due to the need to deal with processed foods, it gets laden with toxins and we age far more quickly than normal. We usually end up smelling a little worse for wear when that happens.
Establish Good Sleep Routine – Now what has sleeping well got to do with making our vagina smell good? Well, as it turns out, everything! When we get enough sleep and sleep quality is great, our body immunity improves and can fight infections better. According to TCM principles, the liver and gallbladder get cranking at repairing our bodies and detoxifying between 11pm to 3am. If we are not asleep by then, our liver and gallbladder cannot concentrate on detoxifying, and more toxins get retained in our bodies. Hence, it has been suggested that the best time to get ready for bed is to settle down by 10pm every night.
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Deodorizing Naturally
Essential Oils – all deodorize naturally because the all kill bacteria. Choose your favorites, dilute them in a carrier oil (3 drops per ounce), and use them as a perfume on your wrists and behind your ears. Mother Gaia’s hand blends anointing oils, body and bath oils, and truly natural aroma sprays for you to safely use. No chemicals needed!
Newspaper – Take the previous day’s newspaper and ball it up in the sleeves, underarms, or legs of your clothing and leave overnight (or at least four hours). The porous paper will eat up most, if not all, the odor. This trick also works for smelly shoes.
Kitty Litter – Keep an open bag of kitty litter in the closet to deodorize and remove the moisture from the space. Another tip is to put your clothing item directly inside of a clean container or Ziploc bag with kitty litter inside. Just shake out or brush off and wear.
Fresh air and sunlight – Nothing gets a foul odor out of clothing quite like fresh air. Even if you don’t have a backyard clothesline, you can hang your item in front of an open window for an hour or so. Sunlight can kill bacteria because of the ultraviolet rays. Hanging your clothes outside on a nice sunny day with a gentle breeze is the easiest way to remove the bacteria that’s making them smell.
Unused coffee grounds – Similar to the kitty litter method, coffee grounds will soak up environmental odors. Fill a bowl with fresh unused coffee grounds and fold your shirt or item on top and let it sit overnight. In the morning your item will be fresh. Just be careful not to get any of the grounds on your shirt, because they can stain.
Vodka – Nothing is better than straight, cheap vodka in a spray bottle to remove smells. When the alcohol in the vodka evaporates it takes the smells with it.
Baking soda – Just like it absorbs smells in your fridge or freezer, baking soda removes smells in clothing as well. Sprinkle the baking soda over the smelly areas, let it sit as long as you can and then shake off the powder.
Charcoal – A lot of odor removers use charcoal in their systems because odors actually bind with the charcoal and are removed from the air. Place some charcoal briquettes in the bottom of a paper bag and add the clothing on top, then close tightly and let it sit overnight. You can also place briquettes in shoes and boots to get rid of foot odors.
Distilled White Vinegar – Use distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle mixed with 10 drops of your favorite essential oil for a great spot fix. Shake the spray bottle to mix up the oils throughout the vinegar and spray on any spots that smell. The vinegar will work to kill 98 percent of the bacteria and the essential oil will work to cover up the vinegar smell. You can also spray the entire piece of clothing if needed.
As you can see you do not need to cover yourself or your home in chemicals to smell better. You can be less offensive naturally than with artificial fragrances and deodorants. Give your body what it actually needs and avoid chemicals as much as possible and you’ll be fresh every day.
Color psychology is one of the more fascinating sides of marketing. Reds to motivate. Blues to build trust. Oranges for confidence. The visual light spectrum has the power to play our emotional responses like a violin. Color has profound psychological effect on human emotion and thought, behavior and decisions. Colors exercise powerful effects and induce reactions based on both instincts and associations.
Colors alter the meanings of the objects or situations with which they are associated, and color preferences can predict consumers’ behavior. This is why corporations began researching how to use color to get you to spend more. Sometimes color is the sole reason you bought something, and you didn’t even know it. Color directs what you see and how you react.
Contrasting colors are used help to reduce eye strain and assist you in focusing on specific items.
The vibrancy of a color can dictate your emotional response.
Brighter colors cause you to feel more energetic. They promote physical activity and make it seem that time passes slower.
Darker colors make it easier for you to process data.
Cooler and softer colors are better for mental activity and make time seem to fly by.
Monochromatic (single color) color schemes are easy on the eye and provide a sleek and minimalistic look.
Complementary color schemes use two colors from opposite ends of color wheel to provide a pleasing view.
Triple color scheme uses three colors equally spaced on the color wheel to provide a harmonious effect on the web page.
Pure colors are those without the addition of white, black, or a third color. These are intense, bright, and cheery.
Tints are made when you add white to a color, also known as pastel colors, and they are lighter and paler than pure color.
Shades are made when black is added to a color. It darkens and dulls the brightness of pure colors.
Tones are made when grey is added to a pure color. This ‘tones down’ the intensity of color.
Analogous colors are found next to each other on the color wheel.
Triad (triangle) – color combination made of three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel.
Tetradic (rectangle) – color combination of four colors made up of two complementary pairs.
Square – four colors evenly spaced on color wheel.
How do Colors Influence People? (SmallBizTrends.com)
Red – Creates a sense of urgency, which is good for clearance sales. Encourages appetite, thus is frequently used by fast-food chains. Physically stimulates the body, raising blood pressure and heart rate, associated with movement, excitement, and passion. Shows friendliness and strength along with aggressiveness and negative emotions.
Pink – Softer and less intense than red. Provides compassion an unconditional love. Soothing, caring, romantic, hopeful, understanding, and nurturing. Too much pink is draining and can show a lack of power or immaturity.
Blue – The preferred color of men. It’s associated with peace, water, tranquility, and reliability. Blue provides a sense of security, curbs appetite, and stimulates productivity. The most common color used by conservative brands looking to promote trust in their products. It is one of the last colors to be seen so can be perceived as distant, cold, or unfriendly.
Green – Associated with health, tranquility, power, and nature. Used in stores to relax customers and for promoting environmental issues. Green stimulates harmony in your brain and encourages a balance leading to decisiveness. Lends a clear sense of right and wrong but can be over-possessive and materialistic.
Purple – Commonly associated with royalty, wisdom, and respect. Stimulates problem solving as well as creativity. Frequently used to promote beauty and anti-aging products. Presents the opportunity for introspection and distraction as it causes thoughts to wander.
Orange & Yellow – Cheerful colors that promote optimism. Yellow can make babies cry, while orange can trigger a sense of caution. Used to create a sense of anxiety that can draw in impulsive buyers and window shoppers. Orange is the color of comfort and warmth, motivation, positive attitude, and general enthusiasm. Yellow is joyful, happy, cheerful, inspiring, and optimistic. Yet too much yellow makes us feel critical of ourselves and lowers our self-esteem.
Gold – represents charm, friendliness, abundance, prosperity, confidence, luxury, and treasure. Too much can be egotistical, proud, and self-righteous.
Brown – not visually stimulating but provides structure, stability, support, security, and protection. May seem too reserved, scheduled, or boring. Can be used in place of black when it might be too intense.
Black – Associated with sophistication, seriousness, control, independence, authority, power, stability, and strength. Can also show mystery, evil, and death. Often a symbol of intelligence but can become overwhelming or cause sadness if used too frequently.
Grey – Symbolizes feelings of practicality, old age, and solidarity. But too much grey can lead to feelings of nothingness and depression.
White – Associated with feelings of purity, cleanliness, peace, innocence, and safety. Represents new beginnings and provides a blank slate. Can be used to project an absence of color or neutrality. White space helps spark creativity since it can be perceived as an unaltered, clean state. Too much white can lead to isolation, loneliness, and emptiness.
Many of us are always on the look out for new and better ways to be healthy and happy. What we don’t realize is, there isn’t a new and better way. Health and wellness are so individualized that the process of obtaining it must be personalized. We all know there are common elements that create health and wellness. These elements are essential components of health and include diet, exercise and mental simulation. Each of those elements vary greatly by individual.
Our health and wellness as we age depend greatly on the choices we make when we are younger. Everything we do to our bodies as we grow up catches up with us as we grow old. Yet there are choices we can make that can reduce the damage we have done. There are many examples of people healing themselves through drastic lifestyle changes.
Personal health and wellness depends completely on three basic factors. What we put into our mind and body controls what we get out of them. Finding balance between the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ intake helps the body to maintain balance or homeostasis. Using our body and mind every day ensures both will continue to work for us far into the future.
We Get Out of Our Body What We Put Into It
At the base of everything, our physical and mental function depend totally on how we nourish the body. If we are filling out gut with hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and highly processed grains and sugars (simple carbohydrates) we are missing out on essential nutrients. Essential nutrients are those necessary for healthy and balanced mental and physical function.
We see them listed all of the time on our multivitamins. What we don’t realize is that we only absorb about 10-20% of the nutrients in a multivitamin, even with food. We must get a natural combination of nutrients that are already optimized for complete absorption. These natural combinations of nutrients come from WHOLE and FRESH foods, NOT fortified and reconstituted foods.
Fresh Whole Foods
We all should know what fresh foods are. These are foods that are raw when you consume them or prepare them for cooking. They include, of course, raw meat and produce, but can also include raw oils, honey, grains, nuts and seeds. These foods have not been processed in any way so they contain a wide variety of nutrients that are easily absorbed and utilized by the body.
We are not considering where these foods were grown or how they were fertilized or nourished. We are only comparing fresh and raw foods to processed and packaged convenience foods. There is considerable difference in the nutrient density of organic foods as compared to commercially grown or GMO crops. The difference is not always cost effective for the average family.
Raw foods are the more nutrient dense than processed foods, plain and simple. Nutrient density is determined by the amount of nutrients by weight that you obtain from the food when consuming it. Some nutrients are always lost in the cooking or packaging process. Go raw first. Then if you don’t like the taste, try it cooked. Home cooked foods are still more nutrient dense than processed and packaged convenience foods. Even home made chocolate chip cookies.
Taking the time to prepare and cook raw foods at home not only helps you to use your mind to think and do but also helps you to control your weight. This is because you know exactly what is going into your body and you are burning calories while preparing it. Learning new recipes and techniques can help stimulate your mind while nourishing your body.
Maintaining Our Mental Health
Our mental health does rely on our nutrient consumption, especially as we age. The more nutrients we consume and utilize at a younger age the healthier our brain cells will be for longer. In other words, nutrition is one large part of the fountain of mental youth.
Beyond nutrition our mental health also depends on how we use our brain throughout life. If we use our brain for more than television and social media we find it lasts longer and functions better overall. This can be anything from painting to reading, playing music to sculpting, or dancing to day dreaming. Anything you put your mind to. To invent, create and inspire is to develop new pathways and strengthen connections in the brain.
Devoting yourself to learning something new every day will ensure your brain continues to do everything you and your body need it to do.
Finding Balance
Sometimes finding balance is hard. We struggle to be ‘good’ about our choices in lifestyle and diet. ‘Good’ is a broad word and it can mean very different things for different people. To help us determine better ways to be healthy we will leave out the terms good and bad and maybe consider them as more and less. We can have more fresh, raw and unprocessed foods and less fast and convenient foods. We can drink more water and less coffee or soda. We can read more books and watch TV less. We can exercise more and sit less.
Choosing the more side, you really do get more; more food, more water, more activity, more learning, more experiences. Making these choices are all individualized and yet they follow all of the same basic rules. Feed your body and mind more. Yes more!
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With Mother Jai’s Natural Products and your healthy lifestyle choices you can get a lot more out of your health and wellness. Aromatherapy is a great natural way to boost immune function, soothe mental stress, and heal bodily injury. Without chemical preservatives or stabilizers. Without interfering with treatments that are already working for you.
What is Wellness Education? A world of knowledge in your hands!
A series of classes developed by Jennifer, Mother Jai, Lawson. They are typically held in Assisted and Independent Living Communities. They cover the basics of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness; herbal remedies and aromatherapy; self-care and alternative therapies. Jennifer provides lots of information on ways to develop your personal wellness.
Jennifer has compiled information from multiple reputable sources and put it together for ease of use. These books include the information discussed during classes. There are three books so far. Each covering different aspects of personal wellness.
Herbal Remedies – 300 pages of info on common herbs, flowers, and spices. Including their uses, benefits, side effects, and interactions. Recipes for preparation, storage and use are also included.
Skin, Hair & Nails – over 100 pages of everything you need to know to take care of your skin and all of its conditions. Plus information on caring for your hair and nails.
Wellness Education – over 400 pages of health and wellness from head to toe. Including alternative therapies, fitness, anatomy and physiology, and self-care. Instructions and full color images are included.
Wellness is the full integration of states of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It includes social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, financial, intellectual, physical and sexual wellness.
Spiritual Wellness is the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives. Spirituality is a personal matter involving values and beliefs that provide a purpose in our lives.
Do I make time for relaxation in my day?
Do I make time for meditation and/or prayer?
Do my values guide my decisions and actions?
Am I accepting of the views of others?
Physical Wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get through our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress.
Do I know health numbers, like cholesterol, weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels?
Do I get annual physical exams?
Do I avoid using tobacco products?
Do I get sufficient amount of sleep?
Do I have an established exercise routine?
Emotional Wellness is the ability to understand ourselves and cope with the challenges life can bring.
Am I able to maintain a balance of work, family, friends, and other obligations?
Do I have ways to reduce stress in my life?
Am I able to make decisions with a minimum of stress and worry?
Am I able to set priorities?
Social Wellness is the ability to relate to and connect with other people in our world.
Do I plan time to be with my family and friends?
Do I enjoy the time I spend with others?
Are my relationships with others positive and rewarding?
Do I explore diversity by interacting with people of other cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs?
Environmental Wellness is the ability to recognize our own responsibility for the quality of the air, the water and the land that surrounds us.
Do I recycle, reuse, or donate?
If I see a safety hazard, do I take the steps to fix the problem?
Do I volunteer time to worthy causes?
Am I aware of my surroundings at all times?
Creative Wellness is the ability to participate in arts and culture activities for the purpose of self-expression, stress-relief, and skill-building.
Do I take time to be creative?
Do I enjoy observing art or making art?
Am I aware of my own creative talents?
Do I appreciate the creative talents of others?
Occupational (Career) Wellness is the ability to get personal fulfillment from our jobs or our chosen career fields while still maintaining balance in our lives.
Do I enjoy my life most days?
Do I have a manageable workload at home?
Do I feel that I have accomplished my goals?
Financial wellness is an intricate balance of the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of money.
Do I have extra cash in my pocket?
Do I balance my checkbook regularly?
Do I protect myself from fraudulent activity?
Intellectual Wellness is the ability to open our minds to new ideas and experiences that can be applied to personal decisions, group interaction and community betterment.
Am I open to new ideas?
Do I seek personal growth by learning new skills?
Do I search for learning opportunities and stimulating mental activities?
Do I look for ways to use creativity?
The 10th and very important, but often forgotten or neglected, dimension of our wellness is our:
Sexual Wellness includes intimate physical contact and close personal relationships. No matter what we are told by churches or parents sex is an important part of human life. Whether or not we want to admit it we are animals and have the same drives and urges. Sexual health is an integral part of your overall wellness as you age. Countless scientific studies have shown the many benefits of a healthy and active love-life including; living longer, obtaining greater success in business and a greater overall well-being.
Am I able to interact with all genders in appropriate and respectful ways?
Do I feel comfortable discussing sexual issues?
Am I able to effectively communicate sexual limits?
Am I able to express physical feeling of attraction without focusing on the genitals?
Am I able to discuss desires and fantasies with partners?
Do I take steps to prevent unwanted pregnancies?
Do I take steps to protect myself from sexually transmitted diseases?
Am I able to develop friendships without sexual agendas?
Do I appreciate my own body? Am I comfortable in my skin?
Do I understand the physical and emotional consequences of sexual activity?
