Tag: uplifting

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Jasmine Tea

Health Benefits of Jasmine Tea

Along with the unique aroma and taste, jasmine tea has many beneficial qualities that help to reduce stress and heart attack and improve the digestive system. Let’s take a look at them in detail.

Weight Loss: Everyone is looking for the secret to reduce their weight easily and quickly, and jasmine tea can be a good addition to any diet as an aid in weight loss. The antioxidant properties of jasmine tea help to increase your metabolism. This increase in the metabolic efficiency makes your exercise effective and helps your body to process the nutrients quicker. Faster or more efficient metabolism helps with weight loss, but it must be used in addition to other weight loss techniques, as a complementary element, not as a stand-alone solution.

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Antioxidant Properties: Perhaps the most praised aspect of jasmine tea is the high level of antioxidants in this delicate and delicious beverage. The most notable antioxidants found in jasmine tea are catechins. Green tea is the most commonly used base flavor for jasmine tea, but depending on which type of tea is used as a base, different antioxidant properties can be accessed. For example, black tea has high levels of theaflavins, while green tea has high levels of catechins.

Antioxidants work within the body to detect and destroy harmful agents or free radicals that can cause diseases and compromise the immune system. Catechins, as mentioned above, are the antioxidants most jasmine tea users are seeking, since they have been shown to be integral in preventing certain serious diseases in the body.

Protects Heart Health: For those with a personal or family history of cardiovascular issues, jasmine tea can be a huge help in preventing further problems. The catechins found in jasmine tea are a key factor in inhibiting LDL-oxidation, which is when “bad” cholesterol in your arteries gets inflamed after being oxidized. This inflammation of veins and arteries can lead to heart attack or stroke. The catechins found in jasmine tea inhibit this oxidizing process, so blood pressure and cholesterol levels decrease, and long-term threats like heart diseases can be prevented.

Prevents Cancer: The fight against cancer is one of the unifying health problems around the world, so anything that can help prevent cancer is always popular. Research studies suggest that consumption of tea, such as jasmine tea, may help in preventing cancer. All the green teas made of jasmine have been widely shown to have cancer preventive properties, because they contain polyphenols, like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Polyphenols like EGCG are key lines of defense against free radicals and other harmful or carcinogenic invaders in the body. Green/Jasmine tea has been shown to reduce risks of breast cancer, lung cancer, and many other diseases.

Besides the addition of EGCG to the system, elements of green tea also inhibit the overexpression of dangerous enzymes commonly found in cancerous tumors and cells.

Controls Diabetes: In the fight against diabetes, jasmine tea has shown itself to be a valuable tool. The ability to metabolize glucose is the fundamental mechanism that causes diabetic conditions. Drinking jasmine/green tea can reverse the negative effects that diabetes has on certain serum proteins, working as a regulator for those with diabetes, and as a preventive measure for those not diagnosed but still consuming it as a regular part of their health regimen.

Relieves Stress: The olfactory system is often something we overlook, but it can be a very powerful sense, and studies have shown that the odor of jasmine can be very beneficial to certain test subjects. Those test subjects who have a natural predilection for the smell of jasmine have a parasympathetic response to the odor and their body releases chemicals that allow them to naturally relax or improve their mood. However, the smell of jasmine is what some call “an acquired taste”, and some of the studies have shown that people who don’t enjoy the smell of jasmine can actually become anxious if exposed to it in high intensities.

Prevents Gastrointestinal Disorders: Adding jasmine tea to your normal diet can improve your chances of having a healthy stomach, better digestion, and prevention of gastrointestinal forms of cancer. Catechins present in jasmine tea have positive effects on multiple areas of health, including the gastrointestinal system. They activate a number of intracellular antioxidants and interact well with the gastrointestinal enzymes to promote healthy bowel function.

Boosts Immune System: Many forms of cancer and carcinogenic diseases can have an immunosuppressive effect, meaning that the body’s overall immune system is compromised, making the body vulnerable to pathogens that complicate the treatment of cancer. It has been shown to protect the immune system due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The immune system is the first line of defense against all types of illnesses, so bolstering it can benefit the body in countless ways.

Reduces Pain: One of the positive effects of jasmine tea is the reduction in chronic discomfort associated with joint pain and arthritis. The anti-inflammatory nature of certain organic elements in jasmine tea can reduce swelling and inflammation of joints by inhibiting unwanted cellular oxygenation.

Antibacterial Properties: Jasmine tea, which is occasionally formed by simply adding jasmine essential oil to tea buds, can provide a defense against bacterial infections, making jasmine tea an unexpected antibiotic that you can safely add to your diet. Studies have shown that the properties of jasmine oil can eliminate the effects of E. coli in certain test subjects, which can be a very dangerous bacterium commonly found in poorly preserved foods or unsanitary cooking conditions. It may also provide relief from a cough, cold, and throat infections.

Side Effects of Jasmine Tea

Pregnancy: Although many aromatherapy techniques are popular during pregnancy, the strong odor and chemicals of jasmine tea are not recommended while you are pregnant. There have been cases where the use of jasmine tea or essential jasmine oil (sometimes used to make jasmine tea) has caused premature contractions in pregnant women. Consult your doctor before adding this tea to your diet.

Intestinal discomfort: Many people choose to use jasmine tea to boost their metabolism or even as a workout aid to stimulate additional weight loss, but it is highly acidic, so consuming it on an empty stomach to spur on weight loss or metabolic function can cause intestinal pain or discomfort.

Caffeine: Despite its relaxing and mood-altering properties, jasmine tea is a source of caffeine, which is a stimulant that affects people in different ways. Caffeine is meant to block certain neurotransmitters in the brain, which cause the feelings of alertness or energy that most people want from caffeine. However, some people are very sensitive to the effects of caffeine, particularly in large doses. Consult your doctor or use your experience with other caffeinated products before adding jasmine tea to your diet or buy a caffeine-free version of jasmine tea instead. Loose-leaf varieties of jasmine tea are typically not available without caffeine, but teabag varieties are.

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Nasal Breathing for Health

Nasal Breathing is Essential to Good Health

Breathing through the nose is essential to much more than just a sense of smell. The nose is a miraculous filter lined with tiny hairs called cilia. The cilia have many functions: they filter, humidify and warm or cool the air (depending on the temperature) before it enters the lungs. It is estimated that cilia protect our bodies against about 20 billion particles of foreign matter every day!

The mouth is not designed to function in breathing that way. Plus, breathing through your mouth regularly dries out and irritates every membrane in the mouth, throat and lungs. Causing damage to teeth, tongue and gums which are essential for healthy food consumption.

Many of us feel stressed out, overworked, and overstimulated during our daily lives, which leaves us in a chronic state of fight or flight response. Breathing in and out through the nose helps us take fuller, deeper breaths, which stimulates the lower lung to distribute greater amounts of oxygen throughout the body. Also, the lower lung is rich with the parasympathetic nerve receptors associated with calming the body and mind, whereas the upper lungs, which are stimulated by chest and mouth breathing, prompt us to hyperventilate and trigger sympathetic nerve receptors, which result in the fight or flight reaction. Thus, continuing and compounding the stress reaction.

Here are a few more of the benefits of nasal breathing:

  • The lungs extract oxygen from the air during exhalation, in addition to inhalation. Because the nostrils are smaller than the mouth, air exhaled through the nose creates a back flow of air (and oxygen) into the lungs. And because we exhale more slowly through the nose than we do though the mouth, the lungs have more time to extract oxygen from the air we’ve already taken in.
  • When there is proper oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange during respiration, the blood will maintain a balanced pH. If carbon dioxide is lost too quickly, as in mouth breathing, oxygen absorption is decreased, which can result in dizziness or even fainting.
  • Air that we inhale through the nose passes through the nasal mucosa, which stimulates the reflex nerves that control breathing. Mouth breathing bypasses the nasal mucosa and makes regular breathing difficult, which can lead to snoring, breath irregularities and sleep apnea.
  • Breathing through the nose forces us to slow down until proper breath is trained; therefore, proper nose breathing reduces hypertension and stress.  It also helps prevent us from overexerting ourselves during a workout.
  • Our nostrils and sinuses filter and warm/cool air as it enters our bodies.
  • Our sinuses produce nitric oxide, which, when carried into the body through the breath, combats harmful bacteria and viruses in our bodies, regulates blood pressure and boosts the immune system.
  • Mouth breathing accelerates water loss, contributing to dehydration.
  • Mouth breathing leads to dry mouth which is the leading cause of tooth decay, gingivitis and bone loss in the jaw. Fluoride does not correct these issues.
  • The nose houses olfactory bulbs, which are direct extensions of part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for many functions in our bodies, particularly those that are automatic, such as heartbeat, blood pressure, thirst, appetite and sleep cycles. The hypothalamus is also responsible for generating chemicals that influence memory and emotion.
  • Research is showing strong links between mouth breathing and asthma. The more you breathe with your mouth open the more inflammation builds in the lungs, causing constriction of the bronchioles. The body is getting too much oxygen and is trying to slow down oxygen intake. It makes the individual feel short of breath until oxygen/carbon dioxide levels are restored in the blood.
  • The increased oxygen we get through nasal breath increases energy and vitality.

Training Yourself to Breathe Through Your Nose

Now that we have learned how bad mouth breathing is for our health in our post on Mouth Breathing, we know that nasal or nostril breathing is essential to develop.

Here are some simple ways to establish nasal breathing:

  1. Begin by clearing your nose by blowing it, getting some steam or with a nasal wash. If you’re a mouth breather clearing out the cobwebs is essential to get the sinuses open and working again.
  2. Then take a few minutes to practice keeping your mouth closed and slowly breathe in and out through your nose. Notice the way the sinuses feel with proper use.
  3. Next, simply remind yourself to close your mouth throughout the day. Set a reminder on your phone or put post-its by mirrors. Anything you will see or hear that will make you think about breathing though your nose.
  4. The more you stick with it, the more it becomes habit, just like any other practice.

There are products and ideas out there online that can help you with your specific situation. Many people find it beneficial to tape their lips shut to assist in the learning process. Either way you will find that you feel calmer and more relaxed even without changing your world completely. Nasal breathing is essential to whole body health and it is too bad many of us have forgotten this.

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Citronella

Citronella oil (Cymbopogon nardus)

Citronella oil is extracted from Cymbopogon nardus (also known as Andropogon nardus) and is of the Graminae (Poaceae) family. It is also known as Sri Lanka or Lenabatu citronella. The oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol. These chemicals find extensive use in soap, candles and incense, perfumery, cosmetic, and flavoring industries throughout the world. Citronella oil is also a plant-based insect repellent and has been registered for this use in the United States since 1948. The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers oil of citronella as a biopesticide with a non-toxic mode of action.

Oil properties: Citronella oil has a slightly sweet, lemony smell. It blends well with bergamot, geranium, lemon, orange, lavender and pine.

Extraction citronella oil: Citronella oil is extracted by the steam distillation of finely chopped fresh, dried or part-dried grass.

Chemical composition: The main chemical components of citronella oil are citronellic acid, borneol, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, citral, citronellal, camphene, dipentene and limonene. Major constituents of the oil were geraniol (35.7% of total volatiles), trans-citral (22.7%), cis-citral (14.2%), geranyl acetate (9.7%), citronellal (5.8%) and citronellol (4.6%). The antifungal assay using the vapor-agar contact method showed that the crude essential oil markedly suppressed the growth of several species of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Eurotium at a dose of 250 mg/L in air. Citronellal and linalool completely inhibited the growth of all tested fungal strains at a dose of 112 mg/L. Their minimum inhibitory doses ranged from 14 to 56 mg/L. The α- and β- pinenes showed an inhibitory activity against some fungi, whereas the other 8 volatile compounds lacked this property.

Precautions: Citronella oil may irritate sensitive skin and cause dermatitis in certain individuals.

Therapeutic properties: The health benefits of Citronella Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties as an antibacterial, antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, deodorant, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, insect repellent, stomachic, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge substance. Citronella oil has strong antifungal properties, and is effective in calming barking dogs.

  • Citronella oil’s most useful quality is that of it being an insect repellent. It is best used in a spray, a diffuser or on a cotton ball amongst linen. It is also useful in ridding cats and dogs of fleas.
  • Furthermore, citronella oil helps to clear the mind and has a general toning and tonic effect on the body. It is helpful with colds, flu and minor infections, and has deodorizing qualities.
  • Citronella has been proven as an effective antimicrobial for aquatic animals, thus naturally supporting our aquaculture needs. Essential oil of C. nardus demonstrated its potential as alternative to commercial antibacterial agent.

Origin of citronella oil: It is extracted from a hardy grass, native to Sri Lanka and Java. This aromatic perennial grows about 1meter (3 feet) high and is a popular ingredient in wax candles, as an insect repellant, and is also widely used in perfumes, soaps, skin lotions and deodorants. The essential oil of citronella is extracted from two varieties of citronella. The first one is the Ceylon variety, whose scientific name is Cymbopogon nardus and the second one is Java variety, called Cymbopogon winterianus in botanical terminology. In both cases, the essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of the fresh plant.

Benefits Of Citronella Essential Oil

Inhibits Bacterial Growth: Components like methyl isoeugenol and a few others that are found in this essential oil are responsible for this property. They kill bacteria and inhibit any further bacterial growth in the body. This is particularly helpful in treating infections in wounds, as well as in the colon, urethra, urinary bladder, stomach, intestines, urinary tracts, prostate, and kidneys.

Fights Depression: This oil fights depression and gives relief from anxiety, sadness, and negative feelings. It induces a fresh, happy feeling and hope.

Relaxant and Stress Reducer: Commonly used to control emotions in aromatherapy, it can help relax your mind and contribute to reduced stress reactions and better sleep for people who can’t sleep. Try diffusing citronella oil in your home, massaging it into skin or spraying it onto your bed sheets.

Eliminates Infections: The antiseptic properties of this essential oil fight infections in wounds, as well as the urinary tracts, urethra, prostate, and kidneys, while simultaneously protecting them from being sepsis.

Relieves Spasms: It relieves spasms of the muscles, respiratory system, and nervous system. It also helps to cure menstrual spasms and gives relief from symptoms such as cramps and coughs. When it comes to dealing with cramps, swelling and pain, citronella can help improve blood flow that lowers muscle spasms and tenderness. Try massaging citronella oil mixed with a carrier into sore muscles or onto the abdomen when dealing with PMS cramps.

Anti-inflammatory Properties: Citronella essential oil sedates inflammation, particularly those situations which pertain to the liver, stomach, intestines and other parts of the digestive system. The inflammations caused as side effects of drugs, excessive use of alcohol or narcotics, hard & spicy food, any disease, or any toxic element getting into the body can also be alleviated using this oil.

Removes Bad Odor: The crisp, rich citrus or lemon-like aroma of this oil drives away body odor and is used in deodorants and body sprays, although in very small quantities, since in heavy doses it may create skin irritations. It can also be mixed with the bath water to have a refreshing bath.

Eliminates Toxins: The diaphoretic properties of this essential oil increase sweating and promote the removal of toxins and other unwanted materials like excess water, fat, and salts from the body. This makes the body feel lighter, keeps the skin healthy and also reduces fever. This also protects you from certain infections.

Stimulates Urination: The increase in the frequency and quantity of urination due to this property of citronella essential oil has many benefits. It disposes of waste substances and toxins from the body, including uric acid, excess bile, acids, and salts, as well as water and fats. This helps reduce weight, eliminate infections in the urinary system, free the body from toxins, reduce chances of renal calculi, rheumatism, and arthritis, improve digestion, and keep the heart healthy.

Reduces Fever: While the diaphoretic property of this oil increases perspiration, its anti-inflammatory property reduces inflammation, while the antimicrobial property fights infections. The combined effects of these three properties fight fever and reduce body temperature.

Inhibits Fungal Growth: This oil kills fungus and inhibits fungal growth. This is very useful in countering fungal infections in the ear, nose and throat region. Contracting fungal infections in the ears are very common and can be very serious. It eliminates fungal infections in other parts of the body as well and helps cure fungal dysentery.

Insect Repellant: This is one of the most commonly used properties of this essential oil, as it kills and keeps away insects. It has been found particularly effective on a species of mosquito, called Aedes aegypti whose bite causes the dreaded yellow fever. This is also effective on lice, body and head louse, and fleas.

Prevents Stomach Disorders: The use of this oil clears the stomach from infections and other problems and helps it function properly.

Natural Skin Care Remedy: Aside from keeping away bug bites, research shows citronella can also help heal dermatitis, naturally treat eczema, slow skin aging, heal bug bite scars and treat some fungal infections on the skin. It enhances penetration of skin and speeds up wound healing, which might be beneficial for remedying acne, getting rid of warts, treating boils and healing age spots. It can also help skin appear youthful and smoother and even block damage done from sun exposure. Add a very small amount to coconut oil and massage it into the face, or try adding one to two drops to your shower or facial wash. As an easy-to-make home remedy for acne, try dabbing one drop of pure citronella essential oil on blemishes three times a day, but make sure you use a sterile cotton swab.

Pet Controller: Although it might sound strange, citronella oil is effective in calming barking dogs and can even be used on furniture to help keep your pets off. As a bonus, when you spray citronella on your furniture or linens, it keeps them free from bacteria, pests and odors. Add several drops to a spray bottle along with water, shake it up, and spray it throughout your home and on household items.

Natural Shampoo and Conditioner: One of the most popular uses for citronella oil is cleansing and conditioning the hair and scalp. It can help eliminate excess oil and greasiness of hair while also fighting dandruff and adding shine. Many people find it adds volume to hair, detangles knots and helps protect hair color from sun damage. Add several drops to your shampoo or conditioner, or try making your own homemade recipe using a cleansing oil like coconut oil, which also benefits hair.

Homemade Citronella Oil Bug Spray Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup witch hazel
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 40 drops mixed essential oils (citronella, eucalyptus, lemongrass, tea tree or rosemary)
  • glass spray bottle

DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients in eight-ounce spray bottle. Spray over all portions of the body, but avoid repellent in eyes and mouth.