AromaTherapy

"Aromatherapy is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being."

Sounds a little dirty doesn't it?  I mean bark and root.  Grind it up and rub it on your skin.  It's not...It's actually very cool.   Before you think I'm a flake give me a chance to appeal to the logical you.

Many ... medicines that are prescribed to you are derived from plants.  Some components of plants are artificially reproduced in labs with the sole purpose of creating medicine. 

In Aromatherapy the oils from a particular plant are extracted and added to a more familiar oil.  For instance I'm currently using a mixture of eucalyptus, lavender and arnica in olive oil.  It's used to treat sore muscles along with bruises.  A message therapist had turned me onto it and it's fabulous.  I love how it smells.  Just applying a little to a sore shoulder is an experience.   After purchasing a jar of this stuff I was eager to try it and rubbed it into my stiff neck and shoulders after a particularly tough work out.  The scent relaxed me...the texture of the oil was kind of creamy and it felt good rubbing it in.  The next morning I woke up and after taking my shower I noticed how soft and supple my skin felt...ohhhhh just another perk.  I'm thrilled with the product and now I'm on a quest to find more aromatherapy items I can add to my life to enhance it.

I did the little terracotta ring around the light bulbs and it really was a nuisance.  I also had those little burners with tea lights...you add water and some oil drops.  It lasted briefly.  I suppose what I'm saying is while it's great if I can create pleasant scents in my home I want to treat me and not my home.  I think I should come first.

"The inhaled aroma from these "essential" oils is widely believed to stimulate brain function. Essential oils can also be absorbed through the skin, where they travel through the bloodstream and can promote whole-body healing. 

A form of alternative medicine, aromatherapy is gaining momentum.  It is used for a variety of applications including pain relief, mood enhancement and increased cognitive function"

I have to be honest by saying that if I broke my leg I wouldn't want someone to tell me to smell some lavender but there really is something to be said for inhaling deeply of a fragrance and finding yourself soothed by it.   Which made me wonder if there was one to decrease appetite.  I've heard that red increases appetite why not have a scent to offset that.  It could be possible.   

There are different oils or combinations of oils reported to have benefits.  Here's a list you might find useful. 

Stress Relief
Bergamot, Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Patchouli, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang

Anxiety/Fear
Bergamot, Chamomile (Roman), Cedarwood, Frankincense, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood

Self Esteem
Bergamot, Cypress, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Orange, Rosemary

Sadness/Grief
Bergamot, Chamomile (Roman), Clary Sage, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang

Fatigue
Basil, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lemon, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood

Agitation
Chamomile (Roman), Lavendar, Mandarin, Sandalwood

Isolation
Chamomile (Roman), Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Rose

Memory Boosters
Basil, Cypress, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary

Aphrodisiac
Clary Sage, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang

My source for the above quotes and the list of the oil blends is from http://www.aromatherapy.com/.   I think that will be my next quest.  I'll be looking for feel good, relaxing, calming, and most of all appetite decreasing scents and products.  

I'll keep you posted.  If you hear of anything first please pass it on.   Meanwhile, enjoy the sunshine, take a deep breath...close your eyes...lower your shoulders...release that breath fully..really push that air out...use your diaphragm.  Repeat...ahhhh now to find something nice to

smell while doing it. 

Have a great day~

 

 

Frustrated!

I was looking for a picture that reflected how I am feeling and this captured it perfectly.  It's more of a sad frustration.  I was going to tell you how the scale betrayed me but it wasn't the scale that betrayed me at all.  It's totally my fault.

I lost weight and felt great!  My clothes felt awesome and I had renewed confidence.  So...I ate the Chinese take out.  Then we had pizza one night.  I didn't write down what I had because I had this thing licked I was on the losing track.

Wrong wrong wrong....I was sooooo wrong.  Here is the thing that really gets me.  I've done this before.  It's this vicious circle.  I will cut myself a little slack in saying that I caught myself before it became epic.  (small consolation...but still a consolation.)

So, where do I go from here?   My plan is to just do my best to get back to it.  I exercised several days this week.  I've been avoiding most bad foods and am getting back to drinking more water.  Feeling disappointed in myself.

Sugar Substitutes

There are many people who are grateful that there are sugar substitutes.  I can very well understand why a diabetic or a dieter is happy to find one that tastes good.  I do believe there is a difference between a diabetic and a dieter.  For our purposes, on this blog I'm discussing sugar substitutes as a dieter.  There is no medical reason for me to choose a sugar substitute and that is the prospective that I am talking from.


Splenda had been my sugar substitute of choice until I began researching it.  A little frightening but what frightens me the most is the amount of contradictory information.  Once I get past the blah blah blah I have come to realize that the FDA doesn't "think" it will cause me cancer and it "may" not be harmful to my health. 

After reading pro's and con's from several websites I thought Sweet n Low was the way to go.  After all they haven't been able to prove that the long terms effects may be cancer.  And I want to test this theory, why?

Agave Nectar comes in at the same calories as sugar.  While I've heard that it's great for diabetics there is still a lot of info coming in.  I've bought the bottle and have been using it.  No, I don't really think it's much sweeter than sugar and don't really use a lot less.  It's not really a healthier alternative from sugar it's just an alternative to sugar.

Could it be that it's not the sugar that is the problem but consuming it in excess or perhaps the process of getting sugar from field to cup of tea? 

Wouldn't it be cool if it would could eliminate all the hidden sugar in things that we didn't want it in anyway.  Then we could have it when we want guilt free!

Is natural sugar better for you? Was a good article by Nutrition Diva.  I would recommend a browse through.

I'm not sure which is best so I'm going to go old school on this and stick with honey and evaporated cane juice. It's slightly less refined and so it retains a bit more color and flavor from the sugar cane.  The tan-colored crystals have a slight caramel or molasses aroma.  I haven't tried it in baking to date.  It appeals to me because it's unbleached.  I'm not crazy about my sugar being bleached. 


What do you think?  I'm really interested to hear what your choices are and why?

By the way have you seen Spenda Essentials?  Now you can have your sucralose with added vitamins.  hmmmmmm

The 17 Day Diet - Day 2

Day 2 started off well. During cycle 1, called the Accelerate phase we are asked to have 2 probiotic foods daily.  One of my choices is greek yogurt. (mmmmm) My favorite brand is Chobani, and my favorite flavor is lemon.  Today I had that for lunch with 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries.  It was soooo good. Yum!  Here's the catch, the diet wants me to choose plain yogurt and add sugar free preserves.  I tried that before.  I gave it a really, really good try and it just doesn't cut it.  So...I've already tweaked.

I didn't get in my second probiotic and I ate watermelon after 2pm. I know it's only day 2 and I'm already messing up.   

I absolutely refuse to call it quits.  I'm just going to keep doing the best I can.  I hate that mindset I've so often found myself in.   What I'll do is decide I'll just start over tomorrow.  Why wait till tomorrow when I can just turn my day around now and conclude it on a good note.

I also picked up the ingredients for the Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe from the book.  My plan is to make the vegetable part of the soup and bake a couple of chicken breasts to eat on the side.  I've made it a few times and I really didn't care for how the chicken tasted in the soup.  The soup itself was very good and it stands good enough on it's own.

That's it for Day 2

The 17 Day Diet

I fell off the wagon and it's time to get back on!  I bet you know that feeling too.  I wake up determined and with all my tools in place.  I log in to WeightLossBuddy and enter my weight (which is going in the wrong direction).  I read through a few blogs for inspiration and by 3pm it's all in vain.  ARGHHHH.

Today I am determined.  Day #1 on The 17 Day Diet.  Have you ever heard of the 17 Day Diet?  It's a little Atkins inspired.  I like it, the only problem was that I found myself getting really hungry.  I don't like that feeling and I think I may have to tweak it to avoid that from happening again....but the idea is hey, you only have to do this for 17 days.  

Can I do it for 17 days?  

I'll be having some out of town family staying with us for a few days during this period, so that will be a true test.  Curious about the diet, or wondering how I'll do?  Stop by again cause I'll be keeping you posted.

Wish me luck!  Bye Bye Bread...we'll visit in several weeks.

Flowering Tea

I received a Flowering Tea set a few years ago for my birthday.  Since then I've enjoyed quite a few cups of this delicious tea.  The set itself came with green and jasmine tea flowers.  My honey  suggested that I use my own pictures instead of professional ones like the the one above. 

I thought I'd use both. The picture on the left is my very own pot...with the flowering tea in the pot.  The tea pot comes with a glass insert that you drop the ball into.   Then pour boiling water over it and let it steep no longer than 3 minutes.  You should never steep green tea for longer than 3 minutes or it will taste too bitter.  (Now you know why that green tea you tried once 2 years ago was so awful.)

After the water is poured over it, it doesn't take long to go into full bloom.  It really does look pretty doesn't it?  I wasn't disappointed.  I  removed the insert with the flowering tea and put the tea into a small tupperware container and placed in the fridge.  I have found that I can get 2 pots from one tea flower.  I fill it up as much as you see here in the picture.

I get 2 small mugs worth plus a little more.  Here I am ready to bring it in and enjoy a cup with my husband while we discuss today's events.

Notice, no fattening cake or cookies.  :)  Yay me!

A Strong Moment

I had a moment and it was wonderful!  

We had just finished painting and carpeting two bedrooms in our home.  My dear husband had come home after a hard day of outside work and in Florida that is no easy feat.  My son and I had made a serious dent in putting the closets and furniture back where they belong, but as son's do - he cut out to hang out with his girl.  I really can't complain because he did do a lot of work.  

The Curves Circuit

Honey and I looked around at what was left to put away and then we looked at each other.  The largest piece of furniture was a queen sized futon.  I suggested we move that first and at least reclaim our living room again.  He looked over to me and said, "I don't want to make you feel bad but I just don't think you can help me move this."  I didn't want to brag but I really thought I could.  I suggested we give it a try and if I couldn't help we'd call a neighbor.  Needless to say it was my moment.  The culmination of afternoons spent at Curves came together.  My biceps tightened, my knees bent (never lift with your back!) my thighs tensed and .... ta da! We had lift off.  We eased that sucker out of the livingroom, into the bend of the alcove, into one bedroom so we could make the corner and then voila!  I was soooooo proud.  He didn't need to give me kudo's.  (Which was a good thing cause I'd still be waiting!).

I am extremely proud of myself because while I haven't lost as much weight as I would have liked (still working on it) I am becoming stronger.     

I would never have thought that at 52 I would be getting stronger and fitter.  But I am and it feels great. 

I need a cup of tea to celebrate! Yay me!