April - Chapter 4 of 12
Inspirational quote – “you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf them” Jon Kabat-Zinn
April is Stress Awareness Month and we are going to concentrate on showing you how to use aromatherapy to ease your anxiety and help you relax a little more…
How can Massage Ease my Anxiety?
Holistic massage uses touch to soothe your central nervous system. By using specific massage techniques, a therapist will work carefully along nerve pathways to help your muscles to relax, this sends a message to your hypothalamus which instructs the pituitary gland, (the master gland), to release hormones into the bloodstream. The pituitary gland is a small pea-sized gland that plays a major role in regulating vital body functions and general well-being. The Pituitary gland signals the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, to increase the production of cortisol when you feel stressed. You will have heard of the “flight or fight response”, the sympathetic nervous system originates in the spinal cord and its main function is to activate the physiological changes that occur during the fight-or-flight response, therefore it is vital to learn methods of reducing the level of stress, anxiety, and panic within our body.
Endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin are produced and stored in the Pituitary gland, these wonderful hormones are responsible for us feeling happy, later on, we will let you know which exercises release the most endorphins!
When you use aromatherapy in your daily life and during your massage, we harness the powers of the plants and use them to improve our sense of well-being. Lavender essential oil is well renown to be a powerful antidepressant as it is rich in bioactive constituents, such as linalool, limonene, which activate your Olfactory system. The olfactory system has direct contact with the Limbic System which includes the hippocampus which is responsible for our emotional response, it releases cortisol which can affect our brain in many ways, but there are plenty of things we can do.
Deep breathing, Mindful breathing, Meditation, and Yoga – all help to soothe the brain and reduces the production of cortisol
Get out for a walk, spending time in nature is very calming for your whole nervous system
Singing releases endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine…it doesn’t matter if you don’t sound like Beyoncé, enjoy it!!
Dancing again releases positive, happy hormones. You can join a dance group or just put on some music and dance everywhere before you know it, your mood will have improved
Do some exercise however physical releases hormones which can reduce pain, help you sleep better and feel better
Do some gardening, spending time with plants and nature is so good for the soul
Meet with friends and family
Spend time with animals, they are fabulous stress reducers
Fill your home with aromatherapy
Book in for a massage, reflexology, reiki or a facial with a Holistic Therapist as they look at you as a whole person. Try it, you will not regret it.
Enjoy a bath, then apply our massage oils so that as you sleep our blends will help you sleep better and deeper allowing your brain to repair
Enjoy a cuddle
We would love to hear if you have any other ideas on how to reduce the feeling of stress!!
What we love about April
April is the month for Easter, yes, we love chocolate here, but it’s also a time for pastel colours, the blossom is beginning to bud just waiting to burst into the world. Bees are busy collecting spring nectar and the whole garden seems to be awakening. Daffodils dance in the garden, it’s just lovely. In the pond is lots of lovely frogspawn and everything feels so positive. April is a time when hedgehogs begin to wake up, and it’s vital that we have water and food ready for them. I know that everyone who reads this will not use slug pellets or pesticides in their garden but we must spread the word to others not to. Have you seen a bumblebee yet?
April is a good month to bake a cake, fill it full of fresh fruits. Let’s truly celebrate Spring.
Healthy Tips
Have you ever thought of growing your own vegetables, salads, and fruit? It’s so much fun plus you reap the rewards. I am a keen gardener and I grow tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, herbs, lettuce and lots more; I find it very therapeutic pricking out the seedlings. This is my way of relaxing after a busy day and there’s nothing nicer than picking your tea from your garden. I grow in pots mostly so I move them around. Try it, it doesn’t matter if the seedlings fail, simply sow more. This year I am going to grow my own pasta sauce, I’ve sown my plum tomatoes and lots of onions, garlic, and peppers
Why not grown your own “cut flower” patch so that you can bring your own homegrown flowers into your home whenever you want to or give to someone special as a treat?
Smoothies are a very healthy way to increase your consumption of fruit and vegetables. We love them here and they are definitely a healthy snack plus if you grow your own strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, fairly cheap too!!
Keep drinking plenty of water especially if you’re on a “get fit for summer” campaign.
Massage oil into your skin after every shower or bath as this will ensure soft smooth skin for summer
Using essential oils in your home (and at work) will help to keep you healthy and relaxed. Create your own protective bubble with organic natural fragrance
Our Massage Oils are back on sale this month!
We are so excited to have our massage oils back in stock, we reformulated the recipe in January so that they were as low allergy as possible. A jojoba carrier oil is made from a bean, it is excellent at balancing your sebum levels in your skin, this means that if your skin feels dry, jojoba oil gives you moisture and similarly if your skin is prone to being greasy, it will balance the oil. We have added Apricot Kernel Oil which is hypoallergenic and very rich in vitamins. For a final flourish, grapeseed oil makes the massage oil glide and is rich in vitamins too. The massage oils are available in 50ml now but we are introducing a 100ml bottle by the end of April.
If you apply your massage oil at night, you will be able to breathe the essential oil blend in whilst you sleep so that you wake feeling calm and happy. If you have sensitive skin, we are very happy to send you a sample to try, please contact us at contact@helpmeorganics.com
Do you love Massage? Here is a simple massage technique to use before bed:
Lie on your back with your tummy exposed
Place your hands on your stomach to connect with the area, spend time doing breathing exercises……..
Take a deep breath and then exhale, repeat a few times then allow your breathing to return to normal, always making sure your diaphragm moves
Add 2 pumps of our oil into the palm of your hand and rub to warm
Start on the right side of your stomach down by the bone of your pelvis. Rub in a circular motion lightly up to the right side till you reach your rib bones. Move straight across to the left side. Work your way down to the left to the hip bone and back up to the belly button for 2-3 minutes.
Place the left hand to the right side of the navel and place the right hand on top of the left,
Guiding with the right hand, move in clockwise circles around the navel.
Then in a clockwise direction, gently work around your colon without any pressure.
Place your hands back on the centre of your tummy and focus again on your breathing, this is a fantastic way to help to relieve tension held in your stomach.
Being gentle is key to this massage.
Massage oils
We have blended simple carrier oils with our essential oil blend to create the a product that is kind to skin.
Scent for April
As its Stress Awareness Month, we thought we would highlight the “help me have a mindful of calm” collection of products.
We have blended organic essential oils of Frankincense, Geranium Bourbon and Lavender to create a soy candle, room spray, essential oil blend and massage oil to help you find comfort, reduce your feelings of anxiety and lower your stress levels. We recommend doing meditation, yoga and breathing exercises regularly and of course, mindfulness.
World Earth Day – 22nd April 2020
This is a day when all focus is on our beautiful but fragile planet. We are committed to promoting environmental issues, our products are eco-friendly and planet-friendly. We will only use reusable, recyclable and compostable organic ingredients and packaging. We actively promote ways for you to help, so keep an eye on our social media.
And finally…
Coronavirus is definitely causing a lot of anxiety, worry, and stress. We can use essential oils to help produce a protective bubble in our homes and workplaces. “help me, I’m feeling under the weather” essential oil blend is made from organic Teatree, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender and Tangerine, all-powerful antibacterial, antiviral oils which will help by entering your body with inhalation. Use them in bowls of water, diffusers, tissues under pillows, room sprays for your car. Eucalyptus and Teatree kill 85% of bacteria, Lavender has antiseptic properties and Peppermint helps to ease headaches. All pure organic essential oils so use them everywhere.
Our “help me have a mindful of calm” blend
is made from organic essential oils: Frankincense, Geranium Bourbon and Lavender
If you are struggling to deal with the severity of this, spend time EVERY day meditating, deep breathing and sitting in your garden. Create a “safe space” in your home for anyone in your family to retreat to if it all gets overwhelming, leave a blanket, jigsaw, books, pencils & paper for them to use also leave a room spray nearby for mindfulness. Fill bowls of water and add 3 drops of this blend. The warmth from your home will get the oils diffusing, if you have young children, maybe add 1-2 drops on a tissue under their pillow at night.
Essential oils are natures helpers, we are here to give advice on how to make them work to help you through this, we will get to the other side.
Dates of Interest
April 1st is April Fools Day – a day to play practical jokes on friends but remember only in the morning and they have to be fun on both sides!!
Easter is 10th April until 13th April – why not plan an Easter Egg Hunt or find one local
April is Stress Awareness Month – we will have lots of tips and information on our social media all month!!
April 22nd is World Earth Day – we are committed to making our products environmentally friendly, as zero waste as possible and all made from reusable, recyclable and compostable ingredients.
April 23rd – St Georges Day, we are very proud to be a Cheshire business
