Okay, time for those Q-tips again.  I do hope you are smelling and getting to know your oils.  Well, what do you think?  Definately a top note, BUT is it a middle and a bottom note?  Remember, leave it and come back to it.

Peppermint is the number one choice for travel sickness.  I had a springer spaniel that it worked wonders on.  One to two drops on his drop cloth in the back of my car, and he was SO much better, no throwing up and no heaving.  With out it, he threw up at least twice on EVERY journey.

It's also very good for morning sickness, put a drop on a cloth handkerchief and sniff from time to time. It helps to ease the nausea.

Safety information. Do not use on very young children (under 3) or on pregnant or nursing women.  Also, keep away from homeopathic remedies, as it can antidote them.

Main Chemical components, Menthol, Menthone

Use it for: acne, sunburn, blackheads, cools the skin, for respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, catarrh, colds, flu, fevers, flatulence, nausea, intestinal infections and paracites, menstrual cramp, mastitis, headaches, nervous stress, exhaustion, depression, and for calming the mind.

Peppermint's main uses and actions are: analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectius,  antibacterial, antifungal,  anticatarrh,antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, emmenagogue, expectorant, ferifuge, hepatic,
stomachic, sudorific, tonic.

Now to dosage.  As you no doubt have realized by now, Peppermint is a very strong oil and it's dosage is going to be very low.  Before I TELL you how low, why not take a stab at it and guess how many drops in tablespoon, and if you get it right or come close give yourself a pat on the back, you're getting to know your oils.  If you didn't get it right, you WILL.

Okay, in a tub of water, in a diffuser or in a table spoon of carrier oil, the dosage is 1 to 2 drops maximum.

Now, on to a little bit of massage techinique and amounts.  How much would you thing you would need to give a FULL BODY massage to the average person?  A cup?  A drop?  Both of those are of course ridiculous.

I'll be the answer will surprise you.  All you need is one TABLESPOON.  Or 15 mls.  That's it.

The purpose of the massage is not to end up all slimey and slippery, but to be almost completely dry.  For the Larger than Average person or the very hairistute person, you might need a little more, but remember not an ocean of oils, just a LITTLE.

When performing massage on someone, try and refrain from beating them up or trying to dig out their internal organs.  All you need for an effective Aromatherapy massage is firm, even strokes.  Not digging or beating the living daylights out of them.  There ARE schools of massage that teach these methods, and they have their place, but usually all that's necessary is the firm, even flowing movements.

ALSO: Do NOT massage ON the spine or on or near varicose veins, or you could cause SERIOUS damage.

And that's lesson 5 for this week. I will try and get lesson 6 up on time, but it IS the Holiday and like you, I tend to get swamped. So have patience, it WILL come.

Cheers!
Kathleen Petrides
 
© 2000 Kathleen E. Petrides, SmeLLeNNium
 

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