Happy Mind. Happy Life

We all could use a little more happy in our life.  Happiness starts from the inside.  By focusing on little things every day to help your mind and body stay healthy, we can all achieve a Happy Life.

Take your body for example.  It doesn’t take much to make small daily changes.  Here are some basic tips to help make your body healthier and happier.

1. Make smart, healthy food choices.  Increase your vegetables, watch your fruit choices and be sure to make healthy protein choices.
2. Move your body.  Dance, garden, clean, hike, play, just keep moving!
3. If you smoke, quit.  If you don’t, never start.
4. Learn to manage stress.  Play music, meditate, or use a diffuser for an aromatic sense of relief.
5. Surround yourself with positive people.  Draw upon their energy and be a good source of energy in return.

It’s tough to push down negative thoughts but having positive ones will help you to have a happy mind.  Here are some simple habits to consider.

1. Smile. It’s easy.  It’s Free. And it will help others around you smile too!
2. Sleep is essential.  When you are well rested, you can handle just about anything.
3. Appreciate life around you and practice gratitude.
4. Compliment someone.  It will make both of you feel good.
5. Just breathe!  When you feel stress coming on or start to have negative thoughts, take some deep breathes and tell yourself this will pass.

There are many things you can do to change your mood and increase positivity.  Take aromatherapy for example. Aromatherapy is a comprehensive treatment that uses plant extracts to alleviate issues with the body and promote a healthy lifestyle. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy defines aromatherapy as “the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit”.

The benefits of aromatherapy are built upon the growing number of clinical studies that highlight aromatherapy as an effective and holistic approach to overall wellness. The use of soothing scents of essential oils can greatly benefit the ability to reduce anxiety, ease depression, boost energy levels, speed up the healing process, eliminate headaches, boost cognitive performance, induce sleep, strengthen the immune system, reduce pain, im- prove digestion and increase circulation.

Essential Oils are aromatic liquids distilled from flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and the seeds of plants, and are rich in antioxidants, nutrients, and compounds beneficial to sustaining health and vitality.

Here are the 10 most used essential oils and their benefits:

Bergamot – has mood balancing and skin healing properties.
Clove – has pain relieving properties, dental applications, reduce inflammation, treat nausea, freshen breath.
Eucalyptus – provides mental clarity and boosts energy.
Frankincense – help to fade scars and heal wounds, ease itching.
Lavender – has calming and sleep inducing properties.
Lemon – helps reduce stress and anxiety, enhances mood and concentration, weight loss aid, topic anti-fungal remedy, clean and highlight hair.
Oregano – treats skin conditions, alleviates painful menstrual cramps, ease upset stomachs, eliminate parasites for both people and pets.
Peppermint – is an energizer and can be used to stimulate the mind and calm nerves, cold and flu prevention, relief of joint and muscle pain, improve digestion, relieve nausea, gas or bloating.
Rosemary – detoxify skin and sub-dermal tissues, rids dandruff, boosts your immune system, alleviate pain and swelling in muscles and joints.
Tea Tree – cleansing wounds, treating fungal infections.

Aromatherapy for Home

Using essential oils at home, not only to add a fresh fragrance but also to enhance health and well-being. For example, you can use diffusers to heat essential oils and allow their molecules to be released into the air. Sandalwood has a pleasant, woody smell that instils a sense of inner peace and helps meditation. Jasmine is a subtle and evocative fragrance, which acts as a stimulant, anti-depressant, anti- spasmodic and antiseptic. Lavender has calming properties, which help the body and mind to relax and helps fight insomnia and headaches. Ylang Ylang (extracted from a star-shaped yellow flower) oil is ideal for the bedroom. Its aroma peps you up, acts as an aphrodisiac and helps reduce fatigue and stress.

Here are some tips for using essential oils at home:

• Place cotton balls with a few drops of lavender oil in drawers or closets
• Use dried rose petals and orange slices, mint, cinnamon, and clove to create your own potpourri to place in a bowl in corridors or on side tables.
• Use tea tree and lavender essential oils, which have antibacterial properties, to clean kitchen counters.
• Add few drops of lemongrass essential oil to a bucket of water to clean floors. Lemongrass oil wards off insects. Y
• Using drops of lemongrass oil in the toilet bowl can also freshen a bathroom.
• Add a few drops of lavender oil in a small spray bottle and spray it on the clothes, before ironing it for a fresh scent.
• Use peppermint essential oil in a diffuser, to ward off red ants and cockroaches.

Everyone can benefit from incorporating specific essentials oil and other natural herbs to their day.  It can be engaging, creating the opportunity for further connection by promoting a peaceful environment through sensory stimulation that matches needs and tolerance for a happy mind and body for a Happy Life!