Grapefruit essential oil and abdominal fat

As I mentioned last week there are some oils that just seem to personify this time of the year for me. Of course, some of these are my favorites so I like to use them all through the year too.

Grapefruit is the first one. So wonderfully refreshing and uplifting. I posted on Grapefruit in June 2006 and there is a mini profile on Grapefruit on my website too.

A search on Cam on PubMed brought up this abstract:

Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2007 Jun;37(4):603-12.Click here to read Links
[Effect of aromatherapy massage on abdominal fat and body image in post-menopausal women][Article in Korean] Kim HJ.
Department of Nursing, Wonkwang Health Science College, Korea. jm8711@naver.com

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of aromatherapy massage on abdominal fat and body image in post-menopausal women. METHOD: A Non-equivalent control group pre-post test Quasi-experimental design of random assignment was applied. All subjects received one hour of whole body massage as treatment by the same researcher every week for 6 weeks. Participants also massaged their own abdomen two times everyday for 5 days each week for 6 weeks. The two groups used different kinds of oil. The experimental group used 3% grapefruit oil, cypress and three other kinds of oil. The control group used grapeseed oil. Data was collected before and after the treatment using Siemens Somatom Sensation 4, a tape measure and MBSRQ. Data was analyzed by ANCOVA using the SPSS/PC+Win 12 Version. RESULT: Abdominal subcutaneous fat and waist circumference in the experimental group significantly decreased after aromatherapy massage compared to the control group. Body image in the experimental group was significantly better after aromatherapy massage than in the control group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Aromatherapy massage could be utilized as an effective intervention to reduce abdominal subcutaneous fat, waist circumference, and to improve body image in post-menopausal women.

Might be another reason to use grapefruit.

In class workshops will continue to be offered once a month throughout the year.

Upcoming Workshops

August 15: Advanced Massage Techniques - Shoulders, Arms and Legs
September 12 & 13: Reiki Master Level
September 19: Reiki Level I
October 24 & 25: Lymphatic Stimulation
November 7: Reiki Level II
November 21: Advanced Massage Techniques - Back and Neck
December 12 & 13: Aromatherapy Caddy Chemistry

Aromatherapy Courses are available to start at any time during the summer - so if you are looking for something to do this summer perhaps one of our aromatherapy courses is the way to go.

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD.

Summer

The warmer weather and the lazy days of summer have definitely affected me and I just want to put up my feet and relax.

For others, in spite of school being out, or perhaps because of it, Summer can be a busy and hectic time.

There are a lot of articles in the Articles Archive on West Coast Aromatherapy's website that could be helpful for many of you at this time. Articles such as Vacation Time with Essential Oils or Summer Blends or More Summer Blends might come in handy right now. Or perhaps Stress and Aromatherapy and Stress Buster Blends is more what you are needing right now.

What's in your blend/synergy today?

I have a wonderful citrus synergy going today - if I can't use the citrus oils on my skin at this time of year at least I can enjoy them in the diffuser and reap the benefits of their cheering, uplifting properties.

Do you have an essential oil that personifies this time of year for you? If you do why not share it with us - it would be interesting to see how many people come up with the same oil. I'll share my pick next week.

Aromatherapy Courses are available to start at any time during the summer - so if you are looking for something to do this summer perhaps one of our aromatherapy courses is the way to go.

If you don't want something as formal as a course perhaps you'll find what you are looking for in one of our E-books or our aroma massage DVD.

In class workshops will continue to be offered once a month throughout the year.

Upcoming Workshops
July 18 & 19: Seated Chair Massage
August 15: Advanced Massage Techniques - Shoulders, Arms and Legs
September 19: Reiki Level I
October 24 & 25: Lymphatic Stimulation
November 7: Reiki Level II
November 21: Advanced Massage Techniques - Back and Neck
December 12 & 13: Aromatherapy Caddy Chemistry

Eucalyptus - Eucalyptus globules

You will find a mini profile on Eucalyptus on the main website.

On a subtle level Eucalyptus is considered to be clearing and cleansing. It can be used to clear negativity and dissolve energy blocks. It can also be used to balance emotions. Spritzing or diffusing it in a room can help to clear the room. Eucalyptus has been know to inspire and promote confidence. Eucalyptus can also help to release deep grief that is held in the emotional, mental, etheric and physical bodies.

Generally considered non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing, however, when taken internally this oil is toxic

Did you know?

In 1997, E R Tovey and LG McDonald published an article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology on A simple washing procedure with eucalyptus oil for controlling house dust mites and their allergens in clothing and bedding.

Live Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (house dust mites) were used in two different experiments. Firstly, they were immersed in 0.05-0.4% eucalyptus oil in liquid detergent for periods up to 60 minutes, washed and then left to recover. Secondly, the effect of 100 ml of eucalyptus oil dispersed in 15 ml of detergent against mites in woolen blankets was investigated. The solution was added to 50 L of warm water (30⁰C) in a washing machine and the blankets left to pre-soak for 30 or 60 minutes before the washing cycle. In the first experiment, immersion in 0.2% and 0.4% eucalyptus oil killed 80% of mites. The second experiment showed that post-washing mite survival on eucalyptus-treated blankets was 0.6% as compared to 97.6% on the untreated controls. The low concentration (0.2%) of eucalyptus oil required to achieve the acaricidal effect was practical for normal household purposes and alleviated the need for hot washes (>55⁰C). The botanical source of the essential oil was not stated.
Essential Oil Research Database - Bob Harris

Certainly something to consider if one is suffering from these sorts of allergies.

Upcoming Workshops
July 18 & 19: Seated Chair Massage
August 15: Advanced Massage Techniques - Shoulders, Arms and Legs
September 19: Reiki Level I
October 24 & 25: Lymphatic Stimulation
November 7: Reiki Level II
November 21: Advanced Massage Techniques - Back and Neck
December 12 & 13: Aromatherapy Caddy Chemistry