It’s no secret that human touch is powerful. Babies need touch in order to live, and touch is reassuring, energizing, and—many believe—healing. Michele Herling, a licensed massage therapist (LMT) for twenty-three years, is still amazed by the power of touch. During a recent trip to Bosnia, Herling was able to bring smiles to the faces of children being terrorized by war. She regards human touch as a “seed of humanity.” Through her private practice, Compassionate Touch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Herling focuses primarily on affecting the lives of people and children through the experience of “conscious, safe touch.”

“As a society we have a fear of hostile and sexual touch, so we have decided not to touch at all. By teaching gentle, safe touch, we can reconnect as human beings,” she says.

Psychologically, massage relaxes the mind along with the body. This mind-body connection can be further strengthened by the addition of herbal remedies. Many massage therapists use oils scented with plant essences. Others use herbs in traditionally medicinal ways, including teas, infused oils, and plasters. Ettia, a LMT and registered nurse with training in Asian medicine, feels that the various disciplines of massage need to be used in conjunction with internal and topically applied herbal remedies to suit the needs of each individual.

I have always loved lemon.  Every time I cut into a fresh lemon, I stop and well…smell the lemon.  To me it smells like sunshine.  I have heard that our strongest memory sense is the sense of smell.  Maybe it’s the thought of summertime and lemonade that evokes this strong sense of everything being right with the world whenever I smell lemon.  Or perhaps I’m experiencing the healing properties of lemon as described by Sayer Ji on his great health and wellness site,

Lately I’ve been experimenting with my essential oils kit from Young Living and had been passing over the Lemon oil for the more fascinating ones like Peace & Calming, Joy, Stress Away and of course the Thieves oil.  There sitting in my box was my mostly unused Lemon Oil and then I read the article about the super hero strength of lemon.

Most of us have experienced the dreaded feeling of a hangover. As the distinctive headache, nausea, and muscle aches set in, you can see clearly that you have not treated your body kindly with your overindulgence. Now it is time to apologize to your body by providing it with what it needs to heal and get you back in tip top shape as soon as possible.

Excessive drinking effects the body in a number of negative ways leading to what is experienced as a hangover. Perhaps the most well known effect on the body is dehydration. It also increases the acidity in the digestive system, causes the loss of potassium and vitamins, makes the liver work very hard, adds toxins to the body, and affects the nervous system. Many herbs and spices can help relieve the symptoms of a hangover by addressing these underlying causes of your suffering.

Cumin is a common spice that most of us already have in our cupboards, and if not, it can be purchased at just about any grocery store. This spice is useful as a hangover cure because it is soothing for the digestive system. It even helps with flatulence, which can come after a night of drinking, especially if beer is your drink of choice.

Roman chamomile is a perennial herb plant that grows close to the ground, with a hairy stem, feathery gray-green leaves, and flowers that appear like miniature daisies, with yellow centers surrounded by white petals. The fragrant, apple-like scented flowers are used to produce the essential oil.Roman chamomile oil is described to have a warm, sweet, herbaceous but slightly fruity scent. It can be grayish or a clear light blue color with a watery viscosity.

Uses of Roman Chamomile Oil

To the Egyptians, Roman chamomile was an herb that’s closely dedicated to the sun and moon, and is believed to cure fevers with its cooling ability. It is also said to help sooth nervous complaints. Both the plant and its essential oil were mixed or added to ancient shampoos, cosmetics, and perfumes.

Roman chamomile plant has also been used to treat vomiting, nausea, gas, and heartburn. It can also help relieve anxiety.

Today, Roman chamomile oil is known for its ability to soothe skin problems and is often added to body care products. It is also beneficial in relieving muscle discomfort after exercise, making it a beneficial addition to massage oils.