November 13, 2023
“Autumn skies and apple pies." Fall is apple picking season, and after you've filled up your basket with the best in the orchard, the only logical thing to do next is to make apple pie.
Apple Pie Slushy
The sweet, fruity in-between of refreshing summer sippin’ and autumn vibes, this slushy recipe boasts an irresistible apple pie flavor enhanced with Cinnamon Bark Vitality™ and Nutmeg Vitality™ essential oils.
November 8, 2023
Entrapment of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel causes the most common type of entrapment neuropathy known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Compression of the median nerve results in tingling and weakness in the hand and arm. The disease has posed a considerable burden worldwide and still remains a problem in healthcare systems. Among available conservative and surgical treatment options, non-surgical treatments such as splinting and steroid therapy are usually used for management of mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. However, their long term effectiveness is under question besides possible complications.
In recent years, complementary and alternative medicine has become more popular all around the world. A more recent academically introduced brand of complementary and alternative medicine, Traditional Persian Medicine, has some suggestions including herbal remedies for neuropathic pains such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
October 13, 2020
Ageing is a physiological period of life in which various changes take place, meaning that the elderly individuals must be given special consideration as a group with regard to health care. Negative changes occur in health status and systems with advancing age. Elderly individuals face many complex health problems and negatively affect their quality of life. Constipation is one of the common problems in the elderly individuals.It is estimated that 40% of individuals aged 65 and older experience constipation, which increases to 74% if they live in a nursing home. Left untreated, constipation can cause fecal incontinence, anal fissures, bowel perforation, gas, and bloating. The main non-pharmacological methods commonly used in the treatment of constipation are lifestyle changes, including increasing physical activity, fluid consumption, and fiber consumption. In addition, biofeedback, acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, abdominal and aromatherapy massage are other preferred methods for constipation management.
October 2, 2023
Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a group of chronic, metabolic diseases, with the main feature of chronic hyperglycemia caused by defects in insulin secretion, insulin efficacy, or, most often, both. According to International Diabetes Federation, DM, as the largest global epidemic of the twenty-first century, affects more than 420 million individuals with constantly increasing prevalence. DM is associated with a high risk of developing serious micro- and macrovascular complications. One of the most serious complications is impaired wound healing, which often leads to the development of chronic wounds and amputations. Wound healing is delayed due to disturbance in each phase of wound healing, i.e., the hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases. The altered inflammatory response, decreased collagen content, and oxidative stress also significantly contribute to poor wound healing in patients with DM. Diabetes foot ulcers and a high risk of amputation and mortality can impact patients’ quality of life, life roles, and body image, as well as the financial burden placed on patients and their families. Therefore, proper wound management is crucial for reducing morbidity and improving quality of life. Nowadays, there are many synthetic drugs used for wound treatment; however, their application is associated with the occurrence of allergies, irritations, and other skin complications. Therefore, herbal products have been in the focus of scientific research in recent years due to their great potential efficacy and better safety profile. As proper wound management is crucial to reducing morbidity and improving quality of life, this study evaluated for the first time the wound healing potential of Helichrysum essential oil prepared in the form of ointment and gel.
September 24, 2023
Fifty percent of the world’s population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which can trigger many gastrointestinal disorders. Although most of the infected people never experience symptoms of disease, there is a risk that some of them may develop a peptic ulcer (approximately 10 to 20% of infected subjects), one quarter (approximately 4.25%) may have serious ulcer complications, while 1 to 2% may progress to gastric cancer. Therefore, the efficient eradication of H. pylori from gastric mucosa is a necessity. Standard treatment is "triple therapy", which consists of two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor. Even this therapy is not highly effective because H. pylori has developed significant resistance to antibiotics and it can cause adverse side effects. It was assumed that an essential oil mixture, obtained from species from genera Satureja L.(savory), Origanum L.(oregano) and Thymus L.( thyme) and called the HerbELICO® essential oil mixture, could be useful in H. pylori infection treatment.
September 22, 2023
Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae), known by the common name black pepper, is one of the most common spices in daily use around the world. The aroma and irritation effects of black pepper mainly derive from piperine and the essential oil obtained from its berries. Black pepper essential oil is useful for the treatment of rheumatism, muscular pain, and infections and has demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial properti. In addition, black pepper essential oil has anti-inflammatory effects in models of acute and chronic inflammation.
September 11, 2023
Fatigue is a term used to describe an overall lack of energy or feeling of tiredness. Many people today reach for energy drinks or shots loaded with caffeine to avoid fatigue. However, this may make things worse in the long run and actually contribute to your fatigue. Genetics aside, consumption of caffeine triggers the release of cortisol. High caffeine levels can negatively affect cortisol and energy levels. Too much caffeine can even overwork your adrenals (to produce cortisol excessively) and make them work less efficiently. A more natural solution for fatigue may be peppermint essential oil.
Neurological disorders are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. These disorders affect hundreds of millions of people all over the world. Globally, there are 47.5 million people with dementia. Dementia is the major cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in 7.7 million new cases who develop the disease every year. The prevalence of migraine is more than 10% worldwide. Patients with neurological problems may experience depression or anxiety. Herbal medicine has long been used to cure these diseases. One of these plants is lavender, which is composed of various compounds, including terpenes, such as linalool, limonene, triterpenes, linalyl acetate, alcohols, ketones, polyphenols, coumarins, cineole, and flavonoids.
Essential oils are abundant and volatile compounds obtained from plant parts, like leaves, seeds, and flowers through different methods, such as distillation. The flowers of this plant are used in decoration in ceremonies and its oil is also used in the cosmetics and perfume industry. This plant, especially as an essential oil, has various applications in medicine to treat psychological diseases, such as calming the nervous system, particularly in cases with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Its positive effects on the nervous system are related to the impact of its volatile compounds on the hippocampus and amygdala.
Aromatherapy using its oil, especially in anxiety and sleep disorders, has been found with very promising results. Lavender has been employed using various methods in different studies, including inhalation, massage therapy, combined massage therapy with aromatherapy, and oral administration. It has also been used for the treatment of bloating and for wound healing (as an antibacterial and antifungal agent) and the treatment of insect bites. Lavender has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic effects, as well.
September 7, 2023
Depression characterized by mood disorder, sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, difficult to concentrate, loss of appetite, interest, and have suicidal thoughts. Depression can be experienced by any age and gender. Depression often not considered and people believe that it will recover by itself, but if this condition is not treated immediately, it will gradually affect the quality of life. Therefore, depression should be treated immediately. Solutions to overcome depression include drug therapy and nondrug therapy. Depression drug therapy is very likely to cause considerable side effects such as sedation, nausea, and insomnia. Various efforts to avoid these side effects can be done with other alternatives in the form of non-drug therapies such as aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is expected not to cause severe side effects and have benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and antianxiety. Aromatherapy is the treatment with the essential oils obtained from various parts of plants, flowers, and trees.