You may have done all you could to avoid the onset of a migraine headache. You exercise daily, perform Yoga exercises and practice your relaxation techniques.

When you realized that there was a good chance you were beginning to feel the onset of the migraine, you took a hot bath with lavender bath salts and even enlisted the help of your massage chair to help you relax your clenching muscles.

Unfortunately you were unsuccessful and you are now suffering from severe migraine pains that abate only slightly even with the use of medication.

Dealing with migraine pain is difficult and because of the prolonged duration of migraines, it is a hard battle to fight that takes a lot out of your body.

Nonetheless, there are some tips and tricks you can follow to make it through the worst of the migraine attack.

* Darken your room and eliminate noise sources. If at all possible, call a babysitter to take care of the kids if your spouse is not able to come home on time.  Read more...

Have you heard of wintergreen oil therapy? You might have thought of it as something that is added to gum or mouth wash in an attempt to give it bite, but there is a lot more to this essential oil than meets the eye.

Practitioners of alternative medicine consider it a staple, especially if they work with massage and also aromatherapy. You may not find it easily in your supermarket, and as far as alleged cures are concerned, wintergreen oil is still somewhat of a second cousin to other herbs and essential oils that have meanwhile found their ways into soaps, bath salts, and other personal hygiene products.

Practitioners of alternative medicine have discovered that wintergreen and pain relief go hand in hand. Since wintergreen does not have any of the side effects you can read about on the bottles of chemically derived pain meds, it is a perfect means of living a homeopathic lifestyle. Patients of alternative healers usually appreciate this approach and open to the suggestions that when combined with other essential oils – most commonly eucalyptus – the pain relief could indeed be quick and long lasting.  Read more...

After an exhausting day on your feet, a hectic weekend of shopping or a weekend warrior workout now saying makes you feel better or relieve stress and pain than a relaxing foot massage in the privacy and comfort of your own home.

Knowing how to do a foot massage can come in handy in a number of ways. It can be an all natural stress reliever that you can give as a gift to yourself or to a loved one. A relaxing foot massage can also help you sleep better, feel rejuvenated and be ready for another hectic day.

The fluid has 12 different muscles that are designed to support the weight of the body and provide a movable platform on almost any surface. Your foot is designed to carry the full weight of your body whether you are walking on in the solid ground, or rocks or a tightrope. Having a foot massage can help you to relax, improve blood flow to the feeds and relieve any tight or cramping muscles after a full day on your feet.  Read more...

Once upon a time, a home spa was considered a luxury, an indulgence for the rich and famous. That is no longer the case. A home spa can now be considered, along with natural supplements, good nutrition and exercise, an important strategy for maintaining good health, reducing stress and living a long and healthy life. How could a home spa contribute to your good health?

In a Newsweek article entitled �The Good Heart�, Anne Underwood writes that �mounting evidence suggests that your psychological outlook is just as important� to maintaining cardiovascular health as is diet and exercise (October 17, 2005, p 35). Deepak Chopra has long taught about the mind/body connection and that �if the forces inside us are kept in harmony and balance with the surrounding environment, we can be immune to illness�. He writes that �In Ayurveda we rely on the basic principle that any disorder can be prevented as long as balance is maintained not just in the body, but in the mind and spirit as well� (Perfect Health: The Complete Mind Body Guide, p 17).  Read more...

Here is another variation on bath salts.

* 1 cup Buttermilk Powder
* 1 cup Sea Salt
* Add up to 24 drops of essential oils.

Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath. This makes enough for 4 baths.

This Daily Aromatherapy Tip is brought to you by AromaThyme

If headaches are a regular problem, there are methods of preventing them.  Patients have reported success in natural, homeopathic products, relaxation techniques, and aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy may sound a little “out there” but think of how our brain works with the sense of smell.  It is logical to believe if a smell can trigger a headache, it may also be effective in preventing them.  T

here are certain aromas that are effective for calming nerves and reducing tension.  Soft scents of vanilla and lavender are soothing to the brain.  They are found in many bath products for soothing and calming tension and stress.

Peppermint oil shows promised with positive results in preventing headaches.  Vicks on the forehead was a tried-and-true method of treating severe headaches for many patients in previous years. 

Acupuncture is experiencing a surge in popularity to control various physical pains, including headaches.  Test results prove it is a legitimate therapy for treating headache pain.  Dental pain, nausea and headaches respond favorably to acupuncture treatment.  More research and medical studies are needed to prove this is the perfect treatment for headache pain.   Read more...

* 2-3 cups epsom salts (or salts of your choice)
* 1/3 cup peppermint
* 1/3 cup spearmint
* 40 drops peppermint eo
* 20 drops eucalyptus eo

I ground the mints in my mortar and pestle, then sifted them through a mesh kitchen strainer, and added them to the salts. Actually, I didn’t really measure the amount, it was just a good handful of each. This seems to work pretty well for my DH, and if you still need to clear out your sinuses, get a half cup of pepper/spearmint, put it in a bowl, and toss in a cup or so hot water. Let it sit covered for a bit and then carefully start breathing the steam. (I found out how potent this was when I was making peppermint ‘tea’ for a m&p!!  Read more...