History and Use The origins of the sauna have been lost in the mists of time (so to speak), but it is safe to say its history goes back at least 1000 years. We know that the nomadic peoples of Finland had a primitive type of sauna that was made by building a fire inside a tentlike structure. When the heat had improved up and the fire had absent out, the people would enter the sauna to bathe. This was precise similar to the American Indian sweat lodge. This type of sauna evolved into a smoke sauna -- a small building with a stone fireplace inside. There was a small hole in the roof where the smoke could escape but the fire had to die falling before the building could be entered. This type of sauna was commonly used up until the 1920s when it started to be replaced by modern saunas as we know them today. The smoke sauna, however, has enjoyed a new revival in Finland. Many people consider them to be the finest type of sauna.

Lisa Taylor Barger You've seen those inexplicable little brown bottles in the health food store. But do you really know what "essential oils" are? Have you seen outrageous claims about lavender instantly curing wounds and found yourself rational "Whoa!"? Let's take a look at one of the biggest fads to hit northwesterly America in years and try to separate some of the fact from the fiction. AROMATHERAPY--WHAT IS IT? Though the use of aromatic plant materials dates rearmost millennia, aromatherapy is a relatively spic-and-span idea. In fact, the term "aromatherapy" wasn't equal coined until the 1920s. Though you'll find people who claim aromatherapy can cure everything from AIDS to dandruff let's archetypical look at aromatherapy in its purest form--the use of fragrant plant materials to alter mood, create an atmosphere, and personalize a room. Ask an aromatherapy aficionado and he'll tell you that "true" aromatherapy uses only pure, earthy plant materials. But the truth is, mood can be influenced by any scent--natural or not. Ask any realtor active the use of scents and he might just suggest baking a batch of cinnamon rolls or an apple pie while showing your home to prospective buyers. An old wives tale? whatsoever people think so but others swear by it. IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK . . .  Let's face it--there are folks down there hawking aromatherapy as a cure for cancer, a treatment for depression, and even as an aphrodisiac. But good technological studies on aromatherapy are rare. Even among earthy health experts aromatherapy isn't taken complete that seriously. At best it's a complimentary therapy.   And while we're on the subject of quackery, let's also clarify another usual misconception. There is currently no standardized certification aromatherapy program in the US. When you hire an aroma expert you've no way to be sure the person knows what he or she is doing.    OK. IT'S NOT A MIRACLE CURE. SO . . . WHAT'S IT GOOD FOR? Aromatherapy may not cure terminal illness or heal burns in the blink of an eye but it's a extraordinary way to bring natural scents into your home. Essential oils don't have the sickeningly sweet scent of artificial air fresheners or the solvent scent of room sprays. Whether you use them to freshen potpourri, diffuse them into the air, or use them to scent your linens, essential oils are a quick, simple way to inject a bit of your own personality into your private space. Let's look at some of the most popular uses of some of the more usual oils: The medicinal scent of Eucalyptus or Tea Tree will make your bathroom or kitchen feel cleaner, instantly. Rose in the bathroom, however, harkens back to proper times, when chromatic was the scent of choice in perfumes, face creams, and soaps. Lavender is the classic "linen closet" scent. Try lightly spraying your sheets and pillowcases about fractional an hour before you retire in the evening.   Citrus oils like Orange or Lemon make a room feel joyful and alive while warm, woody oils like Patchouli or Sandalwood impart a mysterious, ill-natured feeling.  In your bedroom, the deep, foreign scent of Ylang-Ylang urgently whispers "This is a loving space".  About The Author

Kaye Bewley SACRED OIL … Tahiti is home to a traditional ingredient that is retributory now working its way across the world. Since the early 1920s, Tamanu Oil has been studied in hospitals and by researchers worldwide, with impressive results. Islanders and local natural healers say that Tamanu Oil has a unique ability to heal tissue, thereby speed up coiled healing and the growth of well-preserved skin. In Pacific island folk medicine, Tamanu Oil is applied liberally to all manner of skin problems (cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and stings, abrasions, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, diabetic sores, anal fissures, sunburn, dry or rough skin, blisters, eczema, herpes sores, athletes foot, as healed as foot and body odour). The Tahitians also massage Tamanu Oil into the skin as they believe it helps to relieve neuralgia, rheumatism and sciatica. Polynesian women use it for helping to broad blemished skin and use it for their babies curly rash and skin eruptions. 'The Tamanu Tree of a thousand virtues' grows to 25 or even 30 metres in height, with long, spreading limbs. Its trunk is typically creamy with dark, insane bark and its strong timber was once highly sought after by Polynesian boat builders as material for canoe hulls and boat keels. The branches are crustlike with shiny, stygian green oval leaves, and small light-colored flowers with chromatic centres. Its blossoms give disconnected a delightful, syrupy perfume and the fruit of the tree, about the size of an apricot, has a thin flesh and a large nut kernel inside. Tamanu nut is a botanical oddity. When the fruits of the tree are collected and insane open, the redheaded nut kernel inner contains no obvious oil. But when the kernels are sun-dried on a rack for 1 - 2 months, they turn a deep chocolate chromatic colour, and become sticky with a rich, pleasant-smelling oil. Using a simple screw press, the oil is squeezed from the dark kernels and the resulting oil is dark chromatic and luxurious. Though the oil is thick and rich, once it is applied to the skin it is readily and completely absorbed, leaving no oily residue. In 1918, researchers associated with the French pharmacopoeia began research into Tamanu Oil for local and subcutaneous use. The French researchers quickly became affected by Tamanu's healthful abilities and in the French medical literature on Tamanu Oil, several instances of its boffo use in cases of severe skin conditions have been reported. In one remarkable instance, a woman was admitted to the St. Louis Hospital in Paris with a large unhealthy ulcer on her leg that would not heal. Though doctors were doomed that amputation was inevitable, she was given regular dressings of Tamanu Oil. The wound well completely, leaving a smooth, flat scar. In opposite cases, Tamanu Oil has been busy successfully to heal scalds. Oil of Tamanu is fit for general skin and cosmetic purposes. The oil's eery absorption, its moderate and pleasant aroma, and its indulgent feel make it ideal for use in lotions, creams, ointments and opposite cosmetic products. Considering that Tamanu is a potent healthful agent with tested benefits, it is only a matter of time before Tamanu breaks finished to more general use, and assumes a position among other successful local and cosmetic ingredients. To use, apply liberally onto the skin as required. THE SCIENCE Research shows that Oil of Tamanu contains three basal classes of lipids; neutrallipids, glycolipids and phospholipids. It also has a unusual fatty acid and a novel antibiotic lactone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent titled calophyllolide. These and other components of tamanu oil, including anti-inflammatory coumarins, account for some of the oil's advantageous activity. Based on the celebrated activity of celebrated constituents, it is clear that oil of Tamanu possesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. The unusual cicatrising properties of Tamanu Oil are not yet explained in existing technological literature, though this activity is settled and accepted. The same is genuine for Tamanu's anti-neuralgic properties. Tamanu Oil is well certified for its relief of neuritis, but the constituents obligated and their modes of activity are not yet known. Kaye Bewley www.BESTherapies3.com You have permission to use this article in some publication, as daylong as you keep the links and names intact. About The Author