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Cardamom Essential Oil Uses and Benefits

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Cardamom is a flowering plant in the ginger family. There are two main varieties—Amomum and Elettaria.  Cardamom oil from the Elettaria variety, which is commonly called “green” cardamom, or “true” cardamom. Native to Southeast Asia, Cardamom is added to traditional Indian sweets and teas for its cool, yet minty aroma and flavor. High quality Cardamom essential oil is steam distilled from seeds, after they dried for more than three months.

Cardamom is described as spicy, fruity, warm, and balsamic. It’s main chemical components are terpinyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, and linalool. It has profound effects on the respiratory system due to its high cineole content, which promotes clear airways and breathing. 

 What are the benefits of Cardamom Essential Oil?

These are some of the primary benefits of Cardamom Oil:

  • Eases occasional indigestion
  • Supports overall respiratory health. 
  • It is often used to promote oral health of the teeth and gums.
  • It uplifts mood
  • Flavorful spice for cooking and baking

What are Cardamom’s cautions?

There are no known toxic effects, but consuming an excessive amount of Cardamom essential oil can result in an overdose, resulting in loose bowels and irritation. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are advised not to ingest cardamom oil.

 Top Ten Uses for Cardamom Essential Oil

  1. When cooking with Cardamom essential oil, start with a very small drop—essential oils go a long way in flavoring food.
  2. To support your digestive system or reduce stomach upsets, use 1-2 drops topically, aromatically, or internally. Cardamom can be combined with a digestive essential oil blend.
  3. If you are having trouble with stomach gas, add 1 drop to water, or 1-3 drops to a veggie capsule. You could also massage it over your lower abdomen.
  4. Cardamom can help eliminate bad breath. Place a tiny amount on your tongue.
  5. For muscle discomforts, either add Cardamom oil to a massage oil for a full body massage, or apply 1-2 drops in a carrier oil over the aching area.
  6. Cardamom essential oil can be used to uplift your mood, much the same way as citrus blends can do. Try diffusing it throughout your room, or massage 1-2 drops over your chest area.
  7. Cardamom is excellent when used in bath water, and will leave you feeling refreshed and stimulated.
  8. Because it is extremely gentle, it can be used in cases where Ginger and Peppermint may be too strong for children or very sensitive individuals.
  9. Cardamom’s strong taste and rich fragrance make it one of the world’s favorite cooking spices. Use it to accentuate savory dishes or in delicious baked desserts. It can also be added to tea or coffee for a unique taste experience.

Where to  purchase Cardamom essential oil

 Home-made Cardamom Essential Oil Recipe

Try making a refreshing summer perfume using Cardamom essential oil with other companion oils. It will be a relaxing and warming blend with a lightly floral aroma. It is especially useful during times of stress, anxious feelings, irritability or feelings of sadness. You will be using the following essential oils: Lavender, Chamomile, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Geranium with a carrier oil. You can find the recipe for this Sweet Summer Perfume here. 

Cardamom and Emotions

Cardamom is the oil of objectivity, helping individuals to regain objectivity, mental sobriety, and self-control. It is especially beneficial for individuals with a long history of anger or aggression. It helps individuals let go of emotional distortions which cause them to objectify other people and see them as inconveniences. (source)

Companion Oils: Thyme, Oregano, “Digestive” blend , and Geranium

Sources

  1. https://essential-essentials.com/shop/cardamom-essential-oil/
  2. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-cardamom-essential-oil.html
  3. https://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/cardamom-essential-oil.html
  4. https://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/cardamom.htm#Uses

 So tell me?! How do you like to use Cardamom essential oil?

Cardamom Essential Oil Uses

Basil Essential Oil Uses and Benefits

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Bunch of fresh green basil in a basket on a wooden table, selective focus

I can still remember the smell in our house growing up when my mother had a big pot of homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. I could smell the sweet-yet-spicy warm, refreshing odor of the fresh Basil she used along with all the other smells that told me, “Yippee! We are eating Italian tonight!”  Basil essential oil reminds me delicious, mouth-watering Italian food. If you decide to use it topically, you will smell like Italian food too! 

Basil essential oil is extracted from the leaf of the Basil plant through steam distillation. It has a high percentage of linalool, which makes it ideal for many topical uses. It is also frequently used in cooking, and when diffused it helps to improve your breathing while sharpening your focus and lessening your stress.

What are the benefits of Basil Essential Oil?

Bunch of fresh green basil in a basket on a wooden table, selective focus

There are many, many benefits of this workhorse essential oil, including:

  1. Soothing sore muscles and joints
  2. Assisting with clear breathing
  3. Acting as a cooling agent for the skin
  4. Promoting mental alertness
  5. Lessening anxious feelings
  6. Reduces tension and stress
  7. Enhances memory function. 
  8. Promotes hair and scalp health
  9. Soothes minor irritations. 
  10. Making your kitchen smell, and your food taste, like your Italian grandma is here for a visit and cooking up her favorite Italian food.

What are Basil’s cautions?

Some people may experience skin sensitivities when using Basil. As with all essential oils, you should keep it out of reach of children. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing, and avoid getting Basil in your eyes, inner ears, or other sensitive spots.

Top Ten Uses for Basil Essential Oil

  1. To help ward off insects or bees, make a solution with 1-2 drops of Basil oil, mixed with 3-4 drops of fractionated coconut oil or other carrier oil. You can apply this to the bite several times a day.
  2. For small skin irritations, you can apply a drop of Basil oil mixed with a drop of coconut oil to protect against environmental threats.
  3. Basil oil can be used to promote ear health. Do not use Basil Oil directly in the ear, but dilute a drop with a carrier oil and rub it behind, over and around the ear.
  4. If you are feeling anxious or stressed, try diffusing Basil in your room, or apply a few drops to your pillow before you go to sleep.
  5. You can massage Basil oil into the area where you have muscle spasms.
  6. When you have any head tension that you can’t seem to get rid of, try diffusing Basil oil, or massage it into your temples, the base of your neck and over any specific area of pain.
  7. Are you having trouble with oily hair? Add a drop or two of Basil oil to your shampoo, and massage it into your scalp.
  8. If you are struggling with minor skin irritations, you can apply Basil to the area. You can add it to a carrier oil or use it neat, as long as you have already tested an area of your skin for sensitivity to Basil.
  9. When you or a family member need support for overall respiratory health, diffuse the oil throughout your room, or add 1-2 drops to a steam tent and breathe in the oil. You can also massage it into your throat and chest.
  10. Don’t forget the wonderful, healthy benefit of using Basil essential oil in your cooking, marinades or spaghetti sauces! 

Where to purchase Basil essential oil

Home-made Basil Essential Oil Recipe

One of my family’s favorite reminders of the time we spent living in Chicago is eating Italian Beef Sandwiches. I have developed a PALEO version of these delicious sandwiches, and it is hard to distinguish any difference in taste. To make the preparation even easier for our busy lifestyles, the ingredients are tossed in a Crock Pot and cooked all day. Golly, the house smells just like Chicago when the Crock Pot is filled and cooking this delicious meat. You can find this fantastic recipe on my blog in the next few days! 

Basil and Emotions

Basil has been called “The Oil of Renewal.” The smell of Basil brings strength to the heart and relaxation to the mind. It supports those who are under a great deal of mental strain. It gives hope and optimism to the tired soul. (source)

So tell me?! How do you like to use Basil Essential Oil?

Bergamot Essential Oil Uses and Benefits

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Bergamot oranges on orange background

Bergamot essential oil is made from the Bergamot Orange tree—the most fragile citrus tree with pear-shaped fruit that resembles a cross between an orange and a grapefruit. Bergamot oil is one of the most widely used oils in the potpourri and perfumery industry. As far back as Napoleonic times, people were using it as a cologne and perfume. It is one of the distinct flavors in Earl Grey and Lady Grey teas. But this oil is more than just a sweet scent of flavor—it is bursting with a powerhouse of benefits that can work wonders for your health.

Bergamot essential oil is made from the hand- or cold-pressed rind of the nearly ripe fruit of the bergamot tree. It takes 100 bergamot oranges to produce just 3 ounces of bergamot oil. The limonene and linalyl acetate chemicals in the oil gives it the ability to be uplifting and calming, and ideal to help with anxious and sad feelings.  

What are the benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil?

  1. It promotes healthy, clear skin by purifying and cleansing the skin, reducing overactive oil conditions.
  2. It reduces anxious feelings and stress. 
  3. Reduces stress and tension. 

 What are Bergamot’s cautions?

As with other oils, some people may experience skin sensitivities from using Bergamot oil. Because it is a product made from citrus, you should avoid sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours after applying the oil topically. 

 Click here to see my essential oil safety guide

Top Ten Uses for Bergamot Essential Oil

  1. Because of its unique fruity and subtly spicy aroma, it is frequently added to different perfume and cologne products.
  2. Italians make bergamot marmalade, and it can be found in many delicious desserts such as the Turkish Delight.
  3. The Bergamot plant, with roots that have a potent odor, can be grown as a companion crop in vegetable gardens.
  4. It can be used as a refreshing bathroom spray that can be used before you “take care of business.” You can find a recipe for making your own spray here. 
  5. Bergamot oil is a fantastic oil to diffuse in a classroom, at work, or at home to lower stress and relieve tension.
  6. It will provide you with purifying skin benefits if you apply it to your skin while showering, inhaling the calming aroma deeply as you shower.
  7. You can apply it to your feet before bedtime, or add it to fractionated coconut oil to create a great massage lotion.
  8. If you are struggling with occasional stomach upset, massage 1-2 drops of Bergamot oil into the stomach as needed or before each meal.
  9. Bergamot helps with occasional sleeplessness. Try diffusing Bergamot one hour before bedtime, or make a “Sleepytime lotion” by adding several drops to fractionated coconut oil, which you can apply topically.
  10. Bergamot oil contains large amounts of polyphenols, which can produce relaxed, calm feelings, and combat emotional overeating or “comfort eating.” Try adding several drops of Bergamot oil to your regular tea for a homemade Earl Gray tea that can help you in your weight loss efforts.

 Where to purchase Bergamot Essential Oil

Home-made Bergamot Essential Oil Recipe

Bergamot has wonderful skin-cleansing and refreshing qualities. You can make a homemade Bergamot Face Mask to be used a couple times a week to help with oily and acne-infected facial skin. You can find the recipe here. *Do not use this during the summer months*

 Bergamot and Emotions

Bergamot relieves feelings of despair, self-judgment and low self-esteem. It invites individuals to see life with more optimism. Bergamot teaches individuals to let go of self-judgment by learning to love themselves unconditionally (source).

Companion Oils: Cassia and Melissa

Sources

  1. https://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/bergamot-oil.html
  2. https://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/bergamot-oil.aspx#_edn9
  3. https://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/bergamot.htm
  4. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-bergamot-essential-oil.html

Kids and Essential Oils

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Now that many of you have become avid users of essential oils, I’m sure that one of the questions you’ve had–as did I–is centered on how and if to use essential oils with your children. The truth is, essential oils are such a wonderful gift and so beneficial to all of us — including our kids! 

I am regularly using essential oils with my children…and they love them! Their nightly ritual includes a relaxing bath, followed by rubbing essential oils on their feet before bed. Some of their favorites are Lavender, a calming blend, and Frankincense.

ari frankie oilsThere are many other beneficial uses that I and others have found for essential oils with children.  Essential oils have been in use for thousands of years, and I want to share with you some ways you can use the natural power of plants and essential oils to assure that you are helping your children to reach optimal health and well-being. 

What essential oils can be used on children?

Therapeutic grade essential oils that have been certified pure are considered safe and effective for babies and children. When applying to young infants you will need to dilute the oils because of the sensitive nature of a babies neo-skin. A good ratio to start with is 1-2 drops of oil with 2 TBSP of fractionated coconut oil, just a few drops of that diluted mixture will be enough.

Children—especially infants and babies—react more strongly to things than adults do, so more caution is needed when using any type of medicine.  Remember these simple rules:

  • Introduce one essential oil at a time.
  • Watch for allergic reactions.
  • Do not use oils on babies less than 3 months old.
  • Essential oils should not be used internally on children.

Choose some of the gentler oils like:

  • Lavender
  • Frankincense
  • Melaleuca
  • Ginger
  • Lemon
  • Orange
  • Sandalwood
  • Roman Chamomile
  • Ylang Ylang
  •  “Digestive” Blend

You can get therapeutic grade essential oils at a discount from here.

The younger the child, the less essential oils you should use in proportion to the carrier oil. Here are some general guidelines:

  1. 3-6 months—1 drop essential oil to 4 tsp. carrier oil
  2. 6 months to 2 years—1 drop essential oil to 2 tsp. carrier oil
  3. 2-6 years—2 drops essential oil to 1 tsp. carrier oil
  4. 6 years plus—3 drops per tsp. on carrier oil

There are several oils you should avoid with children. Be sure to carefully research all aspects of choosing oils for children before you start. Two good resources are here and here. 

 When and why should I use essential oils for my children?

There are many possible times when your child may be feeling under the weather and with the application of an essential oil could experience real improvement in his or her health. Some of these possible uses and a suitable oil to apply include:

Babies

  • Melaleuca
  • Lemon
  • Lavender
  • Roman Chamomile
  • Geranium
  • Wild Orange

Children

  • Thyme
  • Lemon
  • Rosemary
  • Ginger
  • Lavender
  • Melaleuca
  • Peppermint
  • Cypress

You can get therapeutic-grade essential oils from here. 

How do I apply essential oils to my children?

The two safest ways to apply essential oils that are safe for children are by smelling them, or applying them to the skin diluted with a carrier oil. In recent years it has also become popular to mix essential oils to play dough, so you child gets the effect of the oil while playing with the dough. An excellent way to infuse essential oils to your children is through the use of a diffuser. In the photo to the right you can see my children enjoying the essential oils that I have put in the diffuser for them.

I have found it very helpful to give my kids a detox bath a few times a week before I roll their nighttime essential oils on their skin. You can read about how I do this by clicking here.

I have also developed a recipe for DIY Remineralizing Tooth Powder for Kids, which includes Peppermint and a Protective blend of essential oils.

There are many protocols for how to apply oils and where to apply them, and you should carefully research this information before you begin. The two resources I mentioned above would be a good place to start. 

A key part of using essential oils is to associate their smell with positive emotional situations so they will help to put your child is a positive state of mind when they are worried, annoyed, or not feeling well. Use essential oils when you play with your children so you can use those oils when they are troubled, and it should help to bring them back to a happier mood.

Before long you will discover that your children are able—and want—to take on some of the responsibility for using essential oils themselves. Below you will see a picture of my 3-year old son rolling oil on his big sister’s neck! 

frankie oils ari
Barefoot Boy rolls some essential oil on his big sister.

 What are the benefits of using essential oils with my children?

There are many benefits to using essential oils with your children. The plants from which the oils are made boost the body’s natural immune system. 

The aroma of essential oils can help to clear airways in kids who are suffering from respiratory ailments or times of seasonal distress. Essential oils that have been blended into a salve or rub can serve as remedies for when little ones are under the weather.

The fact that you know exactly what ingredients you are using to deal with your children’s needs is another powerful benefit. By diffusing an essential oil into your children’s bedroom or playroom you are providing an automatic calming effect where you are using an oil you have used with your child during a happy, positive moment.

There is another important benefit I have found from introducing my children to essential oils while they are young. My 6- year-old has become a valuable helper to me in my essential oil business. She has stuffed hundreds of goodie bags for me, labeled sample oils, introduced the winners in giveaway contests, and sealed many envelopes. I love knowing that she is learning a valuable work ethic at such a young age! 

Using essential oils on your children must be considered responsibly and with much research before you begin. But if you do the research, you will discover the wonderful benefits that can be yours as your use natural, healthy essential oils to respond to the physical and emotional needs your children may express.

How to Get Started Using Essential Oils:

  • If you are wanting to get started using essential oils on your children, then feel free to CLICK HERE to see my FAQ page on how to get started! 

Kids and Essential Oils 1 

5 Ways to Use Comfrey

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If you’re following me on Instagram you might have seen a few posts on our new 10-acre “forever farm” that we will be moving into shortly. I am truly blessed with all the healthy garden plants and trees already planted there. One of my greatest thrills is the Comfrey patch just waiting for me to use. Of course, I have been researching all the ways to use this extremely beneficial plant, and I’m excited to share with you here the 5 ways to use comfrey that I’ve discovered and will implement on our new homestead. 

5 Ways to Use Comfrey:

1. Comfrey for preparing the soil of my garden 

It will become my secret weapon to improve my veggie garden soil, to mulch around my plants, and to prevent disease from keeping me from a bountiful harvest of veggies later in the fall. I’ll be using fresh comfrey leaves as fertilizer in my planting holes. I’ll also learn to make comfrey “tea” to add to the water that waters my garden. (Add fresh comfrey leaves to a half barrel of water, cover, and steep for 3-6 weeks.) And by adding a few drops of liquid soap to my “tea,” I’ll be able to spray and coat the tops and bottoms of my plants to keep away the garden pests.

2. Comfrey will be a major part of our compost station.

Comfrey has a higher NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) ratio than either kelp or the average homemade compost pile. It is rich in calcium and many other valuable plant nutrients. It is known to be a compost activator to “heat things up quickly.” Comfrey makes a wonderful mulch, naturally high in nitrogen so it doesn’t pull nitrogen from the soil. It’s high potassium content makes it so beneficial for flowers, vegetables, berries and fruit trees. I’ll be adding 2-3 inches of leaves around my plants. These leaves will slowly break down and release the wonderful nutrients. Comfrey should not be used for root crops or leafy greens because they may cause these plants to go to seed prematurely.

3. Comfrey as a liquid fertilizer

This may be the best use I’ll find. I’ve been told that now that I have comfrey I can throw away the Miracle Grow and other fertilizers. Chopped leaves and stems can be crammed tight into a large container (like 5 gallon buckets) with a brick or rock pressing down on the mass of comfrey. After a few weeks I’ll have a greenish-brownish “soup” mixture ready for use. After straining it through a fine screen, I can add a spigot to the bottom of the container and just keep adding more comfrey to the top to break down also.

4. Comfrey for our livestock

Comfrey has been traditionally used as livestock food. Dry comfrey contains protein and an assortment of healthy minerals. Because it is lower in fiber, it is a good feed for pigs and chickens who have trouble digesting fiber. It has also proven to be an excellent feed for horses, cows, donkeys, sheep, and goats. However, I’ll have to cut the comfrey leaves and wilt them for a day or so to get our chickens to eat them…they would not like the prickly hairs on the leaves. Research indicates I will be able to replace up to 10 percent of the chicken feed without lowering egg production.

5. Comfrey as a healing salve

Comfrey has been in use as a medicinal herb for more than 200 years. The allantoin content of comfrey aids in healing wounds, sores, burns, swollen tissue, and broken bones. It can be applied externally to bruises, sprains, arthritic bones of any inflamed tissue, and acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. I will be able to make a poultice by boiling the leaves, or by putting the roots in a blender or food processor, covering with oil, and grinding as fine as possible. It should be stored in a large glass jar and allowed to soak for several weeks before straining. However, comfrey should never be taken internally. I will follow up with an entire blog on how to make comfrey salve in a coming blog, but in the meantime, you can check out my Healing Salve recipe and replace the calendula with comfrey. 

The comfrey in my new garden is planted with a blueberry patch. You can see from the photo to the right that my kids have already determined they will spend time eating the healthy, large blueberries that have grown up under the protection of the secret power of Comfrey.

Comfrey is a fast growing, hardy plant, and I should get 4-5 pounds of leaves from each plant a year. I’ll remove the flowers from most of the plants because they take a lot of the plant’s energy to create the seeds. However, since I plan to have 5 or more beehives, I’ll leave a few plants with flowers for the bees that love them. Besides, the flowers are beautiful!

Getting Started in Comfrey: 

  1. Find a local gardener (Craigslist is a great place to look) who is selling comfrey plants. 
  2. Plant your own seeds (I like these non-gmo ones) 
  3. Order dried comfrey (I like this one) 

Resources

  1. https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/comfrey-power
  2. https://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Feeding_comfrey_to_livestock/
  3. https://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2013/08/11/comfrey-the-homesteaders-gold-mine/
  4. https://www.nantahala-farm.com/comfrey-growing-s.shtml

DIY Herbal Mouthwash

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So, many of you might know if you follow me on Instagram, but a few months ago I started the Invisalign braces. I LOVE the changes I am seeing in my teeth and would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat, but having the braces on my teeth 22 hours a day can make my mouth stale and dry. I am a minimalist and before braces I would just drop a little bit of peppermint essential oil on my tongue and swish around! However, with the new Invisalign braces, I needed something that would swish really good and freshen my breath…which is why I created this DIY Herbal Mouthwash. 

I had some dried peppermint laying around so I infused the water with it and added in some cinnamon and vitamin C powder to act as a preservative. I’m now, sort of, addicted to this mouthwash and I know you will be too!

Note: You can leave the dried peppermint out and just add an extra 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. Also, be sure to use THERAPEUTIC grade essential oil since you will be swishing it around in your mouth. Here’s where I get mine. 

DIY Herbal Mouthwash

Click here to see where I buy therapeutic grade essential oils at a discount! 

How to Make: 

  1. Place the water in a small pot and bring to a simmer. 
  2. Add the peppermint leaves, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 
  3. Use a cheesecloth and strain out the herbs. Cool. 
  4. Add the essential oils and vitamin C powder to the mixture. 
  5. Store in a glass jar and shake before each use. 

DIY Herbal Mouthwash The Paleo Mama