NEW YEAR’S NEWSLETTER from Nature’s Gift

Happy New Year from all of us at Nature’s Gift. 2012 was a hard year for so many; our prayer is that this new year will give new beginnings and new gifts for us all.

We have a long list of new products and special sales on our New and Special page, and some hints, tips, feedback and formulas in this newsletter. So pour yourself a cuppa, sit back and enjoy.

This Newsletter contains:

  • New Oils: Myrrh and Ginger CO2 extracts, Lemon IronBark (Eucalyptus Staigeriana) from Australia, Organic Lemon Thyme from the US, and rare Rhododendron from the mountains of Nepal.
  • New Lotion – Winter Rescue Lotion for winter damaged skin. A true unisex product. And a new 10% dilution – Our difficult to work with Calendula Total, in organic Jojoba.
  • Back in Stock: Benzoin, Lemon Verbena and Yarrow.
  • Found in Inventory: various oddities – more Mystery Rose, Rose and Sandalwood dilutions, our traditional Helichrysum blended with Rose Hip CO2, a blend of two Bergamot oils. (How do these things happen?)
  • A “Winter Wellness Sale” – FluFoil and some of our favorite antivirals: Ravensara, Ravintsara, Melissa, Sage, Cinnamon Leaf and Teatree.
  • Overstocks: Bulk prices slashed on Organic Bergamot, Bergamot FCF, Elemi, Sage, and Sandalwood Vanuatu.
  • A new Charity of the Quarter: KIVA, microloans to individuals and entrepeneurs all round the globe to help them achieve financial independence. Please help us support them.
  • News and Notes
  • Blends and Formulas from our staff and our friends
  • Blog and Facebook updates
  • Quote of the month.

News and Notes

Marge was recently asked to share our experiences in using Ravensara and Calophyllum inophyllum with The International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy, I had hoped to have the article scanned into a PDF and posted online before this newsletter went out, but it hasn’t happened. At any rate, if you scan our online search engine for the word “Shingles” you will see a LOT of information. And when I link to the article it will be shared on Facebook.

And Angela Strand, a delightful young mother/blogger, gave some nice comments to some of our products designed for pregnancy and babies.

On February 14th Marge is going to participate #HandmadeChat, a Twitter talk show hosted by the Indie Business Network, to help handmade entrepreneurs sell more products, have more fun, and be more successful both personally and professionally. While the show is aimed mainly at business owners who make and sell handmade consumer products, the topics and discussions can empower and encourage the growth of any small business. (Since I really don’t DO twitter I’m a bit intimidated!)

Blends to Share

Christi was recently out for a few days with some sort of wintery virus. Perhaps a very light touch of the flu, perhaps some other sort of virus “thing” that laid her low. If it WAS the Flu, she bounced back really quickly. When she knew she was coming down with something she mixed up the following blend. She diffused it, applied it topically, bathed in it, surrounded herself with it. She felt truly wretched for two or three days, but recuperated quickly. Of course we attribute her rapid return to the powers of the oils she used.

Christi’s Get Well Blend:

5 ml ravensara
4 ml saro
2.5 ml manuka
2.5 ml fragonia
1 ml lavandin super
Her rationale: That blend covers viral, microbial, bacterial, respiratory, aches & pains, germ killing, immune building.

“The LightSwitch”

For years Pam had battled bipolar disorder. For perhaps 20 years lithium kept her stable and centered, but after all this time it seemed to lose its effect. She embarked on a mixed state of depression/anxiety that lasted for several weeks.

She wrote, “Previously I’ve used EO’s now and again but never had to rely on them to this extent before. For the previous weeks I’ve used combinations of 2 or 3 oils which relieve my symptoms only during diffusion with a nebulizer or aromastone or tissue and for about 30 minutes afterward. In an effort to find different combinations I tested these 7 oils on scent strips and found the combination of all was very effective and the benefit lasts about 4 or 5 hours. The effect was sudden, like flicking a switch from down and out to happy and good.”

Pam shared (and gave permission to share!) her blend:

Vetiver 20
Rosewood 20
Petitgrain 10
Sweet Marjoram 10
English Chamomile 10
Bergamot 10
Green Mandarine 10

Sounds wonderful… grounding and uplifting at the same time.

Respiratory Notes:

The December AIA teleconference was given by Liz Fulcher, of the Aromatic Wisdom Institute. The announced topic was oils for respiratory conditions, and with my history of COPD I was all ears. Among other suggestions, Liz mentioned the usefulness of the various oils high in 1,8-cineole, including of course the familiar Eucalyptus oils, Saro, a Helichrysum that is new to us (Helichrysum gymnocephalum), Niaouli, Myrtle, Cajeput, etc…the list of oils we know to have antiviral, antibacterial and expectorant or mucolytic effects. They will decrease coughing, ease expectoration, and decrease shortness of breath. All of them wonderful for nasal or bronchial suggestion. There is only one problem. To *my* nose the entire list smells medicinal. I will use them when I am actually sick, but I’d prefer not to use any of them on a daily basis, unless forced to. Liz had a WONDERFUL addition to the list that had never occurred to me… Bay Laurel! Laurus Nobilis…the delightful Bay Leaf. I love the aroma of our Bay Laurel oil, but I had never thought of it specifically for respiratory ailments. Adding it to any of the above list would increase their respiratory and antibacterial benefits, and, equally important to me, smell YUMMY!

(Consider this a plug for the Alliance of International Aromatherapists. I can’t tell you how much I have learned through my membership, both from their conferences, the monthly teleconferences, and the other resources they offer.)

Skin Fungus Problems:

Victorina wrote earlier today that “the new Pinon Pine Hydrosol is fabulous my patches of itchiness and eczema.” When I wrote asking permission to quote her she replied:

You may indeed quote me, glad if my suffering:) can help anyone else. By itchy patches, I also mean “jock” itch. Part of a recurrent dermal sensitivity since my surgery, followed by shingles, several years ago.
I’m not sure of the connection and neither are the professionals I’ve spoken to, but I’ve learned to cope with it and the new Pinon Hydrosol is one of the best.

The producer of the Pinon Hydrosol had indicated that it was anti-fungal, but I hadn’t made the connection for skincare. I love it when our clients give me new uses for our products, and I love it when our products make a difference!

Blog Update

We shared about new favorite oils, and some treats for the Sweet Tooth. There was no more time, in December, and we have yet to do a first blog article of 2013.

Facebook Sharing

12 Days Gifts: On Facebook we’ve been sharing the gifts that have been given during the 12 days of Christmas. So far we have given away a 4 oz bottle of KleenHandz, a bottle of Cleopatra’s Secret Toner, 2 mls of Mystery Rose, Cleo’s Serum, Heli in Rose Hip Seed Oil, a Harmony Travel Kit, an AromaStone, a Car Diffuser and a Week of Bliss gift set.. One order a day will be chosen to have a 12 days gift added. The gifts end on January 5th, Three Kings day. As of today (January 3rd) three more gifts remain.

Our friend Amy wrote a WONDERFUL blog article about why MLM’s and Aromatherapy don’t mix, which led to a lot of discussion on FB page.

Massage theapist Mikki Anderson shared the following: “Marge, I must give credit where credit is due. I purchased your DeStress/Relax blend for my brother who I had thought might die last month. He is in a hospital in Texas after having half of his stomach removed and my sister (who considered my aromatherapy knowledge “hockus pocus” and the oils “snake oil” but asked for my help). I am in California and my brother and sister are living in Texas so to do what I could I purchased the oil blend from you (with other oils) and instructed my sister how to use them. She was very hesitant but out of respect for me, did what I said. They relieved my brother’s pain to the point that he did not need the pain medication that he had been requiring. His wife then needed a heart surgery (it never rains but pours) and when she had a physical pain that my sister didn’t know how to help, applied the same DeStress blend. The pain left and didn’t return. Bless you Marge…if you were here I would give you a huge hug of heartfelt appreciation….Mikki Anderson

We posted a research study showing that the use of Lavender reduced the number of falls among nursing home patients.

We had two “spare of the moment” sale days that were only announced on Facebook… a “Green Monday” sale and an “End of the World” Sale on 12/21. See what you miss by not being on Facebook and following us?

Quote of the Month

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. —Oprah Winfrey

Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. —Brooks Atkinson

Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities. —Michael Josephson

Happy New Year wishes to all of you, from all of us at Nature’s Gift.

 

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