If you are like me, in this age of chemicals for everything, you may want to avoid using any chemicals that are not necessary. In my search for natural cleansing kitchen bath, I began making my own products many years ago when I found that there were no real chemical free alternatives on the market. This one has turned out to be my very favorite recipe for germicidal and antiviral purposes. It is made with simple ingredients–water, certified laurel glucoside, and pure essential oils.
I use it for cleaning every surface in my kitchen and bathroom. Its disinfectant properties make it a great choice for countertops, stove, refrigerator (inside & out), faucets, light switches, sinks, and even sealed wood surfaces. It is great for getting grease and grime off of glass, but needs to be followed with vinegar and a paper towel to keep it from streaking.
Spray Cleanser Recipe
You will need:
Spray bottle
Measuring cup
Spoon
Bowl that holds 2 quarts
Distilled or filtered water
Your choice of essential oils
Certified Organic Laurel Glucoside (Made from organic coconuts)
Directions:
Measure 1 quart (4 cups) of distilled or filtered water and put it in the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of Laurel glucoside sudsing base and stir gently.
Add 50 to 65 drops essential oils. My favorite combination is:
10 drops May Chang
25 drops Lemon Myrtle
10 drops Rose Geranium
8 drops Oregano
10 drops Sweet Orange
Stir again gently. The oils will dissolve into the spray, but they will separate a bit when it sits over time. When you want to use it, give the spray bottle a good shake to disperse the oils again.
Pour the spray into the spray bottle and voila! You now have a powerful anti-septic spray that can disinfect your kitchen and bathrooms without causing harm to your pets, children, and those who are sensitive to chemical products.
Spikenard essential oil is a rare and beautiful aromatic distilled from the dried roots of spikenard. It has been used as a holy oil, incense, and ancient perfume.
Inhaling it promotes inner connection and a deep inner peace. It calms restlessness and inspires devotion and generosity. It helps one in finding emotional and spiritual balance. No wonder why it was used in rituals and spiritual practices, to enhance meditation and prayer.
Spikenard essential oil was contained in one of the perfumed unguents found inside the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1923. It was still viable after well over 2000 years of entombment.
Aromatic Profile
Top note:
Heart note: Heavy, rooty, earthy, animalic, woody, resinous notes
Base note: Heavy, rooty, earthy, animalic, woody, resinous notes
Classification: Base note, heart note, or fixative
Tenacity: Very High
Spikenard essential oil is one of nature’s fine fixatives. It is used in creating natural amber bases, oriental perfumes, earth notes, fougeres, sacred perfumes and incenses, and forest notes. It is one of the oldest known perfume ingredients still in use today.
It blends well with agar wood (shamama attar), angelica root, frankincense, galbanum, licorice, lovage, myrrh, andtarragon, among many others.
More About Spikenard Essential Oil
Source: Nepal
Process: Steam distillation of wild roots
Botanical name: Nardostachys jatamansi
Note: Spikenard essential oil may be distilled from green or dried roots. The aroma is very different between the oils produced by these two methods. Dried roots are used to produce the traditional spikenard used throughout antiquity. Green spikenard essential oil is a more recent innovation produced for the modern aromatherapy market.
Update: Spikenard is now on the endangered species list, and is illegal to import into the United States.
Homeopathic Properties of Spikenard Essential Oil
Uses
Internal–oral homeopathic dosage, inhalation, diffusion
External–-topical, massage, skin applications, bath, spinal and local compress, application to energy centers and acupressure points
Observations and Anecdotal Information
Spikenard is an ancient essential oil, used by Egyptian, Ayurvedic, and biblical healers. It has been used as an anointing oil in rituals and ceremonies, and as a medicinal oil. It is well known to be King Tutankhamen’s perfume, said to be worth its weight in gold.
Spikenard is the aromatic world’s strongest sedative essential oil, and a helpful treatment for migraines, insomnia, and nervous tension.
It can help the body unwind from stress patterns simply by inhaling the aroma, or through massage or spinal compress treatments.
It regulates the heartbeat, and can ease cardiac pain, as it is a strong cardiotonic. It has been used with success in treating scleroderma, and can heal inflammation and rashes of the skin. For these purposes, it can be blended with moringa botanical oil for a stronger effect.
It is one of the oils used in the Egyptian ascension process. It clears and balances the crown and pineal chakras, and opens connection from the higher chakras into the heart and root chakras.
Cautions
- Generally recognized as safe at normal dosage.
- Avoid use with infants and small children.
- Avoid during pregnancy and lactation.
- Keep all essential oils away from eyes.
- Store in a safe place, out of the reach of children.
- All internal uses should be researched and/or supported by a health care professional. Product quality and dosage are critically important when using essential oils internally.
Essential oils are not recognized or approved by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. This information is anecdotal, and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be taken as medical advice. See a health care professional for medical advice.
Green spikenard essential oil is a rare and beautiful aromatic distilled from the freshly harvested roots of spikenard. It is used as an anointing oil, incense, and perfume.
Inhaling it promotes inner connection and a deep inner peace. It calms restlessness and inspires devotion and generosity. It helps one in finding emotional and spiritual balance. No wonder why it was used in rituals and spiritual practices, to enhance meditation and prayer.
Spikenard essential oil was contained in one of the perfumed unguents found inside the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1923. It was still viable after well over 2000 years of entombment.
Aromatic Profile
Top note:
Heart note: Green, herbaceous, rooty, earthy, woody, resinous notes
Base note: Herbaceous, rooty, earthy, woody, resinous notes
Classification: Base note, heart note, or fixative
Tenacity: Very High
Spikenard essential oil is one of nature’s fine fixatives. It is used in creating natural amber bases, oriental perfumes, earth notes, fougeres, sacred perfumes and incenses, and forest notes. It is one of the oldest known perfume ingredients still in use today.
It blends well with agar wood (shamama attar), angelica root, frankincense, galbanum, licorice, lovage, myrrh, andtarragon, among many others. It can be used in any perfume type (in small quantities), from high class florals to spices, woody balsamic notes, and more.
More About Green Spikenard Essential Oil
Source: Nepal
Process: Steam distillation of wild fresh roots (for traditional distillation of dried roots, see our spikenard essential oil.
Botanical name: Nardostachys jatamansi
Note: Distilled from green roots. The aroma is very different between the oils produced by these two methods. Dried roots are used to produce the traditional spikenard used throughout antiquity. Green spikenard essential oil is a more recent innovation produced for the modern aromatherapy market.
Homeopathic Properties of Green Spikenard Essential Oil
Uses
Internal–oral homeopathic dosage, inhalation, diffusion
External–-topical, massage, skin applications, bath, spinal and local compress, application to energy centers and acupressure points
Observations and Anecdotal Information
Spikenard is an ancient essential oil, used by Egyptian, Ayurvedic, and biblical healers. It has been used as an anointing oil in rituals and ceremonies, and as a medicinal oil. It is well known to be King Tutankhamen’s perfume, said to be worth its weight in gold.
Spikenard is the aromatic world’s strongest sedative essential oil, and a helpful treatment for migraines, insomnia, and nervous tension.
It can help the body unwind from stress patterns simply by inhaling the aroma, or through massage or spinal compress treatments.
It regulates the heartbeat, and can ease cardiac pain, as it is a strong cardiotonic.
It has been used with success in treating scleroderma, and can heal inflammation and rashes of the skin. For these purposes, it can be blended with moringa botanical oil for a stronger effect.
It is one of the oils used in the Egyptian ascension process. It clears and balances the crown and pineal chakras, and opens connection from the higher chakras into the heart and root chakras.
Cautions
- Generally recognized as safe at normal dosage.
- Avoid use with infants and small children.
- Avoid during pregnancy and lactation.
- Keep all essential oils away from eyes.
- Store in a safe place, out of the reach of children.
- All internal uses should be researched and/or supported by a health care professional. Product quality and dosage are critically important when using essential oils internally.
None of our products are recognized or approved by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. This information is anecdotal, and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be taken as medical advice. See a health care professional for medical advice.
More about our disclaimer
The beautiful aroma of rosewood essential oil oil is gentle and blends well with other oils. It is an aphrodisiac for some, and has been found to assist in the process of recovery from sexual abuse.
Energetically, it is lightening and uplifting. It increases compassion and helps depression, fatigue, and jet lag.
It links the root and crown chakras, helping us to ground our energies and stay present in the physical world.
Aromatic Profile
Top Note: Soft, sweet, floral, woody notes
Heart Note: Delicate, fresh, green,sweet, herbaceous, notes
Base Note: Green, woody, floral, medicinal notes
Classification: Heart note
Tenacity: Medium
In natural perfumery, rosewood essential oil raises the frequency of other oils in blends. It harmonizes dissimilar aromas into a cohesive and complimentary aromatic bouquet. It is used to create colognes, herbal perfumes, and florals.
It blends well with juniper berry, marjoram, fennel, and fenugreek oils, among many others.
More About Rosewood Essential Oil
Source: Brazil
Distillation: Steam distilled from wild harvested leaves, branches and twigs
Botanical name: Aniba roseodora
Note: This wild-harvested oil from Brazil is distilled from twigs and leaves rather than 40 year old heartwood trees, making it a much more sustainable choice.
Cautions: Beware of purchasing rosewood from commercially branded sources. Much of the rosewood oil produced is actually a combination of geranium and palmarosa essential oils with a small amount of sandalwood added.
Note: It is currently illegal to import rosewood essential oil to the United States. We do offer an essential oil blend from France that imitates the aroma of rosewood oil, available here.
Homeopathic Properties of Rosewood Essential Oil
Uses
Internal–oral homeopathic dosage, inhalation, diffusion, suppository
External—topical application, skin, bath, massage, spinal and local compress, energy centers and meridian points
Observations and Anecdotal Information
Some species of rosewood are on the endangered species list, and after careful consideration, we have chosen to discontinue to offer this rare and beautiful oil. Even so, we hold with the understanding that boycotting an herbal product does not necessarily contribute to its return to health and balance.
Seeking out reliable sources who are working to produce these oils sustainably, and supporting them, does contribute, and that is what we have done up to this point. However, since it is now an endangered species, we have stopped carrying it until the legality issue is resolved.
As my indigenous elders continually remind me, if we stop honoring and using the gifts that are offered, we become disconnected from the whole of life. It is better to use what is offered from a plant species, give thanks for it, appreciate it, continue to use it respectfully and modestly, and send prayers for its speedy recovery!
This is how the indigenous elders supported the return of the Bald Eagle and the salmon runs when both were decimated years ago in Alaska. Within a few short years, both of these species grew strong, and the bald eagle had been officially removed from the endangered species list.
This may seem like a naive or oversimplified belief, yet when one begins to comprehend the power that our actions and intentions carry to manifest change, this perspective resonates with truth.
This beautiful and powerful rosewood essential oil is a relaxant without making one sleepy or drowsy. It makes a wonderful addition to blends for massage and spinal oil treatments, bringing a sense of calm, centering, and emotional stability.
It is a great anti-viral, which is often a hidden factor in heart ailments. And it is so gentle that it can be used for massage on children and even babies when properly diluted.
Rosewood relaxes, stabilizes, and balances the nervous system, and can relieve headache and nausea.
A lymphatic system cleanser, rosewood essential oil is also a good oil for use as an underarm deodorant, working on two levels at once; stimulating circulation in the lymph glands and deodorizing.
It can be used to treat vaginal candida infections, by putting several drops of oil on a tampon and inserting it vaginally overnight.
Cautions
- Generally recognized as safe at normal dosage.
- Keep all essential oils away from eyes.
- Store in a safe place, out of the reach of children.
- All internal uses should be researched and/or supported by a health care professional. Product quality and dosage are critically important when using essential oils internally.
Essential oils are recognized or approved by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. This information is anecdotal, and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be taken as medical advice. See a health care professional for medical advice.
More about our disclaimer
Essential Oils for Viral Infection
In light of the current world situation, we have received an unusually high number of requests for advice about anti-viral essential oils. As I would like to help as many people as possible, I have decided to post this blog entry to answer many questions at once.
If you are looking for a list of essential oils with anti-viral properties, go here. For a list of essential oils for colds, coughs, and influenza, go here. For a list of essential oils that help respiratory symptoms, go here.
See a complete list of suggestions for prevention here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html Follow these guidelines to prevent exposure.
Prevention
Below are some natural measures that we are suggesting to help prevent infection, or after possibly being exposed.
- Swab the inside of each nostril with a Q-tip dipped in Nano-silver or colloidal silver, once each morning and night. If you can not get either of these products, you may also find success with a 4% dilution of anti-viral essential oils such as ajowan, cypress, hyssop, ravensare, spike lavender, basil, oregano, etc. Alternatively, wash daily with a Neti Pot.
- Eat a healthy diet—now is not the time to binge on junk food. If you have allergies or food sensitivities, avoiding trigger foods can help your immune system stay strong. If you do contract the virus, you will have a greater chance of having fewer symptoms and shorter down time. Especially focus on drinking fresh vegetable juices or smoothies every day.
- Take herbal immune tonics to strengthen your immune system. Chinese herbal tonics in particular can provide support. A very common immune formula is called Jade Screen. Other herbs that build immunity include Reishi mushroom, Cordyceps, as well as cinnamon and ginger.
- Stay hydrated. Drink warm or room temperature water, sipping often.
- Avoid eating refined sugar. In certain individuals, it can reduce immunity by 50% for hours or days after consumption.
- Make sure to get plenty of zinc daily. It prevents the viral binding needed for viruses to invade nasal cells.
- Make an anti-viral throat spray to use if you feel your throat getting itchy or dry, or a cough starting. This is a helpful preventative measure, and also helps reduce the discomfort of a sore throat once the virus is contracted. Add orange or tangerine essential oils if the flavor is an issue, because it is rather strong. You can also use ravensare essential oil if can not get ajowan, or if it is too strong for you.
- Don’t eat anything cold or directly out of the refrigerator. Take it out and let it warm up first.
Support if You Are Infected
I have been seeing people with severe viral infections since about November of 2019. Of course, I now feel that at least some of them had contracted Covid-19, and we just did not know it yet. Studies are now pushing the dates back in many locations as to when it first appeared.
If you do feel symptoms or believe you have contracted the Corona virus, get medical assistance immediately if you are in the high risk group. This includes those who are older, have health conditions, respiratory conditions, diabetes, or compromised immune systems.
Based on the feedback from a group of people who have recovered, here are some things that you can do to help yourself if you feel that you have contracted the Covid-19 virus. By far the most important thing seems to be taking the virus seriously! People who go back to work or push themselves into activity too early, seem to have an increased incidence of relapse. With this one, it is best to err on the side of caution, and take extra time for yourself.
- Eat soups and plenty of cooked vegetables and salads, moderate amounts of fruit, including cooked fruit. Include moderate amounts of quality protein every day.
- If you have a high fever, try Boneset tea (Euptorium perfoliatum). This anti-viral powerfully lowers fevers and treats colds and flu with sore throat, sweating, fever, and thirst. It also treats bronchitis, acute bronchial pneumonia and dyspnea, all with yellow phlegm. At this point, it may not be as important to avoid refined sugar. You will need the calories in some form or another to feed an active immune system.
- If you have symptoms of cold (TCM), including feelings of coldness, copious clear urination, white, copious or runny discharges, pale complexion, cold limbs, lassitude, fatigue, edema, loose stools or diarrhea, faint odors, impotence, low libido, or undigested food in the stool, eat fresh (not cooked) garlic, fresh ginger tea, or ginger tea with cinnamon.
- If you have trouble breathing, diffuse ajowan with cypress essential oils, eucalyptus dives, eucalyptus globulus, or eucalyptus radiata. Use hyssop, ravensare, tea tree, or any of the previously mentioned oils applied to the chest as a hot compress. Place a damp towel and hot water bottles on top, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Applying heat may be effective in limiting the growth of the virus, and definitely helps the comfort level of breathing with this infection.
- Best Corona virus supplements include: Colloidal silver, which proved effective against SARS virus. Oregano essential oil, which is strongly anti-viral (and must be diluted for use). Zeolite and Humic acid, which act as a viral infusion inhibitor—which does not allow a virus to attach to a healthy cell, or replicate it. High doses of vitamin C—between 6,000 and 20,000 mcg per day, taken in 500 mcg, allowing bowel tolerance to set the limit for your daily consumption (take multiple doses until you reach 20,000 mcg or get diarrhea, then back off to the dosage that will not cause diarrhea). Do not use the fizzy vitamin C drinks with sugar, because sugar inhibits the effectiveness of vitamin C. Take vitamin C separately for the best results. Probiotics, especially those with over 3 billion live cultures. And finally—lecithin. Lecithin supports a healthy immune system by “decloaking” viruses.
To read an interesting case study by a person who has recovered from the Covid-19 virus, here is the account of her journey. Please seek medical attention if at all possible, if you suspect you may have the Covid-19 virus!
Michael and I wish you the best in your journey through these unprecedented times. Sending out our love and gratitude to all.
I have been working on this recipe for several years, with a desire to combine mud-type hair treatments with a more cleansing but still natural shampoo. I have finally reached the stage where I am ready to share this fantastic recipe with the world! (The rest of the element recipes that compliment this shampoo will be offered in a downloadable booklet on home made shampoo. Check back with us here for updates on the availability).
This shampoo is for normal to dry hair and scalp. Sea vegetables like seaweed and spirulina hydrate the hair and scalp, repairing brittle strands and reducing breakage.
Michael and I have both been using this shampoo (along with the other 4 elements) for several months now, and we have both become so attached to these recipes! We have more body and shine in our hair, and the hair feels hydrated and stays clean longer. It even seems to have nourished a lot of new hairs that are growing in, both for Michael and me. I would love to hear from you after 3 months of using this shampoo, if you decide to make it.
This is not an easy recipe, and will require three steps of preparation before you are actually ready to put together the final shampoo product. But the end result is really worth it. So give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Mud / Water Element Shampoo Recipe
For Normal to Dry Hair & Scalp
Note: This recipe requires the use of a hand held stick blender.
Begin by preparing. First make an essential oil blend of:
Argan botanical oil 2 T
Flax seed oil 1/2 tsp
Grape seed oil 1/2 tsp
Ylang Ylang EO 4 drops
Bergamot EO 4 drops
Vetiver EO 3 drops
Rose EO 3 drops
Cardamom EO 4 drops
Clary sage EO 3 drops
Neroli EO 2 drops
Next make the prickly pear extract:
Combine 2 tsp prickly pear powder with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, simmer for 3 minutes. Cool and strain. Store the remainder in the freezer for next time.
Repeat with white willow bark and khombu or wakami seaweed, to make 1 cup of each extract. Store excess in the freezer.
Now make the shampoo. In a small cup or bowl, combine:
Xanthin gum 1/2 tsp
Guar gum 1/2 tsp
Glycerin 1 tsp
Mix well with a small spoon or chopstick.
Combine with these ingredients in stick blender cup:
Distilled water 6 oz
Aloe vera leaf juice 4 oz
Raw apple cider vinegar 2 tsp
Decyl glucoside 5 TBSP
Use stick blender. Turn it on before adding Xanthin gum mixture.
When it is all combined and thickened add:
Prickly Pear extract (make a tea of the fruit) 2 T.BSP (This could be substituted with green tea.)
Sea salt 1 light pinch
Citric acid 1 pinch
Ascorbic acid 1 tad (1/8 tsp)
Lactic acid 1 tad
Hyaluronic acid 1 tsp
White willow extract (make a tea with white willow bark) 1/2 tsp
Mix until well combined.
Add:
Pascalite clay 6 TBSP
Seaweed extract (make a tea of khombu or wakame seaweed) 1/2 tsp
Spirulina powder 1/4 tsp
Amla powder 2 tsp
Leucidal (natural preservative) 4 drops
Linatural (natural preservative) 4 drops
Essential Oil Blend (that you made at the beginning) 22 drops
Stir gently until all is emulsified. Pour into a plastic bottle for use.
Test your shampoo with a ph test strip. Shampoo should test between 5.5 and 7 on the litmus scale. If the results are too low, add a tiny bit more salt or baking soda. If it tests too high, add a little more citric acid or acetic acid.