Living on Canada’s west coast surrounded by trees, I was more concerned about daughter’s year-round hay fever and the air quality in my home. I thought about outdoor air quality in the abstract, but never about how it directly affected me or my family. It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives.
This past summer was a wake-up call. “Summer 2017 has been B.C’s worst wildfire season on record, & as of Sept 28, more than 100 fires are still burning.” Many communities have been impacted, like Williams Lake, 100 Mile House & the Elephant Hill fire, near Cache Creek & Ashcroft. The smoke affected the air quality near the fires but it also affected air quality in different areas throughout the province. One day this past summer, I was outside in the middle of the afternoon, everything was hazy, the air felt thick, & it was hard to breathe.
I have never thought much about breathing other than if I had a chest cold or sinus congestion. From the moment of our birth, our body’s “autonomic nervous system” controls our breathing; we don’t even have to think about it. Adults breathe anywhere from 12-20 times per minute. If you do the math, (which I did), that adds up to 17,280 – 28,800 breaths per day (depending on your fitness and/or stress levels). While we can’t-do a lot about outdoor pollution personally (well other than voting in governments that have strong environmental protection plans, writing letters/ petitions to your MP or MLA, and recycling! Sorry that was just a little rant), we can do something about the air quality in our homes.
Things you can do:
- Get rid of chemical cleaners, laundry detergents, fabric refreshers, and Synthetic Room Sprays/ Plugins.
- Avoid using Incense & candles with synthetic fragrances, or at least limit their use and get some ventilation into the room. (I am finding that these 2 things really bother me.)
- Go more natural with your Personal Body Care Products. There are a lot of products available, but educate yourself & read the labels to find the best ones. (No one in my house is allowed to use a certain type of Body Spray because it affects my breathing.)
- Air out your home frequently. Many manufactured items in your home will continue to off-gas to some extent. Older homes were drafty so this wasn’t as much of a problem, but newer homes are more airtight so it is important to open some windows periodically, especially during the winter months.
- Consider getting some plants in your home. NASA calls plants part of “Nature’s Life Support System”. Peace Lilies, Spider Plants, English Ivy & Weeping Fig plants are a few to consider; they are fairly hardy & are thought to help with air quality due to the photosynthesis process.
And you can also use Aromatherapy in your home. When using essential oils, cheaper isn’t better, quality is. It is important that you find a reputable supplier that sell pure, hopefully, organic & unadulterated oils; that your suppliers know where their oils come from & they share all the important information with you. (And if someone wants to sell you “100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils, know that this is a registered trademark of the company. There is no organization that oversees the quality of essential oils.) At a minimum you need to know:
Gratitude all over the internet. Everywhere you look on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook, there are well-meaning yogis, life or fitness coaches who #hashtag about gratitude. Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but what if all of this gratitude stuff isn’t resonating with you right now? Before you dismiss me as being all negative, let me explain…
With the Holiday Season fast approaching, it is easy to get caught up in the frenzy of getting everything done; Being so busy, that you haven’t even thought about how you are feeling.
some of my favorite Christmas shows, like “Elf” or 
tulip in April or the geese flying south in October. These small moments become our daily reflection or our daily rituals.
Honoring our Ancestors: Essential Oil: Cypress, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood.
Clairvoyance: Essential Oil: Bay Laurel, Birch, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Nutmeg, Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary Spruce. Candle Color: White & Yellow
We now know that to improve our well-being, we need to nurture the whole person: the physical, the emotional, as well as the spiritual body. As we navigate our busy lives, we need to pay attention to the messages that our bodies are trying to tell us. Those headaches, upset stomachs or sleepless nights may be a clue that our lives are out of balance. If you are chronically stressed, whether from work, family commitments or school, the constant grind can wear you down, and it could lead to burnout.
improves circulation, helps with any pain or discomfort, as well as any stress that you are holding in your body. Because you are applying massage oil to a large area of your body it is best to use a 1% dilution. or 6 drops of your choice of essential oils to 30 ml of carrier oil. Pick 2 or 3 of your favorites like Lavender, Frankincense, Marjoram, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Vetiver or Patchouli essential oil. (If the massage oil irritates your skin, discontinue use.)