Banish Brain Fog and Get Focused in the New Year

Brain Fog. Is this a familiar term to you? When you read those words, do they resonate with you? Maybe you’re more familiar with Brain Fog’s brother, Mental Fatigue. Yeah that’s one that I can relate to!

There are many things that can contribute to us having a feeling of brain fog, mental fatigue, lack of concentration, poor memory, etc. Stress, being physically tired, having a lot on our mind, sickness, grief, and more. If this feeling persists for a long period of time, we definitely want to consult our healthcare practitioner. For support with treatment and for more temporary situations, aromatherapy can help.

Here are some essential oils that can help with brain fog, and support better mental focus:

Ravintsara: Brings circulation to the head and can clear up “stagnant energy”, helping you to better focus. Ravintsara has a fresh, clean, eucalyptus-like scent.

Rosemary: Stimulates the memory and opens consciousness. Has an herbal, woodsy, and camphorous aroma.

Peppermint: Fresh, sweet, and minty, peppermint is purifying and stimulating to the mind. It can aid with memory and mental performance.

Frankincense: Can help minimize distractions and improve concentration. It can help ease impatience, irritability, hyperactivity, and restlessness. Overall it is a very grounding, calming oil. I find it’s very helpful for meditation. It’s scent is very rich and deep, and incense-like.

Lavender: The one oil everyone should always have on hand. Lavender helps our mental capacity by promoting consciousness and creativity. It’s scent is herbaceous, woody, and floral.

Sandalwood: This oil can help us mentally by calming and harmonizing our emotions, and balancing our “monkey mind”. It is also a good oil to use for meditation. It has a soft, earthy, balsamic, woodsy aroma.

Laurel Leaf: Uplifts the mind and increases concentration. Removes stuck emotional energy and boosts confidence. It’s scent is fresh, sweet, and spicy-herbal.

So, now that you have a great list of oils to help you dispel brain fatigue and increase focus, how can you best use them? A quick whiff from the bottle could do the trick, but here is a blend recipe from the Aromahead Institute, which you could use in a diffuser or an inhaler. An inhaler is a great option if you are at work or another public place and can’t use a diffuser.*


                                    


Brain Fog Relief Blend
2 drops Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora 1,8 cineole)
2 drops Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
1 drop Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)

You can also ask for a brain fog banishing blend during your Essential Wellness Aromatherapy Massage, or, in an Aromatherapy Consultation I can custom make a blend for you that meets your unique needs.

*When purchasing oils, make sure to always buy Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils. Non-CPTG oils may be synthetic or diluted with “filler oils”. These oils don’t have the same wellness benefits and may even be harmful to your health.

A Magic Elixir that can help reduce stress and calm an upset stomach.

A Magic Elixir that can help reduce stress and calm an upset stomach

Do I have your attention with that headline? Wondering what this amazing concoction could be? Well, I have recently become enamored with chamomile tea. If you don't already know about the wonderful benefits of chamomile, then here are some examples:
1. Reduces stress: chamomile tea increases serotonin and melatonin in the body, two hormones that work to alleviate feelings of stress. 
2. Can help with better sleep: Makes sense that if chamomile tea helps reduce stress, it's going to help with more restful sleep as well. 
3. Helps you have more beautiful, healthy skin: Now that really is a magic elixir! Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can benefit your skin. You can actually use it in a bath to help relieve itchiness and dryness or apply directly to skin.
4. Can help with digestive issues: this is most likely related to its anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile can help soothe diarrhea, gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, and abdominal cramps.
5. Helps immune system: anti-bacterial chamomile can help you fight colds and its soothing properties are good for sore throats.
Here are two types of chamomile tea I really like:


You could add a drop of ginger*, lavender*, or lemon* essential oil to this tea. Ginger will give you even more digestive assistance, lavender is calming for the mind, and lemon is a great help if you're fighting a sore throat. Or, I'm also a fan of this one: 



A few safety precautions - if you're allergic to plants in the daisy family, you'll want to pass chamomile up as you'll be allergic to it too. Also, chamomile can sometimes be a blood thinner, so consult your doctor if it's safe for you to use, especially before a surgery. 

*Make sure when using essential oils, especially internally, that you always use Certified Therapeutic Grade essential oils (CTPG). Non-CTPG oils may not be safe to take internally.