New Essential Oil Label Guidelines The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) announced on August 2nd that it has created a new guidance policy for the labeling of essential oils sold for topical use and offered for retail trade. The AHPA board of trustees adopted the guidance at its recent July meeting. The AHPA board had adopted in July 2009 and amended in July 2011 a trade requirement for the labeling of essential oils. But it believes that additional labeling may address other issues that do not rise to the same level of a requirement, but that nonetheless represent good labeling practice. The new essential oils guidance outlines several recommended inclusions for labels and labeling, including: Common or usual name of the source plantAn expiration date or date of manufactureThe extraction processStorage cautionsUsage instructionsUsage cautions For clarity and to facilitate easy referencing, both the AHPA trade requirement and the new guidance policy are displayed together on the AHPA website.
DIY Lavender Tea Tree Surface Cleaner This guest post comes from our contributor FP Naomi. This general-use cleaner is chemical free and a gentle eliminator of harmful bacteria. Why is that important? Believe it or not, our bodies and health depend on a rich environment of microbes. We don’t want to wipe them all out. You can easily make your own surface cleaner to avoid chemicals and microbe extermination. You’ll Need (Makes 12 oz 1 Spray Bottle 1 Cup Water ¼ Cup Distilled White Vinegar 10 Drops Tea Tree Oil 10 Drops Lavender Oil Directions: Add water & vinegar to spray bottle. 2. 3. 4. 5. Enjoy a clean, lavender-smelling home! More DIY projects from the BLDG 25 Blog. Check out Naomi’s blog Numie Abbott! Tags: diy projects, diy surface cleaner, homemade surface cleaner
Essential oils: Use spiritual discernment - Samaritan Ministries International Part 3 of a series. The first two part are here and here. By Michael Miller Mahlon Zehr likes essential oils. Really. His family uses peppermint oil for colds, for instance. But when Zehr, a pastor in Oregon, recently encountered an email making the rounds in his denomination that promoted a certain “vitalist” use of essential oils, he felt he needed to respond. It’s not an isolated concern. Zehr and other essential oils users urge Christians to use spiritual discernment when encountering certain applications or explanations of the oils. “The thing that is dangerous is where we get into the idea of trying to manipulate some kind of ‘vital energy’ or ‘universal energy,’” Zehr says. Common ones, he says, are: “Chi” or “qi,” a Buddhist term for energy. Donal O’Mathuna, co-author with Dr. “The problem is not with the volatile oils, but with the way these can be used to subtly or deceptively involve people in other spiritual practices,” he says. “Herbs and oils are gifts from God,” she says.
DIY: All-Natural Coconut Deodorant For years, deodorant was something I applied every day without question because that’s what society has told us to do since our underarms started perspiring and giving off odor. Then one day a few years ago I did indeed stop to think about what was in my deodorant, and I freaked out! I saw something that looked like this: Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex 15.4% Inactive Ingredients: Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Kernel Oil; Stearyl Alcohol; Cyclomethicone; C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate; PPG-14 Butyl Ether; Hydrogenated Castor Oil; Hydrogenated Soybean Oil; PEG-8 Distearate; Fragrance; Hydrolyzed Corn Starch; Behenyl Alcohol After several years of trying to find a good all-natural deodorant that didn’t make me stink or break out in a rash, I finally decided to make my own. All-Natural Coconut Deodorant Prep Time: 5 minutes Cool Time: 15 minutes Ingredients Directions Combine coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and arrowroot in a mixing bowl. Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com
Selah Essential Oils | Pure Organic Aromatherapy Essential Oils Want to Feel Great in the Morning? Start the Day off Right with a Morning Ritual. ~ Nicole Carlin Tired of feeling, well, tired in the morning? Yeah, I was too. It didn’t matter how much sleep I had the night before, I still woke up feeling sluggish, blurry-eyed and plain ol’ tired. Using my knowledge of nutrition, yoga and ancient Ayurvedic health practices, I created a morning ritual for myself that not only helped increase my energy levels, but was so nourishing to my body and soul that I actually wanted to get up in the morning to start my day. I find pleasure in committing to a morning ritual. 1. Nicole Carlin, MA Sexuality, E-RYT is a dynamic, playful and fiercely feminine vinyasa, Yin and fertility yoga teacher and teacher trainer. Assistant Ed: Terri Tremblett About Nicole Harlow Nicole Harlow is an international bestselling author who teaches laser-lucid business, writing + marketing skills through her signature program, Brand Better.
If So Many Basic Grooming Products Are Filled With Toxins, What *Can* We Use? I made the decision about four years ago to clean up my grooming routine. I’ve had severe allergies and asthma my whole life. Being a makeup artist on set, I quickly realized the effects that the cosmetic powders, sprays, and fragrances had on me. I read several books on how to live a healthier life and I became aware of the risks associated with many ingredients in my makeup. So how do I approach my personal care routine? The most important tool you can possess is knowledge of your ingredients! You can find the no-no list of ingredients here and here. Stay away from the majority of drug store products. Many mainstream cosmetics are filled with petrochemicals and synthetic fragrances. It's estimated that 60 percent of what you put on your body gets into it and then stores itself in your tissues. Be wary of “greenwashing.” Companies that care about people, the planet, and profits will have their philosophy and purpose statement on their website. My Basic Grooming Routine 2. 3. 4. 5. 8. 9.
DIY: Best Nontoxic Sunscreeen Ever I probably don't need to tell you that regular sunscreen is potentially full of toxins which can do more harm than good. Of course, certain organic brands are exceptions, but when it comes to skin care and beauty products, my motto is: nothing beats DIY! Homemade recipes and vitamin cures are fun to make, often a lot less expensive than store-bought alternatives, and with a little know-how they work incredibly well. This is the sunscreen that's been protecting me and my blond and redheaded toddlers for the last two years: Ingredients 1/4 cup beeswax 1/2 cup coconut oil 2 fluid ounce raspberry seed oil 1 fluid ounce soybean oil 1 fluid ounce wheat germ oil 2 Tbsp. carrot seed oil 2 Tbsp. aloe vera gel 4 vitamin E capsules 15 drops lavender oil (or your favorite essential oil) Instructions Melt the beeswax in an old pot placed into a large pot with boiling water. Pour the beeswax and coconut oil into a food processor (I use one specifically for all my DIY recipes).
Biology For Kids - KidsBiology.com Bones: They’re alive! Without bones, your body would be a slippery bag of organs. But the stiff models of a skeleton that you’ve seen in science class (or as Halloween decorations) tell only half the story. That’s because “the skeleton does more than just hold you up,” explains Laura Tosi Bones are made of living, breathing cells. And they play all sorts of important roles, says Tosi, who directs the Bone Health Program at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Tiny ear bones conduct sounds that help us hear. Bone marrow — a soft, jellylike substance that fills the hollow interior of the body’s long bones — produces blood cells, both red and white. And that’s just for starters. Cells called osteoblasts (gray blobs forming an oval) create new bone tissue. Robert M. The skeleton crew The framework that gives your body shape is surprisingly busy. The body’s skeleton changes constantly. Cells called osteoclasts break down old bone through a process called resorption. Wikimedia Commons Asja/Flickr
Blood - we can't live without it! blood; plasma; blood cells; blood types; blood transfusion; platelets; immune system; anaemia; clotting; bleeding; serum; antibodies; A; B; AB; O; antigens; rhesus; rh+; rh-; iron; periods ; Contents Blood is the fluid that keeps our bodies going. It is a transport system that carries oxygen and the essential chemicals to where they are needed in the body. At the same time it picks up the waste that the different parts of the body no longer need and delivers that waste to whichever part of the body is responsible for getting rid of it. It helps us fight infections and keep our body healthy. It carries heat around our bodies, to keep our fingers warm and stop our brains from overheating.More than half of blood is plasma. Sometimes people need extra blood because they have lost more than the body can make in a short time or they are not making enough red blood cells (this is called anaemia (say an-ee-me-a)). Type A blood can go to anyone who has type A or AB. Blood is amazing.
Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation I was recently in a third grade classroom and was struck by the presence of rules that were posted for how to have a conversation. The poster said, "Each person must contribute to the discussion but take turns talking. Ask each other, 'Would you like to add to my idea?' or 'Can you tell us what you are thinking?' Ask questions so that you understand each other's ideas. Say, 'Can you tell me more about that?' Having visited many middle and high schools, I think these same rules could -- and probably should -- be posted there as well. Maybe you have also observed how common it is nowadays for students to not know how to have a conversation. 8 Tips for Speaking and Listening While it is impossible to know all of the reasons, there is no doubt that learning to listen and talk is an extremely important way to broaden knowledge, enhance understanding and build community. 1. "Really?"" If these students don't or won't share easily at first, don't give up. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Migration of Birds Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center General Considerations While certain flight directions are consistently followed by migratory birds, it is well to remember that the term "migration route" is a generalization, a concept referring to the general movements of a species, rather than an exact course followed by individual birds or a path followed by a species characterized by specific geographic or ecological boundaries. Even the records of banded birds usually show no more than the places of banding and recovery, and the details of the route actually traversed between the two points is interpolated. There is also considerable variation in the routes chosen by different species. Flyways and Corridors Through plotting accumulated banding data obtained in the 1930's, investigators became impressed by what appeared to be four broad, relatively exclusive flyway belts in North America. Narrow Routes Some species exhibit extremely narrow routes of travel. Converging Routes W.W.
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