Surprising Health Benefits of Steam Rooms and Saunas You'll Enjoy!

If you have have had the pleasure of enjoying a sauna or steam room, you know it’s worth every penny of investment for your health, your skin and your mental well being. At Eurospa, we design our products, like our Eucalyptus Oil Spray, to enhance your steam room and sauna experience. We believe your health and wellness should be a top priority, because you deserve to have a healthy and vibrant life.

But do you know the benefits of steam rooms and saunas?

The benefits of saunas and steam baths are widely reported. Heat therapy helps to relieve stress and improve health overall. Perspiration stimulates circulation, sooths tired muscles, reduces nervous tension, and promotes healthier and more beautiful skin. You’ll probably get a better night’s sleep, too.

Here are some other benefits to sauna bathing:

• Gives a cardiovascular workout and helps condition the heart by increasing heart rate and improving circulation. Better circulation allows more oxygen to reach injured areas of the body and helps reduce pain and speed up the healing process.
• Soothes and relaxes tired muscles, especially before and after exercise. Heat therapy loosens the muscles and relaxes the body. Many massage therapists use heat to provide more thorough and effective treatment.
• Cleanses skin: Sweating opens pores in the skin and flushes unhealthy toxins, loosens and expels dead cells, softens the skin and clears the complexion. The result: a more beautiful you.
• The body eliminates most toxins naturally by sweating and heat therapy speeds up this natural process. Heat therapy stimulates the sweat glands, helping to cleanse and detoxify the body of sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and carcinogenic heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc, nickel). Excess moisture and subcutaneous fat can be reduced, as well.
• May help to relieve allergies and sinus congestion.
• During a 10-20 minute sauna session, your heart rate increases by 50-75%. This provides the same metabolic result as physical exercise. Combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, sauna bathing can burn as many as 300 calories during each session, which is equal to running 2-3 miles and taking a brisk walk. There is a slight effect on blood pressure because the heat also causes blood vessels to expand, thus accommodating increased blood flow.

We are happy that you are taking the time to invest in your health, because you deserve it. Please, feel free to stop by and see what further products and services we have to offer. Have a beautiful day!

Relieve Sinus Pressure Naturally with These Easy Remedies!

The sinus headache is a common ailment that has a big affect on the people who must fight it.  So, finding out there are ways to relieve the pressure and feel better fast is exciting news! 

Whatever the reason is that this headache exists, we want to leave you with a few tips to relieve sinus pressure naturally. As usual, we at Eurospa, wish you the best of health!

FACE MASSAGE

You can heal yourself.  It's true.  The Chinese have been working with the body's immune system for thousands of years with unexplainable results!  There are many points all over the body that when pressure is applied to them, relief and healing is found.  (it's how the ninjas were treated after rigorous kung fu training!) For allergy relief, simply see the photo below and use your index or middle fingers of each hand to apply a firm pressure to each of the points marked.  Be sure the pressure is firm enough to create slight discomfort, but not enough to hurt. You will know you are on the right spot as it will be a little tender.  Stay on each point for about 30 seconds. Please drink a lot of water after performing this on yourself. You need to dilute the toxins that have been released! 

DRINK WATER 

Old news rings true.  Water is our KEY SOURCE for ridding toxins and stagnant bacteria out of our bodies.  It's THE necessary ingredient to our kidneys and livers functioning well.  Guess what? It also thins your mucous.  Want to get that mucous flowing and the anti-histamine to calm down?  Drink water.  As stated above, it will also get things diluted and expelled faster! (Additional side note?  Dehydration is one of the biggest causes behind halitosis; bad breath! During allergy season (and daily life) bacteria accumulates in our sinus passages, mouths and stomach (from the mucous) and sits there.  You can't brush or rinse these guys away, but you can dilute and flush them.) So drink up.  

WORK OUT AND SWEAT
Sorry, to bring it back to water, but it's a vehicle that moves things. When you need relief from seasonal allergies, get your blood moving.  When you exercise, you increase your circulation and begin to sweat.  Both blood and water carry the pollen and anti-histamine out of yours system faster.  Think of a stagnant river vs. a flowing river.  Which one's going to have more bugs, slime and bacteria? If it's so bad, stay indoors for your work out.  OR, get above it and hike on a mountain where it's less concentrated. Lastly, try going for a swim. It's great exercise and there's no pollen in the water! 

HOT SHOWER // STEAM ROOM
A relaxing option is to breathe in the steam.  The steam will break up the mucous and relax the uptight muscles involved.  You can enhance this option by using the acupressure mentioned while in the heat.  Also, adding essential oils like our Eucalyptus Oil Shower Spray to the steam WITH the acupressure IN the steam, will give you peak relief.  Try it!  We'd love to hear how it worked out for you!

WATCH YOUR FOOD
Stay away from foods that dehydrate or add to histamine production.  Beverages with high caffeine, like coffee and black or alcoholic drinks are all dehydrating.  Beer is even worse as it's both dehydrating and the hops add to histamine production.  It's best to stay away from too many tree fruits, bananas, mushrooms, tomatoes and all breads and pastas.  I know that sounds difficult, but it won't be forever.  These foods carry their own histamine in them and will only make things worse.  Just think of it as a cleanse for a few days while you get your health and sanity back!

At Eurospa, your health is our priority.  We enjoy bringing the quality back to your life. Please stop by and let us know what else we can do to make your experience a better one! 

Surprisingly Easy, Fast and Natural Ways to Beat Head Lice!

Lice Happens, but it's not something anyone looks forward to. You need a dependable non-toxic way to Keep in mind that it's impossible to completely eradicate head lice from existence because they learn to adapt to their environment. So accepting they exist and are likely to be found in your child’s hair at some point of their schooling is going to be less stressful for everyone. With a good management plan, you’ll be much better off when it happens. 

Here are some surprisingly easy, fast and natural ways to beat head lice: 

1. If your child has long hair, tie it up for school every day (plaits or braids are great) and if you like, spray their hair with hairspray. Many mothers swear by hairspray – after you’ve tied up your child’s hair, keeping it under control with hairspray seems to help.

2. For long or short hair, encourage wearing a hat to protect their hair from coming into contact with others.

3. You can buy (or make your own) head lice resister sprays which you can spray into their hair and inside their hats. Most of the sprays have essential oils; usually tea tree, eucalyptus, geranium and lavender – which lice don’t like. Its an effective repellant. Even try our eucalyptus oil spray for your hats, hair and home!

4. Make absolutely sure that you follow any treatment program as per the instructions. No treatment exists that kills both the head lice AND the eggs in one go. Repeating a treatment is always needed because the live lice die, but the eggs in your child’s hair will hatch soon after, so you need to make sure you get them out before they are old enough to reproduce – around 7-10 days is a good time to repeat a treatment.

4. Use tea tree shampoo and/or conditioner for washing your children’s hair. Check out the different options available which vary in price, as well as the amounts of oils in each product. You may be able to find a better range at your pharmacy or variety store.

5. Make sure you check yourself and your family for head lice. Kids love to cuddle, so you may have transmitted head lice between you before you realized head lice was around. The last thing you want is to have your children head lice free, but then someone else passes it back to them. Many mothers have found that they can keep lice away effectively by coloring, straightening or using other products on their hair; the heat and products kill the lice and their eggs. 

6. Once you suspect lice, evenly distribute coconut or olive oil to your child's hair and then pull it back in a pony tail.  The lice and eggs find it difficult to stick to the hair shaft and are unlikely to stick around.

Eurospa is dedicated to your health, which is why we provide such high quality eucalyptus products for both home and spa. Get in touch today and see what we can do for you!

Love Working Out? 5 Great Natural Tips to Faster Muscle Recovery!

If you are one to work out regularly, it's safe to assume that you like to both look great and feel your best!  If that's true, then you'll want to make sure you are helping your muscles recovery quickly. We know this is important to you, so we've compiled our list of the best ways to help your body recover after a good work out! Enjoy and Eurospa know how these tips have helped you!

STRETCH BEFORE & AFTER
Gentle stretching before AND after a workout is a key component not to be dismissed.  Trust me, I've been there and sometimes you just don't want to 'waste your time' stretching.  I want to emphasize the gentle part for a minute as well.  Especially before a workout, your muscles are not warmed up. This will cause them to be more tight and stiff - like a dry rubber band.  Over stretching or stretching to forcefully will actually weaken the muscle, making injury more likely. Once your workout is complete - consider stretching in a sauna (still gently) and really make use of the extra heat.  More about saunas below...  


HYDRATE

You lose so much water during exercise and while it's best to replace it during exercise, refilling your personal hydro-tank after exercise is a great and simple way to speed up your recovery time. Water supports every metabolic function and transfer of nutrients in the body. Having plenty of water will improve each and every bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is even more vital for endurance athletes who lose larger amounts of water during hours of sweating and peak activity. 


REFUEL

It's SO important to make sure you eat within 60 minutes of a hard workout.   You just depleted your energy stores and now it's time to refuel them if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. Some great go-to foods for a speedy recovery are protein shakes, bananas, nut butters, hummus and red peppers, yogurt, berries, fish and all green plants.  Let's just face it - green plants are the food to eat pre and post anything!



HOT COLD
Take alternating hot and cold to the next level.  The old advice of ice pack and heating pad have great purpose but are better for targeting certain areas.   Try taking a really hot shower and then switching to the coldest setting for about 30 seconds (or how long you can handle it) and switching back to hot again.  As well, if you have access to a steam room or sauna - go stretch in the heat for 5-10 minutes, go out and take a cold shower (or use the ice bath if it's available) and the return to the sauna.  Repeat the process 2-3 times for best results.  


DID SOMEONE SAY SAUNA
Of course I did.  I would almost go as far as saying that I'm one of the biggest sauna fans in the world.  It's for good reason too.  The health benefits that saunas deliver make me wonder why more people don't invest in building one in their own home! {If you DO want one built, talk to a contractor today and you'll be on your way to better home health in no time!} But back to muscle recovery...  If you're already going to be stretching and alternating hot and cold in that gift of a sauna - enhance the experience further and add Eucalyptus oil or Spray!  For the oil, mix the essential oil into another base, like almond or jojoba and you'll quickly have a muscle recovery rub!  The oil penetrates deep into the tissue (more so in the heat of the sauna) for an anti-inflammatory effect.  When using the spray, simply spritz into the shower steam or the sauna/steam room.  The oil in the air will then enter your lungs and be carried off to nurture the needier parts of your well-worked muscles.  


You are working out and exercising to better your health and look your best. Congratulations! That's a big commitment you should be proud of!  Please take care of yourself with proper diet, rest and recovery as you live your life to it's absolute fullest! 

Feeling Dry? Keep the Glow in Your Skin During The Weather Change this Fall!

If you've looked in the mirror lately, you may have noticed your skin looks a little dull or more dry than usual.  Never fear.  It's normal and comes with the change in both the temperature and humidity in the air. So don't simply run to the nearest medical spa!  Below are 5 simple, easy tips for restoring that natural glow as the weather changes this fall! 

You ready?

1.  Hydrate - Water is your friend.  Coffee, tea and sodas are NOT your friend.  Sure they taste good and we are used to them.  But it's time we accept the truth that our bodies are 80% water and it needs water to function best.  Beverages that wet our mouth but actually dehydrate our bodies are an addicting disservice that we have allowed to become an unhealthy norm.  If you really feel you can't live without these things, please by all means, counter them with and increased water intake. Not sure how much to drink?  Simply determine how much you weigh in pounds - let's say 140.  Now divide that in half and convert to ounces - 70.  If you weigh 140 pounds, you should consume 70 ounces of water daily.  Go for 90 ounces at least if you need to include coffee, tea or soda.   Now, I know this may seem like a lot.  But please don't be discouraged.  Feel free to add a couple lemon or orange slices to the water and make it taste good.  Your blood needs water to flow well.  Your skin is the organ that tells you when the inside of your body has a need.  Love yourself and your family enough to take care of yourself, even if only with baby steps.

2.  Green Food - This one is pretty self explanatory.  As long as you know that I'm not talking about green food coloring, then you will know what to do.   Green fruits and vegetables are packed with Chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals that both bring elasticity and suppleness to the skin.  Bonus point?  Great for you metabolism as well!  Eat plenty of what you already love and begin to experiment and explore the delicious ways to enjoy the new foods!

3.  Sleep - Do it.  Sleep. Try not to eat 3 hours before going to bed.  Turn off all TVs, computers and phones at least an hour before you sleep.  Take some deep relaxing breathes and be thankful for the beauty in your life and day. Make sure your sleep environment is peaceful and calm.  Then dive in.  Sleep, is the time when our cells rejuvenate.  Things like mind activity and digestion steal our cell's focus and keep them from using our sleep ours from the priority of their renewal.  Do your body a favor and sleep in peace.  You will not only get more youthful skin, but will wake refreshed and more motivated to continue caring for your health.

4.  Stress - We all have stress.  It's the common thread in our modern society.  We are over committed, over worked and have a hard time saying 'no'.  It's ok to take time for yourself.  It's ok to make a cut-off point for your work day.  When stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol into our systems, causing tense muscles, emotional highs and lows, lowered immune system and well - wrinkles!  Now, this could be a whole topic in itself an maybe that's soon to come.  But for now, consider what stresses you and ways you can relieve those situations and responses.

5.  Detoxify - Our body detoxifies itself best through release.  One way we 'release' is through sweat.  My two favorite ways to sweat is through exercise and heat.  Exercise is anything that gets your heart rate elevated for more than 20 consecutive minutes.  You can decide what exercise is best for you but then stick to it.  (Again, it seems this should be expanded in another blog.  What do you think? Let me know!)  On to the topic of heat.  Shower, sauna, steam room... you decide.  Of course, the luxury of a sauna and steam room are ideal but if you have only a shower as an option, you will get the most out of it by adding a few sprays of our Eucalyptus Shower Mist to really open up the respiratory passages, increase circulation and further detoxify the skin.

6. Mask - In a bowl, mix 1/4 mashed avocado, 1TBSP of castor oil and 1TBSP of coffee!  Evenly spread the mix across your face and lay down. Let it sit for a good 15 minutes and then gently rinse off with warm water and then wipe down with a little witch hazel. You'll love the way your skin feels after!

Your health and life quality is our priority.  It's why we do what we do.

So instead of being frustrated at age taking it's toll, step in to action and implement the 5 tips into your life schedule.  You will be so happy you did.

To know more about what we can do for your home or even health spa, visit us at Eurospa Aromatics and we'll be happy to get you started!

Heal Sinusitis Fast with this Trusted Natural Home Remedy!

People that suffer from sinusitis know that the congestion, head aches and fatigue that

come with it are no small hindrance to life quality.  Over the counter medications are a gamble as many of them have such a strong anti-histamine that often, the only result is one of overly drowsy and cloudy head. So, if I tell you that there is a way to heal sinusitis fast, with a trusted natural home remedy, your ears are sure to perk up.  

Heal the problem, don't just cover up the problem!  But before we go into the remedy, let's understand the condition.

Sinusitis is a common upper respiratory condition marked by swelling and overproduction of mucus in one or more sinuses. Typical symptoms of sinusitis include nasal stuffiness and pressure and pain in the head, especially with motion or when bending forward. Sinusitis can be caused by allergy, or bacterial or viral infection. Treatment typically includes antihistamines, decongestants, and antibiotics. Though frequently prescribed, antibiotics are not effective against viral sinusitis.

Eucalyptus has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and decongestant properties, and has been used traditionally to treat asthma, nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, sore throat, and sinusitis. The oil from eucalyptus is antibacterial, anti fungal, and antiviral, and has been used topically to treat skin and dental infections, and to prevent cavities. Medicinal herbs containing what are known as “volatile” oils have strong and distinctive aromas; these herbs and their oils are generally antiseptic, relaxing to muscles and nerves, and decongest the mucous membranes. 

Getting back to your relief, here are the top two ways by which you can take advantage of the therapeutic properties of eucalyptus oil for treating sinusitis and it's related symptoms: 

Steam Inhalation
This is definitely the most popular method that relieves sinus inflammation, clears nasal congestion and soothes respiratory blockages as well. For doing this, you need to fill a small tub or a large bowl to about 3/4th of its capacity with hot water. Next, add some eucalyptus oil, either a few drops or a few sprays of Eucalyptus Shower Mist, to the water. Now, bow your head above the tub/pot of fragrant water and drape a towel over your head to create a smaller space for the steam to be trapped in near your face. Keep your mouth closed and breathe in deep so that the eucalyptus essence-laden steam reaches deep inside the nose and the upper respiratory tract. This method is very effective in providing relief from inflammation of the sinuses and blood vessels inside the nasal cavity, soothing nasal congestion and sinus headache.

Dilution and Application
This method is a more direct way of using eucalyptus oil for sinus headache and facial discomfort caused by inflamed sinuses. Simply dilute the eucalyptus with a carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil. Once diluted, it can be applied directly to the aching and congested areas without risking any kind of skin irritation or rashes. This method is great for treating sinusitis in people who have sensitive skin but don't have enough time to go through the steam inhalation method.
Don't let sinusitis get you down.  You can get relief without the toxic risks associated with over the counter medications.  At Eurospa, your health is our priority.  Stop by today to check out the other ways we are committed to giving you the best life quality possible!

Fight Back-to-School Germs With This Home Remedy List

It's back-to-school time and for most parents, that means germs, colds and sick days!  It doesn't have to
be that way though.  In addition to time tested habits like hand washing and covering your coughs and sneezes, we have some simple tricks to share with you on how to fight back-to-school germs with this easy home remedy list. We know you are too busy to be dragged down by sickness, so be sure to heed these helpful tips!

Vitamin D.  

If your child isn’t getting enough of this vitamin through food sources, you can consider any number of vitamin D3 supplements which contribute to bone health by creating optimum conditions for bone formation, in addition to supporting proper function of the immune and nervous systems.* For younger children, liquid D is a great option as it can be dropped right on the tongue or mixed in with foods or beverages.

Aloe Vera

The aloe vera plant contains over 200 biologically active components, and has been used for centuries in folk natural medicine and as a product ingredient. Its constituents are used in many forms, including it's juice which enhances healthy immune function, digestion and gums. It's incredibly detoxifying but the flavor can be strong to some. If adding it to food, you may want to try an already strong flavor combination like apple, mango and banana. 

In topical form, it’s often used for soothing skin and is even a common  ingredient in hand sanitizers. Having it on hand means that, in addition to using it on its own, you can make your own customized version.

Lavender oil 

Essential oils not only scent your hand sanitizers, but also add increased amounts of antibacterial properties! One of the most versatile plant essential oils, lavender’s name is derived from the Latin word “lavera,” which means to wash. It’s both gentle and effective in balancing the skin, and has a soothing and calming effect. You need only add a tiny amount to your recipe.

Eucalyptus Oil 

Eucalyptus oil is also a great option. Steam distilled from the leaves of the Eucalyptus plant, this oil is known for its cooling, soothing effects. As well, it's anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, not only killing germs but can be used symptomatically as well.  Use this shower mist both to clean surfaces of germs and bacteria and in the shower to open bronchial passages and clear the sinuses! 

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint, like Eucalyptus, contains menthol and menthone, as well as rosmarinic acid and flavonoids such as hesperidin and luteolin. Again, a little essential oil goes a long way. Steam distill this or make a tea.  The effects are cooling, soothing and will help those stuffy noses feel much lighter and clearer!

Your health is our priority at Eurospa.  We hope you find these tips helpful and would love to hear from you.  Let us know how we can make your life even better!