School’s Back In Session! Boost Everyone’s Immune System Now!

School is back in session, germs are everywhere and you need to keep your family protected! Colds follow the germs and no one wants to miss a school day or work day. So be sure to be on top of it all and prevent it from taking over your life, energy and ability to do what needs to be done.  

Boosting our immune systems isn’t hard. Just use these tips!

Reduce Sugar

I know it’s hard, but sugar is one of the top ways to compromise your immune system. It’s like a lowering of your defenses and welcoming the attack. So when the sweet tooth hits, reach for alternative sweeteners and save your health!

Healthy Eating

Staying away from sugar isn’t the only thing you can do on the food front. The following foods are extremely beneficial for your overall health and strength of your immune system. Be sure to get a balanced amount of each.

-Fermented foods such as kefir, kimchee, miso, pickles, sauerkraut, etc.

-Raw, organic eggs from free-ranging chickens

-Coconuts and coconut oil

-Locally grown fruits and vegetables

-Mushrooms, especially Reishi, Shiitake, and Maitake, which contain beta glucans (which have immune-enhancing properties)

-Garlic, a potent antimicrobial that kills bacteria, viruses AND fungi

-Herbs and spices with high ORAC scores: Turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, cloves

School Lunches

This is an opportunity to capitalize on! Make sure the kids have the right kind of nutrient packed foods needed to fuel and protect their bodies during the day! Chopped veggies to dip in hummus, sauteed vegetables and brown rice with protein is a great energizing lunch, both for the mind and immune system.

Encourage Water Drinking

Keeping hydrated allows the body to both function efficiently and to flush toxins and bacteria from your system. Water is essential for the optimal function of every system in your body. Keeping kids hydrated isn’t always easy when they’re at school. Send them with water bottles and require them to drink a glass of water before each meal to get into good habits at home. Without enough water, a flower wilts. Our minds and bodies are the same.

Steam Detox

The body loves a chance to release stored toxins in the skin and other organs. For adults, either create a good steaming shower and add our eucalyptus oil shower spray to the mix or do the same in a quality sauna or steam room.  This will also fight bronchial infections, respiratory struggles, growing pains, improve circulation and alleviate pain from fibromyalgia and arthritis. For children, run a bath for them with just one spray onto the tub walls for the same yet lighter effect.

Get Enough Sleep

Our bodies needs time to recover, heal and grow. If there seems to be more homework than time, reevaluate time management and create a more healthy schedule. Waking earlier is better than going to bed later as well. To get the most out of sleep, you need more REM time. To get this, limit eating to no later than 2 hours before bed, unless it’s a protein based, no starch, no sugar snack. Stay away from media, computers and phones at least an hour before bed.

At Eurospa, we are committed to your health and the health of the world around you. Please take close care of your immune system this season and talk to us about our other products available for personal and spa use!

Easy Tips to Hydrate Dry Hair Naturally at Home!

Everyone wants healthy flowing hair that shines with a strength like no other. And while we’d like to remind you that those inspirational magazine photos are unrealistically touched up, we do want to leave you with some tried and true tips that will condition and strengthen your dried out and brittle locks….all naturally done at home, of course!

Avocado

Mash a ripe avocado (pit removed) with one egg, then apply this home remedy to wet hair. Avocados are rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids, and minerals that will help restore luster to your hair, says Stephen Sanna, expert colorist at the Pierre Michel Salon in New York City. Leave on for at least 20 minutes, then rinse several times. Repeat once a week for damaged hair and once a month for healthy hair.

Buttered up.

You can treat dry, brittle hair with a small amount of butter for a glossy shine! Massage it into your dry hair, then cover your hair with a shower cap for about a half hour. Shampoo as usual, and rinse all the butter out.

Stay Hydrated.

Drinking enough water each day helps the body to process and flush out toxins faster, which makes it a quick and easy natural method that will make your hair grow a lot faster. If you drink about 8 cups of water a day, not only will your body feel better, but your hair will get stronger. The stronger the hair, the faster that it grows. Drinking water also keeps your hair hydrated from the inside out. Hydrated hair is happy hair because, when dry, your hair is much more likely to break.

Comb or wait.

Never brush your hair when it’s wet. It’s more likely to break. Use a wide tooth come after applying a detangler and hair protection spray. Brush each night to keep the hair smooth and tangle free; further avoiding breakage while sleeping.

Protect from heat!

It's old news, but heat is damaging to your hair! Try to stay away from blow dryers and heated tools, as they burn the hair. If you MUST use them, be sure to use a heat protecting spray or cream first, before styling. Keep in mind that the sun damages hair as well. In warmer weather, or intense sunlight (even in the snow) keep a hat on to protect your hair from over drying and burning.

Wrap it dry.

Instead of rubbing your hair after you get it wet, wrap up your damaged hair in a cotton towel, and let the cotton absorb the moisture for a few minutes. This helps protect against further split ends.

Good foods.

Did you know that what you eat actually makes a difference in how fast your hair grows? If you eat a lot of good fats and protein-rich foods, you will see a huge difference in the quality of your hair, as well as the speed with which it grows. Things like organic butter, coconut oil, avocado, flax oil, fish, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even different meats all make a difference, so cut down on junk food and focus on heal meals.

Eucalyptus.

Get into a sauna, steam room or even your shower, one to two times a week and spray eucalyptus oil shower spray near your head, about arms length away; never onto the head directly. The circulation promoting plant oils will penetrate through your open pores, waking up the follicles. Add to this a gentle scalp massage and you'll have one happy head! You can also make a topical essential oil blend. I suggest mixing three drops of lavender oil, three drops of rosemary oil, and two drops each of thyme oil and cedarwood oil, along with some jojoba oil. 

Don’t be discouraged by your dry brittle hair. Trim what you are willing to part with and then do your best to nourish it naturally! At Eurospa, we love providing you with the natural tips you need to feel healthy, look healthy and live well. Please visit our site to learn more about our eucalyptus and mint products today!

Make the Most of Your Sauna Experience with These Helpful Tips!

It’s becoming common knowledge that using a sauna or steam room on a regular basis is a benefit to your immune system, quality of health and life.  The many benefits range from relaxation and anti-aging to pain management, weight loss and cleansing! If you are looking for new ways to look and be more healthy, adding sauna treatments to your health or wellness routine at home is a great way to start.

At Eurospa, we specialize in supporting the immune system and total body health with with the use of Eucalyptus oils and Menthol crystals. It’s easy to add these powerful agents to your natural health routine. We’ll show you how later, but for now, want to let you know why they are so beneficial!

Make the most of your sauna experience and enjoy the following benefits!

Pain Management

Heat has an analgesic, or pain relieving, effect due to its ability create more effective blood flow. Painful conditions caused by inflammation such as arthritis and fibromyalgia can be temporarily managed through heat treatments like those found in both saunas and steam rooms. Massaging essential oils, such as peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary or even wintergreen, in small amounts and diluted with coconut oil, on to the muscles before and after entering the heat will further your results even more! For managing pain, saunas may be preferable for people who are negatively affected by humidity as are some sufferers of acute rheumatoid arthritis.

Anti Aging

Due to the increased circulation of the blood, the contraction of the pores and the detoxification involved, saunas are great for restoring a youthful glow to the skin as well and activating collagen and elastin in the dermal layers. You will love the way your skin regains that rosy hue and hydrated glow.

Expectorant

One health advantage that can only be provided through the heat of saunas is the expectorant effect, when adding a menthol based essential oil to the mix, such as eucalyptus oil. These oils thin and open the mucous membranes in your body, including in your sinuses, throat and lungs. If you suffer chronic congestion or sinus infections, using eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary, can help loosen and clear the mucous from your nose, chest and throat.

Mind and Body Relaxation

We lead stressful lives, so the emotional and physical relaxation that stems from sauna use in irreplaceable. You will begin to add sauna use as part of your regular self care routine, as you notice a calmer response in your mind and body when dealing with everyday stress. Both wet and dry heat simulate sedative effects that generate feelings of calmness and relaxation, and some people who suffer emotional or mood disorder may find relief with regular trips to saunas or even steam rooms.

To increase the benefits of all the above, add menthol crystals or eucalyptus.

Menthol Crystals

Just sprinkle a very small amount on your carpet or add to your oil on a burner or warmer. Always start with less than you think you’ll need. It doesn’t take much to infuse the entire room or sauna with the uplifting scent of menthol. You can also melt the crystals into a mineral oil to use as a bath salt.  Or allow the oil to cool and apply as a paste for sore muscles. When you use menthol crystals, you should start with just 1/4 teaspoon or even a single medium sized crystal, Eurospa menthol crystals are very concentrated. It is better to use too little than too much.

Eucalyptus Mist

This one is so simple, you can even use it in the shower. Just turn on the water and let it get hot before stepping in. Now you spray a few shots of 100% pure eucalyptus oil right into the steam.  For the sauna, simply spray 2 or 3 sprays into the air or onto the rocks, and enjoy. The result is an explosion of invigoration that permeates the shower area and instantly energizes and relaxes your whole body. Breathe the powerful aroma into your lungs and feel it go to work cleaning and providing antibacterial action into your entire respiratory system.

As you can see, the heat of saunas and steam rooms can have added benefits when putting different essential oils into the mix. At Eurospa, we strive to create and distribute the highest quality eucalyptus products possible for home and spa. Your health is our priority. See how we can help you today!

Are You Overworked, Stressed, and About To Break Down? STOP. These Tips Are Just For YOU.

It's so hard to keep up with the demands of life! Families, jobs and other responsibilities pull us in every direction until one day, we just cave in.  We are not robots.  If we don't take care of our health with self care, we WILL BREAK DOWN. 

Self-care, while often neglected but absolutely necessary, can be any positive behavior or practice that helps us avoid triggering worse health problems (like the risk of heart problems due to high stress, for example) and betters our life quality by improving our mental and physical health through increased self-esteem, less stress, and overall well being. Implementing these simple tips can also help provide balance in our over-stimulating world. Self-care makes up an essential part of a healthy lifestyle that keeps us healthy, happy, and more in-tune with our minds and bodies.

Problem is, engaging in self care only occasionally isn't going to do the trick. We need to commit to regularity.  Of course, new patterns of change in our lives can be hard to commit to, as they can feel intimidating or maybe we have a fear of failing.  That's very common, which is why I've compiled these tips together for you. I chose them because they are easy to implement into our daily lives, allowing us to set new patterns. 

So take a few minutes for yourself (that's the first step, anyway!). Get out a pen and paper and write down the suggestions below that feel right to you; ones that you feel you can accomplish and will make you feel lighter, more free and generally good.  Cause that's what we all want, right?  To feel good?

MAKE A LIST WITHIN A LIST

Write a list of the things that make you smile, giggle and make your arms spread open in pure joy.  What are those things?  Can you think of 3?  How can you make those things happen each week or even each day?   For some, it's loud happy music and dancing around.  For others it's swimming or playing with a child.  Think on that one.  Life is best experienced when our hearts can smile. What gets yours going?

IT'S TIME TO GET OUTSIDE

Ditching the comfort of your home gets us out in the world without obligation; cause walking from your front door to your car doesn't count.  Get outside, take a walk and BREATHE deeply.   Being outside alone is associated with less mental stress and increased quality of living.

TAKE IT FURTHER
While you're at it....  exercise outdoors.   We all know the benefits of exercise and even if you're feeling a little shy - there are plenty of ways to get your heart rate going and oxygen pouring into your lungs.  Find a friend to play tennis or go on a long walk with.  Find a more private park path or beach to stand strong and engage your core muscles.  Climb a tree.  Hike. Swim.  Run. Bike.  

SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND

Get your eyes wide open. Look around and find 
happiness.  Find love.  Notice acts of kindness, encouraging words and heart felt smiles.  Watch the love between people and see the beauty in the flowers.  It can be hard to get past the sadness and hostility in the world, but when we focus on the beauty still present, we are more excited to share it.  Be part of a joy revolution - and start with yourself. 

PAY IT FORWARD

Have you heard of those stories of people in line at Starbucks, waiting to pay, only to find out that the person ahead of them took the bill?  By helping others, we actually help ourselves, too. Lending a hand not only boosts mental health, but may also lead to a longer more fulfilled life. Volunteering also affects self-confidence, self-esteem, and general wellbeing in a positive way.

USE SOME COMMON SCENTS.

Yes, that was intentional.  Essential oils are getting more and more recognition for their healing properties and we are happy that it's happening. Breathe the right scents.  We have all been taught that deep breathing can help us relax. But what we breathe might be just as important as how we breathe. But current research suggests that citrus scents, orange essential oil in particular, can help slash stress and anxiety, and inhaling eucalyptus oil can invigorate the senses while also going deep inside our cells to purify and cleanse us from bacteria and toxins.

CLOSE YOUR EYES

Get Sleep! So many things can sabotage our sleep, whether it’s a late night working, a reality show marathon, a wild party, or just normal life. The problem is, skimping on sleep can seriously hurt clarity and productivity, causing us to eat more, and may lead to adrenal and thyroid problems; which domino to diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Prioritize your rest to be a healthier, happier you — even if it’s just a power nap on your lunch hour!

It's time to upgrade your experience on the planet.  This is your chance to live more fully. Are you ready to reduce your stress and start to feel GOOD?  

We are.  Eurospa is committed to global self care, which is why we provide top quality eucalyptus products and menthol crystals for spa and home use.  Your health is our priority! 

How do you reduce the stress?  We'd love to hear from you!