February 10, 2012
An essential oil, even by the same name, is NOT the same!
Essential oils are a part of my everyday practice thus, consequently, my everyday life. For hours a day I apply these oils to body after body, taking in the aroma and reaping the rewards of absorption through my own hands. As with any substance that is voluntary introduced to my own skin I make it my business to know what I am getting in to. In a world full of environmental, free floating toxins I do my best to avoid adding any others if I can help it. And, of course, if it’s not good enough to go on my own person it sure isn’t good enough to go on the skin of my clients, those who trust me with the care of their body.
Essential oils are much more than just a scent! Therapeutic grade essential oils (TGEO) have the power to affect our bodies on a molecular level. Unfortunately, the oils you are likely to find sitting on the shelves of your favorite health food stores being sold at a ‘reasonable’ price are not these high powered, high quality essential oils, but instead they are perfume grade, which requires less expensive methods of extraction, often times with the use of noxious chemicals (hexane & ethanol) that will leave traces of the solvents in the very oils you intent to put on your skin. Even the act of smelling these lower quality oils will introduce these toxic molecules into your sinus passages where then can be absorbed through the mucous membrane. And, did you know, that due to the miniscule size of the essential oil molecules they can cross the blood brain barrier?!? That adds a whole new layer to how important it is to choose wisely the oils you put on/ in your person.
This leads me to why I choose to invest in Young Living Essential Oils, the highest quality therapeutic grade, 100% pure, organic essential oils you can find. Gary Young, founder of Young Living, has lead the way in the bringing the manufacturing of these oils up to the European standards of processing, which is higher than the U.S. standards. Of course these are the most expensive methods of extraction as it takes much more care & a greater amount of testing to ensure their quality. Steam distilled, or by using carbon dioxide instead of water, to separate the oil from it’s source is the safest way and that is how Young Living does it! Guaranteed!
Here is an article that explains some of the science & benefit of these little ‘smell goods’:
How Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils Heal our Bodies, Minds, and Spirits
by Alina Piccone LMT, ICA, CHC & Robert Ridpath LMT, ICA, CNWC
Therapeutic-grade essential oils, not to be confused with the perfume grade oils available in health food stores, truly have the ability to affect our bodies on a molecular level to induce healing. Phytotherapy (plant therapy) has been used medicinally for thousands of years in nearly every culture of the world for the past 6,000 years. Essential oils have been found in King Tut’s tomb and in ancient distilleries in the Southern Arabian Peninsula – the land of the Frankincense trail. Ancient Chinese scripts contain the recipes for thousands of plant-based remedies for illness and disease. Our ancestors knew the secrets of the living resources growing around them and they sagely took advantage of their healing properties. As Internationally Certified Aromatherapists, it just makes sense to us! Most people either believe in a deity who created man along with all of the plants and animals for us to use, or that we evolved and thus evolved along with the plants and animals – either way, these medicinal plants have been provided for us to use in order to heal our wounds, cure our illnesses, and prevent disease. Below are six of the main ways in which therapeutic-grade essential oils (TGEOs) work in our bodies (for a more detailed look, please visit our website www.EssentialLifeSolutions.com).
Oils as Universal Medicines
Inside plants, essential oils perform many duties. Some examples include: regulating plant growth (not unlike hormones in our bodies), aiding in metabolism, (such as our own enzymes), and also providing the basis for the plant’s immune system – warding off undesirable viruses, bacteria, microbes, fungi, parasites, and insects. When a plant is cut, it bleeds an oleo-gum-resin into the wound which initiates healing. In our own bodies, plant oils can support and balance our endocrine, circulatory, digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems. They can help us metabolize our nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Importantly, they can also boost the natural defenses of our immune systems in order to fight off disease by our own abilities. A very unique and interesting characteristic of TGEOs is that while they are friendly to us, they can be hostile to bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi and thus are able to attack invading offenders directly while protecting our healthy bacteria and cells a quality not found in pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics.
Antioxidants
As if the above were not enough to demonstrate the amazing abundance of healing properties of essential oils, they are also the world’s most powerful antioxidants! The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) assay is a laboratory procedure developed in 1992 at the National Institutes of Aging (NIA) in Silver Springs, Maryland. The ORAC scale has been adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) who, in cooperation with scientists at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, has recently applied the ORAC assay to measure the antioxidant capacities of many foods, juices, and oils. The higher the ORAC score, the more capable that particular food or oil is of destroying free radicals, thus retarding the aging process and preventing cancers and other diseases.
Antioxidant (ORAC) Scores (μmTE/100gm)*
For Selected Fruits and Vegetables
Carrots……………………………..210
Oranges…………………………….750
Raspberries……………………….1,220
Strawberries………………………1,540
Blueberries………………………. 2,400
Wolfberries……………………….25,300
Antioxidant (ORAC) Scores (μmTE/100gm)*
For Selected Essential Oils
Frankincense……………………… 630
Cinnamon…………………………..10,340
Spikenard …………………………..54,800
Myrrh…………………………………379,800
Clove…………………………………1,078,700
Therapeutic-grade essential oils have the highest ORAC scores of all the substances in the world. While eating foods high in antioxidants is a desirable and very healthy thing to do, learning to use essential oils in your daily life can potentially be even more desirable and health producing. The exceptionally high ORAC scores of TGEOs partially explains why living with them in your daily environment -breathing, eating, and applying them to your body – can support all of your body systems and contribute towards long healthful living.
pH
One of the benefits of incorporating essential oils into one’s daily life is that they increase the alkalinity of the body, not because oils are alkaline, but because of how they respond to acids. While an acidic condition in the body will destroy essential oil molecules, during the destruction process there are benefits gained by the person. The aggressive
parts of an acid are the free hydrogen ions (H+) that cause bodily damage wherever they circulate. When a therapeutic-grade oil enters the body, its molecules willingly sacrifice themselves to the acid, engulfing and neutralizing the H+ ions so that you don’t have to suffer their mischief any more. With a reduction of H+ ions in the body, pH is raised toward a healthier alkaline state.
Emotions
One of the most powerful healing aspects of TGEOs is their ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The molecules in these oils are so minute that when you breathe them in, they travel up the back passages of your nose, then head straight to the central part of the brain called the amygdala (or diencephalon). This is the headquarters of the limbic system, where all of your emotional experiences are stored and organized. What is truly amazing is that the tiny molecules in essential oils are the only way we can stimulate this part of our brain – it does not respond to words and cannot be communicated to with spoken or written language. Scent is the only sense that is able to trigger our emotional brain. Hence, essential oils provide a powerful means to contact that non-verbal portion of our brain which stores our feelings and emotions.
Frequency
Therapeutic-grade essential oils have the highest, most coherent measured electromagnetic frequencies of any natural substance. To maintain a healthy fundamental electromagnetic frequency, one must eat a balanced diet of mostly fresh produce, strive to have a positive outlook on life because negative thoughts lower frequency, and integrate TGEOs into your everyday life. They measure anywhere from 52-320 MHz, with Rose oil boasting the highest frequency, (compared to our 62-68 MHz) and thus should be applied regularly to the body in order to keep us healthy.
PMS (it’s not what you think!)
The big triple punch combination of “PMS” – Phenols, Monoterpenes, and Sesquiterpenes – found in TGEOs is probably one of the major aspects responsible for their therapeutic power. Many oils containing PMS have been found to be useful in addressing many illnesses, injuries and disease conditions. One hypothesis is that this combination offers the following actions:
1) Phenols clean receptor sites of cells (which re-establishes proper cell communication) 2) Sesquiterpenes wipe out wrong information in the cell’s DNA (ie: viruses, cancers etc) 3) Monoterpenes reprogram original information in the cell’s DNA (like restoring a computer)
These three classes of chemical components may be why essential oils sometimes affect a healing that is virtually instant and also permanent. What they simply do is to restore the body back to its natural state of balance and health at the most basic and fundamental levels within the cells.
I hope you found this information to be insightful, offering you more options when dealing with physical illness & emotional struggles while also giving you more to consider for making educated decisions in your essential oil purchases.
Yours in health,
Cheryl L GreatHouse, LMT
*** On a side note… Were you aware that I am a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils??? And, that I make an order the 5th of every month??? Just thought you should know! 
***
January 24, 2012
From Gua Sha to Graston… What is in the art of ‘scraping’?!?!
Recently, due to the connective tissue needs of a regular client, I began to read up on Graston’s Technique. It’s a pretty recent buzz phrase circulating through the offices of chiropractors, physical therapists, and the like. Graston’s Technique, simply put, is the use of specifically designed stainless steel tools with a beveled edge to scrape across lightly lubricated skin in a effort to break down scar tissue and restore mobility to an injured muscle or tendon. Many people of all athletic levels are touting the benefits.
While researching this I came across the ancient art of Gua Sha, literally meaning ‘to scrape away fever’ in Chinese. The Chinese and other Asian cultures would use tools made from bone, animal horn, jade, or the like to vigorously scrape across the skin in efforts to stimulate circulation and free up blockages in a persons chi (energy) so that they may fight off illness. Consequently, this would also lead to connective tissue restructuring when specific areas are addressed with that goal in mind.
Personally I find the wholistic intention and theory behind Gua Sha to be most appealing. Thus, I have purchased my jade tool, have studied the methods, and am now incorporating this ‘scraping’ into my practice. So far it has been well received and enjoyed, not to mention I am finding it extremely helpful when attempting to diminish those pesky trigger points.
If you are interested in learning more or experiencing the therapeutic results of Gua Sha, ask me at your next massage session.
Yours in Health,
Cheryl
October 23, 2011
Singing Bowls… now playing at The Great Escape!
Ultrasound, electric stimulation, relaxation through sound all rolled into one! By working with Tibetan singing bowls made from metals or crystal singing bowls during your massage session you are sure to have an amazing experience!
The use of sound to heal the body, mind & spirit is not new. For ages sound has been incorporated to bring the energy of an individual into harmony. Long before science could verify the therapeutic principals sound was a well known way to bring balance to the body.
“If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes. Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiologic functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.”
Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, director of Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine,
the Cornell Cancer Prevention Center in New York
In the past several weeks I have been integrating the use of singing bowl & tuning forks at the start of my massage sessions. Not only has the feed back been all positive but I have noticed that the ritual has helped people to fully be in the present during their massage. My clients’ abilities to leave the rest of the world behind for their session has increased. Deeper states of relaxation have been achieved.
Call or email to set up your first experience with sound healing as a part of your massage! I am excited to share this new tool with all of you!
Yours in Health,
~ Cheryl
September 9, 2011
Why NOT?!?
I have adopted a new mantra of sorts. ‘Why not’! I have recently become aware of the limits my own cynicism creates. I have also recently decided that I WANT to believe in miracles, I WANT to believe in fairy tales, I WANT to believe in unicorns! Alright, maybe that’s going a little far but why not? I recognize that some of these ideals seem silly but why? At one point the thought of the earth being round & not the center of the universe was considered silly, even heresy. But Nicolaus Copernicus was open to the the possibility which allowed him to ‘see’ what what his observations were suggesting. Of course he had to keep this information to himself up until he was on his deathbed so he could live to the natural end of his life. He trusted that he would surely be put to death to speak such ‘ridiculous’ things against the church & it’s teachings. Yet because of his seemingly limitless imagination that let him see beyond the socially accepted norm he enlightened the world at large. Although Copernicus was a scientist he held space for the unknown, unproven, unbelievable. Thank you for your courage Nicolaus Copernicus!
Have you ever stopped to think about how a new (or ancient, rediscovered) idea comes into play in this world? When something unheard of is put out to society the popular, initial reaction goes through stages much like what Elizabeth Kubler-Ross established as the stages of grief
1. Denial and Isolation.
2. Anger.
3. Bargaining.
4. Depression.
5. Acceptance.
Or, as Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.’
What it all comes down to in the end is how hard we choose to fight new ideas or how easily we wish to accept the possibility of something amazing. How much ‘proof’ do we need? How much ‘proof’ are we willing to accept? Who do we trust to provide that proof? Many people turn to science (discovered, explored, directed by man) to create the boundaries to their ‘box’ of beliefs. My goal is to avoid the struggle, to not allow any man to create the parameters of my beliefs, to believe therefore ‘see’ what is really possible. In adopting my new mantra I don’t intend to present myself as gullible or naive. I simply wish to create a mind set where miracles can happen easily. When exploring ancient wisdom such as energy healing, the benefits of plant essences, and other esoteric ideals I choose to be open. What will it hurt?
September 2, 2011
Robin Sharma’s tips on How to Get Up Early (& why)!
Robin Sharma offers a wealth of information on how to make it in today’s world. Author of many books on productivity, leadership development, and how to keep grounded on your way to the top, Mr Sharma has become well known in the world of elite ladder jockeys and among those who simply wish to lead a fulfilling life at any level. In a recent YouTube video titled, ‘How to Get Up Early’, Mr Sharma gives some helpful hints as well as a few good reasons on why early rising will help you to get an edge on life.
May you find it as inspirational as I did.
~ Cheryl
PS. You are sure to notice the direct benefit that we could both gain from by you following his tips. It’s a win/ win situation!
April 26, 2011
‘The Great Escape’ Raw Chocolate Bar is HERE!!!
Two dear women in my world, Stasia Bliss & Terra Bundance, found enough inspiration in the body work that I provided them to create a raw chocolate bar that translated that work into an all raw, all intentional creation of chocolate ambrosia!
Never The Same Chocolate is the ‘love child’ operation that these two beautiful souls pour all of their knowledge of chocolate, raw foods & essential oils into. Enjoying even the tiniest amount of any of the unique, dedicated chocolates that these lovely ladies make will truly be a spiritual experience. You are sure to taste the pure love & intention that Stasia and Terra put into their truffles.
The ingredients of The Great Escape bar include: Raw Cacao, Raw sweetener blend (Coconut, Agave, Yacon), Coconut oil, Maca, Klamath Blue/Green algae, Etherium Gold, Himalayan Salt, Cayenne, Sacred Frankinsense, Sage & Valor (Young Living organic, food grade essential oils). Each of these ingredients have a health benefit be it physical, mental, or spiritual! Click on
As a client of The Great Escape Intuitive Massage & Essential Oils, you will be offered a small taste of the chocolate bearing the same name with each session.
* The Young Living essential oils are the highest quality, organic, pure oils that I use in my practice. Ask me if you are interested in purchasing any of these oils. 503.944.9291
April 4, 2011
Coming soon to The Great Escape…Alkal-Life 7000sL
Last year I implemented the BioMat, which you all seem to be enjoying the benefits of. This year I am bringing to my practice purified, ionized water by way of the Alkal-Life 7000sL.
Equipped with an advanced pH calibration system, the Alkal-Life 7000sL transforms regular tap water into ionized, alkaline water which serves as a powerful antioxidant, a body pH balancer, a detoxifying cleanser and offers super hydration! NO kidding!
The best part of me bringing in the wonderful water is if you find yourself ill or low on energy & wish to bring in your own glass jug I would be more than happy to send you home with some ‘super water’ to help you feel better. ($5/ gal)
Learn more: Alkal-Life 7000sL
Touch For Health – Applied Kinesiology now being offered!
Recently my son & I took a small journey to the beautiful island of Kauai. On this island not only did we celebrate my son’s 15th birthday but I also attended two classes. One titled Top Ten Pain Releasers and the other Touch For Health, level 1.
I have seen flyers for this class at least once a month for the past year & was very interested. When it corresponded with my son’s birthday I knew it was a meant to be so away we go.
The first three days were filled with sightseeing, snorkeling, camping, etc. Most importantly our first days in Kauai were filled with making lovely connections with amazing people. That was truly the real magic of our travels. If you have never been to Kauai, it would surely be a great addition to your list of places to go. Beautiful landscape, welcoming & lovely people, all the fresh fruit you could ask for… the true Aloha spirit!
The second half of our stay, of course, had me in class for a good portion of the time. On day four I started the class Touch for Health: Applied Kinesiology!
I walked into this course understanding the physical side to applied kineseology. If one side has a muscle that is weaker than it’s twin on the other side then there is an imbalance. Simple enough. I am pretty confident that most know that we have a dominant side that tends to be stronger. However, that’s NOT what this is looking at. Here comes the concept that I didn’t quite catch at the start… It’s about energy flow/ innervation/ qi/ chi/ whatever you want to call it finding it’s way equally down both sides of the body. And, another big surprise to me was that ideas, beliefs, fears, and other emotional charges that we have can create this imbalance! Really!
Here is an example for you… Say you are an athlete with a big, important race coming up. Or a business executive with a critical presentation that you must deliver. If you have even the tiniest amount of fear or disbelief in yourself you can actually physically self sabotage. If you watch the Winter Olympics you may remember one Lindsey Jacobellis. She was an amazing contender for Gold in Women’s Snowboarding at the games in Italy. As she was in the home stretch, far in front of any of her competition, closing in on the finish line she made a jump, attempted a ‘grab’ & upon landing caught an edge causing her to fall. Lindsey took the Silver.
One year later, during the 2007 Winter X games Lindsey made a repeat performance, again crashing as she neared the finish line loosing the great lead she had maintained during most of her run. Now some may feel that this is just coincidence while others may find it to be terrible luck. I, personally, believe that it was Lindsey’s fear and focus on, as well as muscle memory of, the past failed attempts that sabotaged her efforts to win.
Now, how this Applied Kineseology can help is pretty amazing, in my opinion. Much like acupuncturists locate energy blockages & use their needles to open up the channels, Touch for Health uses muscle testing to identify physical blockages and then incorporates non invasive, hands on methods to clear them. These blockages may be caused by those limiting beliefs or fears I mentioned earlier.
In a Touch for Health session we first work to identify your goals. They may be physical goals, financial or career goals, material goals, etc. We will actually test your body to see if the goal you decide on is the priority in your life and what we should be working on. Once we have established that we are on the right track we begin muscle testing to find the blockages that may inhibit your success in achieving your goal. The treatment is done fully dressed & off the table.
The first of my clients that have allowed me to practice my new skills have walked away claiming to feel lighter in their body and more optimistic about their immediate future plans. One in particular who we had been chasing down the cause of a knee issue for weeks had the issue resolve after one Touch for Health session. The knee did begin to present with slight discomfort again some time later but was managed much quicker & with greater ease.
If you are feeling a bit stuck & wish to try out Touch for Health, let me know & we can schedule you an appointment.
To learn more: http://www.nyckinesio.com/.
January 3, 2011
2011 ~ A fresh new year with unlimited possibilties!
I don’t know about you but I am thoroughly excited about the start of this year. I keep saying that 2011 is bursting with potential and I mean it! It’s all a matter of if you are ready and willing to step up to take advantage of what is being offered. So, keep your eyes peeled & jump on those moments that could very well lead to something fabulous! The question is, what are you going to do to make sure you are in the right frame of mind to see what is before you?
I am thrilled to share how I am initiating this brand new phase… With continuing education and self improvement that will allow me to be of even more service to you!
On Jan 18th I leave for Hawaii (I know, how tough!) to attend a course that I have been wanting to take for months, possibly even years! Touch for Health is applied kinesiology that allows one to ‘speak’ directly to the innate wisdom of the body, bypassing what we ‘think’ we may need. May times what we ‘think’ is corrupted by an emotional response we may have towards a topic. By ‘listening’ to the body & it’s needs many discoveries can be made that can optimize ones health. It can point to what we should or should not be eating, what may be depleting your energy, or what could be causing chronic pain. Learn more by clicking the link above! I will be returning on the 25th with many exciting new things to integrate into my practice! So, schedule your next appointment to come in & experience my new skills!
On a personal note, I have opted to begin 2011 by doing a cleanse that involves eating a pristine diet without any sugar, starch or flour. Simply prepared meats, veggies & fruit! 21 days… Wish me luck!
My theme for 2011 – LAUGHTER! Come in with a joke or a funny story for me & I’ll take $5 off your first massage of the year!
As always, I am honored by the success of my practice as that is a reflection of the trust you instill in me. Thank you for being a part of The Great Escape and the referrals you send my way.
Many Blessings,
~ Cheryl
