Headache/Migraine Relieving Aromatherapy Lotion

Ever have a horrific headache or even a migraine?  If you have, you'll never forget it.  I suffer from them as do many members of my family.  Luckily, I only get a migraine about once a month (more often if I am sleep deprived), but I also get terrible tension headaches.  Working at a computer 8+ hours a day, I tend to hold tension in my shoulders and neck. This can result in excruciating tension headaches.  

One way that I have discovered for relieving headaches is through a combination of aromatherapy and acupressure.  I'm going to share my solution here. The lotion uses peppermint (menthol) and eucalyptus essential oils.  Peppermint used topically and as aromatherapy is known to help relax muscles and increase circulation.  This makes it excellent for headaches, particularly tension headaches. 

I have included the recipe below for making your own headache relieving lotion.  This is for use on your hands in combination with acupressure.  See instructions, below the recipe, for how to use this lotion in combination with acupressure for headache relief.  My hubby loves acupressure so much that if he has a headache, he will wave his hand at me and ask me if I'll rub it to relieve a headache!

Headache Relieving Aromatherapy Lotion:

 4 oz. (1/2 cup) of lotion of choice or homemade hand lotion (recipe HERE or dollar store vitamin E lotion is also excellent for this)

15-20 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops eucalyptus essential oil 

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and store in air-tight container. 

To use:  Place a small amount of lotion on both hands and massage all over hands.  Concentrate on the part of your hand where your thumb joins to your hand.  Put pressure on both sides of this area by placing the thumb on the top part of the area and your fingers underneath (see link below for photo).  Use firm pressure and massage in a circular motion.  You may even find that, surprisingly, it is sore and that the degree of soreness directly relates to the severity of your headache.  Continue to massage this area for 5 minutes.  If you are experiencing nausea with your headache, place three fingers together (as if you were going to show someone you're 3 years old), place your fingers on the inside of your wrist, and measure 3 fingerbreadths down from the base of your hand.  Begin massaging at that point on the inside of your wrist/forearm.  This is an acupressure point to relieve nausea.  Alternate these massages, using the lotion liberally.  Relax, breathe deeply, and your headache should ease. 

For further information on the use of peppermint for headaches, see link HERE. 

For further information on the use of acupressure to relieve headaches, see link HERE. 

Medical Disclaimer:  The information provided here is for personal use only.  It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, treatment, or consultation.  

Oh no, I'm out of dryer sheets!

Have you ever uttered that phrase?  Especially during a marathon laundry session?  White vinegar and an aluminum foil ball are all you need to achieve soft, static-free laundry. 

I use about 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse water for a top-load machine.  Use 1/4 cup for HE machines.  For both machines, place the vinegar in the liquid fabric softener dispenser for your machine.  Your clothes may or may not come out with a vinegary smell to them, but that will disappear in the dryer.  

If your clothes have static, this is where the aluminum foil ball comes in.  Tear off an approximately cookie sheet size piece of foil and roll it into a ball.  I wait until the clothes are dry or nearly dry to see if they are sticking together.  Then I throw in 1-2 balls of foil and restart the machine to finish drying.  I know some people place the foil balls in at the beginning of the drying cycle, but I have a fear of the foil abrading the inside of the machine, so I wait until the clothes are almost dry. The foil balls will last for up to 6 months and can be reused over and over again. 

This is really neat trick for people who have allergies and are allergic to commercial scented fabric softeners.  It leaves no scent whatsoever, except what remains from your laundry detergent, and it has an added benefit of making any towels you may have washed super soft, fluffy, and more absorbent.  The white vinegar removes hard water deposits and soap residue from prior washings, making clothes brighter and softer.  

This method is also environmentally friendly and "green" because it does not use harsh chemicals, dyes, or fragrances to achieve soft and static-free clothes.  I use this frequently with my loads of white towels and wash clothes to make them soft and more absorbent.  While I like the smell of fabric softeners and use them most of the time, this is a wonderful and economical alternative to store-bought softeners.