Natural and healthy ways to manage head lice using essential oils

While our children are in school with their heads near their peers in “deep concentration” lice can enjoy easy passage from one person’s hair and scalp to the next. Head lice love the close quarters of classrooms and enjoy having children bring them home to infect the whole family through pillow sharing, sharing of hair accessories and even from their beloved stuffed animals!
Essential oils are a fast, effective and natural way to both prevent and treat head lice.
Some simple methods we can use at home are to wash everything, making sure it gets time in the dryer as heat can kill lice. Bagging stuffed animals and other bedroom toys where lice can live, and then leaving the bag to sit somewhere hot or cold for 2 weeks can help break the life cycle and kill off the lice. Treating our person starts with purchasing a good quality metal head lice or nit comb. This is needed to brush through hair daily to remove the lice and nits from the hair. This needs to be done for a good week until there are no visible signs of eggs in the hair. If one person in the family has head lice it is recommended that all members of the family be treated.

Essential oils that prove to be effective for head lice in children are:


Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Eucalyptus radiata (Eucalyptus radiata)
Lemon (Citrus limonum)
Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)

Please pay special attention to the variety specified in the above list, as it’s important to use the correct variety of essential oil on children.
Sometimes Rosemary essential oil is mentioned in conjunction with head lice, however I do not recommended this essential oil for young children and since it is also not to be used on anyone who is prone to seizures, I do not recommend using this oil for head lice.

To make your own oil blend to massage into your child’s hair follow this general guide line:

Into 1 ounce (30ml or 2 TBSP) coconut oil add 3-6 drops essential oil for children 5 years and older.

You can choose any combination of essential oils from the list above.  Then apply a few drops of this mix onto their scalp and hair (avoiding the eyes) then wrap hair in a plastic bag to keep the head warm and sit for 30 minutes with the oil mix in the hair. After 30 minutes brush the hair thoroughly with the nit comb, rinsing the comb in soapy water between each stroke through the hair. Then blow-dry the hair using the heat setting, as head lice are heat and light sensitive. Do this treatment multiple days until there are no visible eggs caught in the comb. Adding a few drops of this mix to your shampoo also helps and is a good prevention to head lice.
Keep in mind that you can get a custom aromatherapy blend from a certified aromatherapist to help target head lice and create a pleasant blend for preventative use throughout the school year. Also if your child has developed an irritated and red scalp from the head lice then an aromatherapist can custom blend an oil to help soothe the scalp.

Evoke aromatherapy has the pure essential oils needed for lice prevention and can custom blend products for the prevention and treatment of head lice. To inquire email: info@evokearomatherapy.com

Thank you! :)

Evoke Aromatherapy
May we live with love in our heart and actions

A picture slide show featuring head lice
http://www.medicinenet.com/head_lice_pictures_slideshow/article.htm 

Want to Live Longer, Pass the Whole Grains

Source:  USDA

If you need a New Year’s resolution to kick the year off on a healthy note, you may want to begin by adding more whole grains to your plate.  A large study involving over 110,000 adults published today in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that a diet adequate in whole grains was associated with a reduced risk of dying prematurely, especially deaths due to cardiovascular disease.  Even when the researchers adjusted for the individuals’ age, smoking habits, and body weight, the association remained. 

In fact, based on the study’s results, the researchers estimated that for every one ounce serving of whole grains consumed daily, there was an associated five percent reduction in dying of any cause and a whopping nine percent reduction of dying from heart issues.  Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans. 

According to the National Cancer Institute and United States Department of Agriculture, you should be eating between 1.5 ounces to 5 ounces per day of whole grains depending on your calories needs, but most Americans are eating less than 2 ounces of whole grains daily.  The Whole Grain Council estimates that 40 percent of Americans never touch the stuff.

Other research also suggests that a healthy diet that contains whole grains can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  What’s the magic ingredient that is the key to longevity?  It’s likely not just one nutrient or compound but more likely a combination of all that whole grains have to offer, such as fiber, antioxidants, vitamin E, and magnesium, working together to keep you healthy. 
This chart will help you find whole grains down the supermarket aisle:

Source: Whole Grains Council

If your diet is falling short in the whole grains category, try these easy ways to get more throughout your day:

• Choose whole grain breakfast cereals such as shredded wheat, whole wheat flakes, or oat cereal in the morning.  Start your cold mornings with a bowl of hot oatmeal, which may help you better manage your weight .
• Combine a whole wheat English muffin or wrap and low fat cheddar cheese, turkey, or hummus at lunch.   Add tons of veggies for extra bulk.
• Snack on a 100-calorie pack of popped popcorn in the afternoon.
• Try quick cook brown rice, whole grain pasta, or whole wheat couscous at dinner.

Click here to learn how to cook with whole grains and for tons of healthy recipes.

Be well,

Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

The Top Nutrition Stories in 2014

What a year for nutrition news.    As I look back, I am still not sure that the Biggest Loser Really Have a Winner.  I do know that cauliflower overtook kale as the “in” produce, people were still hunting for the Paleo Diet, gluten free was a free-for-all, and sugar was the sweet media headline of the year.

Since I love to reminisce about the past year, here are additional stories that were top rated  in my Nutrition and You blog in 2014:




The Top 5 Healthy Processed Foods That You Should Be Eating

The Hottest Healthy Kitchen Gadgets to Give (or Get) This Year

Forget About Superfoods. Try Retro Eating.

The Reason You Can’t Keep the Weight Off

Will the FDA's Latest Calorie Listing Requirements Affect How You Order?

The Latest Nutrition Facts About Beer

What Do Olympic Athletes Eat to Compete at Sochi?

Fenway Concession Stands


Which was your favorite Nutrition and You blog post?

Happy Holidays!

Be well, Joan


Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

Diet Trends that You Should Ditch

Over the past year, trendy diets touting unique health benefits seemed to be the “hot diet” until someone came out with a “better” one the next month.  Unfortunately, many of these diet trends won’t pass the test of time.  The latest that has me scratching my head in disbelief is the Bulletproof Coffee Diet that requires that your morning java be swimming in butter and oil for mental clarity.  Personally, a Dunkin' Donuts regular coffee with low fat milk along with a bowl of yogurt, wholegrain cereal, and a sliced banana has kept me mentally clear and energetic in the morning for decades.

What other trends need to be ditched in 2014?  I scoured the country and asked a variety of nutrition experts their thoughts and posted them below:

Make the Paleo Diet Extinct

While our ancient ancestors may have locally hunted and gathered for their fodder, Keri Gans, RDN, and author of the Small Change Diet, isn’t a fan of the Paleo Diet concept, which eliminates food groups solely because the caveman didn’t eat them. (Keep in mind the caveman lived to only about 30 years of age.)  “One hundred percent whole grains, dairy, and legumes contain plenty of nutrients that are important for our bodies and long-term health but are excluded if eating a Paleo Diet,” claims Gans.  Ditch it and move on.  “If I see one more person who wants to eat Paleo while dining out I am going to scream. The caveman didn’t go to restaurants,” cries Gans. 

Pull the Plug on the Smoothies and Juices

Why?  “Because these liquid foods often contain many more servings of fruit and calories yet less fiber than you realized,” states Leah McGrath, RD, and Corporate Dietitian at Ingles Markets.  “The smoothies and juices that are pre-made at juice bars or come off the grocery store shelf can be the biggest offenders.”  Consider this: a container of 16 ounces of orange juice is about 225 calories, which is the equivalent of eating a little over 3 whole oranges.  Could you ever eat that many oranges in one sitting?  I doubt it.  You would get tired of peeling after the second orange and stop, thereby reducing your calorie intake.  Rely more on whole foods than juices.

Derail the Detox Diets

“These extreme weight loss approaches are unnecessary, unhealthy, potentially dangerous, and ineffective long term,” claims Kathleen M. Zelman, RDN, and the Director of Nutrition at WebMD.  “Your body has its own detoxification organs that rid toxins so no special diet is needed. Weight loss may occur on a detox diet but only because they are so low in calories, not because of any magical detoxification.” says Zelman.  In fact, most people feel weak, hungry, and cranky during these nutrient deficient fasts and are frustrated when the weight that is lost ends up coming right back on the hips.  Want to detox?  Eat more whole foods, less overly processed foods, and drink more water suggests Zelman.

A Gluten-Free Diet is Half-Baked for Most
If you don’t have a medically diagnosed reason to stop eating gluten, you don’t really need to avoid it.   In fact, avoiding gluten in your diet as a way to lose weight may actually backfire according to Elisa Zied, RDN, and author of Younger Next Week.  How?  “Many gluten-free foods actually contain more calories, sugar, and fat than their gluten-containing counterparts,” says Zied.  Let’s face it, a gluten-free cake is still cake no matter how you slice it.  

Leave Behind the Low Carbohydrate Diets

“Consuming very low amounts of carbohydrates on a regular basis can cause a slower metabolism, unruly hormones, and unwanted hunger,” states Jim White, RD, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics media spokesperson and owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios.  Here’s the real kicker:  a low carb diet can make you feel less energetic, which will negatively affect your workout regimen. You need healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits and veggies, to fuel your workouts and pump iron.

Free Yourself of Having To Eat Free

We need freedom from having to buy and consume products that have the word “free” on the package, according to Leslie Bonci, RDN, and Director of Sports Nutrition at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine.  “Foods labelled as wheat-free, sugar-free, and fat-free imply that removing these ingredients from the food will magically transform your body.”   Avoiding these products may actually “free up” some cash in your wallet as these foods tend to be pricey at the checkout counter.

What diet trends will be coming in the New Year?  Have you heard of an “interesting” diet that you are wondering about? Let me know and stay tuned.  I will be blogging about them all when they make the headlines.

Thanks for reading the blog.

Be well, 

Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

Rethinking Your Holiday Drinking

‘Tis the alcohol season.  From now until New Years’ Day, based on the number of parties and yuletide festivities that you may be attending, you will likely be consuming more alcohol than typical.  So what's your favorite holiday cheer?

According to a Harris Poll, wine seems to be the beverage of choice during the holidays.  For men, beer comes in second while ladies are more likely ordering cocktails, spirits, and liquor as their second choice for their holiday cheer.   While 5 ounces of wine pours up about 125 calories and a beer will cost you about 150 calories, festive alcoholic beverages can add a tad more calories in your stemware depending upon what is added to the alcohol:

Mulled Wine:  155 calories

Pomegranate  Martini: 260 calories

Eggnog with Rum :  500 calories

If you only have one party to go to in a week and you keep to only one drink, any single alcoholic drink, festive or not, won’t cause much caloric damage to your diet.  However, if this season’s social calendar is fairly full, I found a nifty alcohol calculator online that allows you to enter the amount of drinks that you plan to consume during the week.   It will then tally the predicted amount of calories you may be sipping over the course of the seven days.

Here’s how it works:  Let’s say that you’re planning to go to four holiday events this week and plan to have two drinks at each event.  Based on the alcohol calculation below, you could be consuming over 1,000 calories and that’s not even counting the appetizers that you’re nibbling on while you are sipping:

Click here to use the calculator to get your personalized intake.

Since you would have to walk briskly for about 4 hours to burn off those 1,052 calories, you may want to consider bundling up and walking to all the holiday parties if you plan to take in that much alcohol.  

An easier way to cut your holiday beverage calories is to use this holiday tip:  Always drink alcohol in a one-to-one ratio.  After a glass of wine, beer, or cocktail make the second "drink" a large glass of sparkling water.  Who knows....you may end up stopping after the second "drink" of water and eliminate that second glass of calorie-containing alcohol altogether this holiday season.

Even better, become the designated driver and skip the alcoholic calories altogether.

Happy holidays and thanks for reading the blog, Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

The Hottest Healthy Kitchen Gadgets to Give (or Get) This Year

Source:  Yonanas

Are you stumped as to what to buy a person this holiday season that has “everything?”  In fact, are you one of those people who is a shopping nightmare for those who want to buy you a gift?  Make life easier for yourself and those who will be shopping for you by considering one of these trendy, healthy holiday kitchen gadgets that are guaranteed to keep giving throughout the year:

If you like frozen desserts but not the extra calories and added sugar, you are in for a sweet treat.  The newest rage this season is a frozen fruit ice cream maker, which is a fun appliance that converts chunks of 100 percent sweet fruit into a healthy, soft-serve frozen fruit dessert (see photo).   You’ll never eat ice cream again.

Source:  Vegetable Spiralizer

How do you make pasta that is made from veggies?  Use a vegetable spiralizer.  You can make zucchini noodles, carrot spaghetti, and beet curls.  The veggies options and shapes are endless.  

Go green this season and make your own bottled flavored sparkling water.  The bottles are not only reusable but you can also flavor the bubbly waters with calorie-free fresh lemon, lime, or orange slices.  The best part is that your home recycling bottle bin will be empty.

Infuse your favorite cooking oil with herbs in an oil mister and then pump a light coating of this culinary delight onto your sauté pan.  According to a Cook’s Illustrated comparison report, this reusable gadget can save you money over the long run compared to purchasing nonstick cooking sprays at the supermarket, and the mister is easily cleaned in the dishwasher.   Save money and eliminate wasteful, empty spray cans.

All of these are on my list.

Happy Holidays,

Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake

The FDA Wants YOU to Know What’s On The Menu

Source:  FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just released mandatory requirements that will require many restaurants to display the amount of calories in the meals and alcoholic beverages on their menu.   This mandatory requirement will be enforced for chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to ensure that consumers have access to this nutrition information prior to placing their order.

While many restaurants, such as Panera and Chipotle already have this information available at their eateries and/or on their website, all restaurants that fit the bill must adhere to these new guidelines by December 1, 2015.

According to FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD, “Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories away from home. These final rules will give consumers more information when they are dining out and help them lead healthier lives.”  

Here is what you may uncover at these eateries once the calories become posted:

Source:  Restaurant websites

The regulations also include take-out and delivery foods such as pizza and edibles at movie theaters.  Vending machines will also be included if the operator owns or operates 20 or more machines.

Do you think that having the calories associated with your meal or snack visible would affect how your order?  Please share.

Be well, Joan

Twitter:  @JoanSalgeBlake