Herbs are useful all day long. Wake up every morning to a cup of green tea and lemon juice. The antioxidants in the tea will help rid the body of toxins and the citrus will get digestive juices flowing.

For an invigorating shower try adding mint, lavender, or orange essential oils to your favorite shampoos and soaps. Afterwards, gently pat skin dry and apply a vegetable based moisturizer. Look for ingredients such as almond and grapeseed oil instead of mineral oil. Vegetable oils penetrate outer skin layers to heal and protect. Petroleum products just sit on top of the skin.

Don’t forget sunscreen when leaving the house. Sunscreens protect from premature aging and help prevent skin cancer. Thirty minutes before going outside, use a medium to high SPF rated sunscreen containing titanium dioxide. Avocado oil, sesame oil and shea butter contain naturally occurring sunscreens although they have relatively low SPF ratings. Use these fine oils as a moisturizer along with commercially prepared sunscreens for best results. Avoid using citrus oils such as orange, lemon or lime before exposure to sunlight. Citrus oils reduce the effectiveness of sunscreens and may even cause uncomfortable skin reactions when applied before sun exposure.

Incorporate herbs into the diet throughout the day. Drink herbal teas whenever fatigue strikes. Try peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, ginseng, dandelion, nettles, milk thistle, plantain, red clover, rosemary, and fennel. Use catnip, bee balm, or valerian to calm the nerves during stressful situations.

Use herbs in cooking and when dining out. Eat that little sprig of parsley that comes as decoration on the plate. It’s full of vitamins, antioxidants and also freshens the breath! Add chives, basil, garlic, turmeric, oregano, and cilantro to salads, vegetable dishes, and fruit salads. Try fennel seeds, dill seeds, and poppy seeds on breads and in soups. Herbs not only add superb flavor to food, they also help protect and heal the body, mind, and spirit.

In times of stress, schedule a message and aromatherapy session. A healing touch and the right aroma can make any situation better. Does aromatherapy really help? Try an experiment sometime and see for yourself. Stop by a bakery and inhale the aroma of fresh baking bread. Pull over to the side of the road and breathe in the scent of freshly mowed grass. Visit an apple orchard during harvest season, find a comfortable seat, close your eyes, and imagine a warm, friendly kitchen with apple pies baking in the oven.
As they say, “Take time to smell the roses.” Don’t you feel better already?

As bedtime approaches, it’s time for relaxing. Don’t exercise before bed or you won’t be able to sleep! Drink relaxing herbal teas like chamomile, wild lettuce, catnip, and monrada. Warm baths can also help calm the mind and relax the muscles. Use lavender, rose, ylang-ylang, hops, or jasmine. Herbal sachets are good to put under your pillow. For sweet dreams and a sound sleep try a combination of lavender, passionflower and lemon balm.