Oil of the Month May - Bay

Besides the Herb of the Month, we also have our May oil of the month - Bay!
Bay is used by some in massage blends; it helps with lymphatic congestion and strengthens the immune system, and helps alleviate muscle aches and pains.

Oil of the month link: Bay

You can sign up for the ACHS newsletter to receive emails about the Herb & Oil of the month as well as other information of what is happening at the college at:
ACHS Newsletter

Remember to also visit our online apothecary shoppe to order any herb or oil of the month and also to review our specials:
ACHS apothecary specials

For information about Aromatherapy courses or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our AA and MS Complementary Alternative Medicine degree programs!

Updated Herb of the Month

Wow, this year is going by quickly. Our previous posting on Friday we listed St Johns Wort as the herb of the month. Well that was April's herb. Its time for May! :)

We are proud to introduce this month's Featured Herb - Rosemary!
The link is here:
ACHS Herb of the Month - Rosemary

When you order the Featured Herb of the Month you will receive a new herb of the month package. This package includes 8 oz of the herb of the month and an insert, describing your herb in detail with recipes and other fun ideas to incorporate into your natural healing lifestyle.

Rosemary officinalis, a native to the Mediterranean Region, is one of the earliest and most renowned of the English medicinal herbs. There are numerous varieties. The botany of rosemary is rather complicated with a number of varieties and forms. It is a tender perennial and will thrive best in a Mediterranean-type climate of sunny mountain slopes and dry arid lands.

For information about Herbal courses or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our AA and MS Complementary Alternative Medicine degree programs!

Has Spring Finally Sprung?!

Well finally it feels as if we may have turned the corner to spring here in the northwest. Its been a wet 21 of 30 days with measurable rain here - amazingly we are still behind in monthly totals! Guess it just drizzled all the time.

However today is beautiful and sunny. It feels like we may have turned a corner. From the ACHS herbal garden the Catnip is blooming and the flax is well um flaxing.
So tell me everyone... How does your herb garden grow?
Be sure to check out our products for herb gardening in our online store:
Apothecary Shoppe Link
You can also find a new herb of the month there each month
Herb of the month - St Johns Wort
as well as join our
Herb of the Month Club

For information about Herbal courses or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our AA and MS Complementary Alternative Medicine degree programs!

Spring Clean with Essential Oils!

A great way to help with sweeping away the winter into that spring clean is by using essential oils in your cleaning!

Have you tried using a few drops of Eucalyptus on a wet towel on the counters? Or with a damp cloth add a few drops of essential oil (of your choosing) to it and putting in the dryer with your laundry? It refreshes, smells better than costly drier sheets, and is a green way to spruce up the laundry. There are a number of things you can do with essential oils in cleaning that are green and avoid using harsh chemicals.

Right now the ACHS apothecary shoppe has a special Spring Cleaning Kit! Offered at 20% savings to the normal cost while supplies last! Contains a mister, a selection of essential oils, and a recipe card.
Here is the link to the kit: Spring Cleaning Kit

For further information about Aromatherapy courses or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our AA and MS Complementary Alternative Medicine degree programs!

How Citrus Scents Lift Moods

Here is a great web link to how Citrus scents lift moods, a discussion with ACHS President Dorene Petersen:

How Citrus Scents Lift Moods

The ACHS apothecary shoppe: http://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/ has many essential oils and other products available, including our herb and oil of the month. Here are the links to this months':
ACHS Herb of the month - St Johns Wort
ACHS Oil of the month - Basil
You can order your herb/oil of the month from the Apothecary Shoppe and learn about a new herb/oil every month!


For further information about Aromatherapy courses or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our upcoming AA and MS degree programs.

Carb Calculator

Hello everyone,

ACHS instructor Deryl Gulliford shared a link to a carb calculator that might interest some.

Carb Calculator

For further information about Holistic Health programs or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu. Be sure to ask about our upcoming AA and MS degree programs.

Natural Products Expo West Highlights

I just spent four amazing days immersed in natural products and natural health education! This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. This annual event (along with its East coast counterpart, Natural Products Expo East) is the largest trade show for the natural products industry. This year there were over 3,300 exhibitors and 52,000 attendees!

Why do I go to Expo West every year? As a Holistic Health Practitioner, attending the Natural Products Expo is an excellent way to learn about the latest products and trends in the Natural Health industry. I can then offer my clients the benefits of what I've learned. Often, new products are unveiled at Expo, such as the new children's line of Bach Flower Essences. Since I use flower essences in my practice, I make it a point to visit booths such as Nelson Bach and FES and find out what's new. There are also herb companies, essential oil wholesalers and distributers, and natural food makers exhibiting at Expo. It is a great opportunity to talk with the owners of the companies about their products, learn about their company and sample the products; having so many companies in one place is very convenient, although at times very overwhelming!

In addition to walking the show floor, there are many educational opportunities at Expo. Lectures by top industry professionals take place continually throughout the weekend. You can learn about organic regulations, GMO's, probiotics, herbs... there's something for everyone! I attended several of the educational events this weekend; my favorites included Mindy Green (ACHS Advisory Board Member) and Tim Blakely's presentation "Essential Oils Make Perfect Scents". Kathy Larson, Vice President of Sustainability and Education for Frontier Co-Op/Aura Cacia and Aroma 201 graduate, gave a very informational lecture on "Tools for Sustainability". Conserving Earth's resources and lessening our "footprint" are especially important in the natural products industry, and Kathy gave some very practical ways to do this.

It was also inspiring to visit the booths of ACHS students and graduates whose companies were exhibiting there. Laura Lamun, owner and formulator of Little Moon Essentials, had the best smelling booth! Attendees got to take home samples of her salves, "Sleep Comes Easy", and "Asana Kisser", both of which came in very handy over the weekend. Zhena Muzyka, of Zhena's Gypsy Tea, had an incredibly busy booth with people waiting in line to sample her aromatic teas. Steffany Kaminsky's booth was in the Hot Products Hall; she works for a company called The Whole Kidoodle which carries natural and organic products for children. There were many other ACHS students and graduates there as retail buyers or health practitioners who were walking the floor. It was fun and exciting to see where their natural health education has taken them!

To learn more about the Natural Products Expo and how to register, visit their websites: www.expowest.com or www.expoeast.com
Registration for Holistic Health Practitioners is free.

Spring Grilling from ACHS Instructor Deryl Gulliford

Having tolerated all the Winter I can reasonably be expected to tolerate, and all the viral illness (patients and family) that anyone can tolerate, I have declared it Spring in Oklahoma City. My Pear Tree agrees, it is blooming today. Celebrating with golf and cookout.
Herb Crusted Tuna Steak is served at Redbone Alley. It is a whole lot more reasonable at my house. This recipe is meant to serve 2 and can be adjusted as needed.
Ingredients:
2 2 inch thick yellow fin tuna steaks
1/2 c. each fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and cilantro
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 lemons, juiced
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1/2 Tbsp. fresh black pepper
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
Steal This Recipe® step-by-step instructions:
1) Grind in a food processor the herbs, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to make a rub.
2) Using your hands, press the herb rub into the tuna steaks well, being sure to coat all the sides of the fish.
3) Let them stand in the fridge for 4-6 hours so the flavors infuse into the steaks.
4) Prepare a hot charcoal grill. Gas is far inferior for tuna steaks.
5) Brush each side of the tuna steaks with olive oil and place them on the grill for 2-3 minutes on the first side.
6) Flip the steaks and grill them on the second side for 2-3 minutes for a good medium rare. If you’d like to baste the steaks while grilling, simply add a little olive oil to the leftover herb mixture and brush this on the fish as it grills.
7) Be careful not to overcook the tuna as it easily dries out. Enjoy!

For further information about Holistic Nutrition or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu.

Learning from the nails

Two interesting links on how finger nails can reveal information about a persons health.

Mayo Clinic Finger Nails web article

Web MD online article on Finger Nails

For further information about Holistic Health programs or any of our other programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu.

Happy Valentine's Day - Be good to your heart!

Happy Valentine's Day - Be good to your heart!

Healthy Heart Tips

• Cardiovascular training, such as aerobics and running, strengthens the heart and enables it to pump more efficiently, so that fewer beats per minute are required.
• Choose an exercise you enjoy. It can be a long walk in the park, swimming, dancing, yoga, jazzercise, circuit training, step class, spinning, skipping, running, biking, tai chi, as long as you do it regularly. This means at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week on a regular basis.
  
• Remember to work at your own pace and that more is not necessarily better. Studies have shown significant health benefits from a 30-minute walk three times a week, so do not feel that you have to join the nearest health club or buy a lot of expensive exercise equipment.

Australiasian College of Health Sciences © 2008

For information about any of our programs at ACHS please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu.

Healing with Bach Flower Essences

Here is an interesting link to some research on Flower Essences:
By clicking on the below link you will download a PDF file regarding Bach Flower Essences. If it does not automatically download on the webpage that will appear click on the "Begin manual download" link.

Subject: Clinical research shows Rescue Remedy reduces acute situational stress

Link to a recent study demonstrating that Rescue Remedy works:
PDF Download of Rescue Rememdy Research

Kids Cold Remedies

Kids Cold Remedies

IT’S COLD & FLU SEASON – KEEP YOUR CHILDREN HEALTHY
When your child gets a cold or the flu, everybody’s miserable! You want to do something to help them, but what?

OVER THE COUNTER COLD MEDICINES COULD BE DANGEROUS!
In an article on November 1, CNN reports ”These medications have been blamed for more than 100 deaths and at least thousands of trips to the emergency room.” You’ve probably read some of the many news stories about the dangers of children’s over the counter cold and flu remedies. An FDA panel recommends using no cold medicines for children under 6, and to use caution with children even up to 12.

THE APOTHECARY SHOPPE HAS NATURAL ALTERNATIVES
Simple ingredients and instructions are available for natural alternatives to these potentially dangerous medicines are available at many local & online stores,. One such is The Apothecary Shoppe, which carries a large selection of Homeobotanicals, herbs, essential oils, books and charts, including many of those listed below. Ordering online is an easy way to get the ingredients you need all in one place, and have them delivered right to your door.

Click here to go to the Cold & Flu – Just 4 Kids section:
http://www.apothecary-shoppe.com/index.php?cPath=73

ADVICE FROM A PROFESSIONAL.
Deborah Halvorson, BA, Dip Aroma, RA and Instructor at Australasian College of Health Sciences has some natural remedy advice for concerned parents and caregivers “I've never used over-the-counter cold remedies with my kids, just herbs and essential oils, and when the colds start going around, my kids generally get over it much quicker than their friends and classmates.”

One of her favorite cough remedies is vapor balm, a natural alternative to vaporub (adapted from a recipe in Kathy Keville/Mindy Green's Aromatherapy, A Complete Guide to the Healing Art):
Vapor Balm
1 cup Olive oil
3⁄4 oz. beeswax
1 1⁄2 tsp Eucalyptus (E. smithii) essential oil
1 tsp. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil
1⁄4 tsp Thyme (Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool) essential oil

Melt beeswax and olive oil in top of double boiler. Allow to cool a bit and add essential oils. Pour into clean containers, label and date. To use, rub a small amount on the child's chest.

“When my child wakes up coughing in the middle of the night, I rub the vapor balm on his/her chest; the coughing stops almost immediately and the child (and mom) are able to get back to sleep. “ For children two to ten years old, use Eucalyptus smithii and Thyme linalool; for older children and adults, E. globulus or E. radiata and Thyme ct. thymol can be used. For children ages 12 months to 2 years, the above recipe can adapted using only the Eucalyptus smithii and leaving out the Peppermint and Thyme oils.

A combination of Lemon (Citrus limonum) and Marjoram (Origanum marjorana) essential oils is helpful if the child has a cold/flu with a fever. Lemon will help reduce the fever, and Marjoram is great for respiratory infections and will help the child sleep. Blend 10 drops of Lemon with 5 drops Marjoram and use 1 drop of the blend in a warm bath before bedtime or nap time, or use the blend in a nebulizing diffuser.

Steam inhalation is a very effective way to administer essential oils if there is nasal congestion or sinus infection. For children over the age of five, use 3 to 5 drops of essential oil to six cups of water; boil the water and pour into a bowl, then add the essential oils. Have the child inhale the steam, being sure to keep their eyes closed and their face 8 to 12 inches from the bowl. For children under the age of five, rather than having them directly inhale the steam, place the bowl in the same room as the child and they will receive the benefits of the essential oils being dispersed into the air via the steam. Essential oils that are effective and safe for children include:
Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) - An expectorant, strengthens the immune system, has a calming/sedative action
Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) - Immune system stimulant, helps with cough and bronchial congestion
Manuka/New Zealand Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium) - Is effective for bronchial congestion/bronchitis, sinus congestion/sinusitis, and has been shown to inhibit the growth of streptococcus (bacteria that cause strep throat) as well as bacteria that cause pneumonia.
Marjoram (Origanum majorana) An expectorant; helpful for respiratory infections and sinusitis; has a calming action
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) - Useful for respiratory infections and sinusitis (can be stimulating, do not use before bedtime)
*Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) - Is useful for sinusitis and bronchitis. *Should not be used with children under the age of two

A room spray can also be used, and will not only benefit the sick child, but help stop the spread of germs and keep other family members from catching the cold/flu. Here's a sample recipe:
4 oz. distilled water
10 drops Manuka/New Zealand Tea Tree (Leptospermum scoparium)
10 drops Lemon (Citrus limonum)
5 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
5 drops Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
3 drops Frankincense (Boswelia carterii)
Pour into a 4 oz glass spray bottle. Shake well before spraying. Can be sprayed into the air or onto doorknobs or bathroom surfaces. Do not spray directly onto wood or plastic surfaces.

Warm tea with honey (no honey for children under 12 months old) is soothing and comforting. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a favorite of mine for reducing fever and calming fussy children. For coughs and achiness from the flu, the Lemon balm can be combined with Peppermint and Chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

If you have questions regarding any products or have interest in any courses regarding holistic health feel free to call us at 800-487-8839 and ask for the apothecary shop or an admissions advisor.

ACHS Graduate Heidi North continues her successes in Herbalism

ACHS Graduate Heide North continues her successes in Herbalism

ACHS Diploma in Herbal Studies Graduate and 2005 DETC Outstanding Graduate of the Year Heide North has continued to build upon her success with her business, Urban Herbal Woman. Her business has recently also started a new venture (Pure Skincare) to expand others’ knowledge of skin care.

“Pure Skincare was originally created to provide people a natural, affordable option for their skin care needs. We feel that everyone - women, men, and especially children - are being exposed to far too many chemicals in the environment. It is our goal to educate consumers, and provide them with the best alternative for their skin.”

In order to touch the most people, Heidi has started a program to teach making and selling skin care products. “It is our goal to offer a business opportunity for those wanting to be home and have their own business.”

For further information visit the Urban Herbal Woman website. www.urbanherbalwoman.com


For further information about the Diploma in Herbal studies at ACHS or any of our other programs please contact an admissions advisor today! Call 800.487.8839 or email admissions@achs.edu.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

I am a self-described foodie. I love to eat. I also love to cook or even just do a bit of food preparation. I get very excited when I find food that not only tastes good but also has observable physical benefits. For this holiday season, behold the wonderful and extremely versatile chili pepper! (No, not the southern California rock band.)

The chili pepper or spicy pepper (such as jalapeno, cayenne, or habanero) contains the chemical Capsaicin. Capsaicin, is the hot pepper’s natural heat-causing mouth-sizzling chemical; and has been proven to kill cancer cells, prevent sinus infections, serve as an anti-inflammatory agent, provide gastric relief, and even produce fat oxidation.

Hot peppers can help breathing, relieve aches and pains, and even help an individual burn up to an additional 50 calories per day! Sorry - that is not an excuse to have that extra slice of holiday pie (around 300 calories or more). According to research, hot peppers have the same metabolic effects as Ephedra without containing Ephredra’s negative cardiovascular side effects. Recent medical research is targeting the use of peppers and Capsaicin to fight cancer! Further research is also showing the use of peppers in pain relief post surgery - from the associated press – click on the following link:
Peppers for pain relief

If you get really into hot peppers, you may want to explore their heat rating. It is called the Scoville scale and can be found at the following web link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

So, spice up the holidays and add some peppers to your festivities! Try some finely diced peppers in your all-natural greens salad; or add them to your favorite roasted vegetables or meat. Great in that organic free-range egg omelet breakfast… Even add some to that favorite sandwich made of left-overs.

For the holiday dessert…
Try adding a just a bit of cayenne to that holiday apple pie; a little goes a long way and it gives a nice zip to the sweet.

If you have further interest in holistic health and nutrition review the Australasian College’s Nat 308 Holistic Nutrition course or Holistic Health Practice Program at www.achs.edu and contact an advisor today at 800-487-8839!

Happy holidays and good eating! Now where did I put that cayenne for my popcorn?

Joel Strimling
Student Services

ACHS 4th Annual Holiday Open House A Success!

The ACHS 4th Annual Holiday Open House was a great success! The Holiday Open House is a favorite of many who wish to give natural gifts to their loved ones.



During the open house, we learned how to make several preparations including:

Peppermint Foot Scrub - Visit us online here to view the kit from the Apothecary Shoppe.

Lemon Hand and Nail Butter - Visit us online here to view the kit from the Apothecary Shoppe.

Holiday Ambience Blend - Also available from the Apothecary Shoppe online here.

The 2008 ACHS on-campus scheduled will be available shortly. Check the Calendar online here for upcoming events. We hope to see you!

ACHS Partners with The United Aromatherapy Effort to bring aromatherapy relief to rescue workers in the Southern California Wildfires

Australasian College of Health Sciences is proud to support the United Aromatherapy Effort (UAE,) a not-for-profit charitable organization providing stress relief and aromatherapy to relief workers during emergency work and afterwards. ACHS is shipping air freshener sprays down to the UAE staging area in Huntington Beach, CA. These sprays, prepared from pure therapeutic organic oils, have been formulated by ACHS’s President, Dorene Petersen, to help support ease of breathing in smoking, ash filled air. “UAE provided a wonderful opportunity for ACHS to send some relief to those affected by the terrible fires. I chose essential oils that are traditionally known for supporting respiratory stress, such as lavender, rosemary, fir, peppermint and tea tree,” said Dorene.



The collection effort is being administered by Deborah Halvorson, one of Australasian College of Health Sciences’ adjunct instructors. Deborah is also Director of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, and a Registered Aromatherapist. Deborah lives in the affected area and has generously volunteered to coordinate the collection and dissemination of the donations to the teams.



Aromatherapy has many benefits in disaster areas. The United Aromatherapy Effort collects and disseminates donated aromatherapy products, in conjunction with chair massage, to those affected by disaster. It is for this reason that the United Aromatherapy Effort teamed up with the Emergency Response Massage International (ERMI) to provide assistance to those dedicated and heroic individuals. ERMI's mission is to provide a 15-minute stress relief chair massage to first responders and relief workers following a disaster or other critical incident. Historically they have responded to NY (2001), Florida Hurricanes (2004) and most recently the Gulf Coast affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and now are helping those in the Southern California area affected by the wildfires. For more information about The United Aromatherapy Effort, visit http://unitedaromatherapy.org/index.php3. For more information on the benefits of essentials oils visit http://www.achs.edu/aromatherapy/aromatherapy.aspx?id=1.

Purifying Blend includes the following essential oils:
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia - analgesic and antispasmodic
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis - analgesic
Fir Needle Abies canadensis - analgesic and expectorant
Peppermint Mentha piperita var. vulgaris - analgesic and antispasmodic
Tea Tree Australia Melaleuca alternifolia - expectorant

Make a Lavender Wand!

The Lavender Distillation and Open House was a wonderful success! We had many turn out and watch the distillation demonstration by President Dorene Petersen as well as enjoy the Lavender Wand Making talk by Tracey Miller. It was a gorgeous sunny day here in Portland and many bunches of lavender were picked by all!

For those of you who missed it we'd love to share a portion of the day with you. Find below a link to the audio of Tracey's Lavender Wand Making Demonstration and the accompanying instructions. Enjoy!

Making a Lavender Wand Demonstration (.mp3)
Lavender Wand Instructions (.pdf)

For Love of Lavender … and the Land: La Paix Herb Farm

ACHS graduate Myra Bonhage Bonhage-Hale runs a successful organic farm in West Virginia.

Click here to read the full article.

In The News: ACHS Aroma 401 Student - Betty Chang

Herbalists' shop full of healing teas

By LINDA BLADHOLM

food@MiamiHerald.com



ON BIRD ROAD: Betty Chang burns a cleansing bundle of sage at BA Natural Body Care.
LINDA BLADHOLM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

Step into BA Natural Body Care in a scruffy strip mall along Bird Road and be transported to a Taiwanese healing center. The compact space is lined with glass jars of teas, herbs, and herbal blends for ailments from insomnia to colds. There are also soaps, honey, teapots and vials of essential oils.

The BA is for Betty and Amy, the sisters who run the place along with their mother, Maria Huang. Each morning one of the sisters purifies the shop by lighting a bundle of dried sage. The pungent smoke rises from the flaming leaves held over an incense bowl to cleanse away any bad energy.

The Huang family emigrated from Kaoishiung in southern Taiwan in 1995, joining family members in Miami. Maria had trained as an herbalist, and her daughters took courses here in aromatherapy and Chinese herbal healing. They opened the shop about six months ago. Click here for the rest of the article.

Businessman Enjoys Sweet Smell of Success

Aromatherapy - The quality of the essential oils Robert Seidel sells earns him a following

Thursday, April 26, 2007

POLLY CAMPBELL

In 1977 Robert Seidel started a business that made a lot of scents but not much money.

In fact Seidel, 56, says the first few years he made no money at all.

But 30 years later, The Essential Oil Co., a wholesaler of essential plant oils based in the Sellwood neighborhood of Southeast Portland, grosses about $1 million annually.

Last month he shared trade secrets with students at Clackamas County's Tree School, an annual program targeted to those in forestry and timber management fields sponsored by the Oregon State University Extension Service, Clackamas Community College and local forestry groups.

"Oils are a value-added product," Seidel said. "When you harvest a tree you can collect the branches that you cut off and distill the oil." Click here for the rest of the article.