an Aromatherapist's inspiration

Aromatherapy is a powerful healer. How do I know? Well… put a scent in your burner, relax, and I’ll tell you a story.

Years ago my life was at a stressful high. As a result I developed dreadful insomnia. It would take hours to fall asleep and I would wake up often during the night. I tried the suggestions from my doctor and the health food store clerks. Nothing really worked.

As luck would have it, I received a gift that included a lavender massage oil. Curious, I went to the store it came from to learn more. I skimmed an aromatherapy book and later, based on an idea in the book, put the massage oil on a cotton ball and placed it in my pillowcase. That night I fell asleep in five minutes for the first time in six weeks.

This turn of events impressed me so much that I was inspired to study essential oils further. I developed a blend that did wonders at keeping insomnia at bay. That blend has seen little change over time and has become my best selling item. People have brought friends to me so they can try it. It works.

That brief introduction to essential oils started me on the path to where I am now… helping myself and others find relief from stress and common ailments. If you have a minor health problem, want to pamper yourself, or just want your room to smell nice, aromatherapy can help. No matter where it takes you, it is sure to be a wonderfully aromatic journey.

Introducucing new blog author Lynda Byington RA

Welcome to our newest blog author, Linda Byington!

Linda is a Registered Aromatherapist and ACHS Graduate, and is the founder of Elemental Aromatherapy LLC. Her interest in aromatherapy and healing modalities began in 1990. In 2003 she became a Registered Aromatherapist ("RA") through the national exam written by the Aromatherapy Registration Council. Linda then received a Diploma in Aromatherapy, with Honors, from the nationally accredited Australasian College of Health Sciences. She is certified in Swiss Reflex Therapy by Shirley Price of England, and has studied the Ingham Method of Reflexology

Career highlights include lecturing on aromatherapy topics, teaching hands-on workshops, custom formulating, and manufacturing aromatherapy personal care products. As a therapist she offers Ingham Method Reflexology, Swiss Reflex Therapy, and Aromatherapy Consultation.

Linda is a member of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, the Reflexology Association of Oregon, Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals, and the Women Entrepreneurs Organization.

Oregonian A&E Features ACHS and Lavender UPick

The A&E in the Friday Oregonian featured a delightful article about the College urban herb garden and our lavender u-pick. you can see an online version here http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/121563871737280.xml&coll=7

Be sure to go to page two to read the full story!

Featured Herb of July

The open house may have passed (and was great fun) but we don't stop there! :) Be sure to take a look at the featured herb of the month!

July Herb of the month:
Uva Ursi
Uva Ursi is a common plant in the Northern hemisphere, being found in barren, mountainous locations in Europe, Asia and America. You have to go above 3000 feet to find this indigenous herb growing wild in the US. The Native Americans used this herb for a smoking mixture, called kinnikinnik. It is of the same family as the Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, and Trailing Arbutus, Epigaea repens.

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

You also may wish to become a prepaid member of the Herb and/or Oil of the Month Club lasting 20 months:
Herb of the Month Club
Oil of the Month Club
You will receive a beautifully designed 3 ring binder. Each month you will receive a new herb or oil of the month package including 8 oz of the herb of the month or 5 ml of the oil as well as an insert for your personal binder, describing your herb or oil in detail, including recipes and other fun ideas to incorporate into your natural healing lifestyle.

Be sure to continue to visit our Apothecary Shoppe as well for all our specials and products:
ACHS Apothecary Shoppe

For information about Herbalism, or any of our 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!

Special Savings during our open house week

Its that time of the year... There is so much going on here at ACHS!

If you haven't noted we are having our Lavender Open House:
Lavender Open House Link

Plus our Lavender U-Pick:
See our previous blog post just below.

In addition we also are having a special savings of 20% off limited through July 16!
Open House Savings Special

In celebration of the ACHS 5th Annual Lavender Open House, the Apothecary Shoppe is extending you a limited Open House additional savings to total 20%* off your order when placed by the end of day Wednesday, July 16th.

So, if you're not able to join us on-campus for this fun event, you can still take advantage of this great special saving by placing your order online!

Start shopping online now to receive this limited time special savings. Stock up on all your natural health needs or take advantage of this special savings while purchasing your holiday gifts! Be sure to add this promotion to your cart before checkout. Your additional discount will be taken off your order total during processing.

*May be combined with student or graduate discount to total 20% discount. Available in-store, online and orders by phone. Cannot be used with Recommended Reading Book Sets or Study Kits. Back ordered items will ship at a later date for a minimal shipping fee. Not to be combined with any other offer. Not valid in states where prohibited.

And yet there's one more special... All Organic Seeds are 30% off while supplies last!
Organic Seeds Sale Link
With over fifty great organic seed varieties from which to choose from, click on the link to order yours while they last.

We hope you are all enjoying your summer!

For information about Aromatherapy, or any of our 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!

U-Pick Lavender!

The ACHS is having its yearly Lavender U-Pick!

Come to the Australasian College's garden and harvest lavender for your own use! $6/bunch or $10 for 2 bunches. (size of bunch is determined by zip tie and a bunch can be a quite a nice bit)




To U-Pick Lavender come by the college during our business hours of Monday through Friday 8:30 - 5:30 pm. We are located just off Macadam in Johns Landing.

Here is a link to directions to our campus:
Where is the ACHS campus

This is a great deal for fresh lavender and bunches can go quickly, drop by soon. :)

While at the college be sure to visit our Apothecary Shoppe for other items or specials.

Interested in Holistic Health education? Be sure to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors about all of our programs when you stop by.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

ACHS Lavender Open House listed in The Asian Reporter

The Asian Reporter Community Calendar lists ACHS's Lavendar Distillation demo and Open House on Wednesday July 16 from noon - 4:00pm at the college, 5940 SW Hood Ave. Portland, OR 97239.

At the Open House, you can learn about harvesting and distilling lavender into its essential oils, take a tour of the Botanical Teaching Garden, and learn how to grow different types of lavender with Master Gardener and ACHS SVP Erika Yigzaw.

The first five guests to the Open House will receive one free bunch of fresh picked lavender, so reserve your place today!

ACHS Graduate Laura Lamun on Raw Vegan Radio

On the June 25 installment of Raw Vegan Radio:

Interview with Laura Lamun, ACHS Graduate and owner of Little Moon Essentials!

She shares ideas and stories from her upcoming book "Raw Aromatherapy". You can hear the interview on iTunes by subscribing to Raw Vegan Radio, or by going to the website http://www.rawveganradio.com

Enjoy!


For information about Aromatherapy, or any of our 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!

June Herb & Oil of the Month

We hope you are enjoying June. Here in the northwest for a while it was dubbed Juneuary from the cool and gray days. Here's hoping we've moved beyond that. Regardless of the weather we have our Herb and Oil of the Month!

This month's featured herb:
Yellow Dock
Rumex crispus, a common perennial garden weed differing from the more common broad-leafed Dock in that it has long tapering leaves with a wavy leaf margin. Widely distributed throughout the US, New Zealand, and Australia, including Tasmania.

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

June's Oil of the month is:
Black Pepper
Black pepper is one of the oldest and most important spices. It was used as part of the embalming process by the Egyptians. The Greeks used it in the 4th century B.C. and the Romans imported it from the East. It is one of the first spices to travel the spice route and perhaps one of the most expensive and treasured. To protect the source the traders said it came from a “sacred mountain top occupied by the gods”. Pliny spoke of it as “more expensive than gold”.

Each month we will also introduce you to a new oil. When you order the Featured Oil of the Month you will receive a new oil of the month package. This package includes 5 ml of the oil of the month and an insert, describing your oil in detail with recipes and other fun ideas to incorporate into your natural healing lifestyle.

You also may wish to become a prepaid member of the Herb and/or Oil of the Month Club lasting 20 months:
Herb of the Month Club
Oil of the Month Club
You will receive a beautifully designed 3 ring binder. Each month you will receive a new herb or oil of the month package including 8 oz of the herb of the month or 5 ml of the oil as well as an insert for your personal binder, describing your herb or oil in detail, including recipes and other fun ideas to incorporate into your natural healing lifestyle.

Be sure to continue to visit our Apothecary Shoppe as well for all our specials and products:
ACHS Apothecary Shoppe

For information about Herbalism, Aromatherapy, or any of our 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!

Greece Summer School 2008 - Day 2

This morning we met at 7:30 for breakfast at the Taverna on the beach, then boarded the bus to take us to the Medieval city of Ano Syros. The 700 year old town was built as a fortress on the highest central point of the island. We had a fun time admiring the quaint houses and wandering the narrow streets - too narrow for vehicles, donkeys are still used to transport goods.


At the very highest point of the town is the Catholic cathedral of St. George. Still in use today, the original church was built in A.D. 1200 and was rebuilt three times, with the current one dating 1834.



We walked back down the narrow streets to our bus, which took us into Ermoupoli, the capital and main city of Syros. We explored the street markets and the neo-classical architecture of the Vaporia quarter.

Greece Summer School 2008 - Day 1

Welcome to Summer School in Greece - The adventure begins!

Students, faculty, and staff met up at 1:00 p.m. on June 10 in the town of Ermoupoli on the beautiful island of Syros. After brief introductions and signing in with "Camp Mom" Alison, the luggage was loaded and we boarded the bus to our villa in Abela.

We had some time to unpack and get to know our roommates, then met up at the outdoor classroom for orientation and a workshop on preparing natural insect repellants with essential oils. These repellants came in very handy during our stay!There was an hour break before dinner, and some diligent students took advantage of the time to do some studying to prepare for tomorrow's classes!


Then we walked down to the Taverna by the beach for our first "family-style" meal together, and afterwards enjoyed some traditional Greek dancing.

Sow your Savings!

Feel the need for some seeds? The ACHS Apothecary Shoppe is having an Organic Seeds special!!

30% off of all organic seeds through 6/8/08!
Click on the links below for details:
30% off seeds link
Ashop Organic Seeds list

For information about holistic gardening or any of our 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!

Grilling with Nutrition Instructor Deryl Gulliford

Memorial Day, and that means grilling for me. I'm doing tuna steaks, a recipe which I've shared before, but wanted to share these side dish recipes which I'm pretty enthused about today:

Ratatouille on a Skewer

MAKES 8 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS

You can grill these skewers alongside your tuna steaks.

1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 green and/or yellow sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small onions, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup low-fat French salad dressing

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped dry bread crumbs

16 cherry tomatoes

Alternately thread the eggplant, zucchini, peppers and onions onto 8 skewers. Brush the vegetables with the salad dressing. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; place the cheese mixture on a piece of waxed paper. Roll the kabobs in the crumb mixture until the vegetables are coated evenly.

Grill the kabobs directly over medium-hot coals, if using a charcoal grill, 10 to 12 minutes, or until the zucchini is crisp-tender, turning frequently. (If using a gas grill, grill the kabobs over indirect heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the zucchini is crisp-tender, turning frequently.) Place the tomatoes on the end of the skewers during the last 2 minutes of grilling. Serve warm.

Herbed Grilled Tomatoes

SERVES 4

4 small tomatoes

3 tablespoons yogurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese


Remove the cores from the tomatoes; cut them in half crosswise. Spread the cut side of each tomato with the sour cream or yogurt. Sprinkle each tomato half with basil. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top of the tomatoes. Arrange the tomato halves in a foil pie pan.

If using a charcoal grill, arrange the preheated coals around a drip pan in a covered grill. (If using a gas grill, place a drip pan over indirect heat.) Test for medium heat above the pan. Place the foil pan containing the tomatoes on the grill over the drip pan. Cover and grill the tomatoes for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are heated through. Serve warm.

For information on Holistic Nutrition or any of our 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!

Why Online Learning is the Green Choice

My Two Cents: Why Online Learning is the Green Choice
By Erika Yigzaw, Senior Vice President, www.ACHS.edu

At ACHS, we’re all about environmental sustainability and we do all we can as an institution to reduce, reuse and recycle. (See our sustainability summary at www.achs.edu)

However, I have recently had the opportunity to see first hand how “green” online learning is.

I recently completed the Master Gardener program through Oregon State University. First, let me say how much I enjoyed the class, which ties nicely in with my “day” job here at the college, but also with my hobby’s of gardening, green living, agriculture, and sustainability. It is an on campus program, meaning one day each week, I drive 19 miles in my car, sit in a basement classroom with no windows and listen to people lecture from 9 to 4, with short breaks.

It has been an eye opening experience for me. First, because of the subject, we study ecology and ecosystems, so we actually discussed in class the carbon footprint of attending this class, and it was quite shocking:

- Every student drives to the location (yes I drive a Jeep, so its not gas friendly – but I live up a long bumpy driveway in the country so a Prius could not make it and the cost of a new hybrid SUV is just insane!)
- We park in a large parking area that has been converted from farm land (this class is held at the Extension Research center, so lots of it is still farmed)
- OSU converted the basement into a classroom with all the associated construction impact (the facility used to be a house so its not new construction)
- The rooms are heated and lit, since there are no windows and no natural light
- We sit at particle board tables, on metal folding chairs, all of which took resources to manufacture and off gas
- We read a 400+ page printed manual and various printed handouts

We are talking about a big carbon footprint here!

Inconvenience
Not only is there a significant green impact, but the personal impact has been quite significant also. Of course, it’s a great program and sometimes we have to inconvenience ourselves to get a good education, but lets look at what happened during class...

In January, we had several weeks of very nasty ice and snow. The news was warning against driving if it could be avoided, but no, I had to get dressed in multiple layers and head out onto the slick roads to get to my class. Contrast that with the fifteen steps to my nice warm home office, warmed by my super efficient wood burning fireplace fueled by wood from our woodlot to log into my online classes.

Unfortunately my daughter and I both developed Pneumonia as a result of a nasty flu bug in February. Although I was still not well enough, I could only take two weeks off class and pass, so I had to drag myself into class on the third week of my illness, still feeling weak and against doctors orders. Whereas I had been logging into my online classes most of the time I was sick, sitting in bed with my laptop, and actually enjoying the sensation of interacting with people even though I was contagious! I had to arrange my sister to stay home with my daughter, as she was not cleared to return to preschool, otherwise I would have had to pay a nanny (which would have been difficult to find anyway, since temporary nannies are not that keen on looking after sick four year olds!). So there are direct as well as indirect costs, as well as health impacts and sheer inconvenience.

Educational Goals
So aside from the environmental and personal convenience factors, what about the education? Was this on campus program meeting my needs better than an online class would have?

On campus:
- The course is based on a large printed course manual, with assigned reading for each week.
- Each presentation is a PowerPoint, with a person talking along to it.
- We get copies of some PowerPoints, but not others, so we must furiously take notes of any important details.
- Some PowerPoints contain web links, but the presenters have no web access, so we must write down the URL and remember to go look at it when we get home
- There is limited opportunity for questions at the end, usually truncated due to time.
- There is no or little application of what we have been talking about and few if any practical examples
- To be honest, I don’t retain much of the information until I go home and do my own study. Which surprises me to some extent, since most of the materials is fairly familiar and I work in a related field.
- There are no performance objectives, so no one is quite sure what is important, and the only assessment is a test in the 10th week of this 11 week program and a five minute talk we each give.

So given all that, am I benefiting by personally meeting the people in my class?
- We have short breaks (10 minutes) between each lecture – but by the time you line up to use the bathroom, its straight back into it.
- At the lunch break, they have additional lectures that are valuable and most people listen to, so there is not much meaningful peer interaction, although from our brief chats, it is clear that there are some fascinating people with a lot of relevant and interesting background in our class. The few people I have had the chance to chat with are lovely and I am looking forward to getting to know them outside of class. However, unless you happen to sit next to them or stand next to them in the line for the loo (toilet!), you may not find out about them!


In contrast, with ACHS online classes:
- We provide learning objectives up front, so you know what you need to learn.
- You get lectures to read in the manual and online (more and more online) and lectures online can be updated throughout the class, so students do not need to make personal notes of new information
- Students also access a range of resources and learning tools depending on the course including PowerPoint presentations, but supplemented with multimedia presentations such as animations, videos, audio lectures, and interactive activities
- There are tests in each module so students can ensure they are meeting the learning objectives in small chunks, not waiting till the last week of the class to discover perhaps that they misunderstood a key point
- There is meaningful authentic assessment in the form of various projects, essays, and labs to complete in each module to help different learners internalize the concepts and theory
- There is extensive peer to peer interaction through the discussion boards and personal interaction through the cyber cafe, which allow students to connect with fellow students with similar interests
- There are unlimited opportunities to ask questions via the discussion boards and instructor Q&A.
- Plus, ACHS is working on ways to create audio files of instructors discussing lectures in file sizes small enough for all students to access, so soon just about every aspect of the on campus version will be covered.

Of course, education is never just about the carbon footprint, but clearly, when the educational objectives are being equaled or in my opinion exceeded by a well put together online class, why not take the opportunity to walk a little more softly on the earth and take your classes online. My two cents!

For information on any of our 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!

ACHS You Tube!

Did you know that ACHS is on You Tube?!?

You can see videos on Lavender Distillation, as well as videos of the ACHS Outstanding Graduate of the Year 2008 Stephen Hawk and ACHS Famous Alumni Kim Sharples

Take a look!
ACHS TV

For information on any of our 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!

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.