Essentially Quinny

Also known as Chloasma, Melasma is a condition where there is hyperpigmentation of the skin (dark discolouration). It usually shows on the face, especially around the cheek area but can show over the whole face at times. It is also a condition which affects mainly females with South Eastern Asian genetics, but it can affect anyone including males. 

What is the difference between Melasma and Chloasma?

Chloasma is when the discolouration is caused by pregnancy.

What triggers Melasma?

The primary trigger of Melasma is hormones. In particular, an imbalance between Progesterone and Estrogen. 

Stress (a primary and secondary trigger) can aggravate the condition as well as other conditions which cause hormonal imbalance (for example, pregnancy). 

How do we treat Melasma?

The first step is to see what your hormone levels are through a saliva test. We can then work on balancing your hormones. 

For topical support (on the affected area) we use a natural exfoliator made with fruit peel along with other natural products. 

Nutritional support is important if you are under long term stress (have something to ‘push’ through) or are pregnant.

Can it be cured?

In some cases we can reverse Melasma, but this depends on individual circumstances like age and general health. In most cases we can stop it from progressing or reduce the presentation.

Support
If you would like natural support for Melasma, visit https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/  to book your appointment.

Rosacea is often thought of as an appearance problem, where the person is red in the face. While this is not untrue, most people do not realise that, when aggravated, it causes eye-sight problems, pain and irritation and face deformity. It also does not just ‘appear’ out of nowhere and the primary cause needs to be addressed if the person wishes to recover.

Four types of Rosacea

There are four different kinds of Rosacea. This doesn’t mean there are four separate types of Rosacea, more that one Rosacea episode can lead into a more aggravated form. 

The first stage is where everything is quite red and the face has capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that are quite noticeable. Many people feel embarrassed about this and with this the face flushes very easily. This is called Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea (a mouthful to pronounce!).

The next stage is Papilla Pustular Rosacea, where the skin presents with elevations, called papules. This can be quite agitating as the skin is already irritated and burning from the first stage. This often gets confused with Acne. The difference is the papules which form in acne contain pus whereas the Rosacea papules are generally just raised bumps.

Phymatous Rosacea is when the nose starts to enlarge and the person starts to get an out-of-shape, contorted nose. This can become quite evident, further adding to embarrassment.

The last stage is where the ocular comes into play and is usually the most aggravating phase. Ocular refers to the eye and with Ocular Rosacea the eyelid becomes droopy, the eyes become very red and eyesight is affected. 

What causes Rosacea?

As I mentioned, Rosacea doesn’t just happen for no reason. There are primary and secondary triggers (as I have explained in previous episodes). 

Primary Trigger (causal factor)

Hormones - Estrogen dominance, high levels of cortisol and the balance of your hormones generally is the best place to start your investigation.

Secondary Triggers (Aggravating factors)

These are often things that people become aware of through experience, for example:

• Hot, spicy food
• Heat - For example, when washing your face use cool water and pat your face (don’t rub) to dry it (rubbing creates friction which means heat generation). 
• Make-up and creams containing irritating chemicals
• Quick changes of temperature - Creates changes in the capillaries (dilation and constriction)
• Medication - Especially those that increase blood flow as they flush more blood to the area, forcing the capillaries to overstretch and then they have difficulty returning to normal. 
• Histamine producing foods and drinks - For example, wine, tomatoes, fermented food and drinks, dairy, strawberries
• Stress - Directly affects your hormonal balance 

Treatment

Getting the right diagnosis is important as skin rashes, hives, eczema etc can all look similar to the untrained eye but treatment may be different depending on the primary and secondary triggers. 

• Supplementation - Be careful to not take anything that is going to expand the blood vessels. Instead we want something with a cooling effect. 
• Reduce and avoid secondary triggers
• Ocular and nose changes/damage - Once at this point it can be very difficult and perhaps impossible to completely revert the condition and the damage it has caused. 
• Ointments - We have an ointment in the clinic which has a wonderful cooling effect and also works very well for the Papilla Pustular presentation.

To book an appointment (over Zoom or in person) with Maria, contact Perth Psoriasis and Good Skin Clinic through the website https://www.perthpsoriasis.com.au/ 

Next week we will be talking about Lichen Planters.

This week we are talking about Granuloma Annulare and like most skin conditions, it is an autoimmune condition. Granuloma Annulare is often mistaken for the fungal condition, Tinea Corporis (Ringworm) because it looks similar. It is not contagious, does not hurt or burn and can be addressed quite quickly through stress levels and diet. 

The difference between Tinea Corporis and Granuloma Annulare

Tinea Corporis presents as a little raised, reddish, round lesion on the skin, with a well defined edge. It can also be flakey and/or itchy in the middle. Granuloma Annulare also has a well defined raised edge and circular appearance but it has a completely different centre. The centre of the Granuloma Annulare is flat, does not (usually) itch or flake and has a wave of different tones of pinks and purples.

It is worth remembering here that if you have any skin condition which is itchy, it is likely a result of your liver not functioning well (e.g. too much sugar and heavy foods) or you are dehydrated from the sun and/or from not drinking enough water. 

Where does it present?

Granuloma Annulare is most common in females and young adults but can occur in anyone. It presents most commonly on the hands, feet and heels but I have seen it on faces and the trunk of the body as well. Diagnosis can be done through a biopsy.

Treatment

To treat this condition we look at primary and secondary triggers (as we have discussed previously). We know the primary trigger (what caused the condition) is active if there are new lesions appearing on the skin. A calm nervous system is essential for healing so we look at how much stress the body is under and how we can reduce it to help stop the primary trigger. 

We can see if the secondary triggers (what aggravates the condition) are active by looking at whether or not the existing lesions are getting bigger or worse. 

As I said, in most cases, Granuloma Annulare can be addressed quite quickly through stress levels and diet. This is because the Granuloma Annulare affects the fibrin net of the skin which is usually the elastin and collagen. This fibrin net requires nutrients to keep producing elastin and collagen (which is why we look at diet) but it also requires certain hormones (which is case specific).

Vitamin D, Vitamin E, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar can all be helpful when you have Granuloma Annulare as they are very supportive of the skin. However, they will not treat the condition. Treating the condition will require both internal and topical support in the majority of cases for a fast recovery. The longer the condition has been present (before seeking assistance) the longer it will (likely) take to recover.

Next week we are talking about Rosacea. 

To book an appointment (over Zoom or in person) with Maria, contact Perth Psoriasis and Good Skin Clinic through the website https://www.perthpsoriasis.com.au/ 

This is episode four in our holistic care for skin series. Fungal conditions of the skin not only affect how your skin appears but can also be extremely painful, itchy and debilitating. Today we are talking about what the most common fungal conditions are and how we can treat them naturally.

Fungal conditions are something we call mycosis, which is an external fungus which is bigger than a bacteria and takes over your body. We normally know the fungal condition called Candida (or yeast) which makes many females panic because it can be a really tough issue to get on top of, especially because it tends to show up in the vaginal area which is very moist making it the perfect area for Candida to grow. In today’s episode however, we are not talking about internal presentations of Candida like this, but we will address it as a skin presentation. 

Forms of fungal conditions on the skin:

Pityriasis Versicolor - Trunk, neck and/or arms

Tinea Corporis - Most common type, known as ringworm. Corporis Means in your body or comes from your core. 

Tinea Pedis - Presents mostly between the toes but can also be seen between fingers. 

Tinea Cruris - Presents in the groin area, between thighs and genitals. 

Candida - Presents in the genital region (jocks itch) and also under the breasts

There are other forms as well but as these are the most common this is where we will focus our attention today.

For a fungal condition to take hold of the body it must have the right body conditions. The biggest factor is a low body pH (acidic). We have spoken about being too acid a lot in previous episodes. If you missed it I highly recommend going back and learning how to alkalise your body. Moisture and darkness are two other conditions which encourage fungal growth on the body.

Tinea Corporis (Ringworm) lives in soils, pets and water with the perfect conditions described above. If/when we come in contact with it and we have a low pH it will be able to grow and spread, using our body as a host. You can see the effects of ringworm on the skin where you get patches of light red circles with defined edges. They are almost flat and slightly flaky. These spots will not necessarily itch. 

Tinea Pedis shows up more like a cut in between the toes. It can be very painful, especially when you sweat, due to the rawness and blistering it can create. Candida varies from Tinea in that it is a lot more red and itchy.

Pityriasis Versicolor is a different family or variety of fungus from Tinea. It prevents the sunlight from hitting the melanocytes (sun receptors on the skin which create pigment) and thus creates patchy, white areas over the body. Pityriasis Versicolor does not create flakiness or have a well defined edge.

What should you be aware of if a fungal condition has taken hold?

• Look at what you are eating and drinking that could be contributing to a low pH.
• Reduce stress levels - High cortisol can definitely make you acid. 
• Supplement to help neutralise the pH
• If it is on the toes, keep them dry. 
• Avoid synthetics and polyester in which you will tend to sweat and trap the sweat in. Cotton is both breathable and cooling so it is the best option.
• Some people tend to use talcum powder to help with Tinea, but it is very toxic so it is not recommended. However, arrowroot powder is a good substitute and if you have essential oils you can blend a few drops of Lavender (not Lavandin as that will burn) with the arrowroot before applying. 
• For the other types where they are covering large areas (that aren’t necessarily moist) we need to use an ointment. Sometimes we also need to exfoliate, especially with tinea corporis, as we need to remove the scale as the fungus dies so the new skin can come through. Exfoliation is best done twice a day as the skin regenerates about 3 times per day.  
• Support the immune system as a low immune system leaves the door open for any number of parasites, bacteria, viruses etc and fungus is no exception. A good starting point is to supplement with some Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C. Be mindful, that is some skin conditions, Vitamin C is not recommended as it can aggravate your skin. 

For support and to book an appointment with Maria, head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/

This is the third episode in a series about natural treatment for skin conditions.

I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Remember that the information I give is for guidance and for your understanding and not for treatment or diagnosis purposes. 

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition which can present in many different ways, according to the type of psoriasis. It can range in intensity and effect on quality of life from very mild to severe and even death. Most people are not aware there are nine forms of psoriasis or that most forms of psoriasis are not scaling conditions (where the skin flakes off). Psoriasis also often gets mistaken for candida (yeast) infections or fungal nail conditions, which makes patients believe there is no help for their symptoms (because the treatment given is not effective). However, with the right holistic treatment, great relief and healing occurs.

Where psoriasis presents on the body...

Plaque Psoriasis -  Plaque psoriasis can either be thick plaques or hyperkeratotic plaques which often look like fish scales. Plaque psoriasis is often seen around the elbows and knees but it can also go to other parts of the body.

Erythrodermic psoriasis - This is when 90% of the body becomes red, hot, inflamed and oozing fluid. Erythrodermic psoriasis can literally kill patients and people with this condition are often hospitalised. It is a very exhausting and aggravating condition.

I recall having a young teen patient with erythrodermic psoriasis who, after a year in hospital, did not have much relief. With tissue salts and some other natural treatments this patient experienced great relief within two weeks and within a month she was almost fully restored. 

Scalp psoriasis - On the head.

Palm or plantar psoriasis - On the base of the feet and palms of the hand.

Pustular psoriasis - Presents as little vesicles (small white or yellow pus-filled pustules). This condition can become quite nasty.

Flexural psoriasis - Is generally thin and red and is seen on the groin, armpit, where the mammary glands are (breasts) and/or umbilical area.

Joints - Psoriasis on the joints can be very painful and is often mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis. One of the keys to identifying it as psoriasis is noticing that it is on the small joints like the toe joints. It is common for psoriasis on the toe joint to become swollen, hot and very painful to the touch. 

Aggravating substances to joint pain associated with psoriasis are grains (specifically wheat products) and aromatic synthetic substances. The key to keeping the joints happy is to alkalise the body. Joints and a low pH (acid) do not work well together. 

Nail psoriasis - Nail psoriasis can make the nails very thick and sometimes there can be thick ridges and even drops of blood.

What else do we need to consider when supporting the body to heal psoriasis?

• Reducing stress
• Supporting major organs, especially the liver
• Mineral support
• Topical support

Psoriasis is different to eczema and dermatitis as it needs to be supported locally on the part of the skin that is inflamed/hardened. The skin normally regenerates three times a day so having an application of ointment is essential to support the improvement otherwise the area can get quite dry. If the skin is dry then it will be itchy. The itchiness makes the person scratch and when the person scratches it brings a breakdown on the surface of the skin. As a consequence the person tends to rebuild their scale because there is normally a faulty system with psoriasis where the skin regenerates more than one layer. Hydration is also important for the same reason in that if you are dehydrated you will scratch more. 

Diet wise, people with psoriasis should avoid histamine inducing foods and any food which is heavy on the liver. If the liver is not functioning properly then itchy skin is one of the effects of excess toxins in the body. Things we need to avoid include coffee, alcohol, excessive salt, anything high in sugar (drinks and food) and making sure you eat lots of greens (magnesium, calcium and Vit B which are all essential for skin health)

When psoriasis patches are healing you are not going to see extremely quick changes. What you will notice is the center of the lesion will become flatter and paler and then the edges will improve.

For nail psoriasis, the nails regenerate at a much slower pace than the skin so you can expect it to take longer. We do, however, have treatments at the clinic, which are very effective for nail psoriasis.

For professional support with your skin conditions

Book an appointment with Maria Arora at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ 

This is the second of a series of episodes about skin conditions.

 I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Remember that the information I give is for guidance and for your understanding and not for treatment or diagnosis purposes. 

Eczema is a distressing condition which affects many children and adults. It is often treated with steroid creams and treatments which do not help in the long term healing and rebalancing of the body. When you understand what is happening when the body presents with eczema you can find great relief and healing with the right steps of body support.

The difference between eczema and dermatitis

Eczema is usually more localised than dermatitis and you usually find it in the cubital fossa (inner elbow) or the popliteal fossa (behind the knee). Other common areas include around the neck, mouth and eyes. Eczema can be considered as an atopic presentation, meaning it is a long standing condition which tends to flare periodically.

There are different ways that eczema can present, including:

• Nummular eczema - coin-like and responds a little different from normal type of eczema
• Generalized - Everything gets red itchy and extremely swollen (looks like a dermatitis presentation)
• Lichen-like presentation - when it looks leather-like, usually a chronic condition

What triggers eczema to flare?

When eczema flares, it is the immune system saying, “I am not happy. There is something annoying me. Please can we get rid of this trigger!” We then need to look at what these triggers may be and we address both external and internal factors.

External factors include pollens, grasses, animal fur, food, dust mites and chemical agents. We also have internal factors like stress hormones which can create an aggravation.

If the eczema is red, hot, itchy and/or burning then we know we are having a histamine response (see last week's episode # 30). 

Factors to consider with eczema

• Are proteins from dietary intake breaking down properly?
• Is the blood and gut pH balanced?
• Is the gut flora balanced
• Do we need to support any mineral deficiencies?
• What is the trigger and how can we remove it?

We need to consider each of these factors and perhaps change more than one but not every case will need to have each area addressed. Quite often, the difficulty is trying to work out what is causing the problem. Is it internal or external, environmental or nutrition or a combination?!

As a rule of thumb, when we are treating eczema we:

• Deworm - When parasites have been in the body for a while, we tend to get leaky gut, have poor digestion and uptake of nutrients and have an acid pH. As a consequence the immune response becomes higher (which can result in eczema flares).
• Introduce high quality probiotics
• Take digestive enzymes
• Cut histamines, grains, dairy, nuts and acid forming foods - Once the condition settles we can reintroduce slowly and notice how the body responds so we can work out if any are triggering an immune response. 

Acid forming foods include fizzy drinks, coffee, alcohol (especially spirits),wheat and dairy

Also look out for meals that can be triggering as a whole. For example Spaghetti bolognaise where the wheat is acid forming, the tomato is high in histamine and the cheese is both acid and histamine forming.

A big misunderstanding is when we say, cut out grains and then people reach for gluten free carbohydrates. Gluten-free is not necessarily the solution as there are other proteins which can be triggering to the immune system which are found in other grains, aside from wheat.  

• Avoid topical creams which will aggravate (including essential oils)
• Avoid hot water exposure - Hot water will increase the histamine response
• If the skin is weeping - No exposure to water on the skin at all (better to be a little smelly than worsen the condition!). When I see conditions that are weeping I also find that we need to support the liver and apply tissue salts topically to the affected areas.
• Topical application of tissue salts - With eczema, we find the topical application of tissue salts to be extremely beneficial. To apply the tissue salts, we crush them with the back of a spoon, sprinkle over the area and then tap to remove the excess. The tissue salts which can help may be 2, 11, 10 and 12. I highly recommend seeking professional help however as the tissue salts you will need and the quantity and frequency you should take them will depend on the individual circumstances (age, external factors etc). 

If there is an acute flare-up of a chronic condition, for example a person with red, how, swollen and itchy patches but who also has lichen-like patches of skin (usually around wrists and ankles), we look at treating the problem area first (the acute flare up) and then we address the bigger picture. 

When we look at the bigger picture we quite often find more than one condition (not just eczema). For example, impetigo (school sores) and eczema or acne and eczema. In these cases we have to prioritise what we are treating (we can’t address everything at once). We prioritise by treating what is the most aggravating first. 

For professional support with your skin conditions

Book an appointment with Maria Arora at https://www.aurorahealingcodes.co

I have become known as a complementary dermatologist for supporting people with skin conditions in a natural way. Contrary to popular belief skin conditions often involve many different body systems and can be complex to treat. I.e. A topical cream may be required but it likely won't be enough for full healing. This is the first of our holistic skin healing series. 

Before we get stuck in, it is important to note that different conditions mean a different state of your immune system. Or, in simple terms, skin conditions can be caused by processes occurring (or not occurring) deep in the body. This can get quite complicated, so while I am speaking about how you can help yourself, keep in mind that you may require professional assistance to get to the root cause of the problem. 

When looking at health and disease there are certain steps the body has to go through. For example, if you are diagnosed with cancer this comes from a progression of stages which has occurred within the body, involving many body systems. There is also a hierarchy within the organ systems and skin would be near the top of that hierarchy, where it is generally the first symptom you will notice and is often the last symptom to disappear. This is not true for every case but it is quite common.

There are also conditions which are more inflammatory in nature and which can come from either external or internal sources. For example, if you are stung by a bee (external inflammatory source)  there will be redness, swelling and pain on the area of skin where you were stung. An internal inflammatory source would be something coming from inside of the body, like hormonal imbalance. 

When we speak about chronic conditions we are speaking about conditions which develop over a period of time. As I indicated, these cases develop with many other organ systems involved and thus take longer to address because there are more of the body systems which need balancing.

The reason why I am taking the time to stress the hierarchy of body systems involved in many skin conditions is because many people believe that when there is a chronic skin condition that the gut is to blame. This is not true. The gut may well be part of the problem but there are many more systems which will need to be balanced to bring the skin back into harmony and it’s probable that these other systems will need to be prioritised over the gut. 

Another way to look at skin conditions (instead of acute or chronic) is to think of it in terms of external triggers (e.g a bee sting or chemical exposure) vs internal triggers (body system malfunction).

Treating skin conditions is something that practitioners have been trying to master for a very long time and it takes a lot of study to begin understanding it. 

As a general rule of thumb. If something is red, burning, swollen and itching then you need to reduce the amount of histamines you are ingesting, are exposing your body to or which are being produced by your body. 

As an example, if you have a really hot shower and your skin gets red, the redness is a result of histamines being produced. This same effect can happen while exercising when you overheat. 

Some foods like strawberries create a histamine response in the body. These are things that are imperative to remove (especially in acute cases) if we are going to address conditions coming from histamine responses (red, itchy, burning, swelling).

Our body also detoxifies through the skin when the liver, lymphatics and kidneys are not able to detox effectively. So you can see how important it is to have good nutrition not only to reduce the amount of histamine foods but also to supply the organs of detoxification (liver, lymphatic, kidneys) with the nutrition they need to work effectively. 

A good example of this is when we have a diet with too much acid-forming foods and drinks (e.g. caffeine, fizzy drinks, sugar) and heavy foods containing too much cholesterol (e.g. fried foods, coconut oil etc).

We have spoken in previous episodes about how the extracellular space becomes very dense/thick when the body pH is too acid making it difficult to detox. (Listen to episode 20 for more information on body acidity and what causes it)

We need to consider the state of the liver, the PH of the body and consequently the minerals. If the minerals are not in balance you are going to be slow to regenerate your skin and have a good immune response. (I have recorded a whole series on mineral therapy. If you haven't listened already it is well worth your time in order to understand how minerals affect and regulate your body at the deepest level).

When we address skin conditions in this series we are going to look at primary triggers and secondary triggers. A primary trigger is something which initiates a condition, whereas a secondary trigger is something that continues to aggravate the original flare or symptoms. 

Each condition has different primary and secondary triggers. For example, in the case of scabies there are little midgets that burrow under the skin, creating a tunneling system. In this case we can see that the midgets/scabies are the primary trigger. The body's immune response should be to rid itself of the scabies. If the immune response is not adequate we need to look at pH (acidity) and minerals to see what is out of balance/why the immune response is not working. Therefore the secondary trigger is likely to be pH and/or mineral imbalance. In this case, while we would support the immune response, we would look at attacking the initial agent (the scabies) itself as our primary focus.

In another example let's say we have a burn. The primary trigger is heat but as part of the healing process we look at nutrition and protection because we need to regenerate our skin (which requires protein, minerals and adequate fluids) and avoid infection from external sources. In this case, we are focusing on avoiding the potential secondary triggers (lack of nutrition and exposure to pathogens) as our main focus of treatment.

What happens when you have a long term inflammatory condition?

These types of conditions cause a lot of suffering and we often see people coming into the clinic desperate for help. Examples are eczema, dermatitis, granuloma annularis, rosacea, acne, fungal conditions and nine different forms of psoriasis.

As these conditions involve many body systems, we are going to be addressing these in the coming episodes.

If you require support for your skin problem (or any other health problem) head to https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ to book an appointment with Maria Arora. 

Below is a brief synopsis of my journey into natural medicine. Have a listen to the podcast chat between myself and Michelle Marsh where I share some of my personal stories and anecdotes.

This is my journey and how I went from practicing Western Medicine into Natural Therapies despite the obstacles life threw at me which included constant moving, children, cancer, stroke and divorce.

I knew from the age of 9 years old that I was going to be helping people and as a child I would go to the library and get books out that taught about the human body purely because it was interesting to me. 

In high school I moved from Chile to Brazil and when they assessed me they put me a grade up. This proved to be one of the first ‘challenges’ that life was to set for me as I had to learn both a new language as well as performing at a higher level. 

After school, I almost didn’t go into medicine. The caring part of my personality wanted to be a nurse, however my father had different ideas and was horrified at the thought of my abilities not being put into medicine. 

I of course enjoyed all of the subjects in medicine but I took a keen interest in Microbiology.

During my studies I had experience working in emergency and theatre and had a range of experiences from being  punched in the face by drunk patients through to caring for people who are in the end stage of life. 

My Hindu late husband exposed me to Homeopathy and a holistic approach. With my late husband I lived in India, Germany and many other countries. In India I was exposed to the ‘freshness’ of food in its natural state. I learned to cook from scratch and I noticed how unprocessed foods were accepted by the body more readily. 

When we moved to Australia, in order to continue practicing medicine I would need to do further study. At this stage we had children however and I was already wanting to move into natural therapies so I enrolled to do Naturopathy majoring in Nutrition and Homeopathy. 

It’s safe to say I have functioned at a high level for a long period of time but it wasn’t always smooth sailing.

Living in India with my late husband's family wasn’t easy. There was a big difference in culture and while my Western clothes were conservative they were still Western. I had to learn to grind spice and mill flour to make bread daily and I had chores which consisted of things like getting water from the street pump. 

My late husband also made life difficult for me. He was not happy with my desire to study naturopathy and so said that if I choose to do it I must make sure I keep doing all the household responsibilities. I.e. cooking him 3 meals from scratch per day, staying home with the children and keeping the house impeccable. I also had to find a way to pay for my studies as he would not support them. 

A year into my studies I developed cervical cancer, which became another bump in the road. Thankfully, I knew how to treat myself naturally.

Soon after I had healed, I was pregnant with my fourth baby. I didn’t return to study after my baby as my husband encouraged me to study nursing because it would produce a faster income (because of my medical training) than studying naturopathy. 

It wasn’t long before things got worse in my marriage and there was abuse on many levels. When divorcing I represented myself in court, with the help of a very good friend and gained full custody of the children. I found myself in a position again where I could not continue my studies and so I left nursing and applied myself fully to my jobs as a nursing assistant, interpreter and mother to my beautiful children. 

At this stage I was working the night shift and caring for my 2, 5, 7 and 9 year old children during the day. Sometimes I wouldn't sleep for two days in a row. 

In hindsight it wasn’t surprising that one day I woke up paralysed down one side of my body. I was in hospital for 10 days after the stroke. When I went home I began to heal myself once again with natural medicine.

While still recovering from my stroke, my old teacher from Homeopathy called and told me I needed to return to my studies. My teacher was adamant and so I returned to finish my diploma despite working two jobs, being a single mother and not being well.

All of these difficulties enabled me to gain courage so I could become the resilient person I am today. Along the way I also had many people and moments which gave me the motivation to be the joyful, positive person I am. I have channeled all of these learnings into continuing my education and since graduating from Naturopathy I have studied something new every year, including Mineral Therapy (which became a cornerstone of my practice) Bowen Therapy, Bio regulatory medicine, Blood Analysis, Biological Medicine for Cancer, Essential Oils, Raindrop Technique, Relationship and Post-abortion Grief Counselling, Alfa Thermography, Genetics, Sound Healing, Mentoring and Mindset, Dermatology, Qi Gong and more.

https://www.aurorahealingcodes.com/ 

If you had to choose just four essential oils what would you choose? In today's episode we discuss why we choose the essential oils we use on a daily basis and how they could possibly help you too.

When I first found essential oils I was on the lookout for something that could help my patient’s to process emotions. I was introduced to a technique called Raindrop and I was astounded by the results, not only for my patients but also for myself as I was coming in contact with them for 4 hours every day as I was giving the treatments.

The essential oils in the Raindrop treatment are oregano, thyme, basil, wintergreen, cypress, Aroma Seize (blend), peppermint, marjoram and Valor (blend). These essential oils are stimulating and cleansing oils.

My top four essential oils:

1 - Sacred Frankincense

Sacred Frankincense is high frequency and works beautifully for the law of attraction. At the same time it is also a grounding, bringing us back into our bodies. This dual action of raising the vibration while also grounding makes it pretty special. In biblical times, Jesus was given Frankincense. Why? It’s assumed that it was sought after due to the quantity of infant mortality and disease. Sacred Frankincense is higher boswellic acid (the active ingredient) than other types of frankincense. 

2 - Progessence Phyto Plus

Progessence Phyto Plus (blend) balances female hormones and energies (including mindset). I apply this essential oil on my thighs every morning. 

3 - Clary Sage

Clary sage works well with the effect of Progessence Phyto Plus in keeping hormones in ratio with each other. I apply this essential oil over my stomach in the mornings and will add it to my home made face moisturiser if my skin is a bit flushed, which can be a sign of estrogen not being in equilibrium with the body.

4 - Gratitude

Gratitude is a beautiful blend which helps to balance the emotions and get our mindset in the right frame where we can attract high vibration experiences and manifestations. 

My oily routine

• As soon as I wake up I reach to my bedside table and choose something for a quick pick-me-up (the oil I choose changes).
• After my shower I put Sacred Frankincense on my face, Gratitude (blend) on my wrists, wintergreen on my neck, deodorant (made up with lavender tea tree and natural ingredients), progessence on my thighs and clary sage on my abdomen. I also make a moisturiser for my face. The essential oils in my moisturiser depends on what I feel I intuitively know as well as looking at my skin and choosing oils which will help. I look for redness, swelling, dry, too moist etc. For example, if it is:
• Too dry - I will not use frankincense because frankincense dries out the skin (which is why it is good for pimples)
• Flushed/hot - I know this is an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen so I put a bit of clary sage in the cream
• A bit puffy - I use geranium because geranium aids detoxification
• More wrinkly than normal then I reach for helichrysum

During the day, I often add lemon essential oil to my water. Lemon essential oil has an active component called D-limonene which has a lot of benefits.

If I have eaten some sugar (usually dark chocolate), then I will put a drop of ocotea under my tongue and some Juvaflex (blend) over my liver. 

My favourite scent from an essential oil (currently) is lemon myrtle and frankincense. Orange is also a big favourite as it puts you in a happy place almost instantly. 

In the evening I use cedarwood on my forehead to help with sleep.

Michelle’s favourite oils:

• Progessence and clary sage in the morning
• Digize in Ningxia to aid digestion
• Endoflex over adrenals and thyroid
• Shoulders - Aroma Seiz (blend), marjoram, wintergreen and Panaway (blend) are all used in different combination
• Orange in the diffuser (with almost every blend)
• Frankincense on my forehead for clarity
• Vetiver to help calm myself down (especially if my adrenals are working overtime and I am having trouble grounding). Idaho Balsam Fir is also very good for this.
• For an energy boost I reach for spruce or Shutran (blend)

Should we rotate our essential oil routines?

While too much of anything can pose a risk to the human body, in the case of essential oils if we are applying them topically or inhaling them, this is unlikely to happen. This is because essential oils attach to receptor sites on cells and if the body does not require the essential oil there will be no receptor site for it to attach to and thus will be excreted out of the body. Essential oils have an action lifespan of about 20 minutes in the human body.

In saying this, if you are not using an essential oil that is pure then it will contain toxins that will absolutely accumulate and cause damage to the body. This is also true for rancid oils.

As far as changing your essential oil routine, your body usually naturally draws away from using it. You may find that you just forget to apply it or perhaps you are no longer drawn to it. Don’t be afraid to trust yourself and your inner guidance on what is good for you and when. 

Mentoring

For mentoring and support around essential oils (or any other health related topic) head to www.aurorahealingcodes.com 

You are also invited to join our Mindset for Success Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/815926559012448/ 

Podcast episode

This week’s episode was a conversation between host Maria Arora (Naturopath) and Michelle Marsh (Aromanosis Coach). 

Have you heard the saying ‘green with envy?’ and wondered where it came from? It comes from the emotional association of envy (jealousy) with the liver and gallbladder. And funnily enough, the gallbladder produces bile, which is green! 

Today we are talking about which emotions affect what body organs and systems. In a similar fashion to the green with envy example, we can look at different emotions and see the effects they have on certain parts of the body.

The Chinese medicine system helps us gain better understanding as it corresponds to the different body organs and systems with emotions. Drawing on this system, I have described some of the body systems and their corresponding emotions, as well as the recommended essential oils for these areas. But please keep in mind that this is a surface level look into a very deep and complex topic. So if you enjoy what you learn today, know that there is much much more to discover!

Kidneys 

Our kidneys (and adrenals) are associated with fear. When the adrenals are overworked (due to too much nervous system stimulation) we get exhausted. So we know that where there is fear, there is also exhaustion. 

When we are thinking about how to treat fear we can think of the law of opposites. The opposite of fear is knowledge. This is because fear is related to the unknown. When we are afraid we are scared of what might occur (be it in 10 seconds or 10 years). Ie. We are projecting into the future. The way we balance this is by focusing on the present. There is a beautiful essential oil blend called Present Time which works wonders for bringing the mind back to the here and now and thus is also extremely beneficial for states of fear. Another essential oil blend I highly recommend is called Valor because it helps us to have courage in the face of fear (Valor also contains oils which help to calm us, which work to also calm the adrenals).

Lungs & heart 

When looking at the Chinese medicine system we look at the lungs & heart connection and grief is the emotion which affects these areas. If you think about what grief is, it is the loss of something. We also want to take note here that sadness does not necessarily mean grief. Sadness is an emotion which we can experience in reaction to a range of stimulus but grief is another level where we are feeling the pain of loss.

The opposite of grief (loss) is abundance. And so when looking at treating grief, we support the lungs and cardiovascular system as well as bringing in lots of support and nurturing emotionally so the person can experience emotional abundance again. 

Because of the association with the lungs, people experiencing severe grief often experience respiratory illnesses - e.g. emphysema, chronic coughs, colds etc.

As we know by now, we can’t separate mind and body. If you know what oil works for the body then it will correspond with the emotion of that area and vice versa. Ylang Ylang is known to work well on the circulatory system and it is also a ‘happy’ oil which brings us connection and thus fills a void often experienced in grief. 

Aromalife supports and strengthens the pumping action of the heart and is also a worthwhile blend to reach for. 

Musculoskeletal

When looking at the emotional association with musculoskeletal injuries or problems as yourself, where is the injury and what is it preventing you from doing? How is this serving your current thought process? Are you avoiding something or feeling like you can’t get anywhere in life (legs/feet) or perhaps you are feeling unsupported (back pain)? You may notice that your comments relate not only to your problem but also to your thought processes and thus life generally.

Thyroid/throat

Your thyroid and throat area relate to speaking your truth. It also relates to listening to others and feeling like you are being heard. Someone who isn’t speaking their truth may make sounds like they are clearing their throat all the time. If this is you, or if you have any constriction or pain in the throat or thyroid area, ask yourself, what aren't you saying? Or what are you saying that you don't really believe? We often see this manifest in couples where one person is more dominant than the other. The submissive person often does not speak up and thus manifests problems with the throat or thyroid. 

The essential oil myrtle really helps with self expression. It is also useful for anyone who has lost their voice. 

Digestive problems 

When the digestive system is not functioning properly it is losing nourishment and therefore is also related to not nourishing the self properly. The pancreas is closely related to digestive problems as it creates the enzymes needed to break down particles (and thus receive the nourishment). The pancreas is emotionally related to not having ‘sweetness’ in life. Do you see the connection? Physically the pancreas also regulates our blood sugar levels and people who have illnesses related to pancreas (eg diabetics) can often be bitter and dissatisfied with life. When people lose the sweetness from life they try to get it through sweet foods instead. This is how it affects the pancreas and leads to diabetes. The essential oils ocotea, cinnamon and cassia are wonderful essential oils for balancing this area. 

When it comes to the bowels constipation often means you are not letting go of something whereas diarrhoea can mean you have finally let go!

Liver

The liver is a processor of strong negative emotions (eg anger, jealousy etc) and the essential oils which are beneficial for supporting the gallbladder and liver are german chamomile, geranium, ledum and a blend called JuvaCleanse. 

A tip - If you are supporting yourself with essential oils to help with emotions associated with the liver, be mindful not to eat a heavy diet (fatty foods etc) that will burden the liver, as this will be counterproductive. We must support the body (eg eating low GI carbs, fresh vegetables, minerals, lots of water etc) when cleansing emotions just as we need to support the emotions (coaching/counselling, journaling, self development practices) when we are detoxifying the body. 

If detoxifying emotions, use an oil blend called Release and apply over the liver. 

Skin 

We can’t really pinpoint just one emotion for the skin because when our skin is showing signs of chronically being upset, it is a symptom of a deeper problem, most likely related to hormones. These longer term skin issues are quite often related to feeling unseen.

An acute skin problem which is itchy and red is most likely related to detoxification, so there may be an emotion which you have repressed which is wanting to come out.  

Emotions have STRONG effects!

Our emotions have very strong and REAL effects on the body. Many years ago I saw a girl who was experiencing hemorrhaging with no apparent cause. After speaking with her I found out she was engaged and that she was not wanting to go through with the wedding. After speaking with me she decided to be honest and cancel the wedding. Her hemorrhaging symptoms disappeared. 

Be mindful of your words. “MY back pain” means you are owning it. Instead say “This back pain I am experiencing”... and then apply Panaway!

Essential Oils: 

We have mentioned many essential oils in today’s blog. It’s worth noting that essential oils bind to receptor sites of cells to create an action. If the body doesn't need it, the oils won’t bind and thus will be excreted by the body. This is why different people get different results. Because we are all unique in our needs. 

When choosing essential oils, trust your intuition. We have the same ability as animals to smell and sense what we need versus what we should avoid, we just don’t trust ourselves and have been taught to seek the answers for our problems outside of ourselves. 

In saying this, it is handy to have a base level of education and if your problems are complicated, guidance may be helpful. 

If you would like to learn more about essentia