By Hillary Arrieta, 
LMT, MTI, and Certified Aromatherapist.

It's summer, and I love walking and hiking in nature on warm, dry days. If it were up to me, I'd probably spend most of my time outdoors. However, mosquitoes are a problem everywhere you go. Sometimes these Texas summers require early morning or evening hikes, which can be an issue because those are the times of the day when they are the most active. 
A few years back, I was at an outdoor meditation retreat where I forgot about these pesky and unrelenting creatures. I came away with welts that were so itchy and miserable that I decided to blend something that could take the sting out and give me some relief. This aromatherapy recipe worked like a charm! I always make sure to have some of it handy for the summertime. 

For this recipe, you will need to gather essential oils of: 
Four drops Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)
Four drops Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum)
Two drops of Tulsi (holy basil) (Ocimum sanctum ct eugenol)
Three drops of Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

One ounce PET plastic flip-top bottle.
One ounce of any of the following: 
Organic, unscented lotion, aloe vera juice (an excellent, cooling option), or your choice of natural, cold-pressed seed or vegetable oil. 

Fill the bottle almost to the top with your carrier product. Drop by drop, add your essential oils. Shake to mix and apply to the itchy bites as needed. Avoid the area if the skin is broken and bleeding.

Pro tip: Add your blend to a glass roller bottle for on-the-go convenience. I find glass roller-ball bottles at Natural grocers for a very reasonable price.
 
If you don't have any of this stuff and aren't interested in blending oils, try an old folk remedy of using a banana peel! Just peel the banana and place the inside part of the skin on the bites. That should ease the itch.
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If you tried this recipe, Leave your results in the comments section! I'd love to hear how it worked for you. 

This summer has been a hot one. Yes, it’s Texas but the humidity and heat takes it's toll on me every year. It's nice to have refreshing beverages and a cool place to retreat to in the height of the afternoon. It's a perfect time for Hibiscus berry sun tea.
I learned about this delicious treat during an aromatic beauty care class at The Barefoot Dragonfly in Austin. The Barefoot Dragonfly is owned by Amy Kreydin, one of my favorite aromatherapists.  Amy Is an ARCB Board Certified Reflexologist and CCAP Clinical Aromatherapist, who specializes in working with pediatrics, women’s health, autoimmune conditions, and chronic health issues.
We had a wonderful afternoon learning and sipping on this really delicious tea. I’m so thankful that she shared her recipe with me so that I could enjoy it all season.
Let's learn more about these herbs first before diving into the recipe. We're using Hibiscus flowers, Hawthorn berries, Elderberries, and some raw honey. Adding the frozen berry mix adds to the refreshing qualities of this tea and makes it takes really great!

• Hibiscus is cooling and it has a tangy/sweet flavor. It's perfect for summer because it infuses well in cold water so there's no need to heat anything up. We will let the sun do our brewing but just know that you can infuse it into cold water very easily. It's traditionally used to cool down inflammation, lower uric acid (perfect for gout sufferers) and improve triglyceride levels in people who have diabetes.
• Hawthorn berry is used energetically to soothe a broken heart. Hawthorn is a heart-fortifying and nourishing herb. Herbalists will often use it to increase circulation and blood flow to the heart without raising blood pressure.
• Elderberry is a well-known herbal anti-viral. It's traditionally used to support the immune system. It's also really tasty too!
• Raw Honey is of course a natural sweetener and it also is a natural humectant which means it helps you retain moisture so it will be a good addition to this summer tea.

Hibiscus berry sun tea recipe.
*loose herbs can be found at natural grocers or ordered online from Herbiary or mountain rose herbs.*
You will need:
•1 part dried hibiscus flowers,
•1 part hawthorn berry,
•1 part elderberry,
• Filtered water,
•1 cup frozen berries,
• Raw honey to taste,
• Glass pitcher,
•Cloth tea bag or cheesecloth.

Directions: Place the dried hibiscus, elderberry, and hawthorn berries in the tea bag or cheesecloth and float them in a pitcher of filtered water. Set the pitcher out in the sun or a sunny window to brew for an hour or two. Bring the pitcher in and remove the tea bag/cheese cloth. Pour the frozen berries into the pitcher and place in the fridge to chill. Drink over ice and add raw honey to taste.

Miss Luna guarding my brew!

By Hillary Arrieta

2017 is underway, and things have been hectic around here. It feels like I've been massaging everyone in Dallas,Texas and that's a LOT of people. For my personal Self-Care strategies,  I've been reaching for some herbal allies to help me through the hustle and bustle. Ashwagandha, commonly known as Indian ginseng, is one of my favorite adaptogens. An adaptogen is a category of herbs that help bodies handle stress and adapt to life changes. Perfect! A friend of mine recently posted a recipe that sparked my interest, so I ordered my Ashwagandha and rose elixir from Texas Medicinals. What an excellent herbal remedy. The color and smell are fantastic. 
Collect the following Ingredients: 

• One cup of milk (any kind you prefer.)
• One Cinnamon stick.
• Texas Medicinals Ashwagandha and rose elixir.

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Directions:
Heat one cup of milk (cow, goat, soy, almond, rice, hemp) in a small pan with a stick of cinnamon until warm. Remove the milk from heat and pour into a mug. Next, add one dropper full of Texas Medicinals Ashwagandha and rose elixir to your cup. Add a tablespoon, raw honey. Stir and enjoy it.
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(Alternatively, you can steep a teabag of Ashwagandha in the milk while warming it
and add one teaspoon rose hydrosol) 

Give it a try and let me know how you liked it in the comments.

Links:
http://gingerwebb.com/shop/ashwagandha-rose-elixir/
http://amykreydin.com

Hi! I’m Hillary Arrieta and I help people improve their lives by offering holistic solutions to ease stress, eliminate pain, and inspire self care practices. I own The Heeling Hut in Plano, TX. Where I teach workshops, write,  and specialize in unique and effective massage and meditation techniques such as Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage and iRest® Yoga Nidra. At The Heeling Hut you'll find the best massage in the Dallas area for pain and stress management. Texas MT 040051